Looks like 311's record label are being shitheads again

dj3stripes · Post by **dj3stripes** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 9:02 pm

honestly, i dont think volcano's done bad for 311, better than soundsystem/capricorn , there's no denying it.........but with volcano i've seen a lot more promotional tools distributed to streetteamers alone not to mention weird random signage (got an evolver postcard) and we all remember the promo 45 that came out last year, last time capricorn did that was 10 years ago............let's cut the label a bit of slack. i do agree 311 should try to venture in the label business, but i dont think volcano's been doin em wrong.

CatCity · Post by **CatCity** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:36 pm

shit

Vallon · Post by **Vallon** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 8:48 am

dj3stripes wrote:honestly, i dont think volcano's done bad for 311, better than soundsystem/capricorn , there's no denying it.........but with volcano i've seen a lot more promotional tools distributed to streetteamers alone not to mention weird random signage (got an evolver postcard) and we all remember the promo 45 that came out last year, last time capricorn did that was 10 years ago............let's cut the label a bit of slack. i do agree 311 should try to venture in the label business, but i dont think volcano's been doin em wrong.

Volcano Entertainment bought out Capricorn Records... so really, they're one & the same. I don't think that a few posters, postcards and 45's fulfills a labels commitment to a band.

You know, as well as I do that good promotion is not just about distributing the materials -- but HOW you do it, where and to whom...

The whole Fanscape system sucks ass in my opinion. It's a system based on greed, and fucking over other fans to win "prizes". I've been involved with several different street teams over the years ... and I even lead one for a time. I never was motivated by prizes -- for me, it was about helping the band. My pride came from knowing I was helping out a band that I really enjoyed, and that in some way helped me.

So that's my beef with Fanscape, and that's beef with Volcano on the street team side of things.

Promotion however is not just in the hands of Fanscape and the few selected members of the street team -- promo is the responsibility of the label to get radio stations to play the song, to get the videos played on mtv, vh1, fuse, etc. How many times have 311 videos never even made the cut for mtv? We would be forced to stay up in the middle of the freaking night to tape "Flowing"... and the damn video doesn't air. Then we stay up a week later and catch the video premiere. It's just stupid shit like that over the years that annoys me. The most recent videos I never even saw... First Straw?? Maybe that was on MTV2, before we had MTV2... but I never saw it. I hardly ever saw the Love Song video... and that was only on Vh1.

What I don't understand is that if 85-90% of all radio stations, record stores and record companies are owned by giant congolomerations like Clear Channel... then if 311 is signed to a major label... why can't they get their videos played? Why does Evolver have 2 singles... Creatures & BTGS ... and BTGS never gets a video... and barely gets radio play? Why? Who's running the show back there? Crack The Code?? Supposedly that was the third single... but I never heard it.

What about Soundsystem?? I understand that was the Capricorn regime then... but Volcano is still Capricorn, just a much bigger network now. So why was Large In The Margin the "third single"... yet it never got airplay, and never got a video?

To me the job of the record company is to help finance and guide the recording process, the pressing, distribution and promotion of the records. If you have a label that gives up on you album after 2 singles... says there's 3, but never invests the money, time into strongly promoting that single... then what good are they?

What good is the label if their promo sucks? What good is a label if they sell the street team duties to companies like Fanscape ... that whore themselves out to any band/label that's willing to buy their services. They've turned the street team aspect into a business... and perhaps the numbers look good on paper -- but those numbers aren't adding up to reality. If Volcano is truly commited to 311, then they should realize that "spreading the word" shouldn't be limited to a circus like Fanscape. They should realize that you have to put in money, to get money back on your investment. If they're not putting the money into videos, and radio promotion, and all the various ways you promote a record -- they're not doing a good job.

Lastly, the stuff we're debating here is only the stuff WE know... the stuff that's obvious to us. The bullshit behind the scenes has been going on all along. We all know what From Chaos was about ...

Correct me if i'm wrong, but Volcano restructured/extended the original Capricorn deal (when they bought Capricorn out). It was a 3 album extension with the Greatest Hits record part of the original contract. So now, they've put out "From Chaos", "Evolver" and soon to be "DTOM"... with the "Greatest Hits" last summer. They've fulfilled their contractual obligations or are about to... and I think Volcano prolly can sense this coming, knows that the band isn't very happy -- and is dicking them around and being difficult as part of that. I'm not saying they're doing it solely to be dicks, but I think that they're playing hardball. I could be totally mistaken... but that's what it seems like to me.

I think the handwriting is on the wall... and I think regardless of what we speculate... 311 is going to become an independent band (unless they get a very lucrative offer from volcano, or some other label). I've read many times that Nick is a very shrewd and savvy businessman... and that's partially why 311 is where they are today. My bet is... somehow, someway... he'll make things work in his (and the band's) favor.

No one is saying that Volcano is horrible -- but as a fan, it's frustrating to see other bands get 3/4 videos per album, every album... and tons of airplay over the radio/tv -- and to see 311 just barely getting some.

Obviously, in 2001... From Chaos got a lot of attention with Amber -- but IBHA, which was released previously barely made a bump on the charts. The video wasn't seen by most fans until ETSD II came out. So really, in my mind... there were 2 main singles/hits from that record. IBHA did pretty good on the radio here... but it never really made an impact on MTV.

I'm not saying I want 311 to be overexposed, and to blow up again -- but I just would like to see them get the most out of every album... and every single that they put out there. I personally think they haven't been doing enough in that regard ... and regardless of what happens with 311 ... I hope that whoever takes the reigns will do a better job in the future.

