The Lubbock Music Scene is Alive and Opinionated
Local musicians shared varying opinions on the state of the music industry and the Lubbock music scene. 
Dirty Charley of the Dirty Charley Band, said he feels the local music scene could be improved. He said many local musicians do not do enough to get their music heard and more work is needed to move Lubbock toward a better music scene.
“Nobody here has managers. Nobody here is really trying to do anything. Sending stuff out and playing shows can only get you so far,” he said. “You’ve got to start hitting managers up.”
Dirty Charley added that he wished the local music scene was larger and did not consist of people who knew each other. He said he wants to play for new audiences and not just his friends.
“It’s a bunch of musicians that hang out with each other and play with each other. They never really break out and do something different,” he said. “It kind of starts sounding the same and every show feels like a high school house party with just your friends there.”
Daniel Markham of the band One Wolf, said he is pleased with the local music scene. The scene has picked up over the last few years and he said there are now more bands playing and trying different things. 
“There are a lot of different bands doing different things. It really seems like a community. I mean you can’t always go to every show, but everybody is trying to play a cool show,” Markham said.
Many local bands seem indifferent toward record labels. They said labels would be nice and may be able to help their careers, but most would rather retain their independence.
Dirty Charley said his day job is more important than a record deal. He added that a record label could hurt his independence as an artist, which is more important than a deal.
“I work a day job. I have neither the time nor the patience to deal,” he said. “I love doing music, but if it was my job I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I do. Maybe if the right deal came along and fell in my lap I might take it, but for the most part I don’t want to deal with it.”
Daniel Markham said he has never really thought about a record deal and puts out his own albums. He said it is a good feeling to save up money and record your own album.
“It’s a good feeling. It feels like an accomplishment, a pretty big one," he said. "It’s fantastic getting to do it the way I did it.”
Dirty Charley said putting out a record could be a difficult experience. He said he