By Daniel Magnowski
The independent music scene is buzzing all across Britain
with new and unsigned bands in every genre, not just the
studied cool of guitar bands that "indy" has come to mean for
many fans.
"It's not just guys in tight jeans and skinny ties, it's
anyone who's not signed to a major label or been through the
marketing process," said Jeremy Glover, chief executive of the
Indy Music Awards, held in London last week.
For many of the bands up for an award, the show was a
prized chance to grab the attention of a major record company.
Globe-spanning labels such as EMI and Sony BMG, often
demonized by musicians for putting commercial success ahead of
artistic integrity, hold the keys to getting radio airplay and
CDs in shops.
"Anyone can put a record out, but you need distribution,"
said Steve Nelson, bassist in Penny Black Remedy, whose
high-energy mash of punk, country and Balkan rhythms won the
Best Alternative Act award.
"The record labels still own the radio airwaves."
Other bands are striking out independently.
"There's no way of emphasizing it too much, the fact that
it's possible to not only air it but sell it without signing to
a record label," said Cyrus Shahrad, keyboard player in soulful
Smoke Feathers, also nominated for an award.
As well as Myspace, which many new bands use to
showcase their songs, websites such as Tunecore.org give
artists a way of selling music directly to fans, cutting out
the record company.
The growing trend of buying and downloading track-by-track
is a big change for the music industry.
Album sales fell by 11 percent last year, according to
figures from the industry trade group BPI, which represents
British record companies, while download sales helped the
singles market grow by 29 percent.
"Labels still play a part, but the nature of what labels
have to do with musicians is changing," Shahrad said. "A slow
fermentation among the general public is priceless."
PRINCE IS KING
The best way to build that following is by playing live.
"Recorded music is on a slow decline, live music is on the
rise," Glover said.
"Look at Prince. He gave recorded music away and made a
fortune from ticket sales and merchandising."
(Reporting by Daniel Magnowski, editing by Paul Casciato)
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