When putting out a release, is the making noise the primary motivation, or does the act of making noise first need to have "a real reason", such as some kind of interesting offer for physical release?
For example, when a request comes from abroad offering an LP release. That can get quite a few artists excited about making music. It's not the all day everyday kind of option artists has. Nowadays an LP deal is a pretty rare occurrence! Not to mention 7". If not recording, offer like this may make much more active in evaluating whether some already existing material is suitable.
I assume so. At least compared to a deal to make a couple dozen copies of recycled cassettes, hoping that something will stick when dubbing over the old pop music tape. Heh...
I do record things without clear idea what it will be for. But there are things from recent years, such as Grunt 7" on Self Abuse or 10" on Old Europa Cafe where starting point was definitely this: first the offer, then figuring out suitable material for it. Starting to record and so on and evaluating is it worth of such expensive format someone will spend their money.
There are so many different situations and approaches for making releases that I am quite curious how people feel about. And is there the difference of making noise without any goals to "publish" and working for something that has been offered.
I generally don't need another "label" for something I can do in a blink of an eye. Offer of any label would be good only if its something that involves doing more that I could. A larger scale for a different audience, perhaps across different continents, and so on. By label who have proven they will be around and its not some pre-orders for small run & release disappearing without leaving any mark. So for me, getting a "deal" is not important at all as I can get my stuff published and distributed in ways that I doubt there are many who could do it better. For a lot of artists, getting on label is big difference if wanting material to be heard. Simply uploading track online doesn't mean much. Countless hours of stuff is uploaded daily. Sending 10 friends link and you get 10 thumbs up, and see 2 guys have listened fraction of song, hah.. Attention of label, distributors and perhaps couple comments may be quite relevant even if sound creation would be mostly personal thing, not really driven by seeking "attention" per se.
As a label, I tend to get plenty of already finished albums to check out for potential release. I also do invite artists who have nothing ready. Just tell them than when they do, I'd like to check it out first. FA never offer guarantees. Whoever it is, if I don't like it, its not happening. Have caused some bitterness over the years when artist is excited to get something done, but then doesn't deliver on level it should be. This may also indicate perspective is lost. How good they can be, how good others are, and the passion or hunger is gone. So there are signs that material made after offers are not necessary always positive result. There may be also element of "designed to suit this label" -approach which may drive material into dull direction.
