Posted on 03/24/2009 2:46:06 PM PDT by a fool in paradise
As much as reporters sought to apply a theme to this year's South by Southwest, the musicians and industry reps in Austin, Texas, for the four-day music extravaganza just weren't making it easy...
"During hard times, I didn't have much education or stuff like that to rely on," said the New York Dolls' Sylvain Sylvain, reminding attendees at one of SXSW's numerous panels that artists are comfortable with recession-time living even in flush decades. "I wanted to take a job where I could still do my performances, or if I got drunk the night before, I wouldn't get fired."
There's always been a class system among artists -- a gap between the superstars who pack arenas and the unknowns who play somewhere between five and 10 mini-sets over the course of SXSW...
Portia Sabin, head of the Kill Rock Stars label, told a roomful of optimistic artists that they had better be playing at least 90 live shows per year -- and not all in their home state -- if they wanted a deal. "A lot of people in bands are hobbyists," she said. "They want to play in a band and play once a month in their local club."
...If one isn't selling 50,000 albums or more, former Touch & Go Records staffer Howard Greynolds said, getting the album in any major stores isn't going to be easy...
Below is a look at some of the artists who made a lasting impression on me at this year's SXSW...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
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