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Post by Danhod on Nov 24, 2011 11:40:11 GMT
Hi guys, I know some of you are / have had experience with independent labels and I'm wondering if it is worth setting up a independent record label, mainly to release my own music? Its just a small project at the moment, focusing on a noise / doom metal hybrid project so to speak.
How do I go about it in the UK?
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hOU
Centurion
Posts: 57
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Post by hOU on Nov 24, 2011 20:26:05 GMT
bandcamp.
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Post by Danhod on Nov 29, 2011 10:07:27 GMT
Hadn't thought of it that way, thanks!
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Post by Imaginary Forces on Nov 29, 2011 21:42:13 GMT
No.
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Post by Danhod on Nov 30, 2011 0:53:49 GMT
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Post by Joe Chip on Nov 30, 2011 1:28:39 GMT
I've run a very small-scale label for over two decades now, released stuff on CD, vinyl, cassette, CD-R.
(1) Expect to lose money and (2) Have fun are the only pieces of advice I can muster.
Labels like Broken Flag and On-U Sound have all the cult credibility in the world but have barely made a penny out of it all these years. The fact that Susan Lawly no longer has the PO Box after the rise in rental prices last year speaks volumes about the financial realities for creative people in the 'music industry'.
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Post by Danhod on Nov 30, 2011 12:41:42 GMT
Yeah, I guess the profit is the credibility / achievement itself
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Post by Imaginary Forces on Nov 30, 2011 17:40:05 GMT
I intended to start up a little DIY label myself a short while ago but it is much more work than you can imagine and for little to no money or recognition. I am however in the fortunate position of being signed to a label with worldwide distribution and some great acts that will raise my profile to a certain extent, but even with that I earn fuck all. My intention now is to try and use the world wide promotion and exposure to raise my profile and try to grow a small audience that are into my music and then restart my label to cater to them. That way I can try and handle it all myself and lower the overheads and deal with a small audience that are into what I can offer them once a year with a new album. It is a struggle out there.
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Post by Danhod on Nov 30, 2011 18:45:16 GMT
My intention now is to try and use the world wide promotion and exposure to raise my profile and try to grow a small audience that are into my music and then restart my label to cater to them. That way I can try and handle it all myself and lower the overheads and deal with a small audience that are into what I can offer them once a year with a new album. It is a struggle out there. That's a good idea, so most hope lies in getting a recognised label?
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Post by Joe Chip on Dec 4, 2011 4:00:11 GMT
I've had stuff licensed and distributed by third parties and it's a great experience seeing your stuff appear as if by magic in record shops withouit having to do any of the associated shitwork yourself.
Then again: the other night I saw Parliament-Funkadelic in Manchester who were great. George Clinton (now 70 years old) is someone who made his first record in 1956 and whose brilliant and wild 1970s output has sold multi-millions with the endless repackaging. Due to drug-addled business decisions the guy has made a whole lot less money out of it all than he deserves, see his website. Remember the music industry is one of the most outrageously corrupt arenas in all capitalism, surpassed in sleaziness only by the publishing trade from what I hear.
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Post by Danhod on Dec 4, 2011 15:40:12 GMT
So make sure it's a fair deal - Thanks
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Post by Imaginary Forces on Dec 7, 2011 18:55:56 GMT
By the way, all of this is just my opinion. Who am I to tell you what you should and should not do. If you want to do it and you have some money to risk then why not go for it. Who knows what will happen. I was just talking from my personal experience and how I am intending to approach it from now on, that doesn't mean that it will work for either me or you.
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