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From Royal Wade Kimes To You The People… Basically, when Wonderment Records was formed in 1999, it was formed under the flag of freedom. Freedom to make the kind of music we, as artists, desire to make… the kind of music You The People want to hear, not what one arbitrary individual at a "major" label dictates. It was also part of a rebellion against the big FM stations owned by companies like Clear Channel, Cumulus, Infinity, Cox, and others, who would only play "major" label music. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why that is. I have a buddy who once said to me, "If there is a dollar out there -- somebody on the other end is trying to get it." How true. The fact of the matter is that there is room for everyone, but "Big Brother" doesn't play well with others, and plays somewhat dirty at that. I will share a little-known insight: RCA got their little hands slapped with a 10 million dollar fine for payola. Most of us in the music biz consider that fine a joke. Majors can cover that in a week or less. I use RCA here because they are just one of the ones I read about. Since that time, the labels say the payola game has stopped. I would venture to say that is untrue. I'm guessing, now mind you, but would be willing to bet on the horse by the name of "Untrue" if he was in a horse race. If all the "look the other way" business has stopped, then why are the large market FM's still playing the same 20 songs over and over… and over? When nothing changes, then nothing changes, get it?! It is business as usual. What really P.O.'s me is that You The People do not count with the record labels or large-market FMs because if you did, the programming would be directed more with you in mind. I can talk about this because I know nothing is going to change with them, and truth be told, I do not want it to change now. That is why I am speaking out publicly for you, the fan, to read. Let them keep doing what they're doing. They are liberating the independent labels – freedom it is a coming; it has already begun! FM radio has been, still is, unfair to independents. In fact, un-American, however, the majors have less and less influence as time goes along. Several reasons. The first one, the big number 1. You The People. People just like you are fed up with being fed the same blain half-done music sounding like bad 70s pop. Number 2 is the advertisers. People who advertise with radio are beginning to realize they aren't getting results from the ads they are running on radio. The reason goes back to number 1, You The People. The people have turned off the radio. There is hardly anyone listening to radio FM these days. Oh, you have the drive time, and the check-the-weather folks, and you have a few who have it on for background noise, but they're not really listening. How I know this is by having done many radio tours and getting to know that the same ones call in all the time… not many folks listening. Couple other ways I know this… Folks in the business of entertainment complaining, along with the advertisers, so back to the advertisers. I have had 2 different companies tell me they were dissatisfied with radio ads, bad results from it. One was a new car dealer, the other was a jewelry store. Two companies completely on the other end of the pendulum, and in 2 different states. Evidence that radio FM is losing its grip on the American public. They can't dictate to You The People as they have in the past, or at least they won't be able to for much longer. If you doubt what I'm saying, here's a little test to try. Call up one of those Clear Channel stations and ask them to play Royal Wade Kimes. They'll say they don't have my songs or they will act like they don't know who I am. Here is a list of my albums, so don't let them kid ya.
All of which can be found on my website. Most all the stations have my music, and if they don't have it, what does that tell you? I think the word BINGO works here. You caught them! They do not care what you want to hear; they have the 20-30 songs they are told to play, and you will listen or else. The other thing that is just as crazy as this… Let's say you live in Kansas, or maybe Arkansas, would you believe that someone in Atlanta, or some other state, is tell them what you want to hear? They are to play that, and if they vary, well jobs are on the line. Folks, the poor souls who work at radio today do not have any power. The title they have as PD (Program Director) and MD (Music Director) has been rendered completely worthless. Now that you know change is coming, and they can't dictate to you as strongly as before, I have an announcement to make. That would be the 3rd reason the majors have less power and influence. Number 3: They can't dictate to the independent recording artist like they have in the past because of XM radio. XM radio will, and does, play independent music. They have gone back to the old school, and that is: "If it's good, and we like it, we're going to play it." What a concept! Friends, that is called freedom. The people of America who have been deprived of good radio programs playing great music do not have to settle for that anymore. If you have XM or Sirius, I urge you to email them and thank them for playing independents. Tell them how much you appreciate the great music and programming. They don't ask anyone from some other state if it's all right; they step up to the pump and "play, baby, play!!" One other things I would like to impress upon you about independents' music and craft. An independent has to write a better song, melody, and have better material than the major. The reason… he or she can't compete with the millions of dollars a major will pour into a black hole. He or she has to depend on his or her ability alone. He or she has to write and perform the song better in order to have any kind of chance to compete with the big yard dogs. By the way, big yard dogs become big yard dogs by money, not necessarily talent. I'm not saying they do not have talent… quite the contrary. But they wouldn't be big yard dogs without the endless flow of cash. If they had to play on the same field with some of the independents that I have come to know… well, they would have to go sit down. A lot of money can make someone look and sound a lot better than he or she is. There is a 2nd reason why the radio FM and majors can't dictate to the independents, and that is… the melt down of the good major artists who have had enough of the major labels' BS and have started their own record labels. This will be a continuing movement. Now, last, but not least, is number 3: technology. Yes, the world of technology has leveled the playing field for the independent. Think about it, every time I sell a record on iTunes or CD Baby, that's just one download or record the majors didn't sell. You know why this is happening? Because You The People can now find us and have access to us, and there isn't one darn thing the majors can do about it. Yes, Wonderment Records was formed under a rebellion for freedom, and I am happy to say that freedom has come, and life is being breathed into it by You The People. I want to thank you for that. Every time you buy an independent record, you just bought in the name of freedom. Oh, we're not completely free of the tyrants in the biz yet, but freedom is coming. We'll see more independents reaching their arms out for freedom in the coming years, and it will all be because of You The People. In closing, I would like to tell you of a conversation I had recently. Somebody asked me why I was writing this. My answer was, "Well, I'm a cowboy first, and cowboys don't cotton to being pushed around. We call it like we see it." I guess big brother can push those around that are afraid to stand up because it might mess with a career, or they're afraid they'll lose their fragile position. I don't want to live like that. I can't live like that. I hope this sheds some light on the subject of FM radio and record labels for you. Discover the world of XM and Sirius radio – you'll be glad you did! Thank you and may God bless you, Royal Wade Kimes is a writer/singer/recording artist for Wonderment Records, achieving platinum and gold record status. He has won the Will Rogers Award twice, has been named best album by True West Magazine, and named one of the top 2 albums of the year on XM Channel 10 America. He is the author of a novel, igniting a hot topic, "Eminent Domain and Old Man Smith." Royal Wade has his own radio show on XM satellite radio, which begins airing in 2008. To learn more about Royal Wade Kimes, visit www.royalwadekimes.com or www.mountroyaltrailride.com. You can also find Royal Wade Kimes' music on CD Baby and Amazon, to name a few. |