[Dixielandjazz] On record companies...

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Hi Jim:

I  understand that philosophy well and have not problem with it until 
folks use it and similar arguments as an excuse for Jazz recordings not 
selling enough to make back what they cost to make them.   Or that 
there is hardly anyway to make any money from selling recordings.      
There is and if there was not there would not be fifty billion Record 
labels trying to  do it.


And yes my statements are sweeping, and meant to be generically 
speaking,  like in the shoe store,  If it fits wear it if not don't get 
pissed off at those of us who do exploit it for profit just because you 
can't or "Choose" not to really try and make money off your product and 
promote the Jazz industry as a whole.

I believe they refer to that kind of recordings as  "Vanity Records"

The primary purpose of selling records is to promote the artist and 
garner, hopefully a wider fan base and thereby enhance the artist live 
performance opportunities and income from playing live gigs, and having 
more money for more promotion to grow the artists career.   Many 
artists start out as starving artists and most of them stay that way 
all their lives, why ?  because many of them are not Artists at all 
just average musicians who make sometimes pleasant music but not 
anything to excite the masses.

Again I am speaking generically here.   Not every shoe fits every foot. 
   I say ya gotta try a few pair on till you find the one that Fits Your 
foot.   I personally treat the Music business and all aspects of it as 
a business and it has always treated me like one in return.    I have 
made substantial amounts of money in the business and I have spent 
substantial amounts of money in the business, you win some and you lose 
some, but you can indeed win with the right business applications and a 
lot of hard work.

I know I know musicians took that word out of their vocabulary years 
ago and call it Playing music.   That is the problem for the serious 
ones who work and try to ply it as a trade, up against all the folks 
who are just content to PLAY at it.

I get to Play music because I have worked my butt off for 40 years to 
develop and often chase an ever elusive source of good paying live gigs 
not only for my own band but for countless others.   Perhaps it is 
indeed time for me to just sell my castle and move to Spain, :))  I 
really like the music there and the food is also good.  And so far I 
have not pissed anybody off there. :))  well maybe one photographer who 
begged to come out and shoot photos of the band for Free,  he did, and 
I took him to dinner and even bought him several bottles of good 
Spanish wine which we shared, :))  and then he tried to sell them to me 
for $1000.00.    I told him to keep them.  I hope he got mad and 
exploited the Hell out of them.  :))

Cheers,

Tom


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Kashishian <jim at kashprod.com>
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Sent: Fri, 3 Feb 2006 11:53:24 +0100
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] On record companies...

   Tom Wiggins wrote:
>Because they don't promote or market themselves aggressively and 
neither do
the
labels that sign them.


We actually deal through a Spanish record company to get our finished
product out there.  It is a deal I made with them mainly so as not to 
have
to do all the legal things people are talking about now on DJML.  They 
do
all that!  That's all they do, though.  And, they really could have 
promoted
the sale of the CD (which they do have out there in the shops) after we 
did
the Royal Wedding awhile back, for instance.

I suggested they do some promotion at that time, but it never went 
anyplace.
Not that I push it much, so you're right, Tom, about not promoting our 
CD's
ourselves.

But, great sales were never the reason we did the recordings.  We really
just wanted our fans to have our music.  Never did look at it from the 
money
making view, nor would I wish to.  So, sweeping statements (see 
following)
just can't take in everyone's particular situation..........

Tom's "sweeping" statement:
They (bands) are all content to sit around and be cool and try to 
impress
the Jazz literati and academic set from the IAJE in a mutual admiration
society atmosphere.

Same goes for putting our CD's on a site like Jazz Baby.  We are not 
looking
for travel, so why try a promotion in the U.S.?  I'd rather entice 
people
over to see us live!!!
If you show up from DJML, you're most likely to get a dinner out of me, 
and
a FREE CD!
Not very commercial, I know.    :>

Jim





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