Issue 27 Preview/Teasers

[Jim LotFP]

From the '$' editorial:

"Commercialism versus art. Band versus label versus fan. And make no mistake, they all fight. Bands and labels fight over their fair share (when the battle is actually complete when the contracts are signed) of (scant) profits from record sales. Bands suffer from fans who are too critical or brainlessly faithful. And then there are the labels which are trying to sucker the fans into buying their latest product, while the fans resent the fact that the labels are actually trying to sell records and that the bands might want just a touch more than a fan’s sneering face flashing devil horns back at them.

The business versus the music. And fans now have the means to bypass the business altogether, so there’s a legitimate question running around.

Who needs the business?"

"...by defining who they want their audience to be (or more accurately, who they do not want it to be), they’re proving right there and then that their material by design should only appeal to fans that other bands have already earned, which is an artistic dead end, isn’t it? Leeches, in my view."

From the Flowing Tears interview with Benjamin Buss:

"There could be worse comparisons than being compared to such a good band as THE GATHERING. I become a little bit pissed when we are compared to them in the way, you know, “FLOWING TEARS are the German THE GATHERING.” I think this is quite too simple. Playing the music we play means more to us than just trying to sound like another band."

"There’s one song on the album I absolutely can not listen to. It has become quite different than what I expected. The second to last song, Cupid of the Carrion Kind. Very shitty."

From the Wolverine interview with Andreas Baglien:

"We are very sincere with what we do. We don’t sell out, if you can call it that. We’re not prog for the sake of prog. We do what we feel is right."

"There’s a lot of technique in death metal. I think death metal is very reminiscent of prog metal in some ways. At least, like CANNIBAL CORPSE often plays in strange patterns. It’s a close relationship in some ways."



To order your subscription of LotFP weekly, beginning with issue #27:
http://www.mindspring.com/~raggije/ORDER.htm

 

[Lee_B]

Originally posted by Jim LotFP
From the '$' editorial:

"Commercialism versus art. Band versus label versus fan.

I did wonder if last week's DGM piece was going to lead elsewhere. I'd never heard of that label before the newsletter, but just from what I read there they were heading for disaster from day one. It seems they were hardly a label at all, more like some kind of benevolent bank, dishing out loans to struggling artists.

It was never the remit of DGM to become a promotional structure dedicated to marketing and promoting artists and their work.

This direct quote is one of the most naive (foolish?) things I have ever read. Any retard can get a recording pressed at a CD plant. Did they think their job ended there?

Reading through the rest of it I couldn't even see their point for wanting to start a label in the first place. Publicity = Sales, and both lead to a happy artist. In fact, I would say publicity is the prime concern for 99% of the artists out there, especially in the metal field where it's unlikely that you'll be able to earn a living wage. If a band has plenty of reviews and interviews and still sells badly then they'll blame it on the public. If they have no press at all they'll blame it on the label and rightly so.

Lee

 

[Jim LotFP]

Originally posted by Lee_B
I'd never heard of that label before the newsletter

Well, if DGM's goal was not to provide publicity, they've succeeded.

On the other side, I see that Earache's trying to drum up some publicity for Elitist, but, er, they had a really weird press release for it. Since I can't do an interview on the allotted day, and I don't think the questions I would have are groundbreaking enough to want to impact my phone bill or yours, how bout a Bonus LotFP Interview right here? The questions:

1- Who started hyping Opeth first: You or Chris Dick?

2- Shouldn't that sampler that Earache is peddling in conjunction with the interview be sent to all us press schmeebs anyway?

3- Is it a good idea (in general, not specifically for you) for 'the people' to think you 'discovered' bands like Without Face, Ephel Duath, or Rakoth when they've all had albums put out by other people in years past? Does Earache think the truth diminishes the fact that you're the guy that's responsible for getting them all a lot of press and distribution they didn't have before?

4- Do these bands have in their contracts any 'out' clauses in case Earache cuts off ties with you, or you fall off a bridge? Why or why not? How is Rakoth going to be treated differently on Earache if you're in a coma for the next 12 months?

5- If press types want information, isn't it fairly silly for them to need 'interview' opportunities, instead of just asking?

6- Should I feel so giddy about bypassing the 'exclusive opportunity' Earache offered me and asking you stuff here?

OK, so that was more like two questions for you, and a bunch more asking about the press teaser to get us to do interviews.

 

[Lee_B]

On the other side, I see that Earache's trying to drum up some publicity for Elitist, but, er, they had a really weird press release for it.

Tell me about it.. Anyone would think I'm the Jesus Christ of the metal scene if they read that Slightly embarrassing, to be honest.. Oh well.

I'll answer these questions, no probs.

1- Who started hyping Opeth first: You or Chris Dick?

Probably me. I don't think Chris was involved until "Orchid" actually came out. Maybe he'd gotten hold of a pre-release tape or something before that (there was a gap of around 9 months between recording and release due to Candlelight's financial problems)? I dunno. I remember Requiem, of course, but only after there were releases.

I first heard Opeth when Samoth (Emperor) sent me a cassette with a load of demo bands on it, and the beginning of "Apostle In Triumph" was tagged on to the end of side 2. Literally the first minute of the song until the tape ran out. Something about that mediaeval style riff just hit me between the eyes and I became a man on a mission trying to get hold of Opeth. No one knew who they were. Samoth said he originally got the tape from someone in Sweden but couldn't remember who (turned out to be Jonas from Katatonia). Finally, after sending out flyers with my mail and generally hassling all my Swedish contacts I got a call from Mike, and that's how it started.

2- Shouldn't that sampler that Earache is peddling in conjunction with the interview be sent to all us press schmeebs anyway?

It's just something I knocked together at home and Curran is making 50 CD copies for those who are interested. There will be an "official" Elitist sampler at a later date, once the catalogue fills up a bit.

