A good take from Idol Blues Blog

http://taylorhicksblues.blogspot.com/2008/...is-highway.html

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Taylor Hicks: Life is a Highway

News on Taylor Hicks getting dropped by J Records took on a new slant yesterday. Previously it had been scripted in press releases that the man had been 'dropped'. Terminology regarding this news was prevalent in newscasts, on-line and in the regular press. Yesterday word issued, from J Records that the company would remain interested should Hicks want to return after he's completed his independent work.

Hicks is perhaps electing to try a road less traveled, but perhaps eventually becoming a more prominent avenue to market his music. Increasingly musical artists are currently exploring this route, which would work well, especially if your name is already in the market. Considering Studios and production billing take a huge chunk out of the profits out of the sales of albums, the ability for today's consumers to easily download tunes and whole albums right off the internet, it certainly makes fiscal sense, at least on paper. Perhaps eventually we'll see artists eschewing the long-time ideology of needing a studio to record successfully, as more artist elect to utilize that big wide and free tool - the internet - as a much more cost effective way to market and manage their music. It might be possible we see a turning in the industry to having management companies handling the touring promotions and product marketing development, leaving the artist free from the historically known drain the Studios with their contracts impact on an artist's creativity.

In this article issued on MTV.ca, Radiohead and it appears Coldplay as well, are going it without labels.
"What's good for Radiohead is apparently good for Coldplay. According to various reports, including one from British newspaper the Daily Star, Coldplay may be mulling a departure from EMI, the band's longtime label home. Radiohead ditched the label and released its last album, In Rainbows, independently online."

Taylor Hicks currently is signed up with Creative Artists Agency, also known as CAA Speakers. This organization provides organizations and companies access to a variety of entertainers, and sports figures available for speaking events. They also provide services that include marketing through entertainment, "strategic counsel, communications, and philanthropy consulting". Mr. Hicks' page with the company is located on the site in his bio.

So Mr. Hicks getting "dropped" by J Records, indeed appears to be not the exit ramp off that highway he's been traveling all these years. Yes, Taylor Hicks, one door closes...

Lovely - and spot on. I think this leaves a lot of doors open dowwn the road!
~tyg

Glad you posted this as I always thought it was more Taylor wanting out that the actual record company wanting to drop him. After all in spite of sales Taylor does have a huge fanbase and many of those fans bought his before idol cds and lets face it once someone actually sees Taylor live they become devoted even if they were not a fan initially. Even the non-Taylor fans say he is a great performer.

Another factor of course is that so many are tired of being so restricted by contracts. Case in point is Elliott Yamin who actually is making more money by being independent because Sony only gets a small percentage of his sales. The internet has also opened up huge avenues for so many to get their music heard without a major label.

Regardless of the future I know for a fact the Soul Patrol will always be there to support our guy!

I really think that even the Chris fan and they are devoted fans of Chris, some of them are even changing a little, some of them think that Taylor was treated unfair and of course they still think Chris should have won but are most are saying that he'd done better NOT WINNING. I honestly think the tide is turning for everone BUT those TPTB at AI. they will stick to their guns and never admit they were wrong in anything, Oh excuse me they did say they got last season wrong with to many mentors and such. SURPRISE....

I'm glad I found this and I hope everyone reads it everywhere, Taylor is a very smart man and he knows what he wants. He's concerned for us his fans and that says a lot about him in my book,,,