Music…on the road to independence
Do you ever get tired of flipping through channels on the radio only to hear the same songs on every station and worse yet, they all sound the same? Have you ever thought why is good music hard to find?” Can you remember the last time you walked into a record store to buy music? In this current music industry climate, questions such as these are not so uncommon. It seems as if music artists are being manufactured in cookie cutter fashion where talent is not a prerequisite. The artistry and originality that was once present in music has not been prevalent for a while now. Good music is still being made and real singers still exist but you just won’t always hear them on your radio or cable television music channel.
I recently had the pleasure of being a screening partner for the film Before the Music Dies which is a music documentary that explores these very same issues. It tells the story of American music at this precarious moment. Filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen traveled the country, hoping to understand why mainstream music seems so packaged and repetitive, and whether corporations really had the power to silence musical innovation. If you recognize the deterioration of the mainstream music industry then this is a film you must see.Before the Music Dies boldly and candidly challenges the manipulative and deceptive practices of many major record labels as well as the in the bed practices of radio stations and labels.
At the heart of “Before the Music Dies are interviews with musicians, industry insiders, music critics, and fans that reveal how music has reached this moment of truth. The good is news is that the music buying public is waking up, demanding more and so are the musicians. With the huge growth of the internet, new channels are available to artists to reach their fans. As a result “independent artists” are thriving, bringing integrity back to music and empowering themselves to take the industry back!
You can learn more about Before The Music Dies and view the trailer at their website http://www.beforethemusicdies.com. Support this very important music documentary.
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I’m with you, SoulGypsy … I usually turn the radio on after hours when the lights are down low and the music is soft & mellow! I wasn’t fortunate to catch the documentary when it hit NY but I will definitely keep a cloer eye out for it! Thank you for the part you play in spreading the word about good music!
Comment by Trelly — January 23, 2007 @ 7:05 am
Thanks for sharing this…I had not heard about this film. I’d love to see it so I’m gonna have to buy the DVD or figure out where it’s playing.
Comment by TonyAnthony — January 25, 2007 @ 11:15 am
That was great, Drea! Hopefully the film will be shown in the northeast soon- otherwise I’ll definitely be getting a copy of it! Definitely a story that needs to be told.
Comment by markus — January 26, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Still mad I missed this film. I’m sure it carries incredible content and truth.
Comment by Resey — January 26, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
I like this Blog. I feel the same, and I think I will check out the film. I think this is a great moment in music. There’s a new energy in the universe. A new genre or movement is about to happen. I want to be apart of that. I feel you do to. Besides this Blog, what other things are you doing to see that happen?
Comment by The Christopher Complex — January 29, 2007 @ 12:56 am
I will check this out. Thank you for the info!
Comment by Marcus Chavers — March 5, 2007 @ 2:34 am
I have to admit that I don’t listen to the radio too often. I feel bad sometimes, because I feel like I am missing a lot of the discussions and news but not missing the music at all!
Comment by Sista Suga — March 8, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
Also check out the international rnb/soulscene with stations like http://www.soulconnexion.com and http://www.solarradio.com who play only rnb/soul 24/7…
Comment by JOHN DEAN — March 27, 2007 @ 4:36 pm