3- Is it a good idea (in general, not specifically for you) for 'the people' to think you 'discovered' bands like Without Face, Ephel Duath, or Rakoth when they've all had albums put out by other people in years past? Does Earache think the truth diminishes the fact that you're the guy that's responsible for getting them all a lot of press and distribution they didn't have before?

I'm not sure if Earache are pushing that line, are they? I think they're only pushing the fact that I was the guy behind the signing of Emperor and Opeth. Maybe you've read into that wrong, or maybe they've put something out that I haven't seen? I'm not trying to fool anyone into think that I've solely found these bands, I'm just trying to assemble a world-class stable of metal talent regardless of where they've come from. So far so good as far as I'm concerned.

I think Earache need a "hook" for this label, and so far it seems that my previous involvement within the scene may swing the balance for some of the press unfamiliar with the actual bands. They all know who Opeth and Emperor are, and if that helps them take bands like Rakoth and Without Face more seriously in the long run then that's fine by me. A lot of these people get 10 CDs a week in their mailbox, so whatever you can do to make them stand out, then do it.

4- Do these bands have in their contracts any 'out' clauses in case Earache cuts off ties with you, or you fall off a bridge? Why or why not? How is Rakoth going to be treated differently on Earache if you're in a coma for the next 12 months?

The bands are actually signed directly to Earache. I have a 12 month A&R contract with Earache, and the agreement means that all the bands I sign are under the Elitist banner. That logo is really the only thing that separates the Elitist bands from the Earache bands. In theory Digby could tell me to piss off after a year and move all the bands over to the mail label, but if it's a success then there's no reason why he should. I'm not taking a salary, I'm finding some shit hot bands from an area that he was never familiar with before, I'm increasing his turnover and it's not costing him a huge amount of money. It's win/win for Earache from what I can see.

If I am in a coma for the next twelve months, will you tape The Sopranos for me?

5- If press types want information, isn't it fairly silly for them to need 'interview' opportunities, instead of just asking?

Well people can ask me what they like. I don't mind. Not everyone asks though, so I guess the interview opportunities are there for those who perhaps wouldn't have thought of the idea themselves.

6- Should I feel so giddy about bypassing the 'exclusive opportunity' Earache offered me and asking you stuff here?

No, but you should get giddy when I tell you that I'm typing this in my underwear

What's the deal with this then? Are there only allotted days or something? To be honest I don't know much about it at the moment. Curran's supplying me with a list tomorrow apparently...

Lee

 

[Jim LotFP]

Originally posted by Lee_B
I'm not sure if Earache are pushing that line, are they? I think they're only pushing the fact that I was the guy behind the signing of Emperor and Opeth. Maybe you've read into that wrong, or maybe they've put something out that I haven't seen?

"Lee has already helped us sign four amazing new Euro metal bands: EPHEL DUATH (italy), RAKOTH (russia), WITHOUT FACE (hungary), and FOREST STREAM (russia)... with many more on the way. These bands are the cream of the crop of the new progressive Euro scene, all discovered by Lee Barrett, the man who has been at the heart of the scene for over a decade."

'all discovered by Lee Barrett'...

Originally posted by Lee_B
I'm not taking a salary

You're on a percentage of something I'd assume then. If Rakoth ends up being a Morbid Angel-like herald of this new wacky weird extreme music and sells boatloads, you're going to benefit somehow... heh

Originally posted by Lee_B
What's the deal with this then? Are there only allotted days or something? To be honest I don't know much about it at the moment. Curran's supplying me with a list tomorrow apparently...

"Lee will be doing phoners beginning April 29, 3-6 pm New York time."

And while the thought of you answering questions in your underwear is slightly thrilling, even more thrilling then would be the fact that I typed the questions while naked.

 

[Jim LotFP]

Originally posted by Lee_B
Something about that mediaeval style riff just hit me between the eyes and I became a man on a mission trying to get hold of Opeth.

And thanks for this.

 

[Lee_B]

'all discovered by Lee Barrett'...

Doh!

You're on a percentage of something I'd assume then. If Rakoth ends up being a Morbid Angel-like herald of this new wacky weird extreme music and sells boatloads, you're going to benefit somehow... heh

Yeah, it's a % thing. I get a royalty the same as the bands, though I must stress that they'd have to sell A LOT before I could consider it to be an actual job or something. If I get a little cheque every six months to put toward my huge mortgage then that'll suit me.

And while the thought of you answering questions in your underwear is slightly thrilling, even more thrilling then would be the fact that I typed the questions while naked.

I won't ask what you typed with...

Lee

 

[redblueyes]

Originally posted by Lee_B


I won't ask what you typed with...

Lee

I will! What'd you type with!?

 

[Jim LotFP]

Originally posted by redblueyes
I will! What'd you type with!?

My left hand.

 

[Lee_B]

I sometimes use my left hand to type too..

Do you find that it takes longer that way? Or that it feels like it's being typed by someone else?

 

[redblueyes]

This was originally called "how to spot a single man" but it seems appropriate here too!

WTF! I can't post the pic here! Oh yeah.

Anyway, Go here if you wanna see it:
http://www.funforwards.com/pictures/october01/singleman.cfm

*BEWARE the gay-ass music tho!*

 

[Seems like Trav]

Jim, damn you. i thought you only typed naked to me!!!!

GRRRRRR.

 

[redblueyes]

Maybe we should ALL just get naked and type our brains out.

 

[veil the sky]

I did wonder if last week's DGM piece was going to lead elsewhere. I'd never heard of that label before the newsletter, but just from what I read there they were heading for disaster from day one. It seems they were hardly a label at all, more like some kind of benevolent bank, dishing out loans to struggling artists.

cool

where do i sign