BROOKLYN'S AMAZING BABY SIGNS WITH SHANGRI-LA -- According to HITS, Brooklyn-based band Amazing Baby (first mentioned on TALENTfilter in January) has officially signed with Shangri-La Records - way to go, fellas - congrats!

MUSIC FOR ANIMALS (unsigned, unpublished) -- San Francisco's Music For Animals is one of the local acts performing on the Soundcheck Local Band Stage at this weekend's "Live 105 BFD 2009" concert. If you're not in the Bay Area, but will be in L.A. over the next couple of weeks, you can catch them Jun 18 at 3 Of Clubs and June 22 at Spaceland. Expect all your label/publisher friends to be there too.

BEAR HANDS (unsigned, unpublished) -- Brooklyn's Bear Hands is a group that's been around since 2006-ish (we were first schooled on them by our friends at Oh My Rockness in '07)... Their sound? Hmm... Cold War Kids playing Pavement covers. With a couple of guys from Hockey jamming alongside them. For the masses? Not so much. Do we think they could sell 50,000 albums? Maybz. Are we personal fans? Fer sure. The band is gonna tour the UK for a couple weeks in June and then open for Passion Pit in NYC June 19. Our money is on the band being scooped up by a label before then.

THREE RADIO STATIONS DROP 'NEW MUSIC' THIS WEEK -- Lousy news for new music fans (and the music industry in general) - Eighteen-year Alternative-formatted KWOD Sacramento has flipped to an 'all '90s' format. After 13 years as an Alt-outlet, WMFS Memphis pulled the plug and has begun simulcasting ESPN Radio. Alternative WSWD Cincinnati cleared out the Alt-Rock so that station owner Bonneville can switch Country WYGY over to the stronger WSWD signal. What did they put in the Country station's place? An '80s-based AC station - "Rewind 94.9, Feel-Good Favorites From the '80s and More."

UPCOMING L.A. AREA SHOWS OF NOTE:

May 27 -- Michael Miller - Crane's
May 30 -- Samantha Crain - Spaceland
Jun 1 -- Oliver Future - The Echo
Jun 1 -- Castledoor - Spaceland
Jun 3 -- Carina Round (9p), Butterfly Boucher (10p), Meiko (11p) - Hotel Cafe
Jun 4 -- The Parson Red Heads - Spaceland
Jun 10 -- Susie Suh - Hotel Cafe
Jun 16 -- Miike Snow - Spaceland
Jun 17 -- Loquat - Viper Room
Jun 19 -- The Blood Arm - The Echo
Jun 19 -- Emily Wells - Hotel Cafe
Jul 1 -- The Tender Box - Viper Room

MICHAEL MILLER (unsigned, unpublished) -- Los Angeles singer-songwriter Michael Miller is gearing up to independently release his new album titled, I Made You Up, and we got an advance copy - it's fuckin' fantastic. It's deep. It's rich. It's the best 'Sunday morning coffee-and-newspaper' album we've heard in a few years. He's got some songs posted on his MySpace page - check 'em out. Michael is playing with a full band at Crane's in Hollywood on May 27. Go see him. We'll be there too. Michael doesn't have management either, so if you're a label or publisher, and you'd like some MP3's sent to you, we'd be happy to hook it up - E-mail us and we'll get some your way.

UPCOMING L.A. SHOWS OF NOTE:

May 8 -- Bob Schneider - Key Club
May 8 -- Aushua - Spaceland
May 13 -- Castaneda - Dakota Lounge (fmrly. Temple Bar)
May 14 -- Hensley - Hotel Cafe
May 20 -- Fitz & The Tantrums - Viper Room
May 21 -- Dynamite Walls - Viper Room
May 22 -- Ragsy - Hotel Cafe
May 27 -- Carina Round - Hotel Cafe

PAN AMERICA (unsigned, unpublished) -- We first featured Los Angeles band Pan America in February of 2007. After some time apart and some lineup changes, the band is back with some FANTASTIC new songs. The five-piece certainly sits at Jimmy Eat World's table in the high school cafeteria, but there's something a bit more mature about their songwriting/song structure. This stuff is REALLY radio-ready, folks. Time to address this band. Seriously. E-mail talentfilter@gmail.com if you'd like more info.

