Medicine for the local original market????

[daryle]

Nah, it's not about change.

Previously, around 30 or 40 years ago, singapore lagged behind. Not only in terms of sheer technical or self-exression in art, but also in technology. I think we lacked the kind of equipment and expertise that our Caucasian counterparts possessed.

This meant we not only lacked skilled artists, we also lacked the skill to produce tracks that were comparable in quality to theirs.



But I think now with globalisation and the internet (sounds so cliche!), and Singapore having reached more or less the peak of its development, that should no longer be a problem.

With all this support, all we need to do as artists is just brush up.

 

[centralcatchment]

Caucasian guys and black guys.

And Michael Jackson.

 

[soft]

[video=vimeo;25491878]http://vimeo.com/25491878[/video]

Like to share this video clip with everyone who is trying hard to get somewhere in their music career. Derek Sivers is the founder of CD Baby. Check out also his new projects to help musicians. New book “Anything You Want” available at sivers.org/​a

 

[parablue74]

In short, let me condense this thread into this paradoxical statement: local music is popular to those who are fans of local music. While many people, including Mr Calvin Nam and yourself are concerned with changing the former to suit everyone, some of us make the rather less stressful choice of concerning ourselves only with the latter.

A sad fact that tons of local musicians from way back in history are trying to break through..!! A sad cry that I've heard from my years of mixing around with local artist/bands, young and old, from 70s till modern, broken dreams...!! It's about increasing the number of fans of local music..cos they are not many, and totally outnumbered, a lot, with people who are just more interested to listen to famous acts..
I started this thread with the intention of discussing ways to improve the local scene. I have my points of view, and i know, not everyone share my views.. And I might sound like i'm pushing my views, but it's not that, i like to debate things out..mainly for troubleshooting purposes.

But yes, i do dislike Top 40s, as much as i'm a producer (criterion to accept what's on the market).. but what i do and what i feel is different. Not all Top 40s song i have problems with.. but my honest opinion, i find the present Top 40s songs totally lagging in emotion and meaning, just based on catchy riffs, like nursery rhymes..I can basically just sing 'Nobody, Nobody like You' and follow it up with 'Mary had a Little Lamb', followed by 'Mai La He, Mai La Ho' followed by 'London Bridge is Falling Down'...(sing them together, they form a medley)

I do make underground minority genres stuff (Underground doesn't mean metal) as well as instrumental, though i live with the market and make commercial songs.. (but i will add in emotion and meaning to them, and not make them stupid)..

It's common sense.. if you are making songs of instrumental, underground, or whatever is not of mainstream...expect that it will not please the common market, in other ward, not welcomed by many and not feed your stomach..

The only big question is 'How far you want to go in music?'.. Cos, if you go full-time into music/entertainment line, and you plan to only do what you want to do, you are seriously going to end up with numerous problems, unless you get lucky!!

SO... if you do come up with an instrumental CD, and you know it cannot hit the radios.. so how you plan to market your CD??? Think of your target direction.. the only tools you really have is your album cover design and theme style, your music video, basically, what makes presentation!! Even performing with instrumentals don't appeal too much..!!!

The only instrumental genre i know that sells out is techno/trance stuff...but that's obvious!

I started this thread after reading what Dick Lee mentioned in the SingaPop event review.. I'm sure James is aware of it, after so much 'bombings' he got from me in facebook...It was such a turn-off..you can read it at http://blogs.todayonline.com/popara...18455146_17068525_10150235009675146#f2c1073ea

 

[centralcatchment]

No offence, but this illustrates perfectly my point about how pointless this discussion is. If your definition of memorable (or whatever the opposite of faceless is) is being in the Top 10/Top 40, then of course, instrumental music (and also progressive music, completely independent music, and local music) will always be faceless.

No, instrumental music is faceless because it is instrumental. As for independent music, Black Flag is not faceless. Nirvana was not faceless (and don't forget that Nirvana existed before it became wildly popular). The Vaselines is definitely not faceless. Husker Du? 20 years after they split up, Grant Hart and Bob Mould are still bitching about each other. (cf "never talking to you again")

Now I am going to use the word "brand" here. Just bear in mind that I am not saying that this "branding" is deliberate. I'm just talking about an aspect of a band that gives it a very strong identity.

