hmm....where do i start.
ill give you an example, and let the opinions come forth, and then maybe retort a bit. prefaced by saying, "ive been in some s**tty work thru the years, namely construction, filled with assholes and crooks, and money grubbing bottom line bottom feeders, and have been signed to two different record labels .....and there is nothing id rather do than record and make music for a living, which i have done...but in the same token, there is no bigger set of crooks, liars, backstabbers, and bulls**t artists than in the record business...."
the last band i was in that was signed was called "my church band"....a play on words, as music was sort of a religion...*groan...
we signed a three album, 5 year contract with this label, and were given a producer, who shall remain nameless, who booked us in some great gigs, got us recording time, and basicly set us up for a great future....we hit the road, touring with the likes of Kansas, iron butterfly, marshall tucker, and even did a stint with robin trower...
life was good....i paid off my house, made great cash, pleased alot of folk along the way, and got some great memories....
a year and 5 months in, we go to the studio....yeah, this is where we make or piece of the real pie....the anticipation was high, as were the spirits and expectations....
....and then it went as follows...
our same producer, being of the detroit sound from years back, got it in his head that we needed choreography....now bear in mind we are a hard rockin' band, punch ya in the face with it from front to back....long hair, marshall stacks, huge double base drumset, and lights, lasers, and women everywhere....get the picture?
now picture that same group of long haired rockers trying to do motown steps to please a producer....i mean, old school stuff in the vein of, oh, the temptations, or chi-lites....needless to say, it went over like a led zeppelin...we tried, but it f**ked us up more than anything....but we were contractually obligated to do what the producer said....see a problem brewing? we sure as hell did....and it took about another year before the band basicly imploded, and the guys went thier seperate ways....to this day i only keep in touch with one of them, and they all live here in town, thats how nasty it got....anyway, i digress....
after the fur had settled back down, it comes to light that we still are owned and operated by these folks, and it took3 more years before we were allowed to legally record, produce, or gig, without them (the label) getting a large piece of the little pie that was left...they pwned us...literally....and we still cant use the music we made in that time period....i still have a bad taste in my mouth from it....
the point is, record companies are evil....and you really have to be in line with thier thinking, right or wrong, for the average joe band to succeed....they have you over a barrel from the getgo, and unless you are independantly wealthy, you dont have a chance in hell of winning a court case over it....
it took mettalica what?....5 years to win their suit...and they are....mettalica.
my music is my music....i dreamed it, i built it, i slaved over it, i nurtured it, and i lived it. and this jerkoff stole it. plain and simply. f**k em....i hope they rot in hell.....do i sound bitter?...you bet yer ass and yer housecat bud. but here is the real problem....for an artist, its like air.....you need it, you feel it, you get emotional over it....you cant live without it...its in yer blood....
....and any SOB that tries to tell me what i can and cant do with it can kiss the spotty fat part of my ass....if i want to sell you my song for five thousand dollars, or fifty cents, its my decision....they would not have approached us for a deal in the first place if they didnt think they could make something off it....
im tired.....naptime....i request any and all opinions on this ....
Doc Brasso...
damn what an ugly visual....i like the analogy though, ive been a music whore for ever...!!! 