THE TEMPER TRAP TO GLASSNOTE -- A little birdie tells us that the label derby for Melbourne, Australia buzz band The Temper Trap has gone to Daniel Glass' Glassnote Records. Quite the coup for Daniel and his crew, as virtually every major label (and a handful of other indies) had a deal on the table. Rumor has it the band is licensing their record to Glassnote and chose not to enter into a 360 partnership.

SAN FRAN ALT-OUTLET ANNOUNCES LOCAL BAND STAGE AT SUMMER FESTIVAL -- Alternative KITS (Live 105) San Francisco will host their annual "BFD" concert at the Shoreline Amphitheatre on June 6 - the concert features 35 acts on four seperate stages.

Their 'Soundcheck Local Band Stage' will showcase nine acts - MC Lars, alt-popsters Music For Animals (unsigned - our favorite of the bunch!), Wallpaper (signed to Eenie Meenie), Odawas (signed to jajaguwar), Dizzy Balloon (unsigned - "The Beatles on Wellbutrin" - Kevin Bronson, buzzbands.la), The Catholic Comb (signed to Bright Antenna), Ambience (unsigned, for fans of the mellower side of Dredg), Solid State Logic (unsigned 'Red State Rock' ala Breaking Benjamin) and Fighting The Villain (female-fronted rock ala Paramore, signed to indie PopSmear and in desperate need of a stylist).

Live 105 MD Aaron Axelsen and the rest of the programming staff there always do a great job of curating this stage - definitely worth looking into this year's acts!!

NEW SIGNING UPDATE -- Orlando R&B artist Kevin Cossom signs to Jive ...also recently signed to Jive is UK popster Daisy Dares You ...Another British singer, Erik Hassle, has decided to sign to Island ...in METAL signing news, Wilmington rawkers He Is Legend has signed with Tragic Hero Records ...Detroit's We Came As Romans signs to Equal Vision ...City Of Ships has signed with Translation Loss Records

VERONICA LEIGH (unsigned, unpublished) -- Originally from California, 24 year-old Veronica Leigh has been cutting her teeth on the Nashville circuit for a little while now ...She might be the first Country artist we've written about here, but our reasoning is - we have a strong feeling this girl will cross over into other formats as time goes by and as she continues to develop.

She's got one of the best voices we've heard in quite some time, she writes basic yet timeless, hooky country songs, and she's (obvz) got FANTASTIC style - as one tipster described her - "a Countryfied Katy Perry"...

Veronica has been approached by a few labels, but she's continuing to take meetings ...Hit us up directly for more information - or contact her directly and make like you discovered her on your own like you always do ;)

TALENTFILTER ACT SIGNS PUBLISHING DEAL! Los Angeles-based Alt-Rock band Castaneda, first tipped here in November 2008, has signed a publishing deal with Songs Music Publishing. The band recently self-released a new EP titled So This Is What We're Gonna Do, and songs have been featured on hometown tastemaker KROQ Los Angeles. Castaneda is in the process of writing and recording new material. The band is still available for worldwide signing. Congrats guys!

LAYOFFS TODAY AT WARNER BROS. RECORDS -- Hate to report this kind of news, but several staffers in A&R and regional Radio Promo were laid off today.

MIKKY EKKO (unsigned, unpublished) -- For fans of Thom Yorke and Rufus Wainwright. This Nashville-based artist will showcase for industry insiders on April 2 at The Basement in Nashville.

SXSW DAY FOUR RECAP/HIGHLIGHTS - We hurt. But we marched forth into another day and night of music, booze and BBQ. Caught a bunch of signed artist this night, as we were partying with radio programmers and the (still) expense-card-holding radio promo peeps. White Lies and Razorlight at Stubb's, Cage The Elephant at Antones, and Pendulum at La Zona Rosa. Pendulum was the big winner this night. Everything after that was a blur.

