MESSAGE
from the founder & executive producer Hikaru Iwakawa
The label OTONOMADO which I founded in July 2016 and executive-produce is, as it’s called, a voluntary not-for-profit organization.
In spite of its productions in various ways; tours, recordings, management for artists, etc., we do not do all of them for our proceeds; absolutely, it means that the profit for the label is zero.
So, we return all the label’s profits to the artists, if we could collect all the necessary expenses and costs. Besides, there is no pecuniary burden for the artists who participate in the projects from the beginning because we do “returning the profits to the artists” and “collecting the costs” at the same time. So all the artists could be concentrated on the works; to make good music!
Therefore, at first I began to run it alone and till the present I work without pay by the label, actually, because I’m doing what I want. (Of course I can get some money with my concerts, CD sales, and others as a professional musician, and I also participate in almost all the projects and works produced by OTONOMADO as one of the artists! But here, I’m talking about the activities as the label and the works I do for them.)
However, for example, when I realize an international tour with one of my projects with other musicians, it’s impossible that I do all the necessaries without any help; my beautiful friends always help me in such cases because of “the music” that is all I can do for them. I think it’s a so beautiful thing of humanity, culture, friendship and music.
Actually, it’s not so difficult to hand your friends the flyers of your favorite musician’s concerts as to buy the CDs to present them.
There would be someone who think that it’s too depend on the good will of other persons; well, it might not be so wrong. But also it’s true that I never force anyone to do what I want at all, and music always can’t be concluded when there is no one listening to it with the will of the open ears.
There is no qualification asked for participating in OTONOMADO that is always opened for everyone.
The office is where I am; in my head, in my PC, and in my notebook.
It might be necessary to have you approve of our philosophy, attitude, music and activities, of course, but at any moment we can talk about it when you are dissatisfied of something what we do; at this point, I am an “interchanging-hyper-nomad person”.
I think that all kinds of arts by humanity should be for “better lives”, so now we have to observe such the conventionalities as the “old” music market that has been only in pursuit of commercial profits.
And, it’s possible for us to recall the very important sense; selling handmade good things, handing them from a person to another, and all the profits gained by the works should be returned to the artists for their better lives and next works.
30/09/2016
Hikaru Iwakawa