OFF: the future of the rock industry (Was: A new richard meltzer interview)

[Ted Jackson jr.]

On 8 Aug 00, at 22:45, Jon Jarrett wrote:


>         Okay, perhaps Equity isn't the ideal template for what I
>         meant,
> except in as far as it was a collaboration of the exploited. I mean,
> there are lots of bands with their own labels, there are even some
> small labels who do the best they can by their musicians (hi Andy) -
> is it perhaps the way forward for an association of musicians to take
> over the actual output mechanism? To pick up your point, what if the
> union formed a label? Could it make it?

Well, I guess if Metallica and Pearl Jam were in the union, it would
be a howling success!  Really, the idea was tried by Zeppelin, right,
with their Swan Song label, which later signed Bad Company?  Of
course Pagey was an astute observer of the music biz from years as
a session guitarist.  It's amazing that more bands haven't tried it.  I
guess to make a run at your own label, you'd need to be rich enough
where having your own label wasn't so important?

theo



Would it have enough clout? Or
> has the Internet made the whole argument redundant in any case?

I think the internet self-production will gain a lot of momentum,
coupled with advances in recording technology.  About time the
major labels get what's coming...


Such
> are the thoughts in my mind as I try to put off drafting the rest of a
> conference paper until tomorrow :-)

'...never put off until tomorrow what you can put off today...'

theo