I am a ex musician producer studio owner.
Bands come to me because they want a recording that will get folks with money interested in them.
It works.
The recordings I do have a high sucsess rate in generating industry interest.
Many recordings go on to be released.
Sometimes the acts return with a deal and finance.
Once discovered, A&R often put them with bigger producers rather than book back in with me. Bigger producers are snatching at any work they can find these days, it used to be they did the 2nd albums...but in a day & age where there often IS only one album.... They pounce! It often turns to shit from there on....
My goal is not to work with major labels (the are a PITFA) but to enjoy recording good bands and keep my studio ticking over.
I have studio staff, I train up young engineers to be confident producers. This is satisfying and reaps financial rewards when they return as freelance customers of the studio.
I have a publishing company and hope to perhaps strike it rich via that one day.
I would like to find a good sounding, good looking band that actually has some valid social comentary - perhaps a new rolling Stones / Who or Sex Pistols and earn money from recording & discovering them.... that is my dream.
I also manage a younger producer who started as an intern at my studio, he is not so jaded about major labels, thats a good thing (for him) I have fun getting him paid & royalties. He just produced a number 40 in the UK chart.