Middlemen…

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 | Uncategorized

mariokartThe Internet has changed just about every way people do business in the past 10 years.  The middleman is dead…..we can get what we want, when we want it….and at a lower price over here, NO OVER THERE!

Major labels WERE the middlemen of music…..they could get the star to the public, and that was THE ONLY WAY.   Alas, the Internet killed the rock star too.  The days of the major label creating a superstar are over.  Hell, the superstars that still do exist can’t even sell their music.

……

The more I talk to my musician friends, the more I realize how much we all want the same thing….to make a living playing music. We don’t want millions, we don’t want to be on MTV (not that it actually exists anyway), we just want to write and play and be listened to.

These days, my friends and I don’t need a Major Label to get our music out there, but that goes for the hundreds of thousands of other bands out there as well.  We now have more choices, more niches, and more clutter than ever.

So how can we be heard??  Not only how can we be heard, but how can we make money?  Music is free, and anyone who doesn’t think so is fooling themselves.  The real question is how long can we keep it up?  How long can we struggle?  BUT….if this is what we’re called to do, how can we do anything else?

We’re back to the old days….the strong will survive….and they will survive on word of mouth.  The ones who write a song so good, people have to send it to their friends….who make a video so good or so funny or so interesting, that people are gathering around their offices at work to watch it….the ones whose live act is so amazing every fan tells 10 people about the next one.   So grab your pens and paper and guitars…we’ve got work to do….we need to be incredible.

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7 Comments to Middlemen…

Langs
March 18, 2009

You are!

MOTHER #2
March 18, 2009

UMMMMMMMMM LET ME SEE …WHERE’S MY WEBSTERS…DEFINITION OF INCREDIBLE…AHHHHHHHHHHH…OF COURSE…”CASEY SHEA”…….

lootyman
March 18, 2009

This is an interesting take. I’ve been frustrated with the state of the music world since I’ve been old enough to get it. Here’s an interesting phenomenon.

In old days [i'm talking hobbits and robin hood] every village had musicians. As the world got smaller and the radio and tv became mass media juggernauts, the talent pool got smaller and smaller.

But here’s the rub, the single invention that quite possibly made the world as small as it’s EVER been, has brought the pendulum’s momentum back in the other direction. Thankfully.

Jason
March 19, 2009

Shea- finally a post not about margaritas! Domination.

Davidson
March 19, 2009

You are strong and that is why you are surviving and will continue to survive. You are not a person that quits, that is why you are going to make it, and in my eyes and so many others we feel you already have!

Mary
March 29, 2009

To reinforce your theory:

Last Thurs, my cousin and I went to Rockwood to hear my friend Ethan Lipton’s band. We got there early to get a seat but discovered how NOT early we were as the place was packed and mesmerized listening to your great set of songs. The next day, I downloaded the other “ABC” songs from this site and have since passed them on because they’re &%$^*-ing great songs! So, THANKS and you have a new group of listeners waiting for more awesome tunes…

Digital v. Physical… | My Life In A Cube
October 14, 2009

[...] what got major labels in trouble to begin with???  Overpricing for CRAP!!?  They used to blame the middlemen…people like the manufacturing companies and the record stores….THEY are the reason that [...]

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