Chart Success without the Label

_“Instead of gigging round toilets for ten years trying to get a record deal, gig around toilets for ten years and ask people for their email addresses. If what you’re doing strikes a chord, you’ll be financially better off while remaining pure and free to do what you want._ ” — Steven Hogarth, Marillion

That’s from Marillion: appetite for resurrection | The Register, an article giving a little bit of background to the recent success of Marillion, which they achieved all on their own, without a record company, meaning that they also get the money… all on their own. No money for the record company here. Thank you. Go on please.

I caught this via Thijs post Inevitable…, where he also links to a Courtney Love speech from the Digital Hollywood online entertainment conference in 2000, which blew my mind back then and does so again this time. A must read to grasp the music industry.

And yes, I agree with Thijs that whoever can get a good business going to help musicians will be hated by the music industry and be really successful. Lots of stuff to still happen there.