Music (Man/Woman) Management

I'm excited by a lot of "new" bands at the moment, as well as burdened by a heavy feeling that I should be doing something more productive... getting back involved. However, even when dealing with pop groups that I am actively involved in, I'm beginning to realise I'm not really cut out for music management. I don't seem to be able to strike the balance of imposing ideas of those that need, and coercing the true "desire" or aspiration from them. I'm not sure I necessarily want to either. I'm confused by what is right for the band, and band's don't know what's right for them. And other people's expectations (that fantastic music industry trait of perception) make it even more confusing.

"I see the futility in all things" 

One day soon, hopefully I'll be excited by my own creations to enable it, but not just yet. I need creations first.

Apologies if that's all cryptic, it's really not meant to be

Soundtrack to this post: Dark Was The Night compilation

Rough Trade

Having embraced Twitter, the desire to write blog posts is obviously dwindling, but that is because it exposes the difference in the two. And quite frankly, I'm a lot happier firing brief missives into the world than concentrating on some sentient thought. And when I do, I'm not usually near my computer, the resultant scribble as a 'note' on my Blackberry very rarely making sense at a later date

Alas, there is a greater reason to post than just wittiering, and that is the brilliant Rough Trade night on BBC4 last Friday. I was out filming Ellen & The Escapades at the time, but watched back on Sunday night with glee. 

Rough Trade, and all the DIY innovators of the late 70s / early 80s were obviously a great inspiration to me with Forward Russia and Dance To The Radio, and hearing interviews with Geoff Travis at the time of Rough Trade's inception was really intriguing. I thought the way the program delved in the merky moral v commercialist dilemma's was very good - until it discarded this indepth approach with the label reboot of the 00's (ie no mention that the label has been sold a couple of times, and is currently a subsidiary of Beggars so I believe). 

The way the label and staff 'chased' the dream with The Smiths was had familar ring to it as well, in lots of different respects, along with the general rise from entusiast to business with all it's accompanying trials

But I'm not sure what exactly to make of Geoff Travis. I did a panel at In The City with him in October and was slightly put off by a comment he made about not being able to make an album for less than £30k/£40k. And within the program there was something odd about the rhetoric of the 70's Travis on taking back the power / options / ability to release records, no matter what the quality or commerciality, to the Travis of now, managing Duffy

It's a great old independent music industry paradigm, if you can make something succesful in the mainstream true to your morals, could you / should you? But surely you can't keep them there and stick to said morals? And I think that you can't, or at least it's incredibly it's very very hard to, is true to the case. So what do you do? Personally, if I'd have gone through what Rough Trade had, I would steer clear from the mainstream music industry even if I did see a Duffy, but then that might explain why/how Geoff Travis has a purpose in life and I don't.

I've just re-read this entry and wanted to add "and why he's probably a lot richer than me" but that's not that point, or is it?

Anyway, enjoy some truly entertaining television until the end of Friday night at least:

Do It Yourself - The Story Of Rough Trade

Rough Trade at the BBC (feat. Young Marble Giants / Robert Wyatt / The Smiths and more)

And a note on Twitter, I do like it, I really do. I think it actually has genuine uses like a group text, or friend notification services. Discovering friends are out and about and so on is very useful. But, I see it dying very quickly as there's very little way to engage yourself on Twitter like Myspace or Facebook. But that would be a shame. Ahh well

Soundtrack to this post: Simon Mayo

The NME

Here's a pretty incredible feature on the NME with interviews of with key staff, giving a rare insight into how misguided their editorial policy. The piece is generally positive, so I can't decide if comments are misguided or if the writer is trying to make them look foolish

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/09/nme-wiseman-conor-mcnicholas-musical-express

Soundtrack to this post: The Rain Parade

This Seems Like A Good Way To Release A Record

As previously mentioned way back when, there's a very good band called PORTUGAL THE MAN who are releasing a new album later this year. I think they've had a few record company issues I believe and have put a lot of their own work, maybe money into getting this album going

I think they're putting it out themselves, offering numerous packages for pre-order to suit whoever who wants to buy the album - and everyone who pre-orders the album can download from the 1st September

I like these ideas. Check out the whole scheme at the website, and listen at the Myspace:

http://portugaltheman.net/

http://www.myspace.com/portugaltheman

I don't know where Batcat went, I'm sorry...

Soundtrack to this post: Portgual The Man!