Dinosaur Jr is not faceless. Branding is about a good story. And Dinosaur Jr had a good story. You had J Mascis and Lou Barlow falling out with each other, penning poison pen letters to each other in their songs. (Sebadoh's "Freed Pig" is the most infamous example) WORDS OF SONGS. Suddenly after more than 10 years, they're reunited. And they have a video that shows them, if not best friends, then old allies again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiiWxhGnYJU

It's always easier to tell a story when you have words. Always easier to use that story to build your brand when you have words.

The other thing: human voices are unique. When you are accustomed to somebody's voice, and if his voice is distinctive, within 10 seconds, you know who is singing. Sonic youth: Kim, Lee and Thurston have very different voices. Liam Gallagher, once he opens his mouth, you know it's him. Strummer and Jones have a very thick cockney. Nobody sings like David Byrne. Patti Smith has an annoying voice but very distinctive. Even backing vocals - if Michael McDonald is singing background, I will know immediately. Leslie Low - the Singaporean accent aside - has his own distinctive way of singing.

Who's the greatest guitar player of all? Jimi. What do you hear when you listen to Jimi Hendrix? First, you listen to his amazing guitar sound. Then you listen to his great songwriting. (People forget that Jimi is a very good songwriter.) Then you listen to Mitch Mitchell's incredible drumming. And only after that, you notice Jimi's lamentable voice, which is undoubtedly the weakest link. The question is, why does he bother trying to sing? Why not make it instrumental? I'll leave you to figure that out.

Suppose you were to give me a taste test, you play me something the answer is either Mogwai or Explosions in the Sky. I will have a very hard time passing that test.

Some music was made to be foreground music, other music was made to be background music. You want a most extreme example? Brian Eno, Ambient Music vol 1, music for Airports. The story, the brand of that album is that there is no story. The novelty is that the music is now in the background instead of the foreground. The selling point is that the music is faceless.

Now I'm not a post rock hater. I happen to think that Slint, Tortoise, Talk Talk, Mogwai, Godspeed, Explosions in the Sky have a lot of fantastic music. I'm just realistic about what it can or cannot do.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

hehe, the direction of the thread is going in different ways.

Anyone can summarize on having any medicine or ways to treat local original music market? I mean, after 5 pages, if still cant summarize, something must be wrong.

Oh yeah, appreciate if can summarize point 1 to point 10, the medicine that is. Afterwhich, do list out on how to go about achieving it as well. Strengthening point 1 to point 10. Dont be like the many before, talk and talk and talk.....and still talk. Or wait, thats what we want only, talk only. Pardon me then, many.

 

[lokiregnarok]

hehe, the direction of the thread is going in different ways.

Anyone can summarize on having any medicine or ways to treat local original music market? I mean, after 5 pages, if still cant summarize, something must be wrong.

Exactly. I don't see much medicine in this thread. All I see is lengthy replies (and trolls). This kinda thread never have a conclusion. However, it is still a comforting thought to know that there are people trying to do something for their local music. =)

 

[carboxymoron]

bro pathein forget to eat his medicine?

 

[soft]

1. Musician/band make better music (Education)
2. More chances for live performance (Exposure)
3. Professional services (Marketing, business development, investment)
4. Increase audience base (Market development)

 

[centralcatchment]

Oh yeah, appreciate if can summarize point 1 to point 10, the medicine that is. Afterwhich, do list out on how to go about achieving it as well. Strengthening point 1 to point 10. Dont be like the many before, talk and talk and talk.....and still talk. Or wait, thats what we want only, talk only. Pardon me then, many.

OK first I want to apologise. I haven't been talking very much on the local scene in the last few posts. I got sidetracked, probably quite badly.

But I also want to take this opportunity to bring up a point that probably a lot of people won't agree with me, but I think it is hindering the development of Singapore music. People don't talk enough. Singaporeans by and large have a distrust of conversation, of thinking and analysis. People just want to perform, get your stuff out there, practice for hours a day. But people don't talk about what the music means. There's no national identity, the music is not special because people don't think, they don't argue about it enough. If people start to talk about aspects of the music that are intangible, they get shouted down, or people will say this sort of thread ends in an argument which is sad but true. To be sure I don't think that long essays on forums are going to save the scene either. But shaping a scene is something that requires a lot of conversation. People making music, other people praising or dissing that music. I'm not seeing that dynamic. I certainly disagree that "don't think just do" has any applicability in music at all.

Xiao'an said that "Music is not necessarily an art. It is a craft. " He was referring to the music business. I can understand why a session musician would say that but for the performer it's the other way around. The art is not done well. In Singapore music, I don't often enough find myself thinking "that's a great idea!" Instead the impression that it's well played, but I've heard it before. For the finished product, both are equally important, but Singapore doesn't lack craft. It lacks art.

