RockStarNick
Active member
So on Saturday night, as we're walking out of the convention center at NAMM, I see this dude walk past me, and realize it's Richard Patrick from Filter. I've always loved Filter. Title of Record, and the Amalgamut are just amazing, awesome heavy alternative records.
So Me and Matt (EWSEthan) walk and catch up with him, and introduce ourselves and say hi. I gotta say, he's probably THE nicest dude that I've ever met out at one of these shows. He walked and talked with us, and then talked to me, Matt, and our bass player for close to 15 minutes on the street corner of Katella and Harbor.
He was telling us some crazy stories, and really said how different (in a bad way) the music industry is nowadays.
He said back in 1995 when Filter first started, the record company gave him $400K to just go home and make a record, and come back when it's done. When he needed more money, he got it. And when it came time to do a video, boom: $400K, there ya go. For his latest video, they gave him $10K.
He said that unless you're a Mainstream Rap, Pop, or Country artists (the only artists who actually move CD's at Target and WalMart), record labels want nothing to do with you. He said rock acts have it the hardest, because most of their fans are pretty tech savvy, and are more inclined to just download the music for free from somewhere.
But on top of all that, he told us to just keep playing rock, and keep it alive. It was a real eye-opening, but inspirational conversation.
I just have a renewed respect for that guy, because he's 42, has a wife and 2 kids, and is still rocking because he loves to do it. Filter wasn't ever THE most popular band, and is even less so now, but that's not stopping him from creating music.
I'm downloading the new album right now (legally), and it's REALLY f*cking good.
So Me and Matt (EWSEthan) walk and catch up with him, and introduce ourselves and say hi. I gotta say, he's probably THE nicest dude that I've ever met out at one of these shows. He walked and talked with us, and then talked to me, Matt, and our bass player for close to 15 minutes on the street corner of Katella and Harbor.
He was telling us some crazy stories, and really said how different (in a bad way) the music industry is nowadays.
He said back in 1995 when Filter first started, the record company gave him $400K to just go home and make a record, and come back when it's done. When he needed more money, he got it. And when it came time to do a video, boom: $400K, there ya go. For his latest video, they gave him $10K.
He said that unless you're a Mainstream Rap, Pop, or Country artists (the only artists who actually move CD's at Target and WalMart), record labels want nothing to do with you. He said rock acts have it the hardest, because most of their fans are pretty tech savvy, and are more inclined to just download the music for free from somewhere.
But on top of all that, he told us to just keep playing rock, and keep it alive. It was a real eye-opening, but inspirational conversation.
I just have a renewed respect for that guy, because he's 42, has a wife and 2 kids, and is still rocking because he loves to do it. Filter wasn't ever THE most popular band, and is even less so now, but that's not stopping him from creating music.
I'm downloading the new album right now (legally), and it's REALLY f*cking good.
I met him and the other guitar player while they were on tour for Title of Record, just out side of Atlantic city N.J. back in 2000
They lost a bit of their trademark sound IMO when he left. Patrick still writes a mean groove/hook but Geno added great background stuff. Oh well, still a great band. And like Steve said, Army of Anyone put out a GREAT album with Patrick.