Banana's Beard Emporium - The Off-Topic Chat Thread

As an average punter who knows next to nothing of the inner workings its very interesting to see how these things generally work. I can also see the struggle in it all, and how so many artists can't cope with it, either financially or even physically/logistically.

I guess another thing with X Factor type stuff (besides the dire music from most participants) is that people assume it's the norm to win or even just do well and everything will be gravy from thereon in.

 

Oh, to get a song on the radio you'll need a plugger too. That's another 2k. Basically, to record and 'service' three songs effectively will generally cost about £40k.

 

Trying things out on Spotify is what I do. Very rarely these days do I go the whole hog and purchase something new because 1] the music more often than not just doesn't stand up to scrutiny, for me 2] I'm listening to back catalogue that comes from bands that I liked back in the 1960s, 70s and possibly 80s, and can't get on vinyl unless I'm in a charity shop, or second hand record store, or ebay. For example, I liked Cream way back when, but had idea of what Jack Bruce used to get upto as a solo artist. Cue, Harmony Row, made in 1971. First time I'd ever heard it and it was staggeringly good. Ended up finding a copy in Oxfam, in remarkable condition. Via Spotify, I've rediscovered people and bands like Nick Drake, Donovan, Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, Cat Stevens, and even America. It's the albums that I didn't hear and didn't end up owning that make the artists I like sound as fresh as they first did. Don't ask me to listen to radio. Most of which is musical wallpaper, even with a station that plays something like my kind of music. I'm generally not patient enough for that. If I listen to something, I don't want to spend half an hour waiting for something that moves or excites me. And when I purchase I want something tangible and long lasting in my hand. Hence the LP record album. A medium never beaten in accessibility to musical pleasure.

On the other hand, after listening to them on Radio Paradise, and a little further dose on Spotify, I did buy a double album, in vinyl, in the last 12 months, and that was the debut album by The Temperance Movement, which is bloody good. An unashamed plug for online guitar tutor, Justin Sandercoe's Small Town Eyes is also very good indeed and I actually bought his CD because his album isn't on vinyl. Click the links for Youtube examples from the various artists and albums.

There are many other arists that I would never have heard of if I'd have heard via the traditional outlets, so Youtube, Spotify and various internet methods are my way of finding music. If I don't buy it it's because I just don't like it enough.

 

So go and steal food from Waitrose and clothes from Next. You can share them too and tell everyone how nice the raspberry yoghurt is. And that's okay?

I'm just trying to get you to think about this rather than having a go. I realise it's likely not going to change you (yet) but it might plant a seed. I live in hope.

 

That's the other aspect TSS and is why there are so many heritage acts reforming - because the current situation is (for the reasons highlighted) a bit stake, people are going back into the past to find interesting content.

 

Fact is LTL, one could pick a decade and find 100's of albums and a lifetime of music right there. Plus music that you haven't heard is new to you, whether it is 40 years old or not. Most great older music is influencing decent artists of today anyhow, so why not see what the original people were doing. They were generally doing it better, in my opinion, in any case, instead of the watered down stuff around today. Plus you won't trip over tripe like Miley Cyrus, although you may stumble into Billy-Ray if you're unlucky.

 

Oh of course, 100% agree TSS. What I mean is that there'll be a greater proportion of intersting, backed, professionally recorded content that was allowed to grow over the course of 5 or 6 albums - tracing the careers of these artists that grew can be fascinating. There was just a greater opportunity to create that career at that time though.

In football parlance, it would be like all the kids in the Saints academy having to fund all their kit, travel, accommodation, whilst doing a day job, but also having to pay the people training them. You may get the odd Luke Shaw who gets picked up early, or because he plays in the same style as the current team. Perhaps some of the public school kids too with demonstrably less talent but with money. You'd lose from football, all the late developing Lallana's along the way, the Gareth Bale's who couldn't pay for the travel, and Rickie would still be in the beetroot factory.

 

People seem to collect around Youtube, Dailymotion, etc.. doing little videos and performances. For example, this girl [Emma Blackery] did a curious protest song. I won't post it, but here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTq8TrA3hb4
It's quite amusing, she's quite talented, aware, and lyrical. I'm sure she's capable of writing some more catchy stuff.

 

Looking at her other vids she's a 'comedienne' - one of those people (and fair play to them) making a living (ironic listening to that song) from ad pay on YouTube. It's a fairly new phenomenon and there's quite a few of them - usually performing covers etc. It's basically video blogging and worth examining for the 'how' in terms of followers etc. It is indeed a route to market though.

 

Trouble with these is it tends to be the "desperate to be famous" crowd (X Factor-esque) rather than the genuinely talented. Again, in football terms, the one's videoing themselves doing 100 keep-me-ups and 'street skills' to get noticed, rather than the ones who can really play.

 

I think it's possibly the new radio, because people can be selective, and they don't have to hear what they don't want to hear. It makes them more targeted and possibly they end up buying more material than they otherwise would.
Back in the late 1970's, early 80's, when blank compact cassettes sales really started to eat into album sales by people taping their friends records, and market stall piracy, there was nowhere for fringe artists to get exposure, except gigs, and that often didn't show them in their best light. I've read that plenty of those artists, and established ones actually think that a little piracy got the word out. Only it's not the central control that's doing it, but the people themselves. There will always be people who won't buy, whatever the price discount. But they do pass on the word. The best advertising is also free, and that is recommendation by friends. I'm not advocating piracy, but I am suggesting there are other ways to get noticed.

 

Of course, but the situation had never been this critically dire. Previously the levels of piracy/sharing would enable you to get an A&R guy to your gig VERY early in your career, usually just with a recorded demo done in the garage. The entry point now though is pretty much a fully packaged product, and getting to that point is a heck of a lot harder.

 

Aren't talent shows fronted by and produced by that Simon So-an-so the real killer though..? He has cornered the market on popular start out artists. You could be the most talented person in the world and if you don't put an appearance in you stay unnoticed and fringe. Personally, I think his shows are incredibly bad for the music genre. They happen to be lining his pocket very well though, and that's all he really appears to be interested in.

 

Just back after being in Lanzarote for a week on my first "no parents" holiday. Have I missed much?

 

Y...no.

 

I'm going to buy it for two reasons:

1. Support LTL - it's odd but you lot are Internet 'buddies'. That almost makes me feel odd

2. For the first time in my life I'll be "hip" and ahead of the music curve. This makes me feel like a dude. Is 'dude' still cool?

*point 2 includes my flirt with seeing regular gigs of the Loonee Tunes for a few years when an old girl friend of mine was daring the lead singer.

 

Jeez! Good job you use a made up name on the Internet.

 

Look I know it's wrong LTL, but why pay for something when you can get it for free? And it's not just music, I bet you've watched live streams of football matches on your computer before. I've watched loads of streams and I've downloaded music and TV series on torrents. Oh dear, I better go down the cop shop.

 

the best and fairest strategy to discourage piracy i've seen is
a) to offer the product conveniently without filling it with anti piracy measures that the buyer feels could potentially bite them
b) make people feel scummy for not paying, so they will pay when they can afford to.

tricky to make b work in industries where the artists and producers make obscene amounts of money. you've got to look impoverished.

 

I say "dude" plenty. But then I'm not cool.