Independent UK record label

Fat Northerner

Fat Northerner is an independent record label based in Manchester, England.

I contacted them to find out further information…

Here are the questions and their answers given:

Q: What is your opinion on peer-to-peer (illegal downloading)

A:      As a label we have a very positive opinion of peer-to-peer downloading. As a small Indie, prior to digital distribution, producing, promoting and getting the music to fans was a very expensive business. As a result very few releases would ever break even. Aside from running the label we also set up a series of music conferences called ‘Un-convention’ and this subject is often discussed. There are of course two sides, the idea that p2p sharing is a great way of getting music ‘out there’ at very little, or no cost, and the opposite view that it means people are taking music for free and hence not paying for it, to the detriment of the artists and their labels. If you accept that sharing is going to take place, and instead or fighting it (someone once said, ‘its like kicking a river to try to make it change course’), you realise that it is simply another method by which fans can discover and enjoy what you are producing, you can then look at ways to make money around that. A good example of that is a company we know called Music Glue – they deliberately seed music sites Like Limewire, on behalf of the artist and then track where people are downloading the music from. They then use this data to approach booking agents to say, we know this band has loads of fans in this city because we’ve had thousands of peer-to-peer downloads there. In this way, bands are discovering where their fans are much more accurately, and for free, and are using that information to sell out venues. Entire tours (all around the world) can now be booked on this principle. (Mumford and Sons have just done so I believe). This can be very lucrative, and when compared to the tiny amounts received from iTunes once everyone has taken their cut, very worthwhile. You need to sell 10’s of thousands of a track digitally to break even on a release, but there are many other, much more direct ways to monetize relationships with fans (live, merchandise, limited editions, etc.)

There are now some great sites (Bandcamp) that allow label and artist to put their music up, and let people pay what ever they like for it (including nothing if they choose)

Q: Does Illegal downloading affect your business in a significant way?

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Q: What is the opinion of some of your bands?

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Q: Do you have retail outlets, how do they compare to online sales?

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Q: How do you find bands? Do they find you?

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Q: Do you use Facbook, MySpace, Youtube, Twitter or any other networking internet sites?

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Q: How has the Internet helped you to develop your business?

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Q: How do you see the future developing? Will CD’s become obsolete?

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