Theunionrecords’s Weblog

Thanks to Mike D, we learned last night that No Depression is calling it quits.

Here’s a message we found on their website:

“As we announced in this space a couple months ago, our May-June issue will be the final print edition of No Depression magazine.”

This follows on  the heels of the farewell from Harp Magazine.  Here is more about that:

“Monday, March 17, 2008 – Harp Magazine, which started as a roots/Americana magazine, is closing its doors.

In an email sent last week, editor Scott Crawford wrote, “It’s with a really heavy heart that I even have to write this. As many of you know, our cash flow had slowed recently. Due to various factors, including the current newsstand magazine slump, the majority shareholders of Guthrie Inc. Harp’s parent company, have decided to declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy.” (Country Standard Time)

The internet takes the blame on this one, as Magazine Love reports “Many media people expect more magazine closures as the web drains off advertisers and readers. Unlike TV, newspapers and radio, magazines won’t see much of the record political spending expected this year, and continued softness in the economy will hurt a number of categories.”

The only question is whether this trend will ripple its way all the way to the top.

In the music industry, this is part of a trend of the www taking down the establishment.  iTunes and digital downloads has crushed the traditional method of selling cds, creating closures of long standing record shops (Ozone and NW Music Millen. in Portland, for example).

I also can remember a not too distant time when folks thought books would go the same route after a year’s slump in sales and the closures of bookstores.

Like all things, I think a shake up in the economy in the US is inevitable.  And there are more, larger big scaries on the horizon as the boomers begin to say so long to labor force.  A shortage in the labor force means that we may be real, real glad that we consolidated media.

We’ll keep monitoring this issue and continue to report!

Yes, its true, we are looking at acquiring some new bands to our roster.

However, as it is a long and lengthy process, we are no longer accepting submissions.

What is the process you may wonder?

1.  Gatekeeper-One of us looks at a submission and sees if it passes the basics…ie, is it alt or mainstream, does the band have a good track record of experience, do they seem to fit with in our DIT ethic (do it together), and finally is their music listenable.

2.  Beginning of panel discussions-We all look at the submission individually and spend some time pondering it.  We may share a brief word about the acts.  We also get in touch with acts that we are really interested in to suss them out.

3.  Go see them live-This is pretty important to get a good feel for an act.

4.  More panel discussions-We talk about our “findings” thus far.

5.  If we are going to consider making an offer, this is where we sit down with a band and discuss.  We provide our boilerplate contract for them to look over.  That helps make negotiations more tangible.

Its not rocket science, but a process really does help keep everyone objective.

Massy Ferguson from Seattle, WA.

Sounds like WhiskeyTown & Wilco.