I have received a few pieces of hate mail regarding my statement in my opine about Congress and RIAA. I said this:

"Those artists [ones who sign with record companies] are slaves and puppets, when it should be the other way around. The label needs them now more than the artists need them, thanks to the internet. But that topic has been covered a lot on this website.

Instead, if you are an unsigned band, fuck those labels."

Record companies have their advantages. First, they have the distribution to get your album heard in Bumblefuck, Iowa. Currently, the only way an unsigned artist can be heard in Bumblefuck, Iowa is if they play there.

Secondly, they have the connections to get you on terrestrial radio. While a lot of people swear by satellite, I have met a lot of people who refuse to pay for something they get for free...whether or not the free product sucks. This radio play is huge for selling copies of your record and getting people excited about seeing the band live.

Third (when MTV was big), Record Companies paid for the band to make videos and then had the connections to get them onto MTV's rotation. But thanks to the death of Music TV and the advent of Fake Reality TV, this really isn't that big of a deal.

Fourthly, they pay for you to go on tour or have the connections to get you on that summer tour with (insert band name here). This is big because you get a percentage of the ticket sales and merchandise sale. The record company reaps the benefit of you selling a shit load of cds.

To get your music out to the masses, the record companies demand something in return. How could they not if they take the chance on you? What they typically demand is ownership of your music. They control when, where, and how your music is heard and you don't get a dime from it OR you get a small percentage from the sell of it. This is why you hear Iggy Pop's Lust for Life in Carnival Cruise ship commercials.

We here at BnR feel there is more to be gained by promoting yourself and keeping ownership of your songs than by going with a record company. However, it is your music and your career, so you know better what is best for your band. We don't look down upon any band that chooses the traditional route (record companies) over the new way (self promotion/self ownership). We just choose to promote those who are attempting to break the traditional mold. (Bang Camaro, Jealousy Curve, The Tressels, The Statues of Liberty, etc). We also choose to cover "made' artists who are trying different ways of distribution and making money through music.(Prince, Radiohead, Trent Reznor).

Whatever method works for you and your band, by all means go for it. Don't let this stupid music journalist tell you otherwise. But just know what you are getting into before you sign on the dotted line.