Profile for cakelover - Confessions of a Major Record Label Intern

cakelover aka Spencer B. is a 18.29 year old boy, has been a member since June 30, 2008, has scored 41 submissions, giving an average score of 2.56.

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Jul 03 '08 by cakelover

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Confessions of a Major Record Label Intern

I could probably get kicked out for this, because I'm posting this from work (my boss actually walked by twice while I was typing this), but I feel like I need to let it out. I intern at one of the "big four" record labels (I'm not saying which), and I just have to admit that I just washed all of my values down the drain.

The bulk of my work today and yesterday revolved around something which I personally hate, which I guess makes me a hypocrite. I have to go into all sorts of indie music blogs and post positive comments about bands on the label for which I work. I can just feel the hate curdling in the stomachs of bloggers whose work I read every day and respect deeply.

Forgive me, indie music gods. I have sinned.

Torakamikaze on Jul 03 '08 at 11:56am

i intern at a cargo pants outlet and am always forced to go in star wars blogs talk about how great cargo pants wouldve been for jedis

spacesick 2 on Jul 03 '08 at 12:10pm

it's true. I'm a mod at one of the "big four" star wars fansites (I'm not saying which), and I've had to block tora at least once a month since attack of the clones came out.

WarDrobeInSpareOom on Jul 03 '08 at 12:13pm

Cargo pants would've been great for Jedis!

Wiffler on Jul 03 '08 at 12:13pm

I always have to blog about penises.

skeev on Jul 03 '08 at 12:16pm

There was a great article written awhile back by a guy that worked at Victory Records describing all the ways that owner finds to screw the bands. It was removed with threat of legal action but it's still around on the net.

maddingo on Jul 03 '08 at 12:17pm

The bulk of my work today and yesterday revolved around something which I personally hate, which I guess makes me a hypocrite. I have to go into all sorts of indie music blogs and post positive comments about bands on the label for which I work. I can just feel the hate curdling in the stomachs of bloggers whose work I read every day and respect deeply.

BHAAHAHAHAA... welcome to adulthood... on the work revolving around something you hate bit.

also...I am SHOCKED NO REALLY FUCKING SHOOOOOCKED that record labels would be sinking to such levels to hype crappy (or even not crappy) bands.

I mean since the beginning it has been a industry of such high integrity

cakelover on Jul 03 '08 at 12:20pm

Yeah :-P

Mr Anonymous on Jul 03 '08 at 12:21pm

i'm so disillusioned.

shirtflirt on Jul 03 '08 at 12:21pm

BHAAHAHAHAA... welcome to adulthood... on the work revolving around something you hate bit.

don't listen to him, you don't have to settle for working doing something you hate.

there's still four record labels left?

skeev on Jul 03 '08 at 12:22pm

Technically, three.

Kookaberry on Jul 03 '08 at 12:25pm

When you grow up, your soul dies.

maddingo on Jul 03 '08 at 12:26pm

for the record shirt you hippy jackass ... I don't hate what i do in general however it has moments in which the only thing I can logically conclude is "I WENT TO COLLEGE FOR THIS SHIT!"

I may not have worded it entirely properly but I think (almost) everyone has moments where they really hate what they have to do for work even if in the larger picture they like what they do.

Mr Anonymous on Jul 03 '08 at 12:27pm

not me, i work in computers, its hard to breach your ethcs while configuring a router.

cakelover on Jul 03 '08 at 12:29pm

Well everybody and their mother has an indie record label, but in terms of major labels, there are four "big ones": (in descending order by sales) Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Entertainment, EMI Group, and Warner Music Group. Then within each of those four are tons of smaller labels operating within the group, like Geffen under Universal or Atlantic under Warner.

Then if you want to look higher, each of the "big four" is owned by an even bigger conglomerate. I'm not sure about all of them, but I do know that Universal is owned by Vivendi and Warner is owned by NewsCorp.

wotto on Jul 03 '08 at 12:29pm

i like what i do too

maddingo on Jul 03 '08 at 12:29pm

Oh yeah... what if you employer wants you to monitor the user monkies ...or more namely install software for them to spy on the user monkies??

if all you are doing is network hardware maybe not...but there are definitely ethical challanges to be had in IT.

Monkey III on Jul 03 '08 at 12:30pm

sell
out

Mr Anonymous on Jul 03 '08 at 12:31pm

i'm self-employed. my boss is a jack-ass.

skeev on Jul 03 '08 at 12:32pm

Whatever pays the rent.

maddingo on Jul 03 '08 at 12:32pm

remember ethics are for people who don't drive a Mercedes

Mr Anonymous on Jul 03 '08 at 12:35pm

hey, i didn't say i was successful, i'm dirt poor and way in debt. being self employed totally sucks.

V1ctorya on Jul 03 '08 at 12:36pm

I get to go to meetings about what happens if there's ever a cure for cancer. Cause if that happens, a lot of people are out of work.

Mr Anonymous on Jul 03 '08 at 12:37pm

cancer is good for the economy

Robin.NJ on Jul 03 '08 at 12:38pm

Unfortunately the fun jobs where you can keep your ethics intact don't pay well. You've got to make the call.

I would bet most people have had to either let go of their ethics at some moment. The other option is you speak up for what you believe in while some kiss-ass with no ethics who'll do anything so the company makes money gets promoted instead of you. And then you plot revenge and start sending out resumes.

It took me 8+ years but i finally found a job where i get paid well and can keep my ethics.

