Ep 7 - Jacob Slichter (Music Is A Racket)

Freeman's Music Biz

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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In the late 90s, hardly any bands were more ubiquitous than Semisonic. Thanks to their breakout hit "Closing Time", they shot to the top of the charts and cemented themselves as rock stars of that era. As the band's drummer, Jacob Slichter enjoyed the upsides of that period, from limousine rides to arena shows and TV appearances. However, what he didn't know was the vast amounts of payola needed to make their music successful. Their record label spent millions of dollars paying radio stations to play their music, and even if the results were ultimately positive, it left the band in debt up to their ears.

Jacob and I chatted about his early days as a musician, how Semisonic came to find success, what it's like being signed to a major label, and how payola worked in the 90s.