Mercury's Recap

I'm actually really shocked the Portishead & Foals album didn't get nominated, I thought the Portishead was a classic 'Mercury' album. I'm also surprised Duffy didn't get in on the pop tip, and I think it's a real shame the Mystery Jets album isn't getting the recognition.

Thinking about it, I am disappointed the Burial album was entered as it doesn't seem to to fit the way he operates, but I suppose if you were going to do anything, this is probably it. Depending on whether the bookies have twigged how fashionable it is, it could well be worth a flutter!! (edit: I've since checked and he's favourite!)

I actually think it's a decent list with the mass of British albums over the last year, and I think Neon, BSP, Laura Marling and even Elbow aren't the fashionable choicea. The nods to Jazz / Folk are a little trite with the Plant inclusion, but I guess Seb Rochefort didn't make an album this year

Soundtrack to this post: The Boss

I've said for a while (to myself, and the odd person who listens) that I think the future of an album promotion is with free giveaway downloads, and not the traditional single). In layman's terms, giving away an albums lead single as a free download

It already happens in the alternative scene in the US - SubPop I think giveaway free downloads of their singles. But basically it seems what Coldplay have just done is the perfect way to play people a new direction or similar

The problem in the UK is that the public perception is completely dominated by the Singles Chart. Now if that weren't the case.... everything would be a little more interesting. Coldplay don't have to worry about scoring a number 1 single if they have a number 1 album (or when they can prove 600000 people downloaded one track in 24 hours), but at the minute, pretty everyone else has to worry about chart placings, and porring money down a blackhole of production and marketing

For a discerning artist of today, the hear and now, singles to promote albums is pretty much a fruitless cause. We're moving towards a US model where 'lead' tracks are serviced to press/radio/TV. But that's in the US and that's in the alternative 'scene', and the Pop markets still go full on for Billboard placings

The problem in this country is that the industry isn't big enough to support a self-sustaining alternative side to the industry. It's an interesting quandry, that hopefully gets resolved in the positive. It may create a glass ceiling of achievement away from the pop/entertainment side of the industry, which I think is a good thing. Anyway, maybe the complete devalueing of individual tracks will dramatically improve the value of the album 'package'

Soundtrack to this post: Sky Sports News

Bjork, Everybody Remixing, DJing

Aww, I need to thank Mr Keep Hope Inside for commenting on my last post, about El Guincho on the new Bjork covers album. I like Keep Hope Inside, it's a blog here

Anyway, Stereogum, great webzine with lots of free tracks, have put together a tribute album of Post by Bjork (having previously done Automatic For The People and Ok Computer to mixed results). You can get all the tracks and info here, I urge you to do so!

Everyone's getting remixes done at the minute. The world seems to be swamped with Foals - Electric Bloom and Radiohead's Nude, after iTunes and Last.Fm are running competitions. I've just finished a remix of This Et Al's Figure Eight and am pretty happy. Think I'm gonna have a crack at the Foals one too. Radiohead aren't having any of my money, thieving bastards (you have to pay for their parts, which cunningly will help them in the pop charts

Finally, I'm DJing tomorrow night, at Art Is Hard in Leeds. I'm currently listening to lots of hot remixes, many nicked off this ace blog. I won't get to play any of them of course, unless I get really pissed

Soundtrack to this post: LCD / Justice etcetera

Bacardi Records

My friend and Dance To The Radio co-founder "Danny Rogers" just emailed this news story to me, which is pretty interesting:

Groove Armada "sign" to Bacardi

This follows a pretty interesting chat with a friend in London about the only money in music now was sponsership, the idea of getting Red Bull to sponser your tour van or Coca Cola to give away your music. Find an idea and then sell it to someone. 

The tour van idea I've actually seen happen. Maximo Park's tour bus in the US had a big ad for Microsoft's equivalent of an iPod. Not really a problem, I guess, and they got free games and free meals. Is this a problem? I haven't thought about this a lot. As long as corporations are enabling original musicians, can you complain too much? Although the destiny where they control the creative output is not too appealing

Anyway, just found this blog, full of El Guincho tracks, so please enjoy:

3 EL GUICHO TRACKS COURTESY OF 'OFF THE RECORD'

Oh, and be prepared for me to moan about Forward Russia reviews like an ungrateful spoilt brat in the next couple of weeks

Soundtrack to this post: El Guincho