.MINUS. on Jul 03 '08 at 12:41pm

skeev on Jul 03 '08 at 12:16pm
There was a great article written awhile back by a guy that worked at Victory Records describing all the ways that owner finds to screw the bands. It was removed with threat of legal action but it's still around on the net.

I WOULD LOVE TO READ THAT. I took a quick look for it and couldn't find anything.

cakelover on Jul 03 '08 at 12:49pm

Yeah, I'd like to compare that to where I am now...

shirtflirt on Jul 03 '08 at 12:49pm

haha, eff the whole 'welcome to adulthood' mentality.

dingo, too many people hate going to work, getting up in the morning, etc...it's a plague. an unnecessary one.

skeev on Jul 03 '08 at 12:53pm

.MINUS. on Jul 03 '08 at 12:41pm

I WOULD LOVE TO READ THAT. I took a quick look for it and couldn't find anything.

I have a hard time locating anything in the office because of the internet filters.

On Google search 'Ramsey Dean The Horror Victory Records".

The first link for Digg.com doesn't have the article anymore but they link to a blog that is supposed to have it. Also the second link for motokoaoyama.com seems to have it.

If niether of those work I have it saved as a doc and can create a blog for it or email it to you.

cakelover on Jul 03 '08 at 2:05pm

Okay, I feel a little bit better now that I'm using the company's internet connection to download music from blogs. :-P

.MINUS. on Jul 03 '08 at 2:46pm

Got it thanks skeev!

Framble on Jul 03 '08 at 2:49pm

This is so Sony....

Malcolm Man on Jul 03 '08 at 2:51pm

My soul has been raped three times this month at work. I have raped the souls of the grunts below me at least five times this month.

It's a cycle.

fatheed on Jul 03 '08 at 2:55pm

So, are you the guy responsible for the success of Rocket Summer?

cakelover on Jul 03 '08 at 4:12pm

Fortunately, no.

stubby43 on Jul 03 '08 at 4:22pm

V1ctorya, you really have to go to meetings about that, that sucks. My dad tries to cure cancer for a living.

I get paid to tell people the camera their thinking of buying is the best thing since sliced bread, that there are big differences between the point and shoot cameras and that their going to last along time.

The truth is most of the point and click camera's that are within peoples budget (usually £200 and under) are exactly the same and people always fall for megapixels they think the more megapixels the better when in reality 8 megapixels is the most you'll need for a standard size photo (6 by 4, 7 by 5).

And new cameras come out every month.

Torakamikaze on Jul 03 '08 at 4:27pm

cakelover on Jul 05 '08 at 12:41am

Yeah, I read the article, and it's kinda nothing like where I work. But it's sort of the same basic principle?

Jebbie on Jul 05 '08 at 12:47am

work = doing something that isnt fun.. it's why you get paid.

Krakaboom on Jul 05 '08 at 1:09am

I worked for a bank for three months and had to persuade all our customers to come in for a 'customer review' where we would sell them everything, ranging from credit cards to home insurance and mortgages.

Man, I hated that so much.

SnakeMan on Jul 05 '08 at 1:17am

so do you work for warner then?

jpiatt on Jul 05 '08 at 1:50am

Who cares...the music industry is dead for all practical purposes.
I can't believe they waste their time having people like you do this to be honest. What's the point? Sending some kid into a blog to be like "OMG, fer realz! I

stefakn on Jul 05 '08 at 2:24am

I'm a minor record label intern!

It's laid-back, I don't compromise my morals. We discuss LSD and I fix up computers. The other intern buys me lunch and promises to get me a record player. I suspect a trap.

7 days later

cakelover on Jul 12 '08 at 11:17pm

I kinda wanna work for an indie label...it's probably cooler than major labels because there tend to be better bands (in my opinion, at least). I'd be stoked to work for one of the indie giants like Matador...

stefakn on Jul 13 '08 at 5:26pm

Unfortunately, I don't work for an indie label either. We're pretty much everything, what we need to sign to survive. Basically, I need money, and experience, and an easy job. I don't really mention the name of the label to people.

J-Ray on Jul 13 '08 at 6:03pm

What makes a record label 'indie'?

I agree with shirtflirt about the whole "welcome to adulthood" thing.

kissmeimshitfaced on Jul 13 '08 at 6:08pm

cakelover props for actually posting this... I knew the large labels were jerks but it's good to have semi-solid evidence. Much love.

shakethesheets on Jul 13 '08 at 6:13pm

lol @ "indie giant"

gtoast99 on Jul 13 '08 at 6:16pm

You should go home after work, and make a new login name for the message boards you posted on at work, and talk crap about the bands to even out your karma.

17 days later

cakelover on Jul 31 '08 at 5:09pm

This is super late, but @J-Ray:

A label is "indie" if it is...

A) Not a direct member of any of the "big four" music groups (again: Universal Music Group, Sony-BMG, Warner Music Group, and EMI),

or...

B) Not distributed by any of the aforementioned "major labels."

So, while a label may operate independently of the "big four," it can still be considered a major label if it's distributed by one of the big ones. For example, I think the Starbucks record label is run by Starbucks but distributed by Universal, which technically makes it a major label.

jayrawz on Jul 31 '08 at 5:12pm

im in one of the bands u were talking about on those blogs.. im PISSED!!

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I haven't submitted any photos. I guess I don't want free money.

I'm a TEENAGER. I take PHOTOS and collect weird CAMERAS. Note the bold vocab words, you will be quizzed on them later.

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