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Your Name: Ed Nicholson and Ralph Barrientos
Record Label Name: Creative Vision Ministries/1737 Records
Year Label established: 2000
Former Band: Three Crosses
The theme of this article was musicians that have gone on to start their own labels. There was both mainstream & indie labels represented in the article.
| Rockline: Why did you start your own record company? |
We couldn’t find a label that would sign two old guys!!!! Just kidding! It was really born out of a dream that I had. A vision for a label that would be artist driven and God directed. A label that would really be into affecting our culture as opposed to assimilating our culture. Not trend followers, but trend setters and not necessarily in some sort of weird alternative music fashion, although I am a fan of a lot of alternative music. (Ed Nicholson)
| Rockline: What advantages has this allowed you? |
Probably the greatest advantage is just control. Not just creatively, because I think in Three Crosses we both would admit that we never felt pushed by the industry in anyway, but in the actual process of making records. We both have a lot of experience and know every aspect of the business. Now what we’re doing is being involved in the whole process, start to finish, on every project. (Ed)
| Rockline: What are the drawbacks? |
Drawbacks for us are the time and manpower. Although that’s changing as we speak. We need a lot of volunteer help for this ministry and the time is an issue when you’re relying on help from volunteers. (Ralph) I agree. But for me, it’s more capitol. I mean for the big boys to take you seriously they have to see that there is a real investment in the process. Because all they really can rely on is what the accountants tell them, that’s how they judge you. So you really have to pray that God will guide your resources. God’s the best business planner I know besides he owns the cattle on 1,000 hills, right? (Ed)
| Rockline: What do you look for in an artist on your roster? |
What we want is to find creative artists that don’t necessarily fit into the music industry box but convey their music in new and fresh ways that help them stay true to themselves. It’s hard to break artists that fit into the “slow build” category. Maybe they need development or maybe the normal CCM market just needs some time to develop a fan base. Most artists that fit this profile are not looking for fans they’re looking for converts. I stole that from Larry Norman. LOL. That’s why we feel led to approach this more as if artists are missionaries, and not in the normal artist/record company relationship that artists are used to. That’s why God led us to form a Non Profit Company. Building up these artists and allowing them to develop naturally will take time and money. We’re not only counting on record sales, and the pressure that brings, but we’re building quality artists that are supported in every way. So we find people that are “ministry driven” with the mind-set of seeking God’s way to…. as Ed said “affect the culture.” (Ralph Barrientos)
| Rockline: How do you target your audience? |
I think for us, and I know Ralph will agree, man do we hate these kind of questions! I mean think about what you’re asking. It is such an “In The Box” statement. Do you know that a target audience is what every marketing director of every major secular company is seeking to find to capitalize on it’s cash value? I don’t think that’s what Jesus was talking about when he said the gospel was “for those who have ears to hear.” I remember when we first were signed, the record company gave us a questionnaire that asked us what our target demographic was. I think we wrote ages 1 to 100 I meaning we were trying to convey a simple message to people, God loves you He cares for you so much that He died for you. (Ed)
| Rockline: How effective has your website been in “reaching the masses” |
Well, seeing that we’re just going live, we really don’t know. But there again, we’re not really counting on it for sales as much as we are for just reaching people. The internet definitely is an advantage, more for us than say for a major label. We don’t really care if we build an audience out of free music downloads. All of our products are paid for through funding even before we go into production. If we can get the message out to people, either through sales or MP3 downloads, and they hear what are artists are saying, they’re hearts can be change through God’s Spirit.. I know that sounds trite. It is not our way, but the way we see God moving through what we’re doing. A lot of industry people just laugh at us and say, “You can’t operate a business like that”. But we are and that’s reality. God is the best CEO that Creative Vision Ministries could ever have. (Ralph)
| Rockline: How involved in “artist development “do you get? |
We’re not just A&R guys now. We’re songwriters, so we work with younger artists to develop them in their craft. We also produce demos and even finished custom projects for artists both on our label, and for other developing labels. It’s really the main focus of what we’re trying to do - although not in the typical record company sort of way. I would equate it to more of what the theater world does. They build a company of actors who work collectively and by themselves depending on the project that comes their way.(Ed)
Rockline: What is your opinion on the current state of:
a) The Christian Music industry
b) The independent artist movement
c) The future of Christian independent music
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A) I believe that a lot of good has come out of the growth of Christian Music but I think that we all lost focus along the way. We’re not trying to make “art” anymore. That can also be said of most of the Pop music culture that we have created in this country. B) I think we’re going to see more of this trend. I believe that the church has to take more of a supporting role in the rise of what I hope will be culture “affecters” C) In order for the future to be strong for independent artists we have to see the body of Christ come along side in an equipping manner. (Ed)
Rockline: How and what should a band be prepared with before submitting material to a record company?
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A Demo Bio, and they need to show us a real desire to be true artists. I mean with songs from their gut that people can hear and relate to.(Ralph)
Rockline: What kind of plans have you made to ensure your label succeeds in a very large pool of companies and music?
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Well, as I eluded to before, we’re not just a record label. We are more like a mission organization that supports a coalition of artists. It is our job to serve the artist through all the aspects of development. We are booking agents, record label, PR agents, and in some aspects, managers. We have a talented pool of people with experience in both the mainstream music industry and CCM that are involved in this ministry. In addition, I think the fact that we’re a non-profit company helps us too. We’re not relying on just our sales to make us a solid company but we’re actually getting funding from churches and private foundations to carry out our mission. The goal is getting out the message of God’s word not how many Golden doves sit on our mantles. (Ed)
Rockline: What kind of “checks and balances” have you implemented to stay focused on “your mission”?
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A Board of Directors operates CVM, the parent company of 1737. We really can’t just go and do what we want. Every major move that we make comes with board approval. The board is made up of Christian businessmen, Industry professionals and Pastors so their involvement is in everything we do to make sure we’re accountable. (Ralph) Yeah, and we can’t just go and sell the company for 100 millions bucks in 10 years and then watch it implode while we make our golf handicap better. (Ed)
Rockline: What advice would you give to the “independent artist”?
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Just pursue your passion. If God wants you in it He’ll let you know and when He wants you to quit He’ll tell you that too. So just concentrate on creating from the heart and listen to what He’s trying to teach you. The best songs come from deep within our souls. (Ed)
Rockline: Are “record deals” all that they are cracked up to be?
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That could be the title for the Three Crosses story on VH1. (Ed) Yeah there are record deals. Look nobody holds a gun to your head and tells you to sign the contract, you just do it. It happens because it’s everything all of us dream of becoming from the day we start playing or singing music. It is our passion that God gives us, but what we need is to concentrate on that. God gives it to us so we should want to give it back. It’s our act of worship as artists. I think if we seek Him in a constant state of thankfulness for the gift of being artists, He will open up the right doors for us. Ed and I have seen that so many times through both success and failure. God is in control and it’s all about being on the journey and moving closer to Him. (Ralph)
Rockline: In your opinion, what is the true sign of a successful label?
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For us, it will be, if we can stay true to our mission and if years from now we can look back and see that we were used to create real art that people value. If people still think the songs I write today carry an eternal value we will achieve success no matter how much “wall candy” we get. Although a little would be nice. (Ed)
Rockline: When you order out for pizza … what do you order on it?
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Meatballs (Ed) Everything (Ralph)
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