A Word to the Confused: What Is True Independent Music

It has come to our attention that there are people out there confusing the public about what constitutes true independent music. One person, in particular, goes on to say that...

"A true independent music artist is independent of a record company to front the money for a release. Unless of course they have chosen to form their own company in order to gain certain business benefits..."

Because we are very much a part of the true independent music scene, it is our job to correct confused people like this, because they misinform the public when they speak about issues that they clearly know nothing about. The truth is, what constitutes true independent music, whether it is a band, artist, or label, is the absence of a major label affilation or connection...including social connections.

This confused person obviously has no experience in the true independent music scene. Otherwise, he would know that we are discriminated against for lack of a major label affiliation or connection. Our music is not on the radio, major retailers will not carry self-distributed music products. It does not matter if you are an artist, a band, or a true independent record label. We are all treated the same by corporate entities, and the conglomerate media. The level of corruption and deception is mind boggling. An artist or band signed to a true independent record label is, in fact, a true independent artist--because there is NO major label affilation or connection.

As I read more of what this person wrote, the motive for his misinforming the public on what constitutes true independent music became very clear--he is actually promoting that artists and bands aspire to sign with major labels:

He revealed himself when he said, "Being an indie artist can give you great bargaining power if you go for a recording contract. In addition to playing live, writing songs and releasing CDs, you've no doubt been reading up on the business of music and learning about tax write-offs. You've been keeping meticulous records of income, assets and expenses. Now, because you have cold hard sales figures, a good business attitude, an established name and probably a list of fans (repeat buyers), you are more likely to attract a major label deal when you do go label shopping. That's the stuff that the majors like to see."

It needs to be said that this guy lives in a fantasy world. None of the above exists in the world of true independent music.

He is not only a major label ass-kissing loser, but he is apparently connected to them. He has no clue what true independent music is, or what it is about. He totally revealed himself with this last quote. He is all about promoting major labels, as well as, confusing and misinforming the public. These types of schemes, and lies will never work, because we will always uncover and reveal the truth to the people.

An Exceprt from Episode 7: FCC on the Side of Media Monsters

True independent music is the entrepreneurial spirit of the recording industry. It has come to our attention, through an e-mail from the FCC, that the U.S. Supreme Court has “deemed three types of conduct so lacking in economic justification as to be per se illegal…” The three types of violations named were price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation schemes, which they stated are generally prosecuted criminally by the Antitrust Division. They also added that the Antitrust Division has sole authority within the federal government to file criminal antitrust cases, though it also shares responsibility for civil enforcement with the Federal Trade Commission. Both of which, I should add, do nothing to preserve free enterprise for all entrepreneurs and small businesses, in all industries, as they should.

The problem with this is that it shows how disconnected our federal court system and federal agencies are from the original intent of antitrust laws.

In Section 1 of the Sherman Act it states that: “Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal. Every person who shall make any contract or engage in any combination or conspiracy hereby declared illegal shall be deemed guilty of a felony…”

There is much more to the Sherman Act, but in essence, the first section alone is clear about what constitutes anticompetitive conduct, and it is apparent from the FCC’s e-mail that these laws have been gutted and altered over the years, to favor conglomerates, by federal agencies and the U.S. Supreme Court.

The people need to know the truth about what is happening. The government is failing to act in good faith by not enforcing the law that was enacted over a hundred years ago to preserve free enterprise. We need to work together to protect and ensure free enterprise for ourselves, for our children, and for our future generations. It is our right to have it.

Listen to Episode 7 of the True Independent Music Show!