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"How Selling Out Saved Indie Rock"
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Monganaut
Monganaut
2365 posts

Edited Nov 17, 2013, 15:01
Re: "How Selling Out Saved Indie Rock"
Nov 17, 2013, 14:59
Interesting article, though massively biased. No comments or page time for 'indie' types making a living from music outside of the advertising industry.

30 years ago, 'selling out' to ad agencies would have made me question an artists scruples, but the ball park has changed these days.

Many people have no intension of ever buying a legit record, CD or download, and are content to illegally DL as much as they want. I'm guessing, as a young act, whilst it's never been easier to get your music out there to some kind of audience, the competition seems more fierce.

Pretty much everyone feels the need to be in a band, it's almost a teenage right of passage these days. As an avid music fan, without the help of HH recomendations, or friends I'd be wading through a sea of shit to find the diamonds.

I can't see many newly formed bands making enough money from their art to live much above the povety line. So I guess many who want to give it a go at make it a living will take the money and run if it's offered. If the ad takes off, it gets them to wider audience pretty much instantly. It takes some scruples to turn down $30 or $50 000 when you've been probably scraping by on next to nothing. Hell it buys you transport or equiment or just more time to sort out where your going with your art.

My old self would have been instantly precious and damning if someone I loved had taken the money. And even now i still roll my eyes when I hear Hawkwind or Buzzcocks used to sell us shit, But, if I'm honest, I can't blame people for taking the cash, hell, it's probaby better than what just about any label would offer them for one song.
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