Capitol records uptight unfriendly label?

[vintagemusic]

In my younger days,, I used to hustle for record deals, or to pitch songs
or just to hang out and learn, shoot the breeze.

I found to my surprise it wasn't that hard to get in the door and say hello
pitch a song, get a meeting with the A&R rep. I found you could even get
a record deal! I Never managed to get a good deal, that took me anywhere
but I digress..

Warners, very friendly, could walk in say hi to the girls typing, even get a meeting
with Mo Ostin or whatever....

A&M< a little snooty from a musicians point of view,,, lots of jazz guys, liked steely dan
and jazz and herb alpert...still pretty nice, hard t get a deal if you did pop, but they would
listen to what you had to say, or let you hang out in the studios..


All typical stuff in the 80's and 90's typical LA Muic biz bla bla

 But if you walked into Capitol records and tried to do that, get a meeting or, say hello
they became alarmed, big uniformed goons would hurt you, and physically eject you from
the building... if you tried to get a meeting with A&R they laughed while the guy pinned your
arm behind your back.. and if you tried to send a tape in the mail..they laughed even harder..
they hated recording artists or people trying to hustle some business... they actually would immediately
jump you hurt you eject you.. I mean within 15 seconds

When I did this stuff at Warners or A&M or anywhere... the would smile, and try and make you feel
good, I mean they were in the music business, aand I as simply trying to submit some music or say
hi, the only way I knew how. They understood, people were usually nice, and by the way I did this
same kind of thing with lots of Beach Boy people..  have lunch talk about a project.. some guy named
sStan somebody.. wanted him to help me push a record

In my experience  Capitol was a whole other animal. no informal contact or friendliness or tolerance or
interest of any kind whatsoever.. The only way to submit anything to Capitol, was through a well
established manager.. I finally learned that and git a ho hum rejection from Hail Milgram.
My impression is Capitol hates rocknroll, hates musicians and artists and hates the music business



Any truth to any of these observations what do you think ?

[stack-o-tracks]

Record labels are like democracy. They like to take your money from all the hard work you do while sitting in big chairs.

[Mike's Beard]

Capitol's A&R meet and greet policy probably came into effect in the early 60's after dealing with some guy named Murry.

[vintagemusic]

Capitol's A&R meet and greet policy probably came into effect in the early 60's after dealing with some guy named Murry.

Is that true?

I'm not kidding, I walked in, was admiring all the gold records on the wall at the tower..
started to approach the girl at the reception desk, and was literally arm pinned by a huge
6'5 goon in a blue uniform. I never had any such experience before or since with any record
company.

They like to sit in chairs! LOL


my impression was they hate people, they hated me, they hate anyone who enters their
building, the last thing they ever wanted to do, was be bothered to hear someones music

which struck me as odd, since their business is suppsed to be finding more good music.
they wanted to avoid listening to my music so badly, they had a security guard asault me!

[bgas]

What did you release, so I can try to find a copy to listen?

[hypehat]

A&M< a little snooty from a musicians point of view,,, lots of jazz guys, liked steely dan
and jazz and herb alpert...still pretty nice, hard t get a deal if you did pop, but they would
listen to what you had to say, or let you hang out in the studios..

Well seeing as he's the A in A&M, that doesn't surprise me....


That is rough with Capitol, tho. I guess it never really went '70's' with its approach to signing talent like Warner/Reprise or Elektra....

[vintagemusic]

What did you release, so I can try to find a copy to listen?

Well I hate to toot my own horn.

[Pretty Funky]

Jeff. My opinion is the Beach Boys are fair game on this site but anyone else who has the balls to put music out gets a good deal of encouragement.

Good on you!

[runnersdialzero]

Record labels are like democracy. They like to take your money from all the hard work you do while sitting in big chairs.

CONSIDER PIE PLZ.

[Mike's Beard]

Jeff. My opinion is the Beach Boys are fair game on this site but anyone else who has the balls to put music out gets a good deal of encouragement.

Unless you're Justin Beiber, then you can just f*** off.

[Pretty Funky]

....'on this site' I said!

But agreed anyway.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

This was a different time (2006), but I found it remarkably easy to get into Capitol, both the Tower and other offices.  Of course, I was supposed to be there, which helps, but it was pretty low key and everybody was nice.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Granted, I had an in, but back in 1985 it was very different - walked into the tape storage, could have taken anything. Mind, I think the accent helped too.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Granted, I had an in, but back in 1985 it was very different - walked into the tape storage, could have taken anything. Mind, I think the accent helped too.

'85, wasn't that when all those tapes went missing?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Granted, I had an in, but back in 1985 it was very different - walked into the tape storage, could have taken anything. Mind, I think the accent helped too.

'85, wasn't that when all those tapes went missing?

Crap. Rumbled. 

[Iron Horse-Apples]

If this board suddenly goes very quiet, best be looking out of your window.

[vintagemusic]

Well in Fairness to Capitol. I should point out that for
many years, the neighborhood was crime ridden and dangerous
it has gone through phases of being expensive , and being a slum.
In Recent years its expensive again. in the 70's-80's very bad
until they poured a few billion into the area. So naturally when someone
walks in off the street in a bad neighborhood. people are more wary.

However. there are lots and lots of important entertainment business's
in that same crummy area, who didin't treat people that way. (badly)

The other thing is, I did record downstairs in the basement a couple times
and people there were rather nice. The studio though was a little creepy
very large tracking rooms, from when big bands recorded live in the 40's.
What made it creepy, was all the equipment was from the 40's and 50's
and it was cavernous and large, with gold records by Jackie Gleason &
Frank Sinatra (lots of dead people)... I couldn't help thinking it was more
like a crypt or museum, than a modern functioning studio... and the engineer
reminded me more of a caretaker with a large keyring , replete with ancient Iron door keys!
its underground sort of...so there are no windows or sunlight.creepy

THen we cut some tracks it was great! The equipment was out of date by 30 years,
but the room sounded good.. I think the Knack did My Sharona down there ? yes no ?

[Micha]

started to approach the girl at the reception desk, and was literally arm pinned by a huge
6'5 goon in a blue uniform. I never had any such experience before or since with any record
company.

It would make absolutely no sense to actually have a reception desk and then arm pin anyone who dares to approach it.

A theory: You were mistaken for someone they've had problems with before who visually resembles you.

Grow a beard or take your beard off and try again! 

[Micha]

Record labels are like democracy. They like to take your money from all the hard work you do while sitting in big chairs.

That's not "democracy", that's "unregulated capitalism".

Actually the problem is that companies are not run as democracies but as dictatorships.

[smokeythebear]

No wonder record companies are in trouble. But the music world is like that, filled with stupid and arrogant people. I guess most bushinesses and genres of special knowledge is, but the music world is a breed of its own i can tell you that. I think anyone in thats been in a music store or tried to learn a mixing console from someone else can tell you that. The good thing is that the "i have a special knowledge so im better than everyone else" is dying with the arrival of the Internet.

[ghost]

Granted, I had an in, but back in 1985 it was very different - walked into the tape storage, could have taken anything. Mind, I think the accent helped too.

Awhriyt luhv? Av cum tuh tek a luk at yuh tapes can i go riyt in luhv? cheas

[Andrew G. Doe]

Granted, I had an in, but back in 1985 it was very different - walked into the tape storage, could have taken anything. Mind, I think the accent helped too.

Awhriyt luhv? Av cum tuh tek a luk at yuh tapes can i go riyt in luhv? cheas

Pretty much, yeah.