Wilco goes from label to indie

[sunvalleylaw]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/01/silver-lakes-anti-expected-to-sign-wilco.html

They have had a loosely indie sound for a long time, and now they are taking their distribution in that direction. I am glad there are options out there, for those successful enough to take advantage of them. I hope that the success of bands like Wilco will help other worthy bands that have not garnered the same attention.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3MtKcdfEOw

(clip posted to candy up the post a little. :thumbsup ).

 

[R_of_G]

It's an encouraging sign for music. They seem to have enough of a following to pull it off so I hope it works as a model for other bands to pursue as an option. The more that do and make it work, the more will follow.

 

[syo]

Hmmm...
Doesn't sound too earth shatteringly ground-breaking (Hmmm...interesting sentence...). Epitaph (Anti) is home to quite a few major label "refugees" already. Given the fact that it all winds up being distributed by Warner's Alternative Distribution Alliance means Wilco has no downside to this anyway. Still hanging with the big boys.

The above having been said, I love Wilco. Looking forward to their next release.

 

[Eric]

I don't really think they were getting much publicity money from their current label anyway, were they? I have rarely seen much mention of them outside of Wilco circles recently. I would imagine the promotion/publicity is the primary area where they'd miss a big record label.

The whole thing with this as a model is that it still depends on bands going to a major label at some point, because otherwise they don't have the following to make it on their own. Unless you count just endless touring, but even that can't compare to the legions of fans you get from being a big name.

It is a little disheartening to me, because it seems like it's impossible for bands to do it the "right way" (i.e. without selling out and playing the role of cash cow for at least a while). But...so be it. At least there's music out there.

Speaking of Wilco, has anybody listened much to the Avett Brothers? I got them as a recommendation this past fall and listened once or twice, but didn't really spend much time with the albums. I figure Wilco enthusiasts might like them.

 

[R_of_G]

The whole thing with this as a model is that it still depends on bands going to a major label at some point, because otherwise they don't have the following to make it on their own. Unless you count just endless touring, but even that can't compare to the legions of fans you get from being a big name.

One could attempt to follow Phish's model of becoming a big name in large part because of the endless touring. Despite allowing a cadre of fans to record and freely distribute their shows, they've been extremely successful selling their own professional live recordings of their shows in both CD and digitial download forms. They seem to be putting out more DVDs of entire shows as well. Recently they got into pay-per-view for their NYE run and that did well too.

Their total fanbase might not be as large as some more mainstream acts, but they seem to have figured out how to keep as many things in-house as possible while working with a major for album releases. They did self-release their first two albums so they could go back to it if they chose. Trey has his own recording studio in the farmhouse. A damn nice one too.

I would speculate Wilco could pull off much the same thing. I'd imagine like Phish, a Wilco show is not the same every night. That alone generates interest amongst fans in wanting to hear more than the one official "live album" the general music fan will listen to of some band he likes.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Haven't seen the Avett bros. Though I think I just missed them in Boise. They were playing with someone else that interested me and I was thinking of trying to catch the show. They are featured this month in Acoustic Guitar mag.

I understand your concerns Eric, and that is why I said I was glad Wilco was successful enough to pull it off. My hope is that if more of these "indie" (for lack of a better term) artists make it, then maybe they can pull some other worthy acts along with them somehow.

 

[kidsmoke]

Speaking of Wilco, has anybody listened much to the Avett Brothers? I got them as a recommendation this past fall and listened once or twice, but didn't really spend much time with the albums. I figure Wilco enthusiasts might like them.

big :thumbsup

And Wilco doesn't seem to rely on typical marketing, they're not a mainstream radio group. They encourage taping and sharing...(Tweedy's quote: "we're not into keeping people from hearing our music")

Avett Bros are a great Band, they've been at it a while as well. Emotionalism is a great album.

for the uninitiated.......a nice piece on Wilco. Tweedy's a regular guy.

 

[Pickngrin]

Huge Wilco fan here (saw them in Hartford months ago...solid 3 hr show...amazing). Eric, I have heard a few Avett Bros. tunes on Sirius, which I enjoyed. The tunes I heard didn't strike me as akin to Wilco-ish music (what is that, anyway?), but I need to delve further into them. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Eric]

Huge Wilco fan here (saw them in Hartford months ago...solid 3 hr show...amazing). Eric, I have heard a few Avett Bros. tunes on Sirius, which I enjoyed. The tunes I heard didn't strike me as akin to Wilco-ish music (what is that, anyway?), but I need to delve further into them. Thanks for the reminder.

I know what you mean. The guy who recommended them to me is a marketing guy for Sony music and he said if I liked Wilco I'd love the Avetts. But yeah, they didn't seem to be too Wilco-ish. I guess it's more a case of likely overlapping tastes.

I used to be HUGE into Wilco, but I've kind of moved away from them a little bit at present. Their last album didn't grab me for whatever reason.

Hmm...maybe they're like Star Trek movies, where all of the even-numbered ones I like a lot. Let's see: Being There, Summerteeth, YHF, Sky Blue Sky. Yeah OK, not exactly every-other, but whatever.

On the topic of Wilco-similars, have you ever listened to Blue Rodeo? They remind me a lot of A.M.-era Wilco.

 

[Pickngrin]

I hear you... I am not crazy about the self-titled album, either. Sky Blue Sky isn't my favorite, but I've enjoyed some of it. Their sound has really taken a turn (into guitar forays) with Nels Cline. Regardless of what studio material they put out, they are a great live band IMO. I remember a friend playing some Blue Rodeo for me a few years ago, but I really have no recollection of what they were like.

 

[pedalbuilder]

I don't know. I've always found it a tad misleading when bands like this go 'indie.' Of course, they are technically independent, and I do applaud that, but given their level of success they have as many or more resources at their disposal than a label band. I used to see Snoop Dogg show up on the indie charts pretty often . . . so . . .