I started to feel like it got to point where it wasn't fun anymore because I was trying to figure out the right business situation. You got to weed out the snakes to see who's really trying to trick you. You have to understand the music business, knowing that when you look at it, it was never designed for the artist to benefit fully. It was really designed for a record label to benefit. But when you look at all the infinite possibilities of change that can occur within the structure of business, that's when I said, "Okay, I can make this work for me."
I see. So how did you find your way to Hidden Beach?
Well, I've known Steve McKeever for several years. I did my research on Hidden Beach – what kind of artists they have, how they're set up, how they're structured. What they're striving to provide for us as artists and, ultimately, providing for the public is they are really big on allowing artists to be who they are. Like, "Come as you are," literally. They're job is to direct every resource that will help you get your music to where it can be. I remember when I got to the second album on LaFace, their attention and resources were not being focused. Then I had a few situations with independents. One was run properly but they didn't apply their funding and marketing ideas because they had a misconception of what they thought they needed to do. Then I had this last one before this record who had money but was afraid to really apply resources. So that's how I made my way to Hidden Beach.
When I talked to Steve, I knew what kind of music and artist he was looking for – real artists, real music. This time it's going to be a perfect fit with Hidden Beach because of the way I was, what I wanted to do, what I wanted to achieve. All independents have the flexibility to be more creative in their marketing ideas and their promotional ideas. When it comes to signing, they sign who they want and not be pressured by, "Oh, we need to sign this guy because we need to have this type of artist because the other label doesn't have that." Don't go to a label that's not going to get it. Go to someone who specializes in eclectic things, things that are different. I'm excited about my relationship with Hidden Beach. It's going to be a true partnership. It's not a thing where I'm just a signed artist.
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