Tales from the Industry- Eric Arceneaux's parody of the music industry

[chamcham]

A lot of people might remember Eric Arceneaux as the famous vocal coach with some videos on Youtube.

A few years back he was offered a record deal and he

turned it down. He decided to make a parody of his

story (and changed names around for legal reasons)

and share it with everyone.

It's pretty funny.

According to Eric, most of the dialogue is DIRECT quotes.

People actually said this stuff to him. He basically just changed their names in the video.

[ronws]

I wish I had not waited so long to watch this. I like how Eric appears as himself. I like the self-deprecating sense of humor, ala R Kelly.

And totally spot on. Just like "This is Spinnal Tap" is a parody involving a lot of truth, so is this. It even happens on AI. Such as the rejection of Colby Calais before even the televised auditions. It really is about manufacturing product. It's a business and if you let them, you will be made into a widget. And you will put out one, maybe two albums, be left majorly in debt, as everything, and I do mean everything in your recording and development costs will come out of your royalties.

When Ray Wylie Hubbard performs "Redneck Mothers," he advises in the song to consider wisely the songs you sing. Can you keep singing them for the next 40 years? Can you be the "Booty Bounce" guy? People will holler that to you, even if your kids are with you.

Totally rocking on the point of being yourself. Do what it is your voice and your style can do. Always be careful when signing a deal with the devil.

The upside of self-production is that you keep more of the money and the control. The downside is lack of industry push. However, the oddest things become viral. You become a hit and then all the record companies are trying to make everyone sound like you. To where a real "booty bounce" guy would be pressured into sounding like an R & B torch song singer.

Imagine if someone one tried to make Bon Scott sing songs along the line of John Denver? How well do you think that would go over? Having read the bio of Bon Scott, I know it would not end in him singing the song "For Annie."

[Billy Budapest]

Eric is agreat guy.His videos on hurricane katrina should be required viewing, saw them years ago.

This whole thing and his experiences are not surprising in the least to me. Man, its like the old brady bunch episode and Johnny Bravo all over again. Haha. Record companies today want image over substance, its pretty apparent. There are some who have both, but mostly, its image and marketing and of courae autotune, which is a freaking curse. If u can be happy recording your own stuff and singing it on a local level, i am not sure why anyone would want the "fame" and bs that is the music business today. Moneys great but not at the cost of who u are. Kudos to Eric for not encouraging the lameass stereotypes that, though we say we dont believe them and want to leave them behind, are what is being foisted on us through marketing and media. If Eric had done such a tune as booty bounce (funny) and made his career off of it, i wouldve lost all respect for the guy. Thanks for sharing this.

[ronws]

Well, it is a business.

Most of the brick and mortar music stores are gone and all that is left is shelf space in Walmart and stores like that. And the shelf space is getting smaller. An album selling less than 60k in the US just about won't make it on the shelf. So, the major labels only want to put out what they think has the best chance of selling. And if someone previously had a platinum hit with something like "booty bounce," then they are going to sell booty bounce. They did the same with grunge, which I have diatribed about before. Many bands were unfairly labeled grunge because the labels were trying to manufacture the success of "Nevermind" by Nirvana. And before that. When glam acts like David Bowie and New York Dolls, etc, made big hits, all of a sudden, the guys in the band needed to be prettier than the girls in the audience. As glam as you might think Poison was, Brittany Fox, who only had one good album, was even more dolled up. Because everyone was trying to manufacture Van Halen 2.0.

Then, you had Bon Jovi, a band of guys who happened to have great hair. It would take away from the interviews where the fact that they were a hard-rocking band from New Jersey was overshadowed by questions as to what hair products they used. And other bands were crafted to match.

Even Lita Ford was pressured. She could not dance. But the record company needed her to look like she was dancing in the video for "Kiss Me Deadly." So, basically, a series of choreographed poses were edited together. Which takes away from the fact that she is a solid, lightning-fast guitarist.

But who knows what is going to be a big hit? You could fill a couple of books talking about all the times an A & R guy rejected the band, only to find them explode at another label. The v.p. of one record label rejected Twisted Sister at least 3 separate times. Who would ever go for a band of guys dressed in campy drag singing heavy metal?

It's a business of superstition, like the football player that wears his "lucky" socks to a game.

[jonpall]

This video should be a required view for every artist out there! Guys, you should definitely watch it!! I really respect Eric now.

[D.Starr]

I went to an audition in the UK called Open Mic UK yesterday. Got through the initial stage and I'm now in the regional final, after that you go to the final in the O2 in front of A LOT of people.

A lot of people were wowed by my voice, I had several praises from everyone in the room. They also went on to tell everyone in the corridor I was good. I sound like I'm blowing my own horn but I'm not, I actually despise my voice. I think it needs a lot of work, smoothing my registers, mastering F4-A4, replace falsetto with a strong head tone. That is literally all I want to do.

BUT...

Shortly after my audition one of the judges left the room and walked over to me and asked if we could chat.

So I had a chat and he said he was a producer and had just finished working on an album which is selling big at the moment, I can't for the life of me remember who he said I was too awe struck. So he took my number and said he'd give me and call and wanted me to go down sometime.

Watching this I will keep my wits about me. I don't see him wanting me to sing a song such as "Booty bounce" it's very American.

I do and don't like Eric's voice, I find it weak at times, not saying my is any better I'm simply giving my opinion. I feel it needs to be a little stronger at times. He is well connected and has a great overall tone though. I do envy his voice in areas.

[jonpall]

That's very cool D.Starr. Congrats and good luck.

[VideoHere]

i came close once, epic didn't like the keyboard player's looks..no regrets

but if i could do it all again i'd like to be a singer that is well known and respected for whatever the hell he sings...

you know how you see these great musicians gather together and out comes a singer who is so good he fits in anywhere?

guys like jeff scott soto, joe lynn turner, richard page, glen hughes, miles kennedy, chris cornell..... guys that aren't big "household names" but are in big demand by other musicians who respect them and know their ability and skills.

i could care less if it's madison square garden or a little packed coffee shop.....i just love to sing!!

[ronws]

Come on, D, do just one chorus of the booty bounce. By the ounce.

And I'm with Bob. It doesn't matter where I am, I like to sing. So far, no one has run me off.