No more major labels for Deadmau5 - News - Mixmag
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No more major labels for Deadmau5

The Canadian wants "freedom" and "responsibility"

  • Mixmag staff
  • 8 October 2015

Deadmau5 has severed his ties with the major label industry, taking himself and his label Mau5trap Recordings to independent publisher and rights company Kobalt.

The Canadian's last album, 'While (1<2)', and 2009's 'For Lack Of A Better Name' were released on Universal Music Group subsidiary Virign EMI, while Parlophone, part of Warner Music Group, released '> Album Title Goes Here <'.

He's had enough of the majors, though, saying they prioritise themselves, according to Billboard: "The label does what's good for the label. Always. It's instilled in the industry that that's the only way to do it. Well, not anymore."

The Mau5 says his manager introduced him to Kobalt, which describes itself as empowering "creators with transparency, flexibility, ownership and control" through technology, and decided it was the right move as it provided him with responsibility for his own actions.

"I am very strict on what products I want to associate myself with, and I felt that some things were just to make a buck. Then, we'd only get a little trickle, and I'd be like, 'Wait, I look this stupid for only that much? Why am I looking stupid in the first place?'

"I'm not saying I'm never gonna get fucked again. But I do like the freedom that, if I do fuck up, it's my fault rather than the fault of someone who bought that responsibility from me."

Expect a load of eye-openers from him, too, as he says he's got $130 million to spend.

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