SXSW DAY THREE RECAP/HIGHLIGHTS - We kicked things off on Day Three at the daytime performance by Dallas-based artist Johnny Lloyd Rollins. We'd seen him in the past, and this time around he was fully-plugged-in - VERY good stuff. Lots of publishers in the house from both the US and UK. After Johnny, we stumbled upon a really great SF-based group - Forrest Day. Think Matisyahu/System Of A Down/Sublime thrown into a bong and smoked. These guys are Alt-radio friendly - and still unsigned and unpublished. An early-evening set by Lex Land was awesome (although the sound in the venue/art gallery was horrific) - labels, managers, publishers, bookers - and Perez Hilton! - were in attendnace. We had a bunch of meetings with film/TV music supervisors after this, but managed to catch the tail end of The Bird And The Bee's set. Good times.

SXSW DAY TWO RECAP/HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday night was a bit rough on Team TALENTfilter, so we kept the schedule a bit light - the BMI brunch at the Four Seasons certainly helped cure the hangovers! Ed Harcourt sounded great during his daytime set, as did TALENTfilter fave Meiko (we noticed a bevvy of Alternative radio programmers in attendance KROQ, 91X, KEDJ) - not sure why considering she's more of a Triple A / Hot AC artist ...later in the evening, the place to be was The Parish, where many of the Hotel Cafe regulars performed (funny - three of the lady performers, Lenka, Holly Conlan, and Laura Jansen, wore black & white polka-dotted dresses not knowing the others would wear the same!) Sara Bareilles and The Proclaimers were the 'suprise guests'.

SXSW DAY ONE RECAP/HIGHLIGHTS - Several publishing companies were out to see the daytime Gavin Castleton set...Lots of labels/publishers out to see The Temper Trap (Sony/ATV, MySpace Records, Glassnote, Chrysalis, Epic, Interscope, Bicycle Music among others) as well as radio programmers from KROQ Los Angeles, KUSF San Francisco and 91X San Diego ...Oh Land played an interesting set as well...

More notes as we get deeper into the madness!

OH LAND (unsigned outside Denmark, unpublished, no management) -- Nanna Øland Fabricius, who goes by the name Oh Land, is a 23 year-old Copenhagen-based artist creating some pretty original material. Her debut album, Fauna, has been released in Denmark only through indie Fake Diamond Records. Oh Land will showcase in Austin during SXSW at Pangaea on Wednesday, March 18 at 9:00PM. Shows in L.A. and N.Y. to follow. "Heavy Eyes" is a hot track. Check it when you can!

OH SNAP!
HERE'S THE 3RD ANNUAL TALENTFILTER "SXSW SHOWS TO SEE" LIST!

OK. ..So if you're a regular reader, you remember that we blew it last year and didn't get a list up in time. So it's really the '2nd annual'. Whatevz. But fret not, friends - this year we're being thorough!

Now ...Not including the 14 million 'non-sanctioned' daytime parties offering free beer, handjobs and indie rock, there are over 1800 bands performing at sanctioned showcases in Austin this year. Seriously too much to try and conquer (although those with strong hearts can grab the big ol' list of free shows from our friend Scott Perry at http://www.newmusictipsheet.com).

This year, we took every other 'industry insider list', had conversations with those in the know about shows on their personal 'must-see' lists, and compiled a filtered (heh) concentrated list of all the showcases you NEED to be at. Even if the bands are already signed/published, there will be some people there that you'll want to bump into for networking purposes, etc.

Have a look, and feel free to cut and paste and share with friends!

ONE MORE THING: If you're an artist (or represent an artist) that we've ALREADY FEATURED IN THE PAST (no newbies for this please) are we missed you on our list, E-mail us at TALENTfilter@gmail.com and we'll stick you on here.

