Syd Butler, founder of French Kiss Records, gives advice to anyone wanting to start a career in the music industry. He shares his thoughts on the benefits of working with people who love music and on the pitfalls of politics and naked ambition, and counsels aspiring musicians and businesspeople on how to stay true to their visions and themselves.
Syd Butler, founder of French Kiss Records, shares his thoughts on why any artist who is serious about success needs to be acquainted with the business and financial aspects of their career.
Syd Butler, founder of French Kiss Records, talks about the difficulty of finding sources of distribution as an independent record label. He discusses the challenges that await the independent labels who compete with the majors for retail space, and shares his thoughts on the changes that downloading is just starting to effect on the business of music distribution.
Syd Butler, founder of French Kiss Records, talks about the various strategies by which he financed his independent record label. He goes into detail about working with the label’s first signings, the different income streams labels have available to them, and the importance of saving money for future expenses. He also shares his thoughts on the mutual commitments between the artist and the label that signs them.
Syd Butler, founder of French Kiss Records, talks about the future of the music industry in the context of what he dubs “communities of cool,” niche markets which bands will need to seek out and cater to in order to succeed.
Syd Butler, founder and President of French Kiss Records, tells aspiring artists why they should make sure to retain ownership and control of the publishing rights on the songs they write.
Syd Butler, founder and President of French Kiss Records, compares Austin’s SXSW festival to how he remembers it a decade ago, and assesses what the festival does right – and does wrong – on behalf of the musicians and fans who attend.
Syd Butler, founder of French Kiss Records, introduces himself and his label, and discusses various aspects of being an independent label owner in today’s music industry. He shares his thoughts on how Austin’s SXSW festival has evolved and what it’s useful for today, the challenges of financing a small label and finding distribution, the benefits of owning your own publishing rights, how to avoid falling prey to the less ethical elements in the industry, and what you should know in order to have a shot at the success you deserve.
