Century Media may be bought by a major

[Traxan]

FUCK NO!

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/in...talks-about-possible-major-label-acquisition/

Rumors have been circulating in the metal scene that Century Media, one of the best-known independent heavy rock labels in the world, will be acquired by one of the three largest music groups: Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group or Universal. It is believed that Sony has taken the lead to close the deal, with Century Media founder Robert Kampf continuing to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the company.

 

[Dreadful]

Well...metal bands these days aren't exactly cranking out the stuff they used to. Century Media unfortunately if this is true will die.

 

[nckissfan]

that will suck. They will screw up that label

 

[theoden236]

if things are that bad at CM, then this just goes to show you that there's no stability in the music industry anymore, unless you work for the major labels. personally though, i could care less. most of the really good bands are indie anyway.

 

[DreamNeonBlack]

I think it will suck for many bands on the CM roster.

 

[Dead Winter]

I haven't listened to a band from Century Media or Nuclear Blast in ages. You don't need a label these days if you make good music, just decent management and distribution. Labels used to handle that until people caught on to how much they were fucking the artists, and they started releasing stuff independently with their own management and distribution. For years people wanted a label so they could afford to go into a studio, but you don't need to do that anymore. Plus, the label never GAVE you any money, they just loaned it to you. Technology has come so far that for a few thousand you can do it yourself and keep on doing it yourself.

 

[Talking Backwards]

I haven't listened to a band from Century Media or Nuclear Blast in ages.

By that I guess you mean since the most recent Sanctuary album?

 

[Dead Winter]

NM and Sanctuary aside, of course. Figured that was obvious since I'm posting on their forum.

 

[Talking Backwards]

Well, if it were as easy as you stated in your previous post, why did Sanctuary bother going with CM? This may or may not have an effect on them. Labels aren't even for recording anymore anyway, they are for promotion.

 

[lorinc]

Well, if it were as easy as you stated in your previous post, why did Sanctuary bother going with CM? This may or may not have an effect on them. Labels aren't even for recording anymore anyway, they are for promotion.

But without promotion, it's difficult to gather the money to record the next one...

 

[Dead Winter]

Well, you don't turn down a nice record deal if it's offered. What I'm saying is that all is not lost just because you don't secure one. It's definitely harder, but at the same time you cut out the middle man. What's the difference between owning your own music then paying to promote it and not owning your own music and having a label front you money for promotion that they expect to recoup from album and tour sales?

I'm not saying one is better than the other, just that there is another way if you're willing to do it. Most new bands want a record deal just so they can circle jerk to their friends that they have "a record deal", no matter how shitty said deal may be. There are tons of so-called record labels out there that will half-ass promote you and maybe get you on a couple of opening gigs for washed-up reunion bands playing at the VFW or even a state fair in exchange for you getting little to no royalties for your album sales, all you have to do is sign on the dotted line and voila! You have a "record deal".

If you really want to risk it all and live the rock star rags-to-riches, take-a-chance dream, you can just as easily sell your jalopy for a couple of thousand bucks and get a bank loan and pool it with your band to finance your own recording and touring gear, plus promotion, and you would be in charge of the money yourself. At least you would have the money. Sure, you may fail and owe the bank ten grande, but whatever. Most people want the romance without the finance when it comes to these things.

 

[Talking Backwards]

But without promotion, it's difficult to gather the money to record the next one...

Well duh.

@DW: gotcha.

 

[Dead Winter]

*high five*

 

[lorinc]

Well, you don't turn down a nice record deal if it's offered. What I'm saying is that all is not lost just because you don't secure one. It's definitely harder, but at the same time you cut out the middle man. What's the difference between owning your own music then paying to promote it and not owning your own music and having a label front you money for promotion that they expect to recoup from album and tour sales?