Wednesday, March 18
1:45 p.m.	Pete & the Pirates	Red House Pizzeria	1917 Manor Rd.
4:30 p.m.	Asteroids Galaxy Tour	Maggie Mae's	(323 E 6th St) (21+)
5:30 p.m.	Meiko	Austin Convention Center	(500 E Cesar Chavez St) (All Ages)
6:00 p.m.	Mother Mother	Canadian Blast BBQ	Brush Square East tent
8:00 p.m.	The Boat People	Buffalo Billiards	(201 E 6th St) (21+)
8:00 p.m.	Ulrich Schnauss	Elysium	(705 Red River St) (21+)
8:00 p.m.	Edie Sedgwick	Wave	(408 E 6th St) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	Oh Land	Pangaea	(409 Colorado St) (21+)
10:00 p.m.	The Temper Trap	Dirty Dog Bar	(505 E 6th St.)
11:00 p.m.	Roll The Tanks	The Music Gym Patio	(815 E 6th St) (21+)
11:30 p.m.	Haley Bonar	Victorian Room @ Driskill	(604 Brazos St) (21+)
11:45 p.m.	Glasvegas	Vice	(302 E 6th St) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Eli Paperboy Reed / True Loves	Continental Club	(1315 S Congress Ave) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Aqualung	Latitude 30	(512 San Jacinto St) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Gavin Castleton	Prague	(422 B Congress Ave) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Annuals	Radio Room Patio	(508 E 6th St) (All Ages)
12:00 a.m.	Blind Pilot	Submerged	(333 E 2nd St) (21+)
12:30 a.m.	Echo and The Bunnymen	Emo's Main Room	(603 Red River St) (All Ages)
1:00 a.m.	Ida Maria	Buffalo Billiards	(201 E 6th St) (21+)
1:15 a.m.	Casiotone for the Painfully Alone	Beauty Bar Backyard	(617 E 7th St) (21+)
Thursday, March 19
2:40 p.m.	Loquat	Habana Calle 6	(706 E. 6th St.)
4:00 p.m.	The Jakes	PureVolume House	(323 E. 2nd St.)
5:15 p.m.	Meiko	Cedar Door	(201 Brazos St.)
8:00 p.m.	Castledoor	The Independent	(501 N IH 35) (21+)
8:00 p.m.	Holly Conlan	The Parish	(214B E 6th St) (21+)
8:00 p.m.	Cory Chisel	St David's Church	(304 E 7th St) (All Ages)
8:20 p.m.	Gabriella Cilmi	La Zona Rosa	(612 W 4th St) (All Ages)
8:30 p.m.	Anya Marina	The Parish	(214B E 6th St) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	The Kin	18th Flr, Hilton Garden Inn	(500 N IH 35) (18+)
9:00 p.m.	Wild Beasts	Latitude 30	(512 San Jacinto St) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	Tina Dico	live.create. lounge	(503 Neches St) (21+)
9:30 p.m.	Thao Nguyen	The Parish	(214B E 6th St) (21+)
10:00 p.m.	N.A.S.A.	Emo's Annex	(600 Red River St) (All Ages)
10:00 p.m.	Birds Of Tokyo	Friends	(208 E 6th St) (21+)
10:00 p.m.	The Henry Clay People	The Independent	(501 N IH 35) (21+)
10:00 p.m.	Jim Bianco	The Parish	(214B E 6th St) (21+)
11:00 p.m.	Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip	Aces Lounge	(222 E 6th St) (21+)
11:00 p.m.	Emily Wells	Buffalo Billiards	(201 E 6th St) (21+)
11:00 p.m.	Ed Harcourt	Elysium	(705 Red River St) (21+)
11:00 p.m.	The Asteroids Galaxy Tour	Emo's Annex	(600 Red River St) (All Ages)
11:00 p.m.	Edward Sharpe / Magnetic Zeros	The Parish Downstairs	(214 E 6th St) (21+)
11:00 p.m.	Meiko	The Parish	(214B E 6th St) (21+)
11:10 p.m.	Whole Wheat Bread	Austin Music Hall	(208 Nueces St) (All Ages)
11:10 p.m.	Iglu & Hartly	La Zona Rosa	(612 W 4th St) (All Ages)
11:30 p.m.	Greg Laswell	The Parish	(214B E 6th St) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Blind Pilot	Club de Ville	(900 Red River St) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Little Boots	Emo's Annex	(600 Red River St) (All Ages)
12:45 a.m.	Ida Maria	Maggie Mae's	(323 E 6th St) (21+)
1:00 a.m.	Camp Lo	Karma Lounge	(119 W 8th St) (21+)
1:00 a.m.	Hockey	Maggie Mae's Rooftop	(323 E 6th St) (21+)
Friday, March 20
1:00 p.m.	Johnny Lloyd Rollins	Bayou Lounge	(500 E. 6th St. A)
1:00 p.m.	Little Boots	Emo's Jr.	(603 Red River)
3:15 p.m.	Late Of The Pier	Cedar St. Courtyard	(208 W. 4th St.)
