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Cari Gray: Featured Artist

Cari logoHey y’all!  Music City is one of the greatest hubs of creativity in the World, not just for the music for which the city gained its nickname from but for artists of every cree.  The Record Shop is very excited to get to share some of the great local talent that Nashville has to offer.  We had the privilege of chatting with Cari Gray, a local artist who specializes in hand-carved, vinyl record sculptures.  A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Cari moved to Nashville back in 2005 to complete her degree in the Music Business from MTSU, and currently works at Sony Music Nashville.  The Record Shop first met Cari a few weeks ago at the Tomato Art Festival in East Nashville.  Our Master in Chief, Sean Giovanni, saw a piece Cari had carved in the shape of his home state Michigan that now proudly hangs in the confines of our Nashville Recording Studio.

The Record Shop: How long have you been an artist?  What got you started?

Cari Gray: I have always been pretty creative and crafty and I would rather be doing something productive than watching tv or reading a book.  Unless it’s shark week.  Then all bets are off.  I just started cutting records this past December; I’ve made record bowls and bracelets out of vinyl in the past but never just cut one up.  CariI made the state of Texas for a girl at work and it turned out pretty good.  She put it up at her desk and before I knew it 10 other co-workers wanted their home states cut.  Tomatofest was the first time I displayed my records and it was a blast and was super successful. It’s nice being appreciated for your work, especially when you just fall into it like I did.

 

RS: Who are some of your biggest inspirations?

CG: I like all kinds of art and there are so many talented people in Nashville. But I don’t know anyone who hand cuts records like I do. I’ve heard of people laser cutting records because people always ask me if I do, but every record is different because they are hand cut.  And, I honestly wouldn’t know what to do with a laser anyhow.

RS: Do you spare certain, special records from becoming pieces, or are they all fair game?

CG: Everything is fair game.  I try to match the state with the artist or a track on the record as best as I can.  For instance, if I cut a Texas record I would try to find an artist from there like Willie Nelson.

RS: Do you remember the first record you carved?

CG: I don’t remember which artist was on the first record I cut.  I know it was an RCA Victor record though, and we work for RCA.  So, that’s why I chose that one.

RS: How do you decide on what to carve out of a record?

CariCG: I like to cut states out of the records because I feel like most people that I’ve met here aren’t from Nashville so people like to represent their home state.  I know I do.  But, that’s the great thing about Nashville.  Artists come from all over for music and whatever else.  I was a 20 year old once who moved up here to be a singer too, like a lot of other people.

I also like to cut out random silhouettes, animals, and musical artists.  I love Michael Jackson so I’ve cut a few out of him.  I honestly just cut out whatever I like.  It could be a unicorn if that’s the way I’m feeling that day.  I just google whatever I want and try to find an outline for it, and if I can’t Find what I want I just free hand draw it.

RS: What records have you playing, instead of carving?

CariCG: I listen to all kinds of music, literally.  I work in country music, but my husband [Jeff Shields] is the lead singer of two rock bands (Stereoside and Stone Glory) so I listen to his stuff a lot also.  So if I finish something cool, I go in the music room to make sure he thinks it’s just as cool because I am so new at this whole record cutting thing.  Then I return to the craft room with my safety glasses covered in vinyl dust.  So it works out pretty well.  I  have a good collection of vinyl, mostly rock n’ roll, Sam Cooke and Michael Jackson.  Lately, I’ve been listening to The Wild Feathers and a lot of other local bands.  We are so spoiled here in nashville.

Spoiled indeed.  Nashville is a truly remarkable town full of incredibly talented artists like Carilyn Gray.  If you like Cari’s work as much as we do, and how could you not, you can click HERE to go to  her website where you can view and purchase her work!

 

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Thank you for spending some time with us here in The Record Shop!  Be sure to follow and chat with us on Twitter, @therecordshop, for daily updates from Gio & the Henchmen.  We’ll see you next time!

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Why Artists Should Move To Nashville Now

NashvilleOver the last few years, Nashville’s music scene has elevated itself into international recognition due to the density of both the music business and the creative guitar-pickers, ballad belters, and session gods whose music graces the ears of locals and visitor alike.  The Nashville Skyline is alive with the sound of music!  Everywhere you go you are bound to hear music radiating from the local bars or some beautiful soul busking on the street corner.  Music is love.  Music is life.  We’d go so far as to argue that there is no other city in the world that is more involved, entranced, and obsessed with music than Nashville.  So as a budding artist who bravely wants to venture into the world of the music industry, here are 6 reasons why Nashville is the right place for you to be!

