TO SIGN?

I DISCOVERED OTR BACK IN '92 WHEN I WHEN I WAS AT THE DELICATE TEENAGE YEAR OF 18. I DONT THINK OTR WOULD BE SO BAD FOR TEENAGERS. THERE ARE A LOT OF TEENS OUT THERE WHO WANT MORE FROM MUSIC THAN THE FLAVOR OF THE MONTH. OTR WILL NEVER APPEAL TO THE MASS POPULATION; THEY JUST DONT WRITE THAT KIND OF MUSIC. THEIR ART CAUSES LISTENERS TO INTERACT WITH THE MUSIC. MOST PEOPLE DONT HAVE TIME FOR THAT. SO, I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT OTR BECOMING TO FAMOUS OR THEIR SONGS BEING OVERPLAYED ON THE RADIO.

I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK TO LINFORD IN DECEMBER IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS AFTER AN OTR/JUNKIES SHOW. SUCH A NICE GUY TO TAKE TIME AND TALK TO FANS. I ASKED HIM ABOUT A NEW ALBUM AND HE TOLD ME THEY WERE TALKING TO SOME BIG LABELS, AND IF THAT DIDNT WORK OUT THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY START THEIR OWN RECORD LABEL AND DO ALBUMS THEMSELVES. BUT HE SOUNDED EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILTY OF RECORDING WITH A BIG BUDGET AND A GOOD PRODUCER IF THEY WENT WITH THE LABEL.

WHAT I INTERPETED FROM LINFORD'S NOTE WAS DO WE FANS WANT OTR TO MAKE LOT'S OF RECORDS (IT HAS BEEN A WHILE) OR GO WITH THE LABEL AND HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 18 MONTHS. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE WRITTEN OVER 30+ SONGS SINCE THE LAST ALBUM. MY SUGESTION TO LINFORD IS GO WITH THE LABEL. YOU DESERVE IT. I WANT YOU TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL WITH YOUR CAREER. I WANT YOU TO MAKE MONEY DOING IT. AND I WANT YOU TO KEEP PUTTING OUT RECORDS. NOW THAT YOU ARE A SIX PEICE YOU NEED THE EXTRA BUCK. AND I ALSO WANT EVERYBODY TO HERE YOUR BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. BUT FIRST PUT OUT ONE MORE HOMESPUN ALBUM OR DOUBLE ALBUM SO WE DONT HAVE TO WAIT 18 MONTHS.

IF OTR GOES WITH THE LABEL THEY WONT SELL OUT OR LOSE ARTISTIC LICENCE. I AM AN ARCHITECT. I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF BAD ARCHITECTURE OUT THERE, BUT AS A DESIGNER, WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH PROBLEMS: THE CLIENT, BUILDING CODES, BUDGET, SITE, ETC. THESE BRING ABOUT DESIGN CHALLENGES AND HOW WE SOLVE THEM CAN PRODUCE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL FOR ALL PEOPLE. THAT IS HOW I FEEL OTR WILL HANDLE THE SITUATION WITH THE LABEL. IF A RECORD EXEC WANTS TO HAVE (4) 3:37 SONGS FOR SINGLES ON THEIR ALBUM, THEN OTR WILL COME UP WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 3 MINUTE SONGS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE DESIGNER AND THEY CAN SOLVE DESIGN CHALLENGES.

ALSO, I HERE TALK OF OTR'S LIVE PERFORMANCE. PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF LOSING THE INTIMATE SHOWS FOR ARENA SELL-OUTS. I DONT THINK I HAVE EVER BEEN TO WHAT YOU WOULD CALL AN INTIMATE SHOW IN TERMS OF SIZE. I HAVE SEEN THEM SEVERAL TIMES PLAY FOR A CROWD OF 1000-2000+ AND ALL I CAN SAY IS "WOW"!! IT WAS DEFINATELY INTIMATE AND THEY NUMBED US ALL. SO I DONT SEE ARENA SHOWS AS A PROBLEM. SIDE NOTE: I ALSO SAY "WOW" ABOUT U2'S ZOO TV AND POPMART SHOWS. IT WAS BIG AND INTIMATE. IT CAN BE DONE.

ONE MORE NOTE. I HAVE OBSERVED THAT THE LISTEES HAVE A NOW PLAYING CATEGORY. I WOULD SAY THAT THE MAJORITY (90%) OF THE BANDS LISTED ARE ON BIG LABELS. WE ALL LISTEN TO MUSIC ON BIG LABELS AND ARE HAPPY WITH THE PRODUCT. I KNOW THAT OTR WOULD PUT OUT A VERY GOOD PRODUCT FOR THE WORLD TO ENJOY. GO FOR LINFORD.