Idolator

Well, that was fast.

the music industry will shortly figure out that it will do better by simply refraining from releasing new music.

Now that I've had my experience with Island/Def Jam, I know how to actually run a label, and I helped set up 9 amazing releases...

Amazing? Really, now...

@Charlie Kerfelds Jetsons Tee: "Amazing" insofar as someone actually saw fit to release them at all. I guess you have to sift through the chaff to find the next MCR

Like we didn't see this coming...

This has gotta suck for Schoolyard Heroes, who are on tour right now.

Allow me to engage in some Monday Morning Schaudenfreude™: if those releases were so "amazing" she probably wouldn't have been canned.

Because the music industry is such a meritocracy.

I agree, they would have kept her had she had been an asset to the company.

In the end, she may actually fare better by having more ownership. So if one of her bands actually sell she would reap the benefits.

small artist run labels are where it's at. everyone from prince to radiohead to mike patton has realized that a corporate label can't do what they do in a million years, but learning what the label does is just a matter of time and effort for artists. yay internets.

Ultragrrl's brother must be slacking, he hasn't showed up here yet to chastise y'all for being mean to his sister yet.

The restructuring at IDJ meant that Rob Stevenson -- one of IDJ's biggest selling A&Rs in the rockgame, was let go, and with that, Stolen Transmission since the label's only actual connection to IDJ was literally through Rob. So, MTS with your Monday Morning Schaudenfreude™, I'm sorry to rain on your excitement.

Anyway, thanks to idolator for being nice to me today! What's funny is that i feel like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I really think that everyone involved (hopefully, including IDJ since I have no ill-will towards them at all), will benefit enormously from this. In today's climate, it was the right move for Stolen Transmission.

My only sadness is having to leave behind the Oohlas who were upstreamed to Island a few months ago. Our connection with each other is stronger than A&R/Artist, so i'm glad we'll continue to be friends and cheerleaders for each other.

Ach, shit happens.

Ultragrrrl: Oh god, shut the fuck up. Now that I've got your attention, your bands fucking suck. You're lucky enough that the majors let you have your stupid label back.

wow. you're intense. you should write a blog.

maria, i'm pretty sure you just got zinged by ultragrrrl.

@jessdolator: Is that even theoretically possible?

Woulda been funnier: "wow. you're intense. you should manage emo bands."

@Ultragrrrl: Our connection with each other is stronger than A&R/Artist

I feel like I should light a candle.

So I guess we really are living in a pwnership society.

Good luck, Ultra. Never mind the bollocks.

Nicolars: The problem is, everyone has been fairly understanding, rational, and even nice. I'm actually very disappointed in the lack of absurd conclusions that normally infest the comments section. I was expecting comments like, "THE REASON MUSIC INDUSTRY COLLAPSED IS BECAUSE OF ULTRATARD! SHE SINGLE-HANDEDLY RUINED MUSIC! KILL! KILL! KILL! DIE! DIE! DIE!". Without such comments, I've been forced to focus on my work. The amusement factor in this = zero. Maybe it's the fact that Gawker Media itself is undergoing such personel termoil. Who knows?

I do know that I'm glad she and Rob aren't there any more. The economics of the music industry as it is currently structured no longer makes sense. The problem is, there are too many stakeholders who don't want to see change happen and it's for this reason that trying to co-opt an indie label into a dinosaur establishment music company is impossible. Trying to do anything innovative in terms of deal structure or business model faces institutional barriers. This is the exact opposite of what needs to be done at this time. The music companies of old will get their clocks cleaned by the Googles and IACs of the world because they have too many people there who made their living by not adapting.

My music tastes and that of my sister's are fairly different and we don't always see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, musically or otherwise. That said, I commend her for working on developing a new business model for a label as well as for the new direction the label has been taking musically over the last several months.

@jessdolator:

I'm impartial here, but seriously: is it ever not super fucking annoying when a third party jumps into an argument just to chirp in something like "Ooooh -- they totally just burned you, dude!"

Never be that guy. That guy should ALWAYS get an automatic, swift bitchslap. Just according to the laws of the universe.

@blackmailismylife: I see what you did there.

@KingHater: Jess, I think you just got zinged by KingHater.