 

1) The Industry Lives Here

Nashville has been immersed in the Music Biz since the turn of the 20th century.  Since then, the Nashville Sound, and the massive amount of hard work put in by this town’s locals, has lifted Nashville’s rank to that of NYC or LA.  In recent years, Nashville has even surpassed the coastal giants in regards to industry involvement.  According to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s analysis, found HERE, the Music Industry contributes $5.5 billion to the local economy and is responsible for around 56,000 jobs.  Everything an artist could need is here, and anyone an artist may need to help build their career is easily found here.  What are you looking for?  A Manager?  A Booking Agent?  A studio to record at?  A Publisher? An Entertainment Lawyer?  A PRO to join?  A quick Google search will provide you with lists of professionals who want to help make your career take off.  Nashville also has a very large film and photography scene for when you or your band are ready to shoot some music videos or get some photos from your next show.

2) It’s Called Music City for A Reason

Come down for a visit, and you will immediately be greeted with audible bliss emanating from someone with an instrument and a dream.  On any given day, at any given time, one can hear and see live music.  Step onto the fabled Broadway Strip where every bar and honky-tonk you pass has sweet music pouring out of it like electric sugar!  Continue your search for live music, and you will come across Nashville’s many music venues too.  Spring Water, Mercy Lounge, Station Inn, The Cannery Ballroom, Exit/In, Marathon Music Works, The Belcourt Theater, 3rd and Lindsley, The Basement, and 12th & Porter are just a few of the great venues in Nashville to check out great touring acts and local bands.  Then you have the Legendary Ryman Auditorium, TPAC, and Bridgestone Arena housing big name Jack White Nashvilleacts.  Are you a singer/songwriter or solo act?  Then you’re in luck, because Nashville also has many open mic’s and writer’s nights all over town; Bluebird Cafe should be first on your list! 

Once you spend a few hours you will also come to learn that everyone you meet in Nashville plays an instrument!  In his AMEX Unstaged concert footage, Nashville immigrant turned music-ambassador Jack White talks about finding musicians to record and tour with during his Blunderbus-era debut.  “The thing about Nashville is that everybody’s from all over the place.  I mean, you’ve got people who are like playing hillbilly, Appalachian music since they were little kids.  I’m from Detroit, so this is very different for me, having access to that many musicians around, you know?”

 

3) There is Creative Inspiration Everywhere

MLK Nashville QuoteNashville is the new Grenwich Village; a true bohemian hotspot oozing with creativity, vibrant colors, and a style all its own.  Each street you walk down has retro coffee shops, vintage clothing outlets, houses that have been turned into independent businesses (shout out to the Pfunkey Griddle!), and each one has endless racks for hipsters to lock their fixed-gear bikes too.  Good vibes are always being spread from the beautiful people of Nashville.  Spending time roaming Music City and interacting with it’s inhabitants is bound to get your creative juices flowing.  More of a night person?  Perfect, because Nashville’s night life is completely our of this world bonkers!  From the great bars on Broadway and Division Street (there are so many more too), to karaoke, dance clubs, dinner theater, and more, Nashville has it all.  Follow this link HERE to the Nashville Scene’s website where you can get a better idea at all the great places and events Music City has to offer.

 

4) Nashville is Much Friendlier & Affordable

When people think about breaking into the Music Industry, their first thought is to move to the NYC or LA.  We say NO!  Move to Nashville instead where Southern hospitality is alive and kicking.  Many professionals have moved here to get away from the blunt, fast-paced world of the coasts.  In the South, people are genuinely interested in you.  It is very common for meetings to start off with 15-20 minutes of getting to know each other, asking how your mother is doing, before getting down to business.  There is a low tolerance for rudeness round’ these parts, and having polite manners will gain you more brownie points than having a good song.  Speaking of manners, ladies, when dealing with Southerners do not be offended if they refer to you as “Ma’am.”  They ARE NOT referring to your age whatsoever!  In Nashville, like the rest of the South, calling people “sir” and “ma’am” is one of the first social cues that children are taught.  It becomes instinct.  

Rogers NashvilleNashville is also much more affordable to live in than NYC or LA ever will be.  While moving into the heart of the city is still pricey, it is still very doable with new apartment complexes and developments being built everyday.  Many of these new developments have even been tailor made specifically for career artists.  However, if big city life isn’t for you there are many fantastic neighborhoods only a stones throw away from Music City.  Franklin, Hermitage, Green Hills, Hillsboro Village, Belmont, and Vanderbilt are just a few great areas to go house hunting in!  Follow this link HERE for a Nashville living/housing guide.

 

5) Education

I believe in nashvilleAccording to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s analysis from earlier, Nashville is slighted to become world’s “premier music education center”.  Besides having Belmont University and MTSU, two of the best four-year institutions for Audio Production, Music Performance, and Music Business education nearby, Nashville also has created many educational programs.  One of the largest is “Music Makes Us“.  Mayor Karl Dean, the Nashville Public School system, and many industry professionals joined together to provide high quality musical education to children K-12 by incorporating traditional musical schooling while also tackling newer genres, styles, and technologies.  Other fantastic education programs can be found at SAE, The Recording Connection, and BlackBird Academy!  It is also very pertinent to mention that the studios, publishers, labels, etc all have internship opportunities! 

