Rick Howie....

Sometimes the music industry can be extremely frustrating. The sheer amount of crap music that is forced down the throats of most human beings is unreal. It makes you stop and think as to what the head honchos are actually saying to their A&R departments. Maybe something along these lines:

Honcho:"Hey Frank, its Hocho here. I have a new task for you"
Frank: "What would you have me do sir?"
Honcho: "You remember that rapper we signed last year? The one that made us a load of cash. His name was something like Lil' Fizzy Wizzy Dizzle Dogg."
Frank: "I remember him well."
Honcho: "Well, i need you to go find me another one of these kind of guys. We need a quick fix, that will provide us with a nice influx of cash. Screw long term goals!"
Frank: "Sir, yes sir!"

Okay, this may not be the most accurate portrayal of the industry's inner workings, but I'm pretty sure its something along those lines. What happened to the days when bands/artists would be releasing four or five great albums? Some bands have such strong first albums, that it seems the labels need to cash in on this popularity by making them push out a second album faster than a member of the paparazzi chasing down Britney Spears' hoo-haah.

We seem to be in a time where everyone wants the next best thing. iphones, Video games and Hand bags for example, have all been in such demand that people will line up outside stores for days on end, just so they can have it as soon as. When was the last time anyone waited in line at a music store to get their grubby mitts on their favorite artist new CD?

I understand that the industry is going through changes with all this internet/mp3 malarkey, but surely this can't have an effect on the quality of what is being produced. Every boy and his dog seems to be in a band now, which, if it gets the hoodlums of the streets, can't be a bad thing. The time has come where major labels need to look deeper into the bargain bin, searching for that hidden gem at the bottom.

Quality has served many smaller labels well. Sub Pop, Saddle Creek, Fat Cat, Wichita, Transgressive & Domino have a good reputation for allowing good bands to make great music. It's these labels that keep the industry on it's toes and keeps them one step ahead of the majors. Hopefully - sooner rather than later - the majors will realize the general public aren't THAT stupid, forcing them to produce some decent music again.

The reason i went off on that rant was due to an artist named Nick Howard. He is a talented, up and coming songwriter from NYC, and is trying to force his way into the industry. I've been told, by the ladies of course, that he's pretty easy on the eyes too. Being a friend of his means my opinion of his work is slightly biased, but, even a trained monkey can tell that this guy has more talent in his right femur than most major labels have on their rosters. Its just tough watching someone, that clearly has talent, not being recognized for their work, when there are all sorts of abysmal artists getting record deals through shows like American Idol (that's another topic of discussion).

If you're looking for heartfelt lyrics and soulful melodies, then stop by one of Nick's various shows in NYC. He also released his debut album this year, which you can purchase via various places on the world wide web.



http://nickhowardmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nickhoward


BAM