RTP-area local music and culture

["Glenn Boothe / Local 506" <gboothe2 AT earthlink.net>]

Unfortunately, the music industry is built on inefficiencies...and it's
the artist/label/club/etc. who manages those inefficiencies best that
survives.  There is just no right way to do anything.   And luck is
biggest variable, which is also the most unpredictable.

There are wrong ways however, and what would be great is if people
could learn from 'others' mistakes, before committing them themselves.
 As is pretty obvious from my post, I am not afraid to speak candidly
and willing to offer (what i hope is) constructive advice when
requested; however, in the short-time I've been doing 506, I can say
that much of my advice has fallen on deaf-ears.

Hear's one I can now repeat in my sleep.  Why are bands putting out
full albums?  Unless there is alot of demand for your music (and if
you're not playing the Cradle, there really isn't,) then an EP would
suffice.  I mean, most bands are just looking for something to get them
some radio/press exposure and/or something to sell at their shows.  For
that purpose, five songs work as well as ten  or as I like to say "what
do tracks 6-10 do that 1-5 doesn't?"  Plus, then you have those extra
songs to apply to your next release.  I can't tell you how many times
I've heard "but we're going to make a great album" to which I always
reply, let's go to CD Alley and go through the used bin and you tell
which bands decided in advance that they were going to make a 'mediocre
album.'

Heck, I just had some guys in Charlotte email me about advice for a
club they wanted to start down there...and my honest advice was don't
do it.  Well, the next email I got talked about the Sprinkler system
they had just purchased.  I'm not sure of the size of the venue, but if
the town of chapel hill required 506 to have a sprinker system, we'd
have to close.

Then again, I'm just as guilty.  I bought the secondary rock club in
town while Go! was still open.  As with any business decision, it was
based on assumptions about the market.  In my case, they were wrong;
however, I got "lucky" that Go closed.  I hate calling that luck
because I liked Go and all the people that worked there...but it is
true, 506 probably would not have lasted without that happening.

Okay, I digress again....but going back to the original post, the idea
is good, but I'm pretty sure threads on amch are about as close as
you'll get...glenn