Rohan Kohli
08/14/05, 10:10 AM
Kevin Devine (http://www.kevindevine.net) has posted his thoughts on signing to Capitol (http://www.capitolrecords.com):
Hey guys. So it's true. I signed a record deal with Capitol Records.
This was a difficult decision that I agonized over a lot and ultimately decided made the most sense on every possible level, even with the inherit hypocrisy I'd have to always realize was there in that decision.
Capitol Records is a major label with a rich and staggering history. They've got Coldplay and Radiohead. They had the Beatles and the Beach Boys and Frank Sinatra. That's insane and humbling and really exciting. It's also a major corporation owned by EMI, which is owned by Time Warner, who is in bed with Raytheon Industries, who make various missile systems, including the Tomahawk (as pointed out most clearly on my MySpace site by Matthew). That's more insane and obviously extremely troubling.
I hate that making a record for this company or any company is in any guppy up the chain way related to the production of a Tomahawk missile. And in that way, it's very clean and clear that how I've decided to make my vocation is connected to the war and money and greed machine. And that sucks. I have to take some solace in the fact that a.) we're all in that boat to varying degrees even if we don't all have line graphs to prove it and b.) the opportunity to do some good and create worthwhile art with a pulse and a platform has been afforded to me and I do intend to use it fully.
I went in to this looking to cast no illusions or have any cast on me. I played "No Time Flat" in the meeting with the president of Capitol Records, and he signed me from the meeting. I also played "Yr Damned Ol' Dad" and "Keep Ringing Your Bell." All three songs have curses and none of them have a discernable chorus.
I've seen plenty of bands think they're going to be the one that doesn't get screwed by the major system. I am cautious and realistic and have had these exact conversations with the A and R people. They know who and what I am and they are not interested in curtailing that, and I'm taking the people I've made relationships with and built trust with at their word.
I'd also like to take the time to point out that there have been literally hundreds if not thousands of anti-war, anti-capitalist, anti-(insert totemic Western historical/political figure here), anti-(negative)ism songs recorded on major labels forever, and that to this point in my song catalogue I have written exactly 4 songs that expressly reference tangible social/political issues.
I tend more frequently to write about what I see when I look at the world around me, and a lot of that has to do with injustice and fear and lost humanity, sure. A lot of it also has to do with human relationships. A lot of it has to do with poking at myself and running over my past and my present and what's happening between my ears and in my chest. And I will continue to do that. This is not some conspiracy. Capitol didn't passionately scout and sign a guy who's sold like 5,000 records to indie-rockers with hopes on turning him into John Mayer - or if they did, they didn't CC me on that memo.
I'm sure some things will come up contestatorily but until they do, I'm going to take the people I work with at their word, as I always have at every level. Bridges get crossed once you get up to them and I just walked out my front door.
I intend on continuing to write 'political songs' when I feel moved to do so, but by no means do I think that's my sole or even primary means of artistic expression in song, and if the next record doesn't have 6 hit-the-street protest numbers on it, it's because that's wasn't what I was writing, and not because Oz edited it out. If that changes, you'll all be the first to know, believe me. I never told anyone I was Phil Ochs, and I think there are plenty of ways to live your politics as an artist beyond making the focal point of your art. Sometimes I will, sometimes I won't, whether I'm on Triple Crown, Capitol, or recording in my friend's kitchen.
Thank you all for caring about this music to this point. I hope you'll stay around and keep caring so long as I make it worth it for you do that.
Oh - and there are some new shows up on the shows page.
xo
Kevin
Hey guys. So it's true. I signed a record deal with Capitol Records.
This was a difficult decision that I agonized over a lot and ultimately decided made the most sense on every possible level, even with the inherit hypocrisy I'd have to always realize was there in that decision.
Capitol Records is a major label with a rich and staggering history. They've got Coldplay and Radiohead. They had the Beatles and the Beach Boys and Frank Sinatra. That's insane and humbling and really exciting. It's also a major corporation owned by EMI, which is owned by Time Warner, who is in bed with Raytheon Industries, who make various missile systems, including the Tomahawk (as pointed out most clearly on my MySpace site by Matthew). That's more insane and obviously extremely troubling.
I hate that making a record for this company or any company is in any guppy up the chain way related to the production of a Tomahawk missile. And in that way, it's very clean and clear that how I've decided to make my vocation is connected to the war and money and greed machine. And that sucks. I have to take some solace in the fact that a.) we're all in that boat to varying degrees even if we don't all have line graphs to prove it and b.) the opportunity to do some good and create worthwhile art with a pulse and a platform has been afforded to me and I do intend to use it fully.
I went in to this looking to cast no illusions or have any cast on me. I played "No Time Flat" in the meeting with the president of Capitol Records, and he signed me from the meeting. I also played "Yr Damned Ol' Dad" and "Keep Ringing Your Bell." All three songs have curses and none of them have a discernable chorus.
I've seen plenty of bands think they're going to be the one that doesn't get screwed by the major system. I am cautious and realistic and have had these exact conversations with the A and R people. They know who and what I am and they are not interested in curtailing that, and I'm taking the people I've made relationships with and built trust with at their word.
I'd also like to take the time to point out that there have been literally hundreds if not thousands of anti-war, anti-capitalist, anti-(insert totemic Western historical/political figure here), anti-(negative)ism songs recorded on major labels forever, and that to this point in my song catalogue I have written exactly 4 songs that expressly reference tangible social/political issues.
I tend more frequently to write about what I see when I look at the world around me, and a lot of that has to do with injustice and fear and lost humanity, sure. A lot of it also has to do with human relationships. A lot of it has to do with poking at myself and running over my past and my present and what's happening between my ears and in my chest. And I will continue to do that. This is not some conspiracy. Capitol didn't passionately scout and sign a guy who's sold like 5,000 records to indie-rockers with hopes on turning him into John Mayer - or if they did, they didn't CC me on that memo.
I'm sure some things will come up contestatorily but until they do, I'm going to take the people I work with at their word, as I always have at every level. Bridges get crossed once you get up to them and I just walked out my front door.
I intend on continuing to write 'political songs' when I feel moved to do so, but by no means do I think that's my sole or even primary means of artistic expression in song, and if the next record doesn't have 6 hit-the-street protest numbers on it, it's because that's wasn't what I was writing, and not because Oz edited it out. If that changes, you'll all be the first to know, believe me. I never told anyone I was Phil Ochs, and I think there are plenty of ways to live your politics as an artist beyond making the focal point of your art. Sometimes I will, sometimes I won't, whether I'm on Triple Crown, Capitol, or recording in my friend's kitchen.
Thank you all for caring about this music to this point. I hope you'll stay around and keep caring so long as I make it worth it for you do that.
Oh - and there are some new shows up on the shows page.
xo
Kevin