Just my two cents...

--vallon

dj3stripes · Post by **dj3stripes** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:31 am

wow. 2 very big pennies you threw in there glen

i see your points but you can't say (in short) 'they need more videos/airplay/eMpTyV' and then 'but not overexposure' where would a good middle be? what bands have a good label?

to me a label is simply to fund the recording process and supply some promotion. word of mouth is the best promotion and that's how 311 got where they are today, this is why we'll buy every last 311 record out there. this is why there will be other people who will by 311 records. in short, the people who will buy 311 records probably in fact know about them w/out having to have advertisments and promotions........... do music videos really sell more albums? especially 2,3,4 video's per album?

$lmjimy311 · Post by **$lmjimy311** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:08 pm

dj3stripes wrote:. word of mouth is the best promotion and that's how 311 got where they are today........... do music videos really sell more albums? especially 2,3,4 video's per album?

your right about that to a certain extent...i learned about them through werd of mouth...and i have brought literally around 25-30 ppl into them as well..but i see it this way, if my one friend never got me into them..the 25-30 ppl i brought into them would never have got into them....but with promotion other than worrd of mouth...those 25-30 ppl wouldnt need me to bring them into it..get what im trying to say?

Positive_Vibe_Merchant · Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:36 am

Well dispite numorous calls and emails we didn't get a release for Evolver down here,. and it isn't looking good for this album... we keep getting the 'we will see how it does in the US first'

Fuck that... I want my 311! We wanted them to send some stuff over, you know stickers/posters, we wanted a street team.

NO!
They would have no part of it. We don't get a tour and we have to import everything... The label is shit!

mystoneybaby · Post by **mystoneybaby** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:55 am

I completely agree with Vallon.

I haven't been an actual "fan" for long but I really think that with better promotion I would have been a fan a LONG time ago ... Each and every album has songs on it that could have blown the music industry out of the water if only they had been promoted the right way ... timing is everything Volcano has bad timing.

DoYouRight311 · Post by **DoYouRight311** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:21 am

i dont know how long you guys have been 311 fans but when self titled hit stores they were all over the radio thats how i found out about 311 back in 95

Spookie Apperitions · Post by **Spookie Apperitions** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:52 am

ditto

dj3stripes · Post by **dj3stripes** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:06 am

Positive_Vibe_Merchant wrote:Well dispite numorous calls and emails we didn't get a release for Evolver down here,. and it isn't looking good for this album... we keep getting the 'we will see how it does in the US first'

Fuck that... I want my 311! We wanted them to send some stuff over, you know stickers/posters, we wanted a street team.

NO!
They would have no part of it. We don't get a tour and we have to import everything... The label is shit!

goes both ways tho, a lot of eurpoean stuff doesn't make it here w/out being imported...............luckily there's the internet

$ayzak · Post by **$ayzak** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:20 am

Vallon, I agree with everything you said.

But at the same time, I'd like 311 to release a song that catches fire and makes radio stations and music channels BEG for the single. Like Down and All Mixed Up.

I have a feeling, regaurdless how some people feel about Frolic Room, that the final version of that song could be the next "all mixed up".

FreeRayLiotta · Post by **FreeRayLiotta** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:28 pm

finally seeing it my way.

Fuck Volcano. That is really crazy to be asking them to change their shit and to record new music. Labels do it all the time but you guys are right, 311 doesn't have to listen anymore. They have earned their keep and we will keep them in business.

Do it up like Phish. Create your own label, promote yourself, make music for the fans. Nothing should be standing in the way of them being able to experiment and explore.

I think PNut making that public is an indication that they won't be with them much longer, and What have You will take over the planet.

LickSamba311 · Post by **LickSamba311** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:41 pm

FreeRayLiotta wrote:finally seeing it my way.

Fuck Volcano. That is really crazy to be asking them to change their shit and to record new music. Labels do it all the time but you guys are right, 311 doesn't have to listen anymore. They have earned their keep and we will keep them in business.

Do it up like Phish. Create your own label, promote yourself, make music for the fans. Nothing should be standing in the way of them being able to experiment and explore.

I think PNut making that public is an indication that they won't be with them much longer, and What have You will take over the planet.

There ya go, thats what i'm talkin about

FreeRayLiotta · Post by **FreeRayLiotta** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:09 pm

dude said "can't wait to see you do it on your own someday"

"It's only a matter of time.
'311 records' sounds great to me
nice and simple
rock the forking world
nut"

greenmonkey911 · Post by **greenmonkey911** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:01 am

DoYouRight311 wrote:i dont know how long you guys have been 311 fans but when self titled hit stores they were all over the radio thats how i found out about 311 back in 95

it was actually in '96 when s/t blew up with down and all mixed up

FreeRayLiotta · Post by **FreeRayLiotta** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 1:41 am

yeah it was 96. i heard about them in 95... like september. fortunately i had an older brother that was into new music and took me and a buddy to see them when we were 13 in november 95... he hadnt even heard them before.. god bless older brothers!

Vallon · Post by **Vallon** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:34 am

All I can say is -- it's good to see likeminded people in here. I'm quickly falling in love with this forum -- and the way ideas are discussed and respected.

This is the way IT SHOULD be on the big brother site over there.

much love to the supporters and the pvm's

--vallon

mystoneybaby · Post by **mystoneybaby** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 6:22 am

^^^^^ Posted at 2:34 am ^^^^^

thanks bro. you aren't too bad yourself.