 stand-alone: self-sufficient; operating or capable of operating independently
Stand Alone Records is a unique record label that actually encourages artists not to sign record deals. Say what?! Yup, you read that correctly, it’s sort of an anti-record label. The mission of Stand Alone Records is to create a total paradigm shift in the music industry so that artists no longer believe that they need a record deal to have a career. With the changes taking place in the music industry, as well as the increasingly rapid advances in technology, more and more artists are now forging their own careers and bypassing the record label system altogether, and Stand Alone Records aims to help artists who want to follow that path by providing them with inspiration, information and education: Inspiration: Stand Alone Records finds and documents success stories of proactive indie artists who have full-time careers without a record deal. This is done through various projects, including compilation CDs, books, a blog & Podcast, as well as documentary films. Information & Education: Stand Alone Records provides artists with empowering information help them develop a full-time music career without needing to “get signed” to a record label. |
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  Stand Alone Records was founded by Montrealer Dave Cool (and yes, that’s his real name!). Dave is an author, filmmaker and compassionate musician’s advocate dedicated to helping and empowering independent artists. A former musician who started playing music at the age of 3 (drums & guitar), his own music career was cut short in 2002 due to a severe ear condition (wear your earplugs people!). But instead of leaving the music industry altogether, he started Stand Alone Records to help counter the mainstream perception that artists need to “get signed” to have a career. Working with artists and companies on the cutting edge of the music industry, he has dedicated his time and energy to documenting and advancing the “indie” revolution taking place and to helping artists who want to follow that path. A recognized expert in the indie music industry, Dave has done interviews for CNN.com, Newsweek Magazine, CBC National Radio and CTV, as well as for scores of newspapers, radio shows and Podcasts.In 2006 Dave made a huge splash with the first project from Stand Alone Records, a documentary film he directed and produced called “What is INDIE?”. The film features interviews with several leading experts in the indie music world such as Derek Sivers (Founder, CD Baby) and Panos Panay (Founder, Sonicbids), as well as with 20 artists. Without any prior background in film and funded entirely on his own, he took the film from a small do-it-yourself project and turned it into an indie success story in its own right that was named the “Top Indie Release” of 2006 by Indie-Music.com, and was featured on CNN.com and in Newsweek Magazine. For more about "What is INDIE?": www.standalonerecords.com/whatisindie Dave’s newest project highlights his passion for writing. After reading, researching and studying the best and most helpful information available for indie artists, he has written his first resource guide, called “Your Successful CD Release”. Designed as a quick-action guide to marketing and promoting a CD release, it is based on the work of his friend and mentor, author Peter Spellman, the Director of Career Development at Berklee College of Music in Boston and President of Music Business Solutions. To reach Dave, e-mail him at: info@standalonerecords.com |
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Q: Will you sign my band?
A: NO. And we won’t ever “sign” any artists either. Q: So are you a record label or what?! A: Ah yes, very good question, and the answer is…yes and no. We don’t sign artists because we actually encourage them not to sign record deals. So in that sense, we’re definitely not a record label! We do however release music projects like CDs & DVDs, although these projects showcase indie artists who don’t have record deals but who have forged their own full-time music careers. So I guess we’re not really a record label then ;-) Q: Then why use “Records” in your company name? A: It’s just more fun that way! No, no, seriously though, usually an artist’s instinct is to seek out a record deal because they've been programmed by the industry and the media to believe that they absolutely need one to have a career. So if they come across our company, we hope we can help change their perception that they need to "get signed" to have a career, which simply isn’t the case. And while we’re at it, hopefully we can inspire them with some success stories of indie artists who have forged their own full-time music careers, and then provide them with information and resources to help them if they want to follow that path. Q: Are you really against artists signing record deals? A: Yes and no. We're against artists signing bad record deals, that's for sure. We're also against artists believing that they absolutely need a record deal to have a career, which just isn't true anymore. But if an artist goes into a negotiation with a record label with some leverage (i.e. has built up their own fan base first) and signs a deal that is fair for them and allows them to keep creative control and ownership over their music, then all the power to them, we wish them well (honestly). We're not here to judge artists on their career decisions, we're just here to help and empower all of those artists who might not have that option of signing a fair record deal. Q: OK, but are you anti-record labels? A: We use that slogan in a very tongue-and-cheek way :) Again, we're not here to pass judgment, as there are some great record labels out there that treat their artists well and offer fair and equitable deals, but they are few and far between. So we're looking to show artists that there is another path to take for their careers, which is to do it completely independent of the record label sysytem. Q: So what does it mean to be an “indie” artist anyways? A: Great question! You should see the movie. Stand Alone Records Founder Dave Cool made an inspiring and empowering film called "What is INDIE?" about the experience of being an independent artist and examines how the music industry is quickly changing and putting more power and control into their hands. It has screened all over the world and was even mentioned in Newsweek Magazine and on CNN.com! Q: Is Dave Cool's last name really “Cool”? A: Yes. Q: Really?! A: Yes! If you ever meet him, he'll gladly show you some I.D. ;-) |
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