There are 3 parts to a music scene, the performers, the audience and the journalism. I think the performers are OK, but the audience and the journalism are pretty lamentable. It's almost impossible to do anything about the audience.

 

[parablue74]

Some bands just didn't concentrate on Arts & Craft..
The points of Singapore local works itself is a subjective point..

1st debate: Follow Art vs Follow Trend
Someone was telling me that the common format of arrangement that Chinese music is using most of the time is the winning formula for their market.. but i did hear many inappropriate usage of such arrangement that didn't bring out the potential of the songs..
If anyone is music ear skilled enough, there are pretty much a number of 'standard formulas' in music creation. The point of argument is when the 'standard formulas' don't amplify the song at all.. then of cos there is the issue of how many 'standard formulas' one have in their heads..that they know about..that itself is a craft!
But as much as trend is concerned, especially genre based or concept base, there is a certain trend of styles used in the radio nowadays.. like i detest it, i feel it's like nursery rhymes. People are just listening to what's catchy, not what's feeling! The big disposition for the music creator is whether they should follow what they artistically want or follow the trend to make their songs sell-able..!

2nd debate: Old skool vs Nu skool
Kinda related with 1st debate.. I've seen so many local bands whose stuff is really Old Skool.. don't just subjugate this to Singapore local bands, in overseas, there are numerous Old Skool style bands..
Obviously, the radio here don't welcome well on Old Skool stuff, it happens around the world..! But, seriously, even if you create your songs based on Nu Skool, by the time you actually finish production, and get your songs to some fame, it will be Old Skool..We are not in position of the famous acts to come out Nu Skool stuff, and instantly, it's on the charts!!
It's just, even Old Skool bands should think about their quality of their work..how can their sound quality, arrangement and production level lose out to the bands they are following. Those band's work were dated back in the 90's.. then the technology etc was limited.. now we have high tech gears.. It's expected that even present Old Skool original bands must fit the criterion standard of modern day expectations..yet, in a way, they can keep their Old Skool styles..

3rd debate: Is it ever ready???
Not every feedback is correct..! We can be so submerged in our work that by the time it's ever released, our hair has turned white! And seriously, no one can please everyone..
I always believe that the biggest critic is ourselves.. and that's good! We have to be seriously honest with ourselves.. when we hear our own work, state down to ourselves, is the work good enough as compared to the artist we are referencing to???? If in any way we are lagging, jot it down, and think about how one can override, workaround, or solve the problems..
If after they have done all that.. till they can't find faults.. and they push their work out, and some critics made bad remarks.. those critics may just not like the styles you are after.. if you pass them your reference artist music and say it's yours, they may also condemn too..You can't force a chicken to eat chicken..

What local bands need to improve on...
1) Please no showing off...
It's not about how great your skills are.. if you make songs, think of the songs..why do you need to show off those long guitar solos, drum solos, keyboard solos and have super long arrangements..is that what your songs are really getting to??? If it is, then fine.. but most of the time, it's not..!

2) Stop barking like a dog.. be human
I always try to feel my song.. song is emotion, if your emotion can't feel the song, then use your heart as an indicator..do not say, 'hey, guitar riffs should be played this way, since most people's work play it this way!'..it may be appropriate for their work, but no yours.. If the song in a certain way doesn't bring out your own emotion, then there's something wrong..! Humans are not so different from each other, if you can feel the song, so can the audience.. unless you play your songs to a pack of dogs.. and try to bark like them..

3) Don't need to head out with too many songs, perfect few is better
It's the desperation of the Singapore market that affects our psychological state.. I try not to let my impatience get in the way of perfecting my work.. even though so many people do criticise me about being so slow in releasing/completing my own work. There's no way a song can be crafted to a good standard if the focus is to put it out.. it's about the song, not your situation..
Sadly, when you see band members walking out becos it takes too long.. the resultant is bad too..

I didn't want to talk about Arts&Craft, that's why i didn't want to talk about this.. it always comes to this..and the sidetrack is pointless.. too vague..so many people have been talking about the same points for ages..
I prefer looking at what can be done for the local market to make an impact..

 

[Li Xiao'an]

Without the craft, the art will be weak.

No matter how brilliant the idea, if it is poorly executed, it will have no merit to the layman. Most famous musicians are also in possession of a mastery of their craft and attuned to its history.

Session musicians are also performers, if we stop thinking that way, we might as well be VSTs.

