so what are we missing here?

misk · Post by **misk** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:51 pm

I played out last night, just kinda a small bar thing, but people were really feelin the dubstep. All my tracks, other than a few downloads from bleep were forum dubs, and everyone really dug em!

My question though, is why are there so many unsigned forum producers? I really think there are a lot of producers out there that should be getting signed, i cant understand why no one has picked em up. Seems like theres this fine line between good unsigned stuff, and signed stuff. I hate to bring parson up (again!) but this guy is good! why is he not signed? have you not been sending shit to labels, or are the labels more interested in pushing their local talent (e.g. a south london label keeping it 'real' from south london)?

Course, i think 2007 is going to be a big year for many of the talent on this forum, it may just be a matter of us needing more labels (like, in the states, other countries, etc.).

discuss.

cringer · Post by **cringer** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:11 pm

not really sure...but has any American dubstep been put out on a label with international distro?

coming from the DnB scene, i know this was a big issue back in the late 90's/early 2000's. trying to get the big labels pushing the sound to recognize talent on the other side of the world seems to be a big obstacle. i agree though, outside of some die hard dnb fans (who see dubstep as some bastard child intruder) everyone i lick dubstep for loves it. but when i go out to one of the few dubstep nights here in chicago, there's like 20-30 heads really brockin.

i would also guess that most labels aren't going to spread themselves too thin trying to get a bunch of unheard-ofs signed when they have artists that are almost always a guaranteed sale.

slowly, slowly, wins the race.

forensix (mcr) · Post by **forensix (mcr)** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:33 pm

cringer wrote:not really sure...but has any American dubstep been put out on a label with international distro?

Argon records, Nick Argon's label

heavy Pressure, Moldy's label

Narco:Hz - Juju's label

all have international distrobution all US labels with US producers on them

misk · Post by **misk** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:58 pm

good point forensix, not to mention vaccine getting a release on scuba in 07. Im gonna agree with what cringer said as well; that we gotta just keep it up, eat determination for breakfast, and push the sound.

For the record too, check out this month's URB magazine. good article on dubstep in it. Its cool to see an american magazine with the word 'dubstep' on the cover. Seeing stuff like this makes me hopeful

nonseq · Post by **nonseq** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:52 pm

Misk wrote:For the record too, check out this month's URB magazine. good article on dubstep in it. Its cool to see an american magazine with the word 'dubstep' on the cover. Seeing stuff like this makes me hopeful

First, the BBC's Radio 1 DJ Mary Anne Hobbs thanked XLR8R for coining the term dubstep. Whether or not we actually did remains unclear to this writer, but why argue with one of the UK's premiere Radio 1 DJs?

Not too many days later a copy of Tempa Recordings' The Roots Of Dubstep compilation came through the editors' mail bins. Included on the CD cover was a snapshot of Issue #60, our very first dubstep feature that came out in July 2002.

http://www.xlr8r.com/topstories/2006/11 ... _xlr8r.php

parson · Post by **parson** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:23 pm

there's a ton of tunes and not a ton of labels

i've been sending my shit out for months and get no responses

misk · Post by **misk** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:27 pm

me too parson, though not for months like you... i figured you were sending shit out

guess its just a matter of time.

narcossist · Post by **narcossist** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:38 pm

starting a label i presume requires quite a lot of effort and some capital, starting a tune requires an internet connection and a pc.

Don't know if more labels will be a good or bad thing, more stuff will get pressed which will give more choice but also, i'd imagine, lower levels of quality control. Theres allsorts of people having tunes realeased who weren't this time last year, some on the big labels, some on new independant ventures. I think if no one new was coming through then it would be time to worry.

Its jokes that yr getting no responses though Parson.

cringer · Post by **cringer** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:50 pm

forensix (mcr) wrote:
cringer wrote:not really sure...but has any American dubstep been put out on a label with international distro?
Argon records, Nick Argon's label

heavy Pressure, Moldy's label

Narco:Hz - Juju's label

all have international distrobution all US labels with US producers on them

sweet...it's only a matter of time! most of the folks in my area have only known about dubstep for 1-1 1/2 years. it's growing, just slow.

to me it's refreshing to know that there's some serious talent on the horizon, and sooner or later all that work will come to fruition. i'm enjoying playing sets full of dubs when the other dudes in my area are all bangin out the same ole' standards.

lurk n' gully · Post by **lurk n' gully** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:46 pm

i just keep writing n keep trading cause i will never stop. never. I'm a beat hed for sure. and yes, parson needs an ep out for real.

lurk n' gully · Post by **lurk n' gully** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:48 pm

and yes, the same old vinyl is just that. i have got & give SOOOOOO many dubs in the last cuppl weeks that i choose to only play a few releases every set. too many fukkin good 320's on here - another reason i posted so many...

i'm in!!!

jack sparrow1 · Post by **jack sparrow1** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:09 am

why dont we start a forum label?

forensix (mcr) · Post by **forensix (mcr)** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:30 am

jack sparrow1 wrote:why dont we start a forum label?

elgato · Post by **elgato** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:31 am

jack sparrow1 wrote:why dont we start a forum label?

Is that not what pressing issues is?

edit - ok i see it was a joke

End of the day the issue is that there aren’t enough labels! Look at people like juju and geiom, sick, sick producers, but they knew how long it would be to get a label to pick them up, so they just put the shit out themselves. I think that that’s the way forward really, labels like Tempa have established A&R links and there are more than enough massive tunes, which will guarantee sales, in their immediate environment. That’s gonna mean a track has to be astronomical to pull them out of that. And understandably. And most dubstep labels are still part-time occupations, that’s important to remember… and hardly any are run by non-producers. I guess Planet Mu and Hotflush/Scuba are the most open, but they must get sent SO many tracks…

I’d say if you’ve got confidence in your tracks (and therefore don’t feel you need to affirmation of a label agreeing with you) and a passion for getting involved in the scene in a bigger way, then just go for it, see what happens… you'll get more creative control and the possibility of more frequent releases to boot

paulie · Post by **paulie** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:42 am

If people want to send me tracks upload them as 320 mp3s and email them to the address on the website - www.hotflushrecordings.com

elgato · Post by **elgato** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 11:03 am

its got to be said Hotflush/Scuba has been incredible at bringing through new artists and keeping the A&R varied and fresh

and not only has that brought a load of new producers to the fore, its made you one of the most exciting labels in the scene

so big up

misk · Post by **misk** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:18 pm

Another thing that came to mind is exclusivity. perhaps we shouldnt be giving eachother our dubs for free all the time.

if parson started a label, id pay for his and skint's MP3s. same with lurk n gully.

yeah there'd be less free shit, but maybe by paying eachother, we could bring up the scene on our own.

then i could use the money i make to buy parsons shit, and he could use the money to buy my shit!

it would be like that beavis n butthead episode where their selling candybars and they keep giving eachother the same dollar to buy a candy bar. They end up with no more candybars, and 1 dollar.

really tho, it would bring up the level of the scene.

shinto · Post by **shinto** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:48 pm

Kind of like a perpetual groove machine, eh misk? It sounds like a really smart idea all in all. Because that way we make a big up scene all in all and it would be all self-sufficient. And you guys are right about parson and lurk n gully, they deserve an EP. And i would definately pay to put that shit in my crate for real. Down South in the States, the scene is just picking up steam, and hopefully it will move forward.

airtight · Post by **airtight** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:45 pm

don't worry more label will be popping up. just give it time.

parson · Post by **parson** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:49 pm

if i had income enough i would start my own label without hesitation

but that would require a big lifestyle change to gain that income

so what are we missing here?

so what are we missing here?

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