Independent record labels and digital distribution are two critical factors in the future of the music industry. MusicReview caught up with Clyde Becker, owner of independent label Sore Thumb Productions, and discussed his career, business, and the issues around DRM.

It says on your website that you set up sound systems for the likes of George Benson, Al Jarreau, Chris Brown and Oprah Winfrey. Tell us a bit more about that experience.

Just as I completed college, I worked as a freelance sound engineer for various sound companies. I was flown to Durban and started rigging the R30 million Meyer Sound system at The ICC. After seven days of working in gruelling hot weather, climbing treacherous rigs and catwalks, and getting only five hours of sleep a night, George Benson & Al Jurreau finally got on stage and rocked the crowd of 25000 plus!

I was also fortunate enough to meet Chris Brown and have coffee with Oprah Winfrey at her acclaimed School for Girls in Henley On Klip. We were setting up a surprise Chris Brown performance for the girls and also a full week of dance lessons and music classes which went off without a hitch. Having worked with Chris, Oprah and her team so closely for a week was an incredible experience, and is one that I will not soon forget.

What is your musical background?

Well, I started playing acoustic guitar at the age of 13 on my friend’s dad’s guitar. My mom bought me my first guitar a year later and I didn’t look back.

After high school, my dad sent me to a music college to pursue my adolescent dream of becoming a rock star. My family always encouraged me to pursue my goals and for that I am forever grateful. At college, I ended up learning jazz guitar with the renowned jazz musician, Bheki Khoza, for two years. It changed my entire outlook on music and had me play guitar that even a musician such as John Mayer would most likely appreciate. More importantly, I was writing my own material.

I then realised that if I was to succeed in the music industry I needed to learn exactly how music is produced, recorded and broadcast onto radio. So I went on to acquire a Diploma in Sound Engineering and Music Business and received the Student of the Year award along with various trophies and certificates. This inspired me to experiment with various genres of music and realise that I had a talent at producing. Wanting to exploit my newly found skills I started Sore Thumb Productions and the rest is history.

Going on two years old this year, Sore Thumb Productions has already acquired an American artist called DevonSol and has recorded some amazing local artists, such as Oran Cohen, whose debut album is being released this year.

Tell us a bit more about your record label.

In 2008, it was estimated that online stores such as iTunes made $1.5 billion as compared to just $70 million in wireless sales (CD’s), I think it is fair to assume that the market is turning to a digital age. Gone are the days where the consumer will spend his extra money on a CD, when he can easily download his favourite song for less than a dollar. Sore Thumb Productions recognises that the industry is changing and as a result has implemented a strategy that benefits both the artist and the label.

With the entire manufacturing process eliminated, this means that there is a lot more money to spend on what is really important, recognition and marketing. All Sore Thumb Productions releases are via digital distribution channels such as CD Baby, eMusic and plenty more online stores worldwide. With this process the label is able to spend more on marketing and advertising. The artist is, however, still welcome to acquire their own distribution and publishing deals.

Sore Thumb Productions ensures that each production is of the highest quality and promises excellent artist/label service. We feel that this separates us from the rest just as the slogan suggests: “Coz we stick out!”

You’ve mentioned to me before that one of your goals is to sign up talented South African artists and spread them across the globe via digital distribution channels. Don’t you think that digital distribution will increase the rate of piracy even more?

Piracy is always a factor in today’s market, although it does force us to combat the situation by fighting back. Piracy affects labels and artists most when the labels do not see a return from manufacturing and CD distribution costs. In fact, this is a common cause as to why most record labels close doors with in their first few years of being opened. The age of CDs is fading and the digital realm is taking over, with or without us.

People are more susceptible to pirating a full album just because they like a particular song on an album. When the song is only $0.99 it makes it easier just to buy it than to go through the hassles of downloading it from a friend’s hard drive.

The talent in this country now at least get a chance to sell their music and get paid for their hard work.

How do you plan on packaging your digital releases?

Each release is packaged with the album artwork upon download, even if you purchase a single song.

Here is a step by step method on how to purchase your favourite song:

Step 1: Purchase the album or single of your choice.
Step 2: Receive a link to download the artwork and the album or single.
Step 3: After the download, cut a CD for yourself just like you would find in stores or just put the songs on your iPod and off you go!

The method differs from online store to online store but this is as easy as it gets.

Even though digital music eliminates the tedious process of distribution and possibly even labels, Apple still owns a huge share of the DRM market. Will musicians ever be truly free of big company influence in their art?

Digital Rights Management is rapidly being done away with when it comes to online music. Apple iTunes, Amazon, Napster and many more online stores are now offering DRM free mp3s and even major record labels are releasing music online that is DRM free. In my opinion, this issue doesn’t affect the artist in any way other than piracy. Which as previously mentioned will undoubtedly be a problem with anything digital around the world.

Online distribution stores would much rather agree to a royalty percentage with record labels than have to deal with the troubles of DRM.

Where can our readers find out more about you?

Everyone interested to find out more about the label, its artists and productions or myself can go to www.sorethumbproductions.com or www.clydebecker.com.  You can contact me directly at clyde@sorethumbproductions.com and info@clydebecker.com.

You can follow my tweets on www.twitter.com/clydebecker

Check out these links too:

www.reverbnation.com/label/sorethumbproductions
www.myspace.com/sorethumbprodlabel

- Sergio Pereira
sergio@musicreview.co.za
www.twitter.com/scpereira
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