Center of the Indie Label Universe Blog

I am proud and excited to share with you the research of the students of the
Indie Labels class.

Their assignment was to research the history of a current indie label for a
group presentation of their choosing (with some prodding / advice from me).
In addition, they were to assess the business practices of these labels to
see what they do that made / makes them successful in these rapidly changing
but interesting and exciting time.

Rather than being the only one to see their excellent work, they were asked
to create a blog post complete with their research, photos, links and
embedded music and video from the artists on that label. The site is called
Center of The Indie Label Universe.

I plan to add content to the site every few days and welcome any of your our
your students work to increase the sites profile. I also added multiple
links to our program so those surfing onto the site can find out where
students do such interesting and dynamic research.

Labels that are currently on the blog are:

Gotee
Merge
Epitaph
SST
Domino
Vagrant
Stones Throw
Def Jam

If you see / know the students who did the research - let them know you read
their post and what you thought.

Charlie

Dala "Levi Blues"

I am very excited about our new client at The Roots Agency, Dala. We met and signed them at this years Folk Alliance.

I just got a copy of their upcoming release and I just love it - one track, "Levi Blues," is just one of the best songs I have heard in years - catchy, engaging, and if Levi's doesn't attempt to license it, they are crazy.

While I can't share the recording with you just yet, here is a performance of the song form Massey Hall.

Michael Masnick Digital Summit Presentation

Michael Masnick had an extra ten minutes to his MIDEMnet presentation and provided other examples of artists who are doing it on their own, connecting with fans and making money, who I also have been lecturing about in my Marketing and Indie Labels classes:

Corey Smith
Jill Sobule
Josh Freese (My PowerPoint Presentation)
Jonathan Coulton

I would like to add Derek Webb to that list.

Trent Reznor also took a MAJOR stand on touring / ticketing - (My PowerPoint Presentation - Reznor post is at the end of my recent Ticket Master / Live Nation merger lecture) - here is the post

John Mellencamp

I became a Springsteen fan just recently and am starting to find the same appreciation for John Mellencamp (though he will always be John Cougar to me). His recent article in the Huffington Post certainly helped me in my respect for him, though I don't agree entirely with his opinions:

State Of The Music Business by John Mellencamp

John Mellencamp

It's Always Been This Way

The following is a phone call Buddy Holly made to Paul Cohen, the head of Decca Records, about his being dropped and them enforcing the 5 year non-rerecord policy. Holly would go on to record for Brunswick and Coral. One of the songs was "That'll Be The Day." Holly brilliantly did it under the name The Crickets as a way to bypass the 5 year non-rerecord restriction - though when it was a hit - it helped that Brunswick and Coral were subsidiaries of Decca to help him not get sued.

Buddy Holly's phone call

CwF + RtB = $$$

My favorite in the round performances are when artists perform the song they wish they wrote. Well, as a teacher, the following link is the lecture I wish I gave. Michael Masnick presented the Trent Reznor business model at MIDEM and in 15 minute laid out how simple the music industry's new era can / will / does work. In one of my classes as I played it, I could see i impacting my students. They have got to be sick of hearing how doomed the industry is and here finally is hope for the future - hope for a future.

Masnick's Reznor Case Study

Keep Your Nose Clean

The past week has seen a rainstorm of legal papers rain down upon me and my little label in a bully tactic from a major label claiming I was honing in on their territory. Well, we assessed our situations and our legal defense fund of $544 and one lawyer that owes me a major favor and a father who wors for free and decided to amount the fastest...swiftest..most hellaicious retreat defense and cotowed to every single demand. It isn't never a matter of right or wrong in these things, it is a matter of do I want to spend the next 5 years obsessing about it. So, my newest record is a collectors item. as there are now probably 15 in existance out there - yes, even agree to the order to destroy - sledge hammer meet CDs in my driveway - that was cathartic.

On an equally distressing note, just caught 4 students cheating on my last exam. I don't want to go into details how I know, but if you saw the evidence, you would be stunned that the brazen stupidity of these acts. Now I have to go through the process of busting them and turning them over to the Judicial Affairs folks. I hate this part of teaching more than anhything - it is a violation of the trust of give these kids everyday on the deepest level - come be yourself, try to be your best self, stand behind what you do - and to get this, renches my heart. Fun day in education land.