Why Were Automobile Caput Off Roadrunner As Well As Unsigned Inward 2002-3?

Question from neb (bill_8791@hotmail.com) :

Theres ever questions most how to larn novel bands signed but I receive got 2 seperate questions I've oft wondered most - How does a band similar Machine Head (in the past) receive got a work finding a tape fellowship willing to sign them? They've ever been a band that volition sell allot of records past times metallic standards, receive got a relativly large fan base of operations inward Europe in addition to sell out gigs but at ane point, afterwards selling a real successful, if non critically acclaimed record, couldn't larn a tape deal. Its on tape that they were rejected past times nearly everyone they approached.


My minute inquiry relates to this; why would their label larn rid of them inward the outset place? They were dropped afterwards their final album amongst that label sold 250k copies, which inward metallic standards is quite allot! Why would a label drib or non renew a contract of a band which patently tin brand a label substantial amounts?

from bill_8791@hotmail.com


Answer: First of all I gotta tell I'm a massive Machine Head fan, they are sure ane of the best pure unadulterated metallic bands of all time, in addition to here's a trivial tidbit for ya- Earache genuinely made offers to sign the band for the USA territory during that crazy 2002-3 flow when they were label-less.

It seems insane that a band of their stature could travel unsigned, but it happened in addition to I'll attempt to explicate why. In a foreign agency Machine Head were partly victims of their ain early on success, their 1994 debut album Burn My Eyes had such monster sales correct out the box, it's kinda almost overshadowed all their albums since.

A major constituent has been the band's ain longevity- it meant they lived through a ton of changes inward the scene during the belatedly 90s in addition to early on 00s. Their label Roadrunner evolved from a respected Indie to a full-blown mini-major because of Nickelback. Machine Head's 'Supercharger' mightiness receive got sold 250,000 across the globe, which is decent numbers, but label mates Nickelback were doing v Million, Slipknot 1.5 ane grand k roughly that time. I nurture these bands to set things into perspective. To the hierarchy inward RR's New York purpose they only were non a large bargain anymore, their fourth dimension was deemed to receive got passed, specially equally a high per centum of the sales were overseas anyway.

The fact is Machine head, along amongst all other decent selling 1980s in addition to mid-90s heavy bands, were dealt a savage blow past times the major-label-led Nu-Metal explosion of the belatedly 1990's in addition to into the novel millenium. Bands similar Korn in addition to Limp Bizkit brought inward a novel cross-genre rap-rock agency amongst massive appeal. Limp Bizkit genuinely sold a staggering 1 Million copies inward a calendar week - yeah calendar week - inward summertime 1999.

Every major label formed a stampede to sign radio-friendly option metallic or Rap/metal acts amongst a platinum sales ambition. Through no mistake of their own, Machine Head's pure unadulterated metallic audio became deeply uncool, specially then inward America, where compared to the stratospheric sales of the Nu-metal acts all roughly them, they'd operate comparatively piteous sellers too.

Some commenters below receive got pointed out that the band did flirt heavily amongst Alterna-metal in addition to Nu-metal for a twosome of albums roughly the plough of the millenium when those scenes were inward total swing.
Heres examples:




My gauge is the band were susceptible to label pull per unit of measurement area to adapt to the electrical flow large selling nu-metal/alterna-metal sound, because it was all over the radio at that time, in addition to if it caught on, it would undoubtedly propel them into the large league. Like a lot of acts, Machine Head has ever been a decent selling band, but never a major league top seller. Therein lies the work - never beingness huge plenty to only create whatever they damn good liked on their ain terms, they had to heed to label advice, withal misguided. Effectively the band gambled away their heart in addition to individual U.S. metallic fanbase for a shot at the lucrative American stone radio gravy train, in addition to failed. Watch the documentary below to listen Robbs receive got on those night times.

Luckily for Machine Head, the U.K. in addition to European metallic fans did non desert the band, neither did the European arm of Roadrunner, who cleverly retained their services, then fifty-fifty inward their darkest hour, the band were thrown a lifeline from the European metallic scene. Eventually the USA Roadrunner arm decided to meet feel in addition to bear on amongst the band.

Now inward 2011 Machine Head are metallic legends in addition to survivors, having seen off the trends which receive got come upward in addition to gone inward their 17 twelvemonth career, in addition to outlived those self same Nu Metal acts which nearly derailed to their career a decade ago.



Catch Machine Head on their UK arena tour inward Dec 2011.

Robb Flynn explains amongst typical honestly this whole night flow of the band inward their amazing documentary, its good worth watching:

Machine caput documentary constituent 1


Machine Head documentary constituent 2