Discerning Web’s impact is a priority

More than a decade ago, Priority Records made a name for itself with a notorious song by Compton rap group N.W.A titled after a common epithet directed at police.

Now, a new company with roots in Priority’s legacy is firing the same invective at the music industry.

Believing the music business has gotten off track in marketing and development issues as well as in its fight against Internet downloading, the new independent label M.S.C. Music & Entertainment is starting a campaign called F.T.I., the acronym for its broadside against “the industry.”

The effort gets off the ground this week with the company’s first album, “Absolute Power” by Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne, a highly respected figure in hip-hop circles but one without a big national profile. The album was officially released in September, but full promotion is just kicking into gear now.

It’s a two-pronged effort: First, promotion will bypass conventional radio and video avenues in favor of direct marketing via TV commercials; second and more controversially, M.S.C. is encouraging fans to download the entire album for free over Tech N9ne’s Web site (www.therealtechn9ne.com).

“The major labels are involved in lawsuits against file-sharing companies, and the [Recording Industry Assn. of America] has an ad campaign guilting fans into not downloading,” says Dave Weiner, senior vice president of M.S.C., which was founded by Mark Cerami, co-founder of Priority. “We believe that if you have a quality album and let people get it for free, it will translate into sales.

“Everyone’s asking the same questions -- is the Internet good or bad for music?” Weiner adds. “We’re willing to try this and we hope it works, and if not we’ll walk away.”

M.S.C. is hedging its bet a bit: The new retail version of the album includes seven bonus tracks not on the original album -- nor on the downloadable version -- plus a DVD.

M.S.C. has the enthusiastic support of its distributor, Sony-owned RED, which specializes in independent labels.

“It’s probably going to be a little hard for some people to swallow,” says RED President Ken Antonelli.

“But ultimately, if the music gets into more people’s hands that’s good, and [Tech N9ne] is in ads encouraging people to support him out in the field at retail. If it’s real, people will buy it.”

Central (Valley) casting: Log on

Modesto band Grandaddy has given at least some alt-rock buzz to California’s Central Valley. Now the group is hoping to give a boost to other acts from the region by starting its own label.

Calling the company Sweat of the Alps, Grandaddy will at first sell CDs only via its Web site (www.grandaddylandscape.com) starting in early December, and later will explore putting them in stores. The label’s first release will be by Tracy, Calif., band Arm of Roger, with a second in the works from Oakdale-based group Built Like Alaska.

“Like everything we do, it starts with a little idea,” says Grandaddy multi-instrumentalist Jim Fairchild. “It turns out there’s a decent amount of traffic that goes through our Web site, and plenty of bands out there that might deserve more attention than they’re getting.”

Meanwhile, Grandaddy is halfway done with its own new album, the follow-up to the wry, yet lush and somber music of 2000’s acclaimed “The Sophtware Slump.”

Plans call for a May release on V2 Records. Fairchild says the album has turned into an ambitious project, with a filmmaker working on visuals to go with each song.

“I don’t know if we could get more orchestral in approach than in the past, but we’re trying,” he says. “It will be very difficult to replicate the stuff live.”

Small faces

He may or may not be dressed as Santa Claus, but Offspring singer Dexter Holland will be on hand Dec. 7 to help with Christmas shopping ideas at the Xmas Warehouse Sale being put on by Nitro Records and EC Star Clothing. Of course, Holland owns Nitro (with a catalog including Offspring, AFI the Vandals and the Damned), so he does have a vested interest. The two-day sale starts Dec. 6 at the EC Star Warehouse in Costa Mesa. For details and location, go to www.nitrorecords.com.

Former Flying Burrito Brothers pedal steel player Sneaky Pete Kleinow and the Band’s keyboardist Garth Hudson have joined country-rock veterans Tommy Spurlock and Carlton Moody, along with newcomer singer Willie Watson, to form Burrito Deluxe. The group is working on an album titled “Georgia Peach,” a tribute to Burrito Brothers founder Gram Parsons, who died in 1973. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are guests on the album, due Feb. 25, as are former Burrito fiddler Floyd “Gib” Guilbeau and bassist Barry Bales of Alison Krauss’ Union Station.