3:30 p.m.	The Tender Box	Rusty Spurs	(403 E. 7th St.)
2:00 p.m.	Meiko	Troubadour Saloon	(503 E. 6th St.)
2:00 p.m.	Madi Diaz	Six Lounge	(117 W. 4th St.)
7:45 p.m.	Pete & The Pirates	Cedar Street Courtyard	(208 W 4th St) (21+)
8:00 p.m.	Classixx	Beauty Bar	(617 E 7th St) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	Lex Land	live.create. lounge	(503 Neches St) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	Loquat	Wave Rooftop	(408 E 6th St) (21+)
10:00 p.m.	Madi Diaz	Victorian Room @ Driskill	(604 Brazos St.)
10:00 p.m.	Amazing Baby	Emo's Main Room	(603 Red River St) (All Ages)
10:00 p.m.	You Me At Six	Latitude 30	(512 San Jacinto St) (21+)
10:00 p.m.	Metallica (shh)	Stubb's	(801 Red River St) (All Ages)
10:00 p.m.	Solange / Hadley Street Dreams	Austin Convention Center	(500 E Cesar Chavez St) (All Ages)
11:00 p.m.	Tricky	Austin Music Hall	(208 Nueces St) (All Ages)
11:00 p.m.	Wheat	Maggie Mae's	(323 E 6th St) (21+)
11:30 p.m.	Glasvegas	La Zona Rosa	(612 W 4th St) (All Ages)
12:00 a.m.	DEVO	Austin Music Hall	(208 Nueces St) (All Ages)
12:00 a.m.	Lady Sovereign	Club de Ville	(900 Red River St) (21+)
12:30 a.m.	Asher Roth	Club de Ville	(900 Red River St) (21+)
12:45 a.m.	Primal Scream	La Zona Rosa	(612 W 4th St) (All Ages)
1:00 a.m.	Late Of The Pier	Aces Lounge	(222 E 6th St) (21+)
1:00 a.m.	Dredg	Buffalo Billiards	(201 E 6th St) (21+)
Saturday, March 21
2:00 p.m.	Edward Sharpe / Magnetic Zeroes	PureVolume House	(323 E. 2nd St.)
3:30 p.m.	Meiko	Gibson Showroom	(3601 S. Congress)
3:30 p.m.	The Courteneers	Latitude 30	(512 San Jacinto)
4:00 p.m.	Sonia Leigh	Touche	(417 E. 6th St.)
4:00 p.m.	The Swear	Dizzy Rooster	(306 E. 6th St.)
5:00 p.m.	Echo and The Bunnymen	Bat Bar, Convention Center	(500 E Cesar Chavez St) (All Ages)
5:30 p.m.	Lady Sovereign	Peckerhead's	(402 E. 6th St.)
7:30 p.m.	Lex Land	The Ale House	(310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance)) (21+)
7:40 p.m.	White Lies	Stubb's	(801 Red River St) (All Ages)
8:00 p.m.	The Asteroids Galaxy Tour	Maggie Mae's	(323 E 6th St) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	Samantha Crain	The Ale House	(310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance)) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	The Break And Repair Method	Maggie Mae's Gibson Room	(512 Trinity St) (21+)
9:00 p.m.	Iglu & Hartly	Vice	(302 E 6th St) (21+)
10:00 p.m.	Asher Roth	Vice	(302 E 6th St) (21+)
10:30 p.m.	Elizabeth & The Catapult	The Ale House	(310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance)) (21+)
10:55 p.m.	B.o.B	Austin Music Hall	(208 Nueces St) (All Ages)
11:00 p.m.	Longview	Cedar Street Courtyard	(208 W 4th St) (21+)
11:00 p.m.	The Knux	Vice	(302 E 6th St) (21+)
11:20 p.m.	The Crystal Method	La Zona Rosa	(612 W 4th St) (All Ages)
11:30 p.m.	Buddy	The Ale House	(310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance)) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Solange / Hadley Street Dreams	Buffalo Billiards	(201 E 6th St) (21+)
12:00 a.m.	Dredg	Emo's Jr	(603 Red River St) (All Ages)
12:00 a.m.	Echo and The Bunnymen	Rusty Spurs	(405 E 7th St) (21+)
12:05 a.m.	Brian Wright / Waco Tragedies	The Ale House	(310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance)) (21+)
12:30 a.m.	Pedestrian	The Ale House	(310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance)) (21+)
12:45 a.m.	Pendulum	La Zona Rosa	(612 W 4th St) (All Ages)
1:00 a.m.	The Used	Cedar Door	(201 Brazos St) (18+)
1:00 a.m.	Fair to Midland	Maggie Mae's Rooftop	(323 E 6th St) (21+)
1:00 a.m.	Whole Wheat Bread	The Parish Downstairs	(214 E 6th St) (21+)
1:00 a.m.	The Crimea	The Rio	(301 San Jacinto Blvd) (21+)

