Thursday, January 4, 2024

labels labels labels

It's increasingly clear that social media is no longer a place for the little shower thoughts, or recommendations, or little stories you sometimes randomly remember - it's just a relentless hot take machine these days, so I thought I'd pop in here with a few words.

Just remembering, not so fondly, about a time where a label agreed to put an album out of mine, then spent 6 months not doing anything, then replied to a catch up email from myself by saying it now wasn't happening for some reason. Mad, isn't it? How someone can just waste half a year of your life and you just sit there and think 'oh well'. Absolutely insane industry.


Wasn't the only time that's happened in my life too. One label emailed me saying he'd literally just forgot to put an EP of mine out, and would I be ok if he just put it out later that afternoon. 'no, you're alright' I replied and did it myself a few months later.

There was a label, way back in the early days, that said I would have a contract in the post and could I sign it. It never arrived, and after asking what on earth was happening, the label just ended. Great stuff. This was like a year or so into the band (which, by the way, celebrates it's 18th birthday this month), so not a cracking start to the satan lifecycle.

One dropped me almost instantly after agreeing to put a record out, which was news to the legal guy who had just sent me a contract to sign. That was a fun afternoon.

Another said I'd have to change a record for them to consider. I did, and then got told it wasn't "sexy" enough. Lol, they got in the bin.

One never responded to me after putting out a record I did in conjunction with someone else, so ended up having to buy my own fucking CD. That was a new one. He ended up signing the other guy too, lol.

I've had my fair share of 'sure I'll listen to it' from labels, only for them to never listen, or sometimes they listen but never respond (the surefire way to tell me you weren't bothered), but getting so far as 'yes I will put this out', having masters and artwork ready to go, then having the rug pulled, is an altogether different experience. And not a nice one either.

So, I dunno what the point of this was, just wanted to get it off my chest, and let you all know that even when everything seems to be going well, this industry has a real habit of fucking with you.

 

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