Graham Parker Quotes

If you have good songs and a real desire to make music, the next thing to do, instead of approach record companies, is to get yourself a really good manager because then it allows you to focus on your profession of being a musician. Then they can focus on the darker art of the record label and the music industry.

After giving countless hit songs, I felt saturated. I decided to do music only for my own films and music albums. And so, I decided to start my own music label.

I have my own label and I'm my first artist.

So it was out of necessity that Blackheart was born. I think it's great that now, 25 years later, we're not only putting out our own music, but are able to put out music by other bands. That's really exciting for us.

The problem that I have is with the music business. For some reason it seems almost impossible to get anything, any music, released which includes improvisation or soloing.

I did not start IC and Inteam to have control over my music. I had control before and after.

I'm developing a record company. I'm learning how to supervise music on a film.

I once worked at a record label called London Records. The company was owned by Roger Ames, one of the most successful figures in the British music industry. Roger always placed a value on loafing, on holidays, on not being in the office all the time.

I'd always been a club kid, so I was totally unaware that people had their own record companies.

I wanted to stay independent because I figured there was no way I was going to be able to have control to create the type of music I want. I was basically ignoring a lot of labels.

When I was 17-years-old, I was in the music business.

I left the entertainment industry part of my life behind in 1983, when we decided not to work with major record companies anymore.

The new independent spirit at Warner Music is a perfect fit for a stand-alone label like Maverick.

The record company stay out of my way. Whenever the record is finished, they take it.

I certainly don't want to be a record label guy.

I have just enough people paying attention that I have the freedom to be in charge. And I have a great record company - Nonesuch understands what I'm about.

You make music to change the radio, not make music for the radio.

I'm just focusing on 'Let's Stay Together' and slowly building my production company. I'm trying to get into writing as well.

It's very easy for people to put out music.

When it all started, record companies - and there were many of them, and this was a good thing - were run by people who loved records, people like Ahmet Ertegun, who ran Atlantic Records, who were record collectors. They got in it because they loved music... Now, record companies are run by lawyers and accountants.

I have always abhorred the business end of music.

I don't want a record company, but I need one, unfortunately.

Honestly, when I got to Hollywood I was trying to sell my songs.

Someone told me there was a publisher that could find a good home for my songs, but I didn't want to give up my pursuit of a career in the business as an artist.

You learn at a certain point that you have to focus on the business side of music. After getting ripped off a couple of times, you figure out that you need to get a grip on it.