Patti Smith Quotes

Jimmy Iovine signed me personally to a million-dollar contract, and I lost my identity for a long time. That system is so predicated on making a hit, or you're out of here.

Obviously, my label would want me to be on the radio all the time, but that's not my personal goal.

I would love to continue working behind the scenes in music - to produce and manage up-and-coming musical talent would be a dream!

I was with PolyGram; that was the big label that I was with for the longest, like 12 years.

Shoot, there's a committee to tell you everything at a record label. You definitely have to know who you are if you want to look like you at the end of the process. We've all seen people get record contracts, and by the time they're spit out by the machine, we don't even recognize them.

I started my own record label.

My record label is treating me like I'm a new artist, which is exciting after all this time.

I got offered publishing deals to write country music, but it was not what I wanted to do.

I actually got signed when I was 14 with Sony Sweden. Things didn't really work out with that, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to be exposed to the industry at a young age.

I've been with Def Jam Records for five years and they gave me my first recording contract so for that I'm forever grateful.

I've had offers to sign a record deal, but the people I've talked to have wanted to package me and have me meet with songwriters who've written stuff for Whitney Houston, that sort of thing. That's not at all my style.

You know, I didn't have enough money to quit my day job... the myth of the major label deal. Nowadays, you have a tour bus and a stylist and all this stuff. But back then, no way.

So there was a way for you to get promoted and survive as an artist without worrying about AM radio hits.

Artist development is something that I've been passionate about from my days at Uptown and Motown Records.

If you're part of a record company, you're a manufactured product. It doesn't mean that you're not talented.

It's not like it used to be where everybody has a record company to belong to.

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

Well, I tried to get a record deal in 1966 or '67, and everyone thought I was too eclectic.

We try and stay out of the corporate side of it. The band has never compromised. At some point in our career we could have made a certain type of record and sold millions of units, as they are called.

This is truly a blessing. Breyon Prescott, Peter Edge and Tom Corson believe in me and have introduced me to a home that also believes and knows exactly what to do with the type of music I'm doing.

I did my thing with Jive. I was a national recording artist, but I had run into a wall.

It's typical of record companies. They sign you because you're unique, and then they want to put you in a mold so they can sell records.

I think, back in the day, when I was first starting to make music, all I wanted to do was to get a record deal.

I just have so much love for my record label.

After two years in the songwriting world, I wrote 'All About That Bass.' L.A. Reid heard it and signed me as an artist.