December 18, 2014

December 18, 2014

“Though I walk in the shadow of the valley of evil, I have no fear, as I am the biggest bastard in the valley.” Since I loved music ever since I was a kid, I decided to go into the music business.   I was a musician, but I often felt I was in the hands of those who don’t care about me or my music.  When I was with the band, “we toured non-stop for three years, doing 300 gigs a year and we hardly got a penny.” Therefore I have made the decision to never let another hand touch my music or my career.   On the other hand, I will clearly touch other’s in the same manner that I was abused - and why not, what comes around goes around.   I don’t mind the fucking, by the way, I just don’t want to get fucked anymore.

What’s imperative is to own properties.  The difference between a loser and a winner, is one who obtains an object instead of borrowing that item.   Therefore it is preferable to own an “artist” than work for him or her.  I made sure I purchased the publishing rights, and this is the gray area, be beneficial to your artists, because they tend to bite back.  For instance, I have never met a grateful “artist,” but surely have dealt with dissatisfied ones' on a regular basis.  Also you have to continue to watch out for them, meaning to make sure they don’t find a better deal out there on their own.  

The best one’s that I have worked with are usually paranoid (rightfully so) and greedy.   The combination of those two ingredients is like the perfect mixed cocktail for me.  I just step in and offer them power (or whatever that word means to them) and an ego-boost.   I never interfere with the music-making, because that is what they do - I just take care of their world around them so they can fully concentrate on doing their art.  Which in turn fills my little piggy bank on my desk.

I’m not a huge film fan, because I feel it’s a waste of time sitting in a dark movie theater or screening room - I can almost count the missing dollars I would be making if I wasn’t in that room.  Nevertheless John, one of my ‘artists, ’ suggested that I buy the rights to a film made by Chilean director - and it was a wise investment move.  I came up with the idea of him directing a film version of “The Story of O,” but at the last minute he pulls out of the project.  After purchasing the film rights, which are now useless to me, I decided to pull every print of his first and most important, film out of circulation.  I get a lot of requests for permission to show his film, but happily I have turned them all down.   It will cost me money, but revenge is the second-best reward I can get.

My masterpiece stroke was when a British band sampled one of the songs I own, and after it became a hit, I sued them.  They eventually had to give 100% of the royalties to my company, and then I took their recording and sold it to Nike, who used that song over and over again in a series of commercials.  It was the flawless series of moments for me.  I know people say bad things about me in front of my back (and sometimes to my face) but you know, my piggy bank is getting fatter, in fact it is overflowing with coins - coming out of its mouth - I’m OK with the world.   “Don’t talk to me about ethics.  Every man makes his own.   It’s like a war. ”