LABEL BUZZ SURROUNDS TALENTFILTER ARTIST -- Our secret spies tell us that 22 year-old singer/songwriter/pianist Chloe Leighton, first tipped here three months ago, was flown to NY this past week by one major label to to showcase for the big shots... This soulful, jazzified artist will perform again in April at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, but don't be surprised if you hear about one of the other three majors setting up private showcases of their own. This one could get insteresting!

UPCOMING L.A. AREA SHOWS OF NOTE:

Mar 8 -- Tina Dico, Quincy Coleman - The Roxy
Mar 12 -- Castledoor - The Echo
Mar 13 -- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Echoplex
Mar 14 -- Katie Costello - Hotel Cafe
Mar 15 -- Meiko, Emily Wells - Saint Rocke
Mar 16 -- Skid Row - House Of Blues
Mar 17 -- Skid Row - Key Club
Mar 31 -- Fitz & The Tantrums - Hotel Cafe

Apr 11 -- Blind Pilot - Spaceland
Apr 13 -- The Henry Clay People - Spaceland
Apr 14 -- Michelle Featherstone - Hotel Cafe
Apr 16 -- Chloe Leighton - Hotel Cafe

RY JARRED (unsigned, unpublished) -- Ry is a Venice, CA-based singer-songwriter - he definitely sits at the same table in the cafeteria with Bon Iver, M. Ward and Citizen Cope. Good vibe - synch-friendly as all get-out, and we think KCRW will be ALL OVER THIS GUY in the coming months. Ry performs at Air Conditioned in Venice on Sunday night (March 8). Expect some weasels in the house. Check out the video for his song "New Glow":

TALENTFILTER ARTIST MOVES FROM INDIE TO MAJOR LABEL! -- Los Angeles band The Airborne Toxic Event, first written about here back in January 2008, have been scooped up from Shout! Factory/Majordomo to Island/IDJMG. Singer Mikel Jollett tells L.A. blog Buzz Bands, "It's a great deal, we're pumped up." And what of the folks at Majordomo? "Majordomo has a really good stake in this thing — they were very much a partner," Jollett said. "It's a good situation for everyone involved."

