1 post tagged “scout”

Hey fellow Voxers!

Yes I am swimming against the tide... In the sense that I don't understand how this whole thing works or how this could improve A&R. I don't really want to start posting useless things on other people blogs just to draw attention to my page. I don't even want to add someone as a neighbour (of that's what they are called here) just to have more than anybody else.

This means that, all things considered, after a start-up phase in which good things could actually be heard from the A&R guys, great musicians will drown amongst meaningless pop bands who are just lucky to have friends with too much time on their hands,who could sign up here and post hundreds of messages.

What is the plan exactly? Is this discovering new music? Sure I would enjoy listening to the next Arctic Monkeys (found on myspace, weren't they?) but I also like, and usually find a greater pleasure, in listening to good bands who don't reach a wide audience. The A&R guys will never know about many of us, too many. Some awful bands, maybe awful bands for the most, but also some great bands that will never be heard because people are looking for the next teenager band that has that insertNMEbandofthemonth sound.

Some years ago I was really lucky, I sent some mp3's to R., one of the guys at Sony Music in London and he replied with enthusiasm and the most useful review I ever had. Me! An italian guy who recorded songs in his room getting a review from someone at Sony! Just that alone was a dream come true. He asked me for photos and the demo cd but after a while he let me know he couldn't "sell me" at the time. I am still so grateful for that episode, that really made me stronger, made me believe that what I did was actually good. That's why I'm back now and I doubt that we will ever have this kind of personal relationship with someone at A&R dep. now, that's because with this system our music will always come after lots and lots of young bands with nothing to say but many friends.

I want to get signed just like anyone else but I'm not so willing to play the neighbour thing to get that... Should I?