Monday, January 29, 2007

The Indie/Corporate Complex

One thing indie intellectuals love to espouse is their views on "the corporate take-over of music." The general complaint has to do with media conglomeration, the majority of so-called "indies" being owned by major labels, and the general poor quality of radio these days. You'll hear these hipsters complaining about Clear Channel but you most likely you won't hear them making music or making a difference. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! are making that difference and its BECAUSE of media conglomeration that they exist.

Frankly, I don't like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!'s music, but the way they have succeeded should inspire anyone. CYHSY are completely "indie." They fund, sell and profit from their music, without the help of major label support (besides distro.)

"The reason that we decided to continue to do it ourselves is really economic as much as anything else," Sean Greenhalgh, the band's drummer, told The Post last week, ahead of the Jan. 30 drop of the band's second CD, "Some Loud Thunder."

"We make more money doing it ourselves than we would with a label," he said. (lhb)

So let me get this straight. A huge corporation doesn't have that much to offer musicians if their music is strong, they have an entrepreneurial mind, and can afford an inexpensive recording program? Musicians can make MORE money on their own based only on their talent?

We really need to curb this HUGE problem...

People who say that music is dead aren't listening, and people who say corporations are killing it don't realize that they are only killing themselves. With all the opportunity to fund, record, market, and sell your music in a multitude of ways, corporate take over of music may have been just what we needed.

The Market Works!

BqTM

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