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Big-wigs killed the independent rock-star

“House of GVSB” by genius rock band Girls Against Boys definitely ranks in my top 10 favorite records of all time.

With a variety of amazing albums under its belt on Chicago-based independent label Touch and Go Records, Geffen Records called and showed some interest in signing it.

GVSB was in a bind. Here it had an amazing offer to sign to a major record label and join a list of elite artists, or stick to a wimpy little independent record label to complete its contract - one more record.

Instead of taking the plunge right away, it recorded 1996’s “House of GVSB,” arguably its finest album on Touch and Go and finished the contract.

After signing to Geffen it released “Freak*on*ica” in 1998, an album that wasn’t bad, but certainly not its best.

When the time came around to release another album on Geffen, record executives wouldn’t allow it into the studio until it showed them some “hits.” Geffen didn’t realize GVSB wasn’t about writing “hits,” but rather real music - it dropped out of that contract.

This is a prime example of how major labels can change a band for the worst if it isn’t careful. GVSB was doing fine on its indie label but was suckered into taking the plunge into mainstream stardom.

A band doesn’t need a major label if they doing fine on their own. I used to be like this with my music, but not too long ago I realized I’d be perfectly content paying for the venue to have the opportunity to perform every night instead of being given a paycheck to do what I was told.

Take Domestic Problems for example. It claims it is doing fine on its own, selling hundreds of records from its van and touring all over place. So why even bother with a major record label? Just because a band is on a major label doesn’t mean it will suddenly attract a crowd that didn’t dig it when it was on an independent label, or no label at all.

Every musician has an aspiration of being a rock star and making it big - I’m no exception. But there comes a point when it has to be realized that not everyone is going to make it. You can’t base how much talent your band has on that.

It’s pretty obvious a lot of major labels don’t know anything about musical talent. Anyone who would sign a band like Limp Bizkit or Drowning Pool displays that.

If you truly love music, it should be played from your heart for whoever will listen, even if it’s only your girlfriend or your parents. I’d rather play my drum kit in my basement with five people who really dig what I’m trying to do instead of 1 million who could really care less.

I’m not saying I wouldn’t be suckered into it if the big-wigs gave me a buzz someday, but I’d make sure I stuck to my roots and played what I wanted to listen to instead of what someone else wanted to hear.

Another band that credits that feat is Modest Mouse. After extended stints on independent rock labels SubPop and Up Records, Epic Records called it.

When “The Moon and Antarctica” was released in 2000 on Epic, Modest Mouse did the most respectable act it could have. It released an album on Epic Records the way it would have on Up Records, but took the exec’s money anyway - score.

There are hundreds of other bands who are doing fine on their own, releases records on their independent labels and constantly selling out concerts.

Remember Sugar Ray? It used to be great, then it learned how to record a “hit” with 1997’s “Fly,” and they haven’t released a decent song since.

My point is simple. This town has so much talent and I’d hate to see it get wasted because of what a major label did to them. Soon I’m sure we’ll see bands like Mason’s Case or The Foolish Heads getting offers from the big-wigs, but let’s just hope the bands remember why they’re playing the music in the first place.

Dan Julian, MS&U editor, can be reached at julianda@msu.edu

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