Tue, 10 May 2011 17:08:32 -0800WeeblySun, 10 Oct 2010 17:58:01 -0800http://www.fidelitycorp.com.au/1/post/2010/10/can-we-stop-talking-about-the-music-industry-being-screwed-please.html

Hi! Well, I just got back from One Movement festival and conference in Perth, which was damn good fun and also useful on a business front. Other than the fact that Drapht and Karnivool both kicked serious ass, and I got to drink a shitload and watch bands in the name of career development, I also got to see a bunch of panels where more experienced people than myself dispersed their wisdom. Hopefully some of it will stick…. Anyway, there was a definite theme with a lot of these panels, and it scratched the itch that I have had for awhile (ie something that had been annoying the crap out of me for ages) hence this little blast….

Can I make this clear please…… the record industry is not the music industry. Most of the people I know who are in the music industry are not involved in the business of selling records, and yes, they do seem to be able to make a crust still. It seems like every time the music industry comes up in mainstream press it’s in some doom and gloom scenario talking about how record sales are dropping and it’s a nightmare financially etc etc. Meanwhile all over the world people are still discovering their new favorite band, and going to see them in a bar or other sort of venue, and drinking beer and having a good time. We know record sales have dropped, but the industry as a whole is good at adapting, so things are not as dire as you read. Just because what was an unrealistic and blatantly un-equitable business model (sending a non music industry lawyer a record contract pretty much makes their head explode haha) which involved a lot of waste and bad decision-making isn’t working anymore isn’t exactly a disaster if you ask me, and I would guess a lot of people would think the same. Feel free to disagree, if you can find time in between downloading the latest 80’s throwback which will be around for a year….

When did I become the glass half full dude?

]]>Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:24:32 -0800http://www.fidelitycorp.com.au/1/post/2010/07/the-first-blog-why-manage-bands.htmlWell, to be honest, we don't really know any better. And why not? Bands generally need managing once they stop sucking, and we like loud music and beer and have now been doing it for so long (some of us for 16 years!) that it has brutalised any chances of other career paths, so lets go huh? None of us would know what to do in a 9 to 5 anyway. No midnight calls? Wha?
And musicians, bless em, keep life interesting, as does the constant writhing of an industry that doesn't even understand itself sometimes, so the challenges keep excitement in an existence that can be a little bit groundhog day. And punters - they can be entertaining too, hell someone got removed from a venue that one of our bands was playing at last week for masturbation. You don't get that working in a bank, or maybe you do...]]>