Bands

You won’t find much argument to comments that the Sydney live music scene is behind that of other major cities across the country. So, with the closure of iconic venues like the Hopetoun Hotel and potential barring up of the Annandale Hotel and the Harp, one has to wonder if we’re not shooting ourselves in the foot.

Yes, the financial issues of an establishment are beyond the control of those outside, but can be helped by the simple patronage of the public.

I don’t have the influence of more established musicians, nor the years of industry insight of others who have exposed themselves to hundreds of hours of beer-soaked carpet and screaming amplifiers; but as an unknown, independent musician, the future’s looking bleak.

Continue reading "Closing live music venues will hurt your ears" »

It’s a record label that carries a quote from muck-raking journalist H.L. Mencken as its motto, was largely responsible for ending the death penalty in Illinois and has provided work for hundreds of otherwise unemployable people.

Bloodshot Records, set up in inner city Chicago 15 years ago this month, is one of those labels you always take notice of when there’s news of a release or one of their artists is touring. The label pioneered its own sound – called “insurgent country” because it was different to the Nashville sound and didn’t fit with what was being recorded in Austin, Texas or Bakersfield in California.

The genius behind Bloodshot came from two punk drummers, Rob Miller and Nan Warshaw (the third founder was sometime music writer Eric Babcock, who now runs a Nashville label, Checkered Past) and the company’s journey since 1994 tells the story of recorded music over the years.

Continue reading "The record label that helped abolish the death penalty" »

“There is nothing wrong with the music business, there is a problem with the CD business.” - Chuck D

If you reduced the last decade’s discussion about the music industry to a single word, it would be decline. 

And yet, observing music consumption over the same period, the opposite is true. More people are listening to music in more ways than ever before.

Continue reading "Don’t believe the hype: music is doing better than ever" »