Music Business and the survival of musical art are inseparable, otherwise no one will pay for it.

Bottom line is, the quality just has to go up. The rest will handle itself in time. It may be a long time, but we are a country without real indigenous music or a strong cultural history, so it's to be expected. I understand the threadstarter's frustration, but the only thing that we can do is work as hard as we can, and be patient.

 

[parablue74]

It's not all talk and no action done..
No talk means no interest to even bother..
Any revolution starts with people talking, more people talking, followed by people taking action, more people taking action..
What's most important is, there has to be conclusive point of target, conclusive action plans.. that many are pushing their efforts on one direction.. that direction which is the weak link, then the obstacles can be broken through..

I feel now it's right time to take action..and 'put the cover bands out of business'..
Why?? Becos cover bands are really getting out of business..
est 1980s-mid 90s, bands were a popular ground..brought about so many cover bands, good $$$
mid 90s- est 2003, DJs took over the scene, cover bands fall short
2003-2006, Acoustic cover bands had a short burst of fire, result welcoming some original bands
2006-present, the whole scene is filled with so many sleazy pubs that both DJs and Cover Bands are put out of biz..

Venue operators are asking, why should they spend money on hiring DJs or bands, when all they need is to get nice chics from 3rd world countries, cheap and can make money from that.. at the same time, hire 3rd world country bands to play the song (preferrably same country as the chics), else just use a KJ.. Sex sells..has been.. but now more..

But now, the amount of sleazy market is so overfilled that people are starting to detest it.. too much..!!!
So, what does the result possibility outcomes???
The audience have heard cover songs played so badly by sleazy bands/singers.. only seeing bodies..
The audience have danced so much to cover songs played by DJs that they are getting sick of dancing..
The audience have started to realise, if they want to hear something famous, why do they need a band?
Now what do they want..???

Venue operators always tend to look at business models of what already works.. but without thinking deeper..
As much as they pay a regular high fee to good cover bands, they won't pay a single cent to any original band to play.. since their concept is that cover bands appeal more to the audience, since most audience prefer something they are familiar with..
What these venue operators have even brought to, is that, some even make the original bands pay to perform.. which is so sad!! Not just are original bands not value, if pay from free, value is $0, if have to pay, value is -$
But if you measure the business models correctly, if example, a pub hires a cover band and pay them regular $15k a month (which is low), as much as covers win more audience, the boss has to make back the $15k, plus more, to profit..
But if you give some value to local original bands, like pay a low some of $100/night (which is low, but at least something), alternate different original bands for different days..a total sum of 30*100 is just $3k expenses.. the audience may not look too much to original songs, but the boss don't need so many audience to profit back..
Not just that, original bands act like promoters, every gig they perform, they pull whoever fans of theirs to come over..cover bands aren't bothered with that..!! It's just a job to cover bands..

The whole big issue is really the selling of alcohol..a venue operator isn't earning much from door tickets..they just want more audience to come, not about profiting from the band, but mainly, cover songs (more appeal)=more audience=more alcohol sales=more profit..
That's why, as much as the original band business models seems to be better, venue operators don't see it that way..
So what could be the target places.. how about places which do not sell alcohol??

There are many strategies one can talk about in helping local market.. but if original bands still suffer from being unprofitable.. what's the point?? A good strategy is one that will make original acts/bands a profitable angle..that's when the support starts to come..

 

[parablue74]

Without the craft, the art will be weak.

No matter how brilliant the idea, if it is poorly executed, it will have no merit to the layman. Most famous musicians are also in possession of a mastery of their craft and attuned to its history.

Session musicians are also performers, if we stop thinking that way, we might as well be VSTs.

Music Business and the survival of musical art are inseparable, otherwise no one will pay for it.

Bottom line is, the quality just has to go up. The rest will handle itself in time. It may be a long time, but we are a country without real indigenous music or a strong cultural history, so it's to be expected. I understand the threadstarter's frustration, but the only thing that we can do is work as hard as we can, and be patient.

No matter how good your Arts & Craft is, you can never fight the market.. people will still prefer Lady Gaga's work to yours.. simple.. becos she is famous, and you are not..! One can forsake looking at the market.. but deniability is just not facing reality..
You can be patient.. but honestly, till when, till your white hair grow and people just say, you are too old for the market..
One can challenge themselves in perfection, but we can't control how other's behave and react..however, we can influence others, if we want to...even by a bit does make a difference...

