Umphrey's McGee complimented
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=56559
Printed Date: April 26 2024 at 06:29
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Topic: Umphrey's McGee complimented
Posted By: debrewguy
Subject: Umphrey's McGee complimented
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 08:05
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Example of foresight ? you decide ... as quoted from Bob Lefsetz email newsletter From: Adit Rao Subject: A Serious Inquiry Dear Bob, I've been reading your blog with great interest over the past few months. My friend Joel Cummins, who plays in a band called Umphrey's McGhee recommended I pay attention to what you had to say. He's actually a poster child for the mindset/approach which you promote in your writings. It's a semi-interesting story actually: About 10 years ago, as college freshmen, Joel and I took two separate paths: he remained in Chicago and began touring with his band locally. I moved to LA and pursued a record deal. Years later, it's pretty clear which one of us made the right decision. His band does about 150 shows a year (sometimes to festival crowds). They're not millionaires, but their company is a sustainable enterprise which supports the livelihoods of about a dozen guys (including their crew). Pretty impressive. My bands on the other hand, have floundered around the southwestern U.S., worn thru a couple of rotten experiences with labels, and disintegrated when our morale was destroyed. Joel wasn't a prophet... he simply played music which labels didn't care for (Jamband stuff). So they were forced to take a grass-roots approach from the start. And as it turned out-- they were way ahead of the curve. I'm very proud of them. ------------- "Here I am talking to some of the smartest people in the world and I didn't even notice,” Lieutenant Columbo, episode The Bye-Bye Sky-High I.Q. Murder Case. |
Replies:
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 08:33
| Well you can't argue with the facts as the Umphrey's McGee model has worked for them, although it's only up to a point. I do believe that the traditional record label could well die out as a result of the Internet and downloading (whether legal or not). The question is - can bands become millionaires by adopting this model or not? |
Posted By: debrewguy
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 08:41
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If that's their short term goal, then they might as well stay home. Umphree's Mghee has built a career. They may even be millionaires by now, but if not, it would seem that they have been able to maintain an acceptable level of income to continue playing music.
------------- "Here I am talking to some of the smartest people in the world and I didn't even notice,” Lieutenant Columbo, episode The Bye-Bye Sky-High I.Q. Murder Case. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 09:49
The question for me is do bands really need to become millionaires? And what's wrong with just making a decent living, anyway? Weren't bands more often making others millionaires than themselves so why should we shed a tear for the traditional record labels either? ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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chopper wrote:Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 10:15
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I'm glad I'm seeing them in a week!!!!
I agree that bands don't need to be millionairres, just make a decent living and be able to keep playing music. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Mr ProgFreak
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 11:48
I think that when bands make bad experiences with labels it's usually due to incompatible business goals ... what's good for the label isn't necessarily good for the band. So my advice to any band would be to try to record, produce and promote their music themselves. Thanks to the internet and today's advances in audio/production technology, it's quite possible!  ------------- https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike" rel="nofollow - https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike |
Posted By: debrewguy
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 20:14
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The only need a label can fill is distribution. The rest should be doable by the band. Financing, managing, recording, touring, all are in reach of the musician. You answer to yourself. And if you're lucky, and luck plays a big role, you find, build, and maintain a sufficient fanbase to work at a job you love - making music.
------------- "Here I am talking to some of the smartest people in the world and I didn't even notice,” Lieutenant Columbo, episode The Bye-Bye Sky-High I.Q. Murder Case. |
Posted By: mr.cub
Date Posted: March 20 2009 at 21:46
Likewise I'm seeing them two weeks from tomorow. Also feel that if a band plays at a high level, they will gain an audience -------------  |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: March 25 2009 at 10:55
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seein them april 11. shold be awesome. i always wondered if it's harder to sustain a band financially when theres more members than less. i guess they do fine. their popularity seems to grow everyday ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm 
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: March 29 2009 at 02:12
Bands will be fairly valued by this model. UM is the second best underground band out there and their unusual marketing approach has served them well. Not every band could do this, however. ------------- 
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: March 29 2009 at 11:04
whos #1? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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