@KingHater: my comment was less in the spirit of "they totally just burned you dude" than "what kind of world are we living in where this is possible." on the other hand, by all means keep zinging each other (me included) away here because those extra page views do keep me in imported beer.

But then KingHater just kind of contradicted himself in a way, no?

Off topic... my favorite internet shorthand is: IAWTC. It took me a while to figure out what that means (i am with that comment). It's sorta cute.

@jessdolator:

Noted!

@Ultragrrrl:

And I never said anything about a fourth-party interjection, smartypants. The way I see it, after three it's fair game.

You know, I used to believe in this business, but now with this and the SonyBMG thing the other day, I don't believe in nothing no more. That's it, I'm going to law school!

Best Stop Flop

The only decent release on Stolen Transmission so far has been the Schoolyard Heroes album.

Now how is she going to afford those implants to match the insane Photoshopping done to her Village Voice cover photo?

seriously!

@OrangeAlert: bullshit. those "artist-run" labels are only possible because of the major label marketing those artists got that made them big enough stars to venture out onto their own.

Capitol made Radiohead famous, Warner Brothers made Prince famous and Reprise & Rhino got Faith No More famous.

Hell, even Saul Williams' first record came out on American.

I Am Wearing Tinfoil Chaps?

Is there enough room in the universe for Schoolyard Heroes AND Gym Class Heroes? I think they should fight each other to the death.

SRSLY tho, I agree with Lawrence: you're better off milking a major label for some exposure and getting cut loose than sticking around and sinking with the ship. Good luck to ya!

FWIW, as much fun as it running a label out of your BEDROOM [www.catbirdrecords.com] , I have to say: things (the "industry," the "scene," everything) have changed SO much in even just the last year that the fun is rapidly diminishing.

I guess I'm saying: To Ultragrrl: Good luck with "takin' it back to the bedroom," and to everyone else: You know all those labels that don't have an Arcade Fire or a Shins to keep them afloat? Enjoy them while you can; I don't imagine many of them will make it through another year.

(Sorry, I just read Vegard Waske's gloom and doom post here: [blog.myspace.com])

Ultra -- you're truly a sport. Good luck and may life without corporate oversight be as rewarding as the punks make it sound.

I feel late to the party now. Not even fashionably late.

@Catbirdseat:
I think you may be right on all fronts: the fun is pretty much done, and I'm not sure what would have to happen to make running anything other than Sub Pop or Merge possible. Anyone have any ideas?

MP3 label, holmes.

That user profile is now sadly prophetic:

"Ultragrrrl has no friends."

It's al terribly ironic given Def Jam's origins. Granted, that was more out of the dorm room, but what is a dorm room except a really sloppy and cramped bedroom?

It’s almost Hanukkah/Christmas, so that means it’s time for major corporations to ruin everyone’s holidays by letting people “go.” I’m sad to report that Sarah “Ultragrrrl” Lewitinn’s Island Def Jam imprint, Stolen Transmission, got caught up in...

@djp: No, seriously, my first thought was "I Am the World Trade Center."

Regardless of wether or not you think Stolen Transmission's music sucks or not you cannot ignore the obvious plot masterminded by LA Ried... Operation Destroy Whitey

OK on a serious note, IDJ has slowly been transforming in to a strictly Hip Hop and Urban Pop label. Rock is too spread far apart to be worth Major Label time and money, you have the emo's that hate the nicklebackers, the nickelbacker's who think emo's are large animals with long necks, the metal heads that only like songs with reference to satan and wolverine blood, the art fag's who only like certain music because it makes him feel "intellectually advance" and the guy that only listens to the radio because he'd rather watch football. Hip Hop and R&B aren't really spread that far apart. Same people that like Usher like Ludacris, same people that like Ludacris like Mar J. Blige and so on, so they all buy the same records, hence the reason it's IDJ probably want's to cut the rock roster so short.... Plus how are you going to pay for your kids million dollar sweet 16 party when your giving money to rock bands?

Rock record sales are dead unless you are Nickleback and only makes sense if a band can make a good record on a small budget, who really need's a $400,000 budget to make a good rock record anyways? if you have the talent you just have the talent....

Oh yeah, good news ultragrrrl the Oohla's will more than likely be dropped so you can have them back.

P.S. I have to shit.

Ultragrrrl, these guys are haters, the Oohlas rock, and you're kinda cute for a blogga. Holla!