I've recently just did an outdoor show where some singer came up and sing a Top 40s cover song.. it was so bad that the whole song, she was totally off-key..yet, the audience still kept dancing to the song, simply becos they luv the song...so much for 'craft'...

 

[Li Xiao'an]

Calvin, Lady Gaga is a bad example to use if you want to cite artists who are not good at their craft.

Songwriting is a craft. Beat programming is a craft. Marketing and design are also a type of craft. Everyone working on Lady Gaga's album is stellar at their craft. We don't have such teams in Singapore.

That is - No one is of high enough caliber in Singapore to fight with Lady Gaga's team.

-LADY GAGA REPRESENTS ONE OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF CRAFT MASTERY IN THE POP INDUSTRY-

So don't misread me. Every genre has its own intricacies and should never EVER be underestimated. I will make no such mistake.

I think it's important to put your emotion aside and just accept that Singapore is not going to go through an overnight change. Better producers than you and far better musicians than I have seen their careers wane in Singapore, but it's not the same as it was 50 years ago.

You have to combine a high quality of work in all aspects of your music creation and produce something of international standard. Only then is anyone in this country FIT to complain that their art has been misjudged. It is rare to see something come out of this country that will have any lasting power overseas (i.e the western market).

The young ones to watch out for that are getting closer to pushing our limits are Roland Lim and Hong Tat Tong. They do credible billboard work in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong/Singapore/Australia etc.

If anyone here can fight their level of production or work ethic or market savvy, then you can BEGIN to talk about how the market here does not appreciate quality. And even if you do, you cannot make someone appreciate quality. Our Nation has to mature.

Maturity takes time and work. That's all we can do. Complaining about it will do nothing whatsoever. Too often we put our own craft on a pedestal. We are musicians. We exist to bring happiness into people's lives. We exist to uplift. We exist as evidence that we are human. But we are servants. And anyone who doesn't want to serve shouldn't be a working musician.

-------

Also, speaking of local top 40s bands, who you seem to have a low opinion of, haven't you heard of:

Raw Energy
Jive Talking
Alia
(This is just the tip of the iceberg)

If you haven't had a chance to watch them, please do. Especially Alia, but she's on holiday though, so you'll have to wait.

 

[centralcatchment]

Most of the things said by Xiao’an I would agree with. But:

I suppose it’s a personal preference of mine. I would rather hear a brilliant idea badly executed than well crafted work devoid of inspiration. You’re right that Lady Gaga is a craftsman, no doubt she is a great craftsman. Because I got no respect for her as an artist. “Born This Way”- half the melody taken out from “Express Yourself” by Madonna - ugh.

I didn’t say that the music business is art more than craft. I said that music is art more than craft. To be in the business where you got to give the ppl what they want in order to get ahead – I have chosen not to be in the business. In fact, after reading what you said, I’m even more convinced that Singapore will never go down the route of out-Lady Gaga-ing Lady Gaga. So if you were to join the machinery of big production, you would probably be part of something bigger, have commercial success, maybe even create great works of art. But probably not anything distinctively Singaporean. Just have to market the artist as an Asian, or pretend to be Taiwanese or Asian American or something.

The other route, which has probably different rules from you, is the indie scene. People release their records DIY, crappy craftsmanship. Do it part time. Will never sell, but at least there’s more freedom there. At least there’s the possibility that something unique will pop up.

Songwriting is an art, not a craft. No doubt it is something that takes years of practice to get right. But treating songwriting like a craft is something that will produce uninspired work. The rest – arranging, producing, probably even playing – I agree that a lot of it is craft. And anyway what you said is right, that art and craft is almost inseperable.

 

[Li Xiao'an]

I guess we just have really different ideas of what a craft is, and what art is.

What art is can be pretty subjective, so I won't try to pin it down.

But I think a couple of you guys have a slightly skewed idea of what a craft is, maybe it was just the way I put it across, though I thought I was relatively clear about it.

I guess it doesn't matter. Nothing will change soon, in any case.

 

[parablue74]

The young ones to watch out for that are getting closer to pushing our limits are Roland Lim and Hong Tat Tong. They do credible billboard work in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong/Singapore/Australia etc.

No offence, but where are these guys now?? How much does their reputation level up to the rest of the world???
I'm not trying to compare who is a better producer or better artist.. and as much as you can say the big shots are masters of their craft, i can hear problems with Celine Dion's work.. check out the programmed Hihats of Celine Dion's famous Titanic song... for example..

