Business: Saddle Creek
Position/Title: Owner/President
How did you first become involved in the music business? I grew up with a bunch of really talented friends, which provided a natural support group. I wanted to share the music that my friends were making with other people. When other labels weren't interested in working with us, we decided to start our own label.
What do you perceive to be your area of expertise and how did you gain experience in this field? Out of necessity, I learned how to be frugal. Our approach has always been more reactive to things; as opposed to putting excessive amounts of resources into each and every project and seeing what catches on, we have tried to give projects an outlet to grow more "organically".
Popular culture tells us that the music industry is all about hedonism, drugs and partying — how true is this in your experience? It'd be foolish to say that there isn't an element of that in the music industry, but it's certainly exaggerated in terms of prevalence. There are plenty of people in the music business (bands and industry folks) that don't participate in any of that. Hedonism makes for a better story.
In this time of technological change how do you see the dissemination of music changing in the future? Is there still a place for physical product? Absolutely. I believe there is a portion of fans that will always want something tangible. It may become more of a collectors/niche market, but I don't think we are going to see a 100% digital space in any of our lifetimes.
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Some pundits espouse that the future of music is electronic-based — in your opinion is rock'n'roll passe? Everything is cyclical. There is a lot of exciting exploration happening in the electronic space for sure, but I think it's premature to put a nail in the coffin of rock'n'roll. I expect to see a lot of music that sits somewhere between those two spaces.
Do you think it's a good or bad time to be starting out as a musician? It's a great time. There are so many outlets and opportunities for musicians. I think it's easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom of the music business, but that doesn't seem like a healthy headspace. Societally, music is more important than ever.
What advice would you give young practitioners in your area starting out today? I think you have to be passionate to survive in the music industry today. It's certainly not a get rich quick road. From that perspective, I think you need to follow your heart. If that leads you to the music industry, then you're in the right place.
What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the BIGSOUND conference? I am on the "Indie Labels and Community" panel, which is about the elements of local music scenes and record labels and how those two things nurture each other and evolve; how they are synonymous and how they are different. So, I guess I'll be primarily talking about that!
What are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel? I hope the take-away is that you can create your own scene/identity anywhere in the world and on your own terms. There is no template that has to be followed. Figure out what you want, and carve your own path.
What do you personally hope to take away from your time at BIGSOUND? I am simply looking for new experiences. I have never been to Australia so I am excited about that. I hope to meet some new friends. And if new business partnerships arise, that would be a bonus as well.
