Vanity makes up the majority of the new nonpop recording market (as well as many books). You can even look at it this way: if it's not, from the start, *intended* to make back 100% of its investment plus a profit, then it's either a loss leader (certainly not nonpop), a speculative investment (also not nonpop), or a vanity production.
I'm not saying there's a moral or ethical judgment that should be made ... though some will, depending on how vain the production appears to be. :) To me, the free market is not a theocracy, and those of us who have spent the better portion of our lives as artists are familiar with the survival issues and sacrifices, and probably know somewhere inside that it's all about vanity anyway.
I have to agree with you there, though for my owm projects I try to shift SOME of the ego onto the music. Instead of "I'm doing this for me and my greater glory" (though there is merit there as well) I try as much as possible to say to myself "This is what this music needs." Many of my musical heroes, including Duke Ellington, spent their own money from their commerical successes to forward their art music.
I have worked on real, 100% vanity projects for other people, often very well funded, and I have to say I didn't hate the work, even from an artistic point of view. I had a LOT of freedom, I had mostly my pick of musicians, and I was able to concentrate on purely artistic affairs instead of being sidetracked by finances and promotion. Plus, from a purely egotistical point of view, I was appreciated more than I am used to. Also, from a professional point of view, I and my capabilities were put on display for everyone who worked on the project. Not a bad thing, either.
At 06:36 AM 9/19/03 -0400, David H. Bailey wrote:Do it yourself or not at all, in my opinion.
I'd go with that.
Dennis
I think you and David are right, especially for me, who am not afraid to do it on my own.
Thanks
Christopher _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
