Why signing a record deal ain't necessarily a good thing

[cleanbluesky]

Originally Posted by Garp

Jonathan Coulton doesn't like record companies particularly, is giving away his music free whilst also selling it, releases it under a Creative Commons license so people can cover it without charge (as long as they credit him), and yet he is still making a living as a professional musician based on it. The big difference is he's employing companies to do what the labels normally provide, e.g. marketing, CD manufacturing, recording and mastering, merchandise, tour management and so on. He isn't actively involved in the areas, that's why he pays them for, so in essence he's not all that much different from any other artist signed up to a label, he just happens to be at the top of the chain instead of the bottom. All parties concerned profit nicely from it with no corporate shafting taking place.

There is no such thing as corporate shafting, only people with business sense using said business sense.

There are many musicians who do similar things, many with more success than Johnathan Coulson, so what? They in turn become The Man because they're marketing their own work - and their product prices are similar compared to if they were on a major label. What Mr Coulson has is business skills, which is exactly what record companies have.

Does no-one think of the half-baked bands that are spotted and supported by major labels? Should a group of people who make good music also be expected to be expert businessmen?