I'm not saying one is better than the other, just that there is another way if you're willing to do it. Most new bands want a record deal just so they can circle jerk to their friends that they have "a record deal", no matter how shitty said deal may be. There are tons of so-called record labels out there that will half-ass promote you and maybe get you on a couple of opening gigs for washed-up reunion bands playing at the VFW or even a state fair in exchange for you getting little to no royalties for your album sales, all you have to do is sign on the dotted line and voila! You have a "record deal".

If you really want to risk it all and live the rock star rags-to-riches, take-a-chance dream, you can just as easily sell your jalopy for a couple of thousand bucks and get a bank loan and pool it with your band to finance your own recording and touring gear, plus promotion, and you would be in charge of the money yourself. At least you would have the money. Sure, you may fail and owe the bank ten grande, but whatever. Most people want the romance without the finance when it comes to these things.

There are things on completely different levels. Of course, you can sell the car to record a disc and do some kind of promotion. But, if you want to make a video like Sanctuary did for frozen, and have the media impact they had, it takes more than selling your car (well, maybe you have a big car).

Don't get me wrong: I never said it's impossible to do descent music (production wise, media wise) without a record deal. It is not only possible but even fairly easy. But going to the next level, like performing a euro tour if you're in the US or in the US if you're from EU, or having coverage in things like blabbermouth, that is is definitely very difficult without a deal. And by deal, I don't mean MyMomSucksDicksForALiving Records...

But I agree with the romance without the burden, and that's something that always pissed me off in metal. I always felt like most of the bands (small, big) I met were more about the fame and the rockstar attitude than the music they played. It is even more pronounced with the small local bands you meet at the pubs.

 

[Dead Winter]

A label is always better, but you can still do the same without one, you just have to work really hard and spend a lot of money. You're going to spend the money with or without the label, it's just that you'll either spend it all at once without it or over time with it as they bleed you dry.

I still don't understand why people are making videos in this day and age the way they're making them in metal. You don't need a label to go into an abandoned factory/castle/whatever and lip synch or play guitar over playback, nor do you need a label to get a bunch of friends in a club and do the very same thing over and over and over and over and over and over again until everyone's exhausted after three hours of shooting the same song. Again, it's always better because they're footing the bill for now, but people make youtube videos of songs that are better than the band's own video. Plus, I never understood why bands in extreme metal want to make a video unless it's really interesting and/or creepy/thought-provoking. Every time I see a power metal video I want to stab my eyes out. I'd rather see a bunch of homemade videos and mini documentaries and live shows professionally recorded than a video of some dude in spandex lip synching in a castle. Videos are usually stupid in metal and unnecessary because you're not going to get rich in any case. Mastodon is on Warner, so of course it makes sense. Metallica is a huge band so it makes sense. Some underground extreme metal band making a video of them pretending to play live? Why?

 

[lorinc]

I still don't understand why people are making videos in this day and age the way they're making them in metal. You don't need a label to go into an abandoned factory/castle/whatever and lip synch or play guitar over playback, nor do you need a label to get a bunch of friends in a club and do the very same thing over and over and over and over and over and over again until everyone's exhausted after three hours of shooting the same song. Again, it's always better because they're footing the bill for now, but people make youtube videos of songs that are better than the band's own video. Plus, I never understood why bands in extreme metal want to make a video unless it's really interesting and/or creepy/thought-provoking. Every time I see a power metal video I want to stab my eyes out. I'd rather see a bunch of homemade videos and mini documentaries and live shows professionally recorded than a video of some dude in spandex lip synching in a castle. Videos are usually stupid in metal and unnecessary because you're not going to get rich in any case. Mastodon is on Warner, so of course it makes sense. Metallica is a huge band so it makes sense. Some underground extreme metal band making a video of them pretending to play live? Why?

This one is for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Cca-7UX-E

Images from an old Iced Earth video that was totally over the top are popping into my mind too, but I can't remember the name.

I love studio diaries though.

 

[lorinc]

Oh yeah, there was also this ridiculous in flames video with the drummer playing on a dead tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCvq8VN9owY

 

[Dead Winter]

Haha! I WAS THINKING ABOUT HELLOWEEN WHEN I WAS WRITING THAT!