Music is around us now more than ever.  Technology has enabled many more musicians’ access to both recording and the music distribution process.  When you consider how many years worth of music you can store on your iPod or hard drive it seems a bit overwhelming.    Given the new reality, some labels make a distinct effort to represent only a specific type of music. Fractured Rock Records remains independent.  FRR celebrates diversity among its artists and musical styles.  Committing to a narrow music genre for the purpose of market penetration ultimately limits the artist and their music.  And as we know, at Fractured Rock Records “it’s all about the music”.  Maintaining the flexibility to include all music genres puts FRR in a position to maximize future opportunities.  Musical diversity or eclectic genre; are they the same?  You decide.

Cloud computing or ghost servers in the sky?

Yippee Ki-yay.  As the cost to collect and store digital data continues to drop, what is the value of the actual bits?  Or is it bites?  Yes, it bites the big one. Music competes with all the readily available digital data to obtain a market value.  While marketers buy a digitized list of all the people in North America who bought a pet monkey last week, just another click away, on the same page, you can buy the complete music catalog of the 60’s British rock invasion (actually much cheaper than the pet monkey marketing list). 

Don’t fight it, the future is here.  Streaming is everything.  Video, e-books and music is enjoyed through your hand held whatever (just happens to currently be your phone).  Does this mean a record collection is a thing of the past?  For many, yes.  How’s that make you feel?  18 months from now when cloud computing has infiltrated everything we do, will people with stored MP3 music files become the equivalent of the coveted vinyl album collection?  Don’t wipe those hard drives!

What’s New?

March-May 2011 has been an exciting time at Fractured Rock Records.  We released a new single by Ed Hickey “Gas Light Blinkin”.  You can download the single from iTunes, Amazon MP3 or your favorite music website.  Ed went deep into the archives to pull this one out.  Gas Light Blinkin was originally performed by Ed and the band Grape back in 2000.  The song was originally recorded on digital tape using just 8 tracks (I know the Beatles did Sergeant Pepper on 4).  The song was recently re-mastered at Lizard Studios in May 2011. Check out Ed’s new photo on the FRR Artist Photos page. 

Willie Zimm has recently gone back into the studio.  Willie is working on finalizing his new single “Dark Skies” with hopes for a summer 2011 release.    

Jonathn Ashe has been busy performing in the region, as well as working on a new songwriting soundtrack project for the stage.   We expect to finalize the new single “Generations” for a summer 2011 release.

Christopher David Sharp just got back from Nashville with song in his heart. After reacquainting with old friends, Chris attended a local musician buddy’s wedding.  Yeah, he did it up Nashville style, where everybody’s a player.  Back home, he’s getting ready to enjoy his new recording studio addition.  Chris plans on getting us the specs and some pics of the new studio this summer.    

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HubieG