Congrats to the band (and the folks at Shout! Factory, Majordomo, and HITS Magazine / The MGMT Company!)

A QUESTION FROM THE MAIL BIN -- From time to time we get E-mails from industry folks regarding the artists we write about - sometimes we get tips, sometimes we get comments about the acts we've featured - and sometimes we get general questions about the state of the biz. A note we received tonight we feel deserves a prompt response, so here it is along with our answer!


Hey TALENTfilter,

I've really enjoyed your blog, and appreciated the support that you've been giving independent artists.

I currently work with a small artists' collective based out of Portland, Oregon.

We believe that creative marketing in a digital age is enabling more and more artists to become what we like to think of as "middle class musicians" (something much harder to imagine ten years ago). But reading your blog, I've come to wonder if perhaps the day of record companies will never end (and if such myopic independence, as in avoiding all record companies, might be counterproductive).

Considering the fact that many of your featured artists go on and accept contracts from record companies (be them small or large ones) I would like to know what your opinion is on the issue. Or even what those artists have reported since about their experience.

Do you think it's really still worthwhile to sign with a label?

Honestly, reflecting over the success of our bands this past year, I've come to appreciate the flexibility and freedom that comes with being unsigned... but I've also come to wonder how much more meaningful their musical experience might be if supported by more financial capital and greater industry networking (the two things that labels seem to offer).

Sorry for my ramblings... but such esoteric debate no longer seems confined to the field of academia, but rather towards artists who struggle on for the sake of music and for the sake of community. So your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks for all you do!

Carl Hoiland

Canoe Music:

An Artists Collective

http://www.canoemusic.net

Hi Carl - thanks for reaching out - and thanks for checking out the blog.

The "day of record companies" isn't going to end any time soon, but those record companies won't be structured in their current form for much longer.

Record companies are in the business of selling, as we heard one label President say, "shiny round things that nobody wants to buy anymore." That's their business. Selling something that people either don't want, or can get for free.

Obviously they won't be able to keep the lights on with that model much longer.

The labels are realizing (ridiculously slowly) that they have to participate in other sources of an artist's revenue in order to make money. Problem is, they're still staffed up the way they've always been staffed, so when they try to justify participating in, say, an artist's publishing revenue, they can't, since they're unable to contribute anything of value in that area. They're simply not set up as a publishing company! Same with merch. Same with touring.

Once record companies staff up to provide service in all the areas they're looking to participate in revenue-wise, those pesky 360 deals will look a bit more fair (Side note: Don't believe everything you read - you can still get a fair-ish deal from a label - they're not all 'required' to do 360 deals - if they want you badly enough, they'll play ball).

Anyway, if an artist is currently trying to figure out whether to partner with a record label, they first need to think about what they're looking for the label to do for them. What is the end-game?

If it's simply to get their music into as many earholes as possible, then working with a major label is still certainly a great way (possibly still the best way) to go. They've still got the best
relationships at radio, video, traditional retail and traditional press. They've still got their higher-profile acts to use as leverage. They've still got checkbooks.

A smart artist (or manager) knows that while the artist might never see a dime from record sales, all of the exposure and awareness-building that's happening as a result of the label's efforts IS, actually, increasing the artist's profile. So their tour guarantees go up. More people come see them live. More people buy their T-shirts. More music supervisors and ad agencies want to license their music. More earholes are filled with the music.

Yes, the artist may have to give up their precious masters, but as recorded music becomes less and less valuable, honestly? Let 'em have the stinkin' masters - they're not gonna be worth anything anyway!


