Daniel Glass
If you want to sign to a label…
Last night we went out to dinner with Daniel Glass and his wife, and then to see Glassnote’s new signing, Givers, at the Bootleg Theatre.
We met at Craig’s.
Craig’s is the new hip joint on Melrose. And the story is important. Because Craig used to be the maitre d’ at Dan Tana’s, which J.D. Souther just went on record as being the inspiration for the Eagles’ "Sad Cafe". It’s right next to the Troubadour. It’s been the hip joint forever.
But Dan Tana, the owner, wouldn’t forge a succession plan, he wouldn’t make Craig the owner.
So Craig set up shop a few blocks away. Took his rolodex and boy is the place jumping. I’ve been there twice and both times I had imperfect meals (although last night’s chocolate bread pudding was INCREDIBLE!), but there’s a vibe, that this is where it’s happening.
And upon being shown our booth, Daniel stopped by to speak with the people sitting next to us. Unrecognizable to me, they turned out to be the infrastructure at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
They used to work at the Beverly Wilshire. Daniel stayed there.
Then he got a phone call, they were up and moving to the Beverly Hills Hotel. Did he want to come along?
Loyalty. It’s everything if you’re a businessman. Daniel said yes.
And these people take care of him. All those perks, all those extras, Daniel gets them. By being friendly. He even invited one of them to the show, and he came! I wouldn’t have the chutzpah!
That’s what Daniel’s got. Chutzpah. He’ll ask when someone else will not.
In other words, a label is run by people. You can sign with a guy who can talk music all day, is great to get high with, but what are his relationships, will he go the extra mile for you and him? Is he cunning without turning people off?
The nineties school was record label exec as king. Everyone bow down to the grand pooh-bah. And some of those people remain. Along with worker bees who are told what to do and can barely say yes.
Which is why so many people want to be with an indie.
But does that indie have major label chops?
After sitting down, Daniel reeled off the stations that were playing Second Serenade. Sure, he’s working me, he’s showing his promotion roots. And I never listen to terrestrial radio, I find it condescending and interminable, but if you’re going to play this game…you’ve got to be with someone who knows it, someone who can get Gene Sandbloom to the gig, which Daniel did, and Chris Douridas too.
Yes, Givers, Daniel’s band, had appeared on "Morning Becomes Eclectic" that morning. And I don’t listen to KCRW, but there are so many self-satisfied tastemakers who do and this is the easiest way to reach them. I’ve got to believe that’s why the gig was full. The KCRW imprimatur.
Not that that was the only incentive. But the rest of the incentives are unclear. All Daniel could say was "The Internet". That vast world of links. I tweeted I was at the gig and people tweeted back that they were there and came up and said hi and that’s what the networked world is like. And if you’re not networked, you’re gonna have a hell of a hard time making it.
Ultimately Givers played four gigs yesterday. From the morning to the evening. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll. They travel in a van, towing a trailer. If you think that’s glamorous, you probably revere Snooki as the height of decorum and fashion.
But the band wants to make it. And this is what you’ve got to do.
And today they’re down in San Diego doing Sunset Sessions and then tomorrow they’re in Phoenix.
Will Givers break?
Time will tell.
But Daniel Glass is not on anybody’s payroll but his own. If his bands don’t succeed, he’s out of luck. He’s not raping and pillaging, he’s building. He’s not signing bands as favors, it has to be about the music, because not only is his reputation on the line, but his wallet.
The game is changing. But if you want to get your feet into the old game, you’ve got to know someone who understands it, who’s got an investment in it, who knows how to play it. There are tons of fired employees who will take your money to do publicity and promotion, but ask them to work on spec and you’ll get a bunch of nos.
Daniel Glass is working on spec.
And that makes him hungry.
His track record speaks for itself.
