Hello everyone, how’s it going?

As you read from the title, I got rejected today. Don’t worry, though. This is not a mopey-type blog post, nor one rife with complaining, nor anything to deal with love. I didn’t get rejected by a job or romantic pursuit. I got rejected by Century Media Records. Well, more specifically, my music did.

If you didn’t know, I’ve dabbed in the composition and making of metal music, namely the sub-genres of folk and industrial metal. Such dabbling over the past four years has led to three full-length albums of varying degrees of compositional and technical skill. (My first two albums were made entirely of computer sounds. Fuck yeah. \m/)

All musicians, artists, or just creative people trying to make content face roadblocks and loads of rejection. That is simply how it is. I’m no stranger to this, nor the bewilderment that comes along with people when I show them my works. One administrator of an online folk-metal forum took a look at my computer-midi band and said “I don’t know what to think… .” Let’s just say I made him speechless.

Despite this history of confusion and rejection, I was (and still am) feeling pretty good about my newest batch of industrial metal songs, the second half of what will be Fadenfreude’s second album. After recording them this last February, and liking what I was hearing, I decided that maybe, when the record is all done and whatever, I should totally mail it off to record companies and see if I could nab a record deal. I mean why not at least try it? You never know, right?

After looking up a couple labels of some bands I like, I stumbled upon Century Media Records’ website, and noticed that their USA office was in walking distance from my apartment/recording studio/film studio/place I pass out in. Can you fucking believe it? Not only was their office in the USA within walking distance, but their only office in this here western hemisphere! Right down the fucking street. So how could I NOT submit my demo? And hey, since they are so close, why not submit it in person?

The website instructs to mail the demos, but because I don’t like following instructions, and because I live like right there, I decided to just turn the thing over in person. After asking if they had any open positions and hearing they had none, I returned the next week with five copies of my 4-track demo. I don’t know why I made five copies. I guess I was just excited to share some music, so I thought “why not give it out to as many people there as possible?!” Free metal! Free metal for everyone!

So I waited two weeks before returning, which was today. Their website states they will contact anyone if they love said person’s music. They didn’t call me, so I decided to wait outside the locked door until some dude came in. I got that dude to get a hold of the two guys I’d given the metal to and it was with seemingly great reluctance that we had a little discussion about my demo.

The guy to my right told me that the recording was “just so rough” and that he couldn’t even hear if the music was good or not. He expressed to me to get the free audio-mixing program Audacity (I already have it). The guy to my left said that the fact the metal is in another language, like, having that whole language barrier, could be a problem. (I never listen to metal for the lyrics, but some people do. . .apparently?) He also told me that, next time when I submit, I shouldn’t just write on a blank disc with a Sharpie. (Cost efficient but no profesional).

With head held pretty much the same way as when I went in (level, not up nor down), I departed, and returned to my home/recording studio/messy room/messy recording studio and wrote this. Sure, I was rejected (like no duh), but in that short little talk, they did tell me some things, like “get better recording”, “get a better mixer”, and “print out your CDs”, which basically translates to “make more money, make more money,” and “make more money.” Which kinda sucks, but oh well. At least they didn’t say anything about the music sucking, but rather the quality of the recording.

Looking back, (well, not that I even have much to look back on. It has been like less than an hour,) I’m still happy with the result. Of course I was going to get rejected. It’s very-roughly-recorded metal. It’s in German. It’s not even a real band. I’ve never performed live. It’s just me diddling around in my room. Even the bands with high production value, and tons of gigs, and tons of fans get turned away.

But at least I tried, which is essentially the theme of this little piece, and which, I think is something you have to do when you’re a budding creative person.  Record stuff in your room and then take it in to an international record label. Why not? Wait outside until someone walks out and then slip inside to be heard. This is how George Lazenby got to be James fucking Bond. Don’t endanger anyone, for sure, but if you won’t go to silly and ridiculous lengths for your own works, no one else will. At least that’s what I’ve heard from all the successful artists I admire today. Sure, I might make people shake their heads in confusion, but now I can say that I have submitted a demo to a record label, which is pretty damn cool.

The guy to my right told me that I should get Audacity and save up some money. Money is always a struggle, but audacity? If anything, I have too much!

-Casey of the (roughly-recorded) Fadenfreude

P.S. Now that Century Media won’t be putting out my record (like no duh), I’ll be doing it myself. So be prepared for the marketing blitz I’m going to bombard you all with when these 11 (or 12?) tracks are finished! It’s gonna be pretty great, I think. I might even throw a launch party. It might be BYOBW (Bring Your Own Box-Wine), though, just saying.

Follow me on Twitter!: https://twitter.com/CaseyPoma

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