Cheers,

Team TALENTfilter

Feel free to hit us with comments - TALENTfilter@gmail.com

LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK RADIO NEWS -- Watch for CBS-owned Talker KLSX to flip to a Top 40 format beginning next month in what appears to be an attempt to battle Clear Channel-owned KIIS. Is CBS planning to make a similar move in New York? Active Rocker WXRK (92.3 K-Rock) and AC outlet WWFS (Fresh 102.7) are the weakest links in the company's NY chain. Our money is on their flipping Fresh 102.7. Makes sense, no? WRXP, the Triple A station in New York is gonna go away sooner than later, so CBS can just tweak WXRK's music to compensate for disenfranchised Triple A listeners, while using the Fresh 102.7 stick to battle Clear Channel's Top 40 WHTZ (Z100). More news as it happens!

(***Editors note: Looks like that format flip at KLSX Los Angeles happened sooner than we'd tipped! To that, be on the lookout for some changes/announcements in the Programming departments at other CBS outlets [ie: KROQ Los Angeles]***)

TALENTfilter ARTIST UPDATE -- Miranda Lee Richards' new album, Light Of X, was released in the U.S. through Nettwerk Records last week - it's currently a Top 5 Singer/Songwriter album on iTunes (See? We TOLD you iTunes would finally wisen up and change the Folk category to Singer/Songwriter!) ...Miranda is doing a monthly residency at Spaceland in Los Angeles.

L.A. goth-rock outfit Dommin, first tipped to you in February 2007 and signed to Roadrunner Records in June 2008, finally have a date set for their debut album's release - on May 12, Love Is Gone will hit stores Stateside. Watch a teaser video HERE.

Unsigned/unpublished singer/songwriter/pianist Michelle Featherstone (tipped to you in June 2008) will celebrate the self-release of her new album titled Blue Bike on February 28 at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles. It will be available digitally soon thereafter. Michelle has more of her songs placed in films and TV shows than any artist on your label. Why are you sleeping on this girl? Wakey wakey, genuises!!

Gavin Castleton, first tipped in July 2007, has had his new single "Coffeelocks" played on influential Los Angeles radio station KCRW almost every morning for the past two weeks. "Coffeelocks" is available now digitally through indie label Five One. Gavin is still unsigned and unpublished. He's a prolific songwriter who has self-released 7 solo albums in the last four years. He's also put out 7 albums with his other band Gruvis Malt, and 2 with another side project, Ebu Gogo. Scroll down a bit to watch the video of Gavin recording a remake of the Prince classic "Nothing Compares 2 U".

Unsigned/unpublished Irish singer/songwriter/guitarist Paul Casey, tipped in April 2007, has had several of his songs recently licensed for U.S. TV shows - the latest of which, a new track, titled "Blow Away The Clouds", will appear on MTV's "The Real World" on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Check out unsigned/unpublished NY artist Goot, tipped here in February 2007, finally getting some MySpace love - a feature on the front of the MySpace Music page - good morning!

AMANDA GHOST NAMED PRESIDENT OF EPIC RECORDS - She'll join the label on Feb. 16 and fill the opening made when Charlie Walk left in December 2008. Ghost comes from the music side of things, having been a Grammy-nominated songwriter and a performer; she's worked with Beyonce, James Blunt, Jordin Sparks, Kanye West, Shakira and Jay-Z and released her debut solo album Ghost Stories on Warner Bros. in 2000, as well as other records in the U.K. on her own label, Plan A Records.

According to our sources, it's possible that almost half of the current roster could be dropped, and there could be further house-cleaning, staff-wise, in the A&R department.

MUSIC DIRECTOR AT WRXP NEW YORK RESIGNS -- Bryan Schock, MD and on-air personality at Triple A WRXP New York, leaves the building to relocate back to southern California for personal reasons. Schock programmed Alternative 91X San Diego for many years prior to the move to NY. Does he know something we don't about Emmis' plans for the New York signal? The ratings have been horrible since they've signed on ...Stay tuned! We wish the best of luck to Mr. Schock - he's one of the good ones.