Successful in music industry

BRIAN SLAGEL

-Have you got any of jealous, when the other giants of metal business – Roadrunner, Nuclear Blast, Century Media, SPV – announces with a pride their new purchases? Have you never a feeling, that Metal Blade stands one or maybe two steps behind of them?
Cause there’s no NIGHTWISH by us? (laugh) No, of course I feel any jealous. Our labels works in the same business, but every of them has another kind of profile. It’s always a big advantage for a customer. For example Roadrunner releases a more accessible music than ours, and SPV is concentrated more for a classical hard’n’heavy. Metal Blade has surely his own identity and not every big band would fit to us. You must remember too, that we releases in States the bands, which have the contracts in European competitive labels. There are for example MANOWAR or CRADLE OF FILTH. Maybe you will be surprised, but I am really on friendly terms with the bosses of our competitive firms. Sometimes we cooperates between us, for example by the organizing of tours. If we would keep spiting ourselves, the metal scene probably would exist anymore. Surely wouldn’t be in so good condition as presently. I am any conflict man and I think that the competition with the honest and upright rules works good for every of interested. For the bands, fans and labels.

-Which kinds of basic differences are you seeing between American and European market? Are you targeting your bands in specific way, giving to them for example the better promotional support on the market, foreseeing in your opinion as a more perspective?
That’s right, the both of these big markets have still their specific. We wondering ourselves where the given music is more popular, where is more popular in medias, etc. We makes a normal business undertakings. The power of press in the States stays surely more weak. We have only a few of magazines, that stays rather shameful for us. That’s why we concentrates ourselves on local radio stations, which have practically no meaning in Europe. The position of MTV stays surely in USA stronger. After a few of poor years metal comes to TV back. I guess, that present American market is more development, absorbing the news, but it can to change next year or maybe after two years to advantage of Europe. Surely we are not in able to trump you in the question of open air festivals. Here you have no doubt the palm of priority.

-Are there a few kinds of formations in Metal Blade, which stays only European (or maybe better to say – German) phenomenon like AMON AMARTH or BOLT THROWER?
Oh, you would be very surprised (laugh). The last AMON AMARTH album manages oneself better in USA than in Europe. Factly, yet few years ago the Swedes were great saleable in Germany and anywhere more. Now their popularity is almost global. We have exactly extended our contract for the next three albums, cause both sides are really very satisfied of cooperation, which brings more better effects. BOLT THROWER is a some untypical kind of band. They have their own rhythm of work, their tours are practically rare, they releases the one album for 3-4 years. But they have a big respect on the scene, staying very loyal in business. I like them very much as the people and they are sure the one of my favourites in Metal Blade.

-I know, that’s a some gay question, but have you got maybe the hearty friends among the bands from your catalogue?
Yes, I love the guys of CANNIBAL CORPSE. I have a mega respect to them for everything, that they have reached and which kind of people they are. It’s very difficult to mention a more heavy working and regular death metal band. They are writing their history, are still very perfect and I know, that they will never release any of their new albums beyond of Metal Blade (laugh). A success of their “Butchered At Birth” album in 1991 came beyond all my expectations. I have though then, that’s a question of their front covers, the image or those atrocities, describing in the lyrics of Chris. It proved itself however, that the people have loved their music for a long years. I stay with bonds of friendship with the guys of ARMORED SAINT too. Makes me suffer, that since the years I can’t to got the promotional material of them (laugh).

-Are the partings with your bands difficult to experience or are there only the rumours spreading by a friendly people?
Ha, ha, I don’t cry absolutely into the pillow, although there were factly a few very hard decisions about the parting. It’s a well known fact, that a lot of thoughts accompanied by the moments of my parting with SLAYER. I was however conscious earlier, that a band with so big potential must to have the label, which lead them into all the way up. I wasn’t in able to do it in 1986. But more painful was for me the parting with mentioned here earlier ARMOURED SAINT. I have released their debut mini-CD, believing very strong in this band. But they decided to profit by the offer of Chrysalis. I had then however a feeling of justice, when they came to me back remorseful and released in Metal Blade their the best successful album “Symbol Of Salvation” (laugh). I felt the sorrow too, when SACRED REICH decided to sign a contract for “American Way” album with Hollywood Rec. They came to me back too and we are friends today… Although not only these two bands were disappointed by the cooperation with the majors. A similar kind of fate met FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, TROUBLE… There were however the another realities, the bands had so excited hopes. Now I am not worried, when a certain band resigns from our services. In those kinds of cases I wish to them ever good luck. There’s any sense to continue the cooperation with unhappy artists (laugh).

-In 1988-1992 Metal Blade used the Warner distribution. How reminds you those times?
I have learned myself a lot about the business with big B. This cooperation has begun shortly after when our distributor Enigma declared oneself insolvent. The situation was very dramatic, cause we had any cash for band’s recording sessions, pressing the CD’s and distributing them all over the world. By our offer were interested Sony and Warner. We have chosen those second and the shot went then home. They have undertaken the distribution and promotion of 14 bands chosen from our catalogue. With most of them they have reached the splendid results. But everything was finished, when Warner was engulfed by WEA group. There were already no fine people, with whom we could to understand ourselves without problems. They declared to us, that will never release GWAR album “America Must Be Destroyed” because of title and obscene kind of lyrics. They got hiding then deciding to release a single of BODY COUNT “Cop Killer”. The USA was turmoil, Tipper Gore became hysterical and all metal and hip-hop were damned as the music depraving the youth. I have asked them which kind of chances are possible to release GWAR album without the censoring? The answer was, that no chances and I can to forget about amendment to United States constitution. It was a sign for me, that we have already nothing to talk. I have decided to dissolute the contract, giving to WEA THE GOO GOO DOLLS, which was the one band interesting them. And this way in the mid of 90s, I have begun almost everything from the beginning.

-I have read your declaration, that situation of music business today is conducive to evolution of independence. That’s rather a secluded opinion among the currently laments regards the death of business, which can’t to reconcile oneself with a technological (r)evolution.
I have no problem in this question. The record business will survive among the people, who will hold to them the reality of their passion. Once was very hard to keep identity or individuality. On the turn of the 80s and 90s you firm could to be engulfed in every moment by the phonographic giant. You had got the unrejective proposal. You had then the money, but the firm anymore else. Now that’s unthinkable. There’s a much of great prosperous and independent firms, which knows themselves on their work. Paradoxical in harder situation are the majors now, cause the most of their customers doesn’t loves the music. They are treating it like a stuff, a filler of time, something that must to drone somewhere background and not disturb (laugh). Among the fans of metal nothing can rather to disturb the music! I don’t care by a taxing of records from internet, MP 3, etc. Changing the files by the internet is a tape-trading of our times. You can’t to rebel yourself against the obvious things. Once I had no imagination, that a vinyl record can stop to be a basic carrier. I have screamed after a few drunken beers: “I will never listen these fucking CD records”. So, how would I look like, telling that the IPods are more comfortable than Discmans (laugh).