Corey Taylor: Record labels can't catch up with technology
Slipknot frontman says new bands need to follow new models
Corey Taylor has given his opinion on the music industry, and how bands and record labels nowadays need to approach the business.
Speaking to the Eddie Trunk Podcast in the US, Corey spoke on a whole range of industry topics including streaming music, versus ownership: "For me, it's an interesting dichotomy. On one hand, you've got people who are streaming, but then they use that to decide whether or not they wanna buy the album, as opposed to illegal downloading. But then there's the other side of it where people are… like, 'I'm just gonna listen to this.'"
On how the record labels are reacting to technology: ***"I look at it like chasing a serial killer, basically," Corey said. ** "You're constantly trying to get ahead of them, following the evidence of what's going to happen next, so you can stop it. The labels have kind of started doing that — they're trying to see where it's going to head — but because the technology's so frenetic, you can't really get ahead of it." *
Corey also gave out some useful advice to aspiring musicians, about how to make it in today's music landscape.
"I would try to teach them where the industry is now, as opposed to whatever the past was. Because it seems like those are the bands that aren't getting the traction now, because they're basing everything in the old system."
He also expressed how important live performance is - and how thinks that modern technology can be something of a double-edged sword, both in producing music and distributing it.
"Electronically, it's instant gratification - you click a button and you've got it... To me, as long as poeple know the music, that's gonna help give your band legs cos then you can go out and play shows, and that's where the real message is."
"But, a lot of bands can't do it live anymore, because they're so used to the computer basically fixing everything for them!"
From calling Axl Rose a douchebag, to pulling up Kanye West on claiming he was a rock star, it's good to know there will always be Corey there to talk some sense!