Why+Be+Indie?

__**Why would a band want to be independent?**__

This page is entirely my opinion about why a band would want to remain independent rather than going mainstream. I have some fairly strong views regarding this matter, and I am not saying that my opinion is right, it is just my opinion.

So, trying to be as brief as possible, why would a band want to remain independent? Many indie bands are talented enough and make good enough music that major record labels would be interested in signing them, so why do bands refuse to sign with the major labels and stay with their small, independent record labels? When you first think about it, it might not make much sense; indie bands are losing out on the benefits of signing with a major label, such as more exposure, more support for touring, lots of radio airplay, the security of being signed to a long-term deal, and most importantly, a boatload of money. However, there is one thing that you lose when you sing with a major label, and it is one thing a true musician would never want to give up, no matter how much money is on the table; that one thing is control over your music. Musicians in indie bands are just that - musicians. They care a great deal about the music they make, the quality of music they make, and most indie artists will tell you that they make music for themselves, first and foremost, and usually only themselves. They don't particularly care if the music is liked by millions of people. I can relate to this because as a musician, I write music for myself. It means a great deal to me to write songs the way I want to. However, when you sign with a major label, you can't really write songs the way you want to anymore. Record labels will tell you certain things they want you to put in your song, and they usually get their way. The music industry is a soul-sucking industry, and people who work in it know how to appeal to the masses, and the masses typically are not people who put a great deal of thought into what they listen to; they just listen to whatever sounds good, whatever the flavour of the week is, whatever "has a good beat." (I can never get over that; people will listen to the worst music, saying its good because it "has a good beat." I can make a good beat by banging pots and pans together....does that make it good music?). Anyway, major record companies will try to take over your music. If you have a four minute song, they will say, "make it shorter...its too long for the radio." If you have a really nice intro to the song, with beautiful instruments and a complex arrangement, they will say "change that...it needs to be shorter and catchier." They will try to get you to change your lyrics as well, to appeal to the people who listen to the radio. This is not my opinion; this is fact. Listen to any big band today and you can see how over their career they have sold out and their music has suffered. Green Day used to be really, really awesome. Now, unless you are a 14 year old girl, chances are you don't like Green Day. Metallica used to be amazing, but not anymore. I don't think anyone really likes Metallica anymore. Indie bands actually have something, called integrity. They don't want to sacrifice the quality of their music and alienate their loyal and dedicated fans who come to shows, but their t-shirts and actually buy the CDs, rather than download them. Indie bands don't want to give up control over their music. I don't particularly care if anyone at all likes my songs; as long as I like them, as long as I am proud of what I have done, then I am happy. Indie musicians are the same. Its all about the music, not the money. There are not many indie bands that aspire to be Nickelback. Its a bit unfair because 100% of the indie bands out there are infinitely more talented than 100% of the mainstream bands, but since they don't play simple, manufactured music, they don't get recognition. Its a backwards industry, but indie bands have grown accustomed to it. Its not an easy thing to do to pass up a record contact worth (probably) millions of dollars, but for a true musician, who actually cares about their music, its the only decision.

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