Labels & bands.

Now Stryper is doing a cover CD I wonder how free bands are to release the songs they have written?
How does that go?
How big is the influence of a label?
Are bands free to have the last "voice" in what they will release or has the label the last "voice"?

I have heard different things on this subject. I have heard of bands leaving major labels and going independent because they didn't want to be under the control of record labels. I know the band 12 Stones just left Wind-Up records because in a sense the label made them release an ep against thier wishes. As far as writing, I have heard labels wanting bands to write songs that can be played on the radio. I don't know thou how involved labels are in the songwriting department.

One example of songwriting that I would be very curious if the label got involved was Whitecross. They released the song "In The Kingdom" and if I remember right was a moderate hit. Then on High Gear they released "In America" and there is a lot of similarites in the songs. I don't know if it was the label who said to write a song like ITK or the band.

It depends a lot on the label and on the people at the label with whom you are working. The "big majors" are more notorious for engaging in "artistic development" than some of the smaller, more indy-flavored labels, but even with these there's always the "input" factor ... and sometimes the label execs can actually keep you from making poor or foolish marketing decisions (I've seen this happen first-hand).

As an artist, you want to produce something the "powers that be" at the label are gonna want to get behind and promote aggressively (and after all, that's what a label is good for: they have the resources and connections to get your music out there, heard, reviewed, and [if it finds its market and catches on] sold), but of course you also want to retain creative control over your music ... so it's a bit of a balancing act. When a band produces a project that the label reps feel isn't up to snuff, they generally have the option to say, "no thanks." Then - depending on the contract - a band might be entitled to release the project independently (or even shop it to another label), OR they might find their project shelved indefinitely (as happened with the new Mr. Mister album, "Pull," which was finally released last Tuesday after languishing at RCA for 20 years).

Often up-and-coming artists will go with a label for awhile, build up their fan base, and then go independent, hoping to bring that fan base along with them (as might be the case with 12 Stones - I don't really know). This is MUCH easier to do now than it was 20 years ago (because of the internet, Facebook, etc.), but it's still a LOT of work. Packing and shipping your own CDs is one thing when you're moving five to ten units per week, and quite another when you're moving hundreds.

peace,
rob

ProgPariah77 wrote:

... OR they might find their project shelved indefinitely (as happened with the new Mr. Mister album, "Pull," which was finally released last Tuesday after languishing at RCA for 20 years).

I have heard tales of this happening to several bands in the 80's and 90's.

Staybrite wrote:

ProgPariah77 wrote:

... OR they might find their project shelved indefinitely (as happened with the new Mr. Mister album, "Pull," which was finally released last Tuesday after languishing at RCA for 20 years).

I have heard tales of this happening to several bands in the 80's and 90's.

I think it was the case for the old 80's mainstream band Cinderella well. Don't know of any Christian groups off the top of my head that had this happen to them.

Thresher's album Here I Am was recorded in 1992, but not released until last year.

Jet Circus has an album that was never released that they started recording in 1993/1994 after "Step On It"

Quote :

JET CIRCUS - NO MERCY FOR THE LIVING DEAD
Eagerly awaited for a long time, no compromise heavy rockers - Jet Circus second album.
Written and recorded 1993/94 and 2002/03/05. Release 2005.
Solid 16 page 4 color booklet with pictures from the era. Design by Ez Gomér.

Song Titles:
All titles by Gomér/Haw

* No Mercy For the Living Dead
* Shine
* Get In Line or Step Aside
* Landslide
* Honey Pie
* Motorcycle Mama
* Never
* Paradise
* Welcome Home

All titles by Gomér/Haw
Produced by: Ez Gomér, Gomér/Haw
All rights reserved Hypersonic Records
All songs P&C 2005 Hypersonic Publishing (STIM)

Ez Gomér - Bass, Vocals
Terry Haw - Guitar, Vocals
Michael Ulvsgrad - Drums

Obviously they were hoping to finally release it back in 2005. If you go to this website you can listed to mp3 samples for a few of the songs.

http://www.hypersonic.se/production/artister_jet_eng.html

Staybrite wrote:

ProgPariah77 wrote:

... OR they might find their project shelved indefinitely (as happened with the new Mr. Mister album, "Pull," which was finally released last Tuesday after languishing at RCA for 20 years).

I have heard tales of this happening to several bands in the 80's and 90's.

The recently released MASS album 'Fighter' was recorded for A&M in 1982 and has just been released via Retroactive....

The myth is that getting signed to a label means you've MADE it.... In reality on the big labels you're a commodity and the money 'advanced' is just that a LOAN.... Recouped and repayable based on CD sales and Song Royalties... The 'major's are now even going after MERCHANDISING as well.... simply crazy.... unless you have that one or two HUGE singles or albums (i.e. 2+ million seller) you'll often find yourself in debt to the Record Company....

Going 'solo' is a harder go, however there are many avenues to 'push' yourself.... Touring is really the only place an Artist/Band can make their money. Everyone one music/cd's for NOTHING which kills sales so the 5+ million selling album is even more rare if not extinct.... SO touring is the main source of funding for income.... Just putting out an album means NOTHING if you're not gonna tour behind it.... Sure you're gonna sell some but if you really want an audience nothing succeeds like hitting the road...

How did all the old bands do it ???? they toured toured toured toured... an album a year and toured themselves to death... no one wants to do that now that's why it takes so long in between releases.... 'we all need our break'.....