“I don’t see us as being a farm team for the music industry,” he said. Instead, Dean said, the effort is a recognition that music “enriches a person’s life, makes them a well-rounded person and helps them academically.” –Mayor Karl Dean

 

6) The Record Shop is here!

We know how excited you are about starting your career in the music industry, and we want to help!!  The Record Shop Nashville’s mission is to provide the best quality product and service for our clients whether they are looking to record a simple demo, an LP, EP, or voice overs.  If you want something visual (that’s not to abysmal) , we also provide high quality video and photography.  Pack your bags, call the movers, and head down south to Nashville where good music, people and food are abundant.  

 

 

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Thanks for spending some time inside The Record Shop’s Nashville Recording Studio!  Be sure to follow and chat with us on Twitter @therecordshop for daily updates from Giovanni & The Henchmen.

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Artifact: Jared Leto vs. The Majors

Artifact is Jared Leto’s documentary that began as a behind the scenes look of his band, 30 Seconds To Mars, recording their third album “This Is War.”  As the project began, the focus of the movie took a dramatic twist when the band’s record label, EMI, filed a $30 million lawsuit for breach of contract against them.Artifact: 30 Seconds To Mars  A quick summary of the issue is that the band signed a recording contract with Immortal Records in the late 90s.  The details of this deal aren’t explained very well in Artifact.  However, this deal has been regarded by the band’s Manager, Irving Azoff, and their attorney, Pete Paterno, as the worst record deal ever.  In 1999, Virgin Records bought their contract when they purchased Immortal.  Over the next few years 30 Seconds to Mars released two albums, “30 Seconds To Mars” and “A Beautiful Lie”, embarked on world tours, and accumulated $3 million in debt to their label.  What triggered the actual lawsuit was that, before they started working on “This Is War” the band had tried to terminate their contract because they had not been paid a single royalty from EMI.Olivia de Havilland  They invoked a labor clause called the De Havilland Law, which states that, in California, no service contract is valid after seven years.  This termination was viewed as a breach of contract because the band had only delivered two of the five albums that their deal required.

This film also shines a light on the dwindling record industry, and the many failed attempts by labels and music industry outsiders to save their industry.  Everyone is aware of the dramatic change in the music industry, and the world, since the dawn of digital downloading and file sharing.  The record industry has taken the biggest hit because people don’t buy music anymore.  This led to many labels consolidating their staff, establishing 360 deals as the norm, and screwing artists out of a lot of money. 

Artifact PosterAs Artifact ended, EMI gave in to 30 Seconds To Mars’ demands.  The lawsuit was dropped and the band signed a new deal with EMI.  This comes as no surprise because most major label lawsuits against their artists end before they go to court.  Why?  Artists can’t take the financial loss from legal fees like a major label can.  It’s like any country trying to attack Russia during winter; they freeze or starve to death.  Another big factor for resigning was that the band couldn’t maintain its worldwide success without the backing of a label.  They actually may have been able to do it on their own, but that is a massive amount of time and effort (i.e. the Trent Reznor case study).

Overall, Artifact sets a negative connotation towards major recording labels.  Many of the people interview in the film say that they don’t know of any major label that doesn’t try to screw the artist; their whole economy is based around getting as much money from their artists as they can.  Now, with in the world of the 360 deal, they are even trying to take a cut from artist’s merchandising, publishing, and everything else the artist does that has nothing to do with the record label.  It must be said though that independent labels are also signing artists to 360 deals, and these major labels aren’t as evil as some would have you believe.  There are always going to be examples of questionable business tactics, but major labels have been a staple in the music industry for over a century.  They’ve helped the greatest artists of every generation spread their music all over the planet, and there is always going to be a need for big players.  Who knows what the world would sound like without the work these labels put in? 

So, “What’s the new model?  Why isn’t there one that’s better?”, asks Leto.  The truth is no one really knows yet.  The record industry has been slow to making changes and adapting to the new technology being made over the last two decades.  Singer Serj Tankien points out in Artifact that major labels never even thought about creating their own online distribution systems, which Apple did with iTunes.  Whatever the solution turns out to be, it is clear that it will only come to fruition if the major labels stop trying to fight the Internet and learn to live within the Digital World.

One amazing thing that has happened because of the Digital Age is the up rise of Independent artists & labels and the ability to perform many of the duties major labels used to perform from your laptop.  As an independent, multi-faceted recording studio, The Record Shop Nashville is proud to be apart of this amazing developmental period of the music industry.  We have been very fortunate to have worked with amazing artist from both the independent and major league worlds, and it has given us a firsthand look into each.  From what we have found, both worlds are inhabited by some truly incredible people that all share one thing: an irrefutable love and passion for music.  

 Thanks for hangin’ in there till the end!  Don’t forget to check out the rest of our Nashville Recording Studio’s blog, and be sure to follow us on Twitter @therecordshop for plenty of photos and updates from your friends here at The Record Shop!

 

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