MIKE SNIPER: An Indie Label in 2012.

mikesniper:

I posted a recent Facebook comment regarding our policies with signing artists and found myself getting into a discussion of what the role of an independent label is in 2012, something I’ve oftened been asked about in interviews but have never really been able to elaborate on.

Basically, it started off by requesting that bands don’t send us vinyl LP’s or professionally made CD’s in the mail because it’s a waste of money and resources, but also because we’re not interested in working with a band who have an LP or CD out on another label.

As I was responding to the discussion that was happening between myself and people that follow the label I realized that there is an alarming situation occurring in the independent (whatever that means anymore) music scene. Scoping out a lot of people’s “Best Labels of 2011” lists I noticed a lot of the labels scoring high (at times even #1) on these lists had not released a single debut release by a single artist.

Amongst them were labels big enough to have an A&R staff with a yearly salary, which got me thinking, what is the role of an A&R person at this level? Is a label anything more than a manufacturing plant when they just sign acts who are already achieving a lot of internet buzz or, even worse, already have a successful independent release out there?

Click through for more. A good read, and one reason why Captured Tracks is my favorite young label going. 

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