Good thing the only music from Japan I like is orchestral and pop.

I guess videogame soundtracks, too.

Damn, though, why is it Yakuza always ruining everything?

sounds like some solid business. wish i could have came up with that system

Sadly, this is how it works here in America as well. It's on a different scale, but in terms of dealing with the actual industry, very much so.

That was enlightening. When you want to succeed in an industry, you should run it like the Yakuza.

@Tim: You mean in terms of control, or...?

@HoodedMicracle It's not exactly total control, but close to it. Artists in America who are signed to major labels make most of their actual cash from live gigs. It's not as controlled as it is in Japan, but in terms of royalties, etc, 9 times out of 10 it goes straight to producers, management, and the label itself. While they don't have contracts, American labels do, but they're usually drawn to screw the artist out of their hard earned cash by teams of lawyers.

It used to be that if you wanted a major label to engineer, master, advertise and press an album, you'd be the one responsible for paying the expenses. That means if it doesn't sell, it's a tax writeoff for them, and you still owe the label the money so you're the one in debt. Doesn't sound very fun, does it. Thank god for the internet and self-distrubition. Sure, you might not have a label backing you, doing your promotion, or whatever, but at least you own your publishing rights and owe nobody.

How is this surprising, or news?

@Tim Sheehy:

As someone registered with BMI/ASCAP and in the process of rebooting an old self-managed label, that's a rather outdated view of the modern recording industry. It hasn't worked that way for about eight years in the US and Europe.

The way it works now for new artists and new producers is simple: You bring the record company your fanbase that you've built up from years as a local artist and the record company expects you to sign nothing less than a 360 deal covering live shows, ticket sales and merchandising sales on top of music sales, meaning that the artist no longer has complete control over any one financial aspect of the music or live performance.

No longer is the new artist solely expected to sell music either, they are also expected to sell themselves as a brand with product tie-ins and endorsements. This ironically also makes it harder to go it alone as a self-distributor because you're competing against a bigger publicity machine due to the aforementioned endorsements and tie-ins.

In my case, I'm going specifically after the metal scene since that fanbase is extremely loyal, supportive and willing to push bands that are seen as deserving of success. I can only hope that my anime-influenced melodic death metal project will pass the test with them.

Thanks for the link. Informative, and repulsive.

perhaps the Yakuza secretly runs all of Japan?

ZOMG CONSPIRACY THEORY!

Wow, that's some crazy shit. Pretty interesting read

I seriously didn't even know people listened to or even cared about Vis-kei anymore. Dir En Grey came out with a new single. Sounds exactly like what metal-core groups have been doing for years now. They've completely traded originality for poor attempts at brutal vocals and heavy riffs.

Can't really speak on other Vis-Kei bands b/c I'm not really fans of their music, but in my mind Vis-Kei has gone the route of many J-pop groups here in Japan.

/just saying...

Im not surprised by this at all, Im sure every country does the same thing.

Its not like Japan invented this~

Like a few other people, I can't say I'm honestly surprised. Sure, the extent of this supposed corruption is pretty repulsive, but even back in the days when I was a huge VK fan I never really had the illusion that it was some nice, clean, 'real' industry. The heavy emphasis on image and marketing should tip most people off.

I don't listen to half as much VK as I used to, but I wish people would stop labeling VK fans as "fangirls". Seriously, male VK fans exist, and even female ones like me aren't always in it for the pretty boys - some of us actually want good music. But I'll admit I findthat the costumes make PVs and lives more entertaining than watching a bunch of sweaty guys in T-shirts...But again, what I'll pay for is stuff I can listen to. Also, like most other industries, there's a lot of crap being released, but if you look hard enough you'll find stuff really worth listening to, so don't just put it down so easily, especially if you're one of those who don't really listen to VK anyway.

@HSaabedra It's nice to see a fellow BMI member. You might be right about things being slightly different these days--I briefly considered getting into the production side of the industry about 4 years ago, and up until that point, I had been studying music business and law. I never claimed that artists were responsible for only selling the music. Selling themselves as a brand, etc. has been the status quo for quite some time now. I also happen to know for a fact that until a few years ago, they were still writing off artists who fail to sale and sticking them with the bills--I actually know quite a few myself who are still in debt as a result.

@ Tim Sheehy
Oh no doubt about the artists in debt, I helped a few of them close out their bankruptcy proceedings locally. Don't know if you've seen this Gizmodo article yet, but its the perfect example of how fucked up it can get if you don't break even and how shady record companies can be:

http://gizmodo.com/5417318/my-6247-royalty-statement-how-major-labels-cook-the-books-with-digital-downloads

Not a pretty sight to see the statements and realizing there was no way the artist could have ever turned a profit, let alone broken even if they managed a 2x Platinum record. To this day, I don't think I'll ever jump in with a label, whether it be major or large indie because I know my way around the business.

The music business is broken and it needs an overhaul, but at the same time its unrealistic to go it alone as a new unknown artist and expect to pull a Radiohead or a Trent Reznor, simply because they're already established. The majority of bands I work with are expecting MySpace and Twitter to perform miracles when it just doesn't work that way.

What I would like to see more of is bands and artists being willing to learn business management and industry law in order to better prepare themselves if they really want to strike out by themselves without getting burned.

Only then will the current industry be forced to cut the shit and start to act in the best interest of the artist. Until then, the only way to fight back is by being smarter and learning more than the industry.

@HSaabedra Well said. :)

@HSaabedra: Anime influenced melodic death metal? That's either the greatest thing I've heard today or the worst thing I've heard in a long time. When do I get to tell the difference? :D

@Lunacy:
Think Gus G. fronted Nightrage, At The Gates, Carcass and The Absence for what I'm doing soundwise. I'll blog about it here and on my personal blog posting progress.

At this point, I've got 24 songs written and I'm writing the music. I'll be looking for band members for live shows later this year. I play rhythm guitar and do vocals.

That's why visual kei aways sucked. Haha, I'm so funny!

Anyway, Yakuza does run Japan and it is no secret. But who cares? If Japan continues to be an awesome country and proceed to making awesome stuff, Yakuza can go on making money for themselves. Just keep the body count low, please?

Also, you can't expect good music from a bunch of guys who look like a regurgitated rainbow.

This "interview" is probably a fraud. I wrote an article debunking some of its more obvious nonsense.

http://flyingfoxbat.livejournal.com/381.html