It's pretty much obvious to me that when someone is famous, a lot of 'mistakes' are excusable.. but when someone is not, there is always a problem to dig out.. and as much as you think someone that is only worth your respect can speak out, fact is, they have been speaking out, but who has been listening..and even if you have been listening.. what difference does it make?? You don't affect the rest of the world...

Try going to the streets and ask any layman if they have heard of Roland Lim and Hong Tat Tong, see how many have even heard of them.. try asking them if they have heard of Lady Gaga..see the response for yourself..

No one else is going to fight for people like us in this world except ourselves.. we may resent that Singapore do not appreciate their original artist well enough or we may be so demoralize that we have given up and resign to the 'facts'.. but the truth still remains, no one else is going to help ourselves except ourselves..

Still as much as i can see, the layman world do not resent our original artist/bands.. we are over-critical about ourselves, the layman are not.. the layman just simply don't care..it's a money world out there.. and business industry looks at money..
There are so many pub owners i've worked with that detest the cover bands working in their pubs, saying outwardly to me that those are pure rubbish, but what can they do, those cover bands give them $$$...
And don't keep saying cover bands are good, i've heard so many crappy ones.. but they still make $$. I've seen so many original bands that master their craft WAY WAY better than those cover bands, but the cover bands still make more $$..and those original bands are not worth a cent...

It's unjustified..yes.. until we find a solution...which is, we need to find a business model/concept that will make original bands worth a value..we have to link up with other businessman, those who are supporting original music, and find a way to make our shows a success, make it more enticing than those cover events..

From what i can see, our music/art community is pretty much disjointed..every one seems to be in their own world..every event/show is just typical..there is little collaboration..there's little thinking out of the box..maybe it's just so Singaporean to be like that..(everyone does that this way, so we do it too..)..I'm talking about giving a bigger entertainment value to us original bands..what loopholes can we find, what enticement value can we give that cover bands cannot..

 

[Li Xiao'an]

Go look them up. Tat has produced top billboard hits in China and number one hits in Hong Kong (ORIGINAL MUSIC).

Roland works at a top production house in Singapore and is pretty well known for producing and engineering the albums of many local bands (ORIGINAL MUSIC) and Australian bands (ORIGINAL MUSIC).

DO YOU KNOW WHO LADY GAGA'S PRODUCER IS?

You probably don't, and no layman does. You will have heard of people Roland and Tat have worked with, but you may not have heard of them. They are not the pop stars.

I agree that there's some shit out there in the market. But many things bring them to fame, including connections and circumstance and being in the right place at the right time.

-----

I don't want to belabor this point but

COVER BANDS PROVIDE A SERVICE

PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR MUSIC THEY WANT TO HEAR

PEOPLE PAY TO HEAR MUSIC THEY WANT TO HEAR

WHY SHOULD THEY LISTEN TO SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T PLAY MUSIC THEY WANT TO HEAR?

I'm sorry to type in caps but it seems to be the only way.

You can't CHANGE the market.

You have to FOLLOW people's demands.

It takes a GREAT deal of influence and money to effect a change in trends over a large area, like a country. You need money to get songs on the radio, money to have TV advertisements, money for people to write the advertisements, and the same for print media.

If you want to write POP music, or COMMERCIAL music, you just have to remember that it is a BUSINESS. If there is no demand for your work, you CHANGE YOUR WORK or do something else. If you don't, nothing will change. No one will hear your music, no one will care who you are, and NOTHING WILL CHANGE.

-------------

By the way, I bet you didn't even look up Tat Tong and Roland before you conveyed your skepticism about them. So much for informed discussion. "They do credible billboard work..." didn't this even pique your interest a LITTLE? You seem pretty determined to just shoot down anything in Singapore.

-------------

I'm out of here.

 

[parablue74]

I'm talking what layman thinks. It is reality that Roland Lim is not reputable enough as compared with all those big names, and even if you say he's a producer, then try any local artist.
And you got me wrong, I'm not bringing down on the local scene, I'm speaking about the reactions layman has to the local scene.

It seems you are the kind that have submitted to 'fate'. For many years, there has been people voicing out for the local scene, it's not easy, I know, it takes tons of money and effort. As an individual myself, it's not possible, but, as a community, some changes can happen.

If you think the lag of support for original music happens only in Singapore, you are wrong, it happens around the world. And overseas , there are also indie communities pushing for support in their original scene.
We have to speak as one voice to make an impact, we have to figure out what good business concept can give us original acts some value. Resigning to fate doesn't solve anything.

People only wants to listen to what they are familiar with, so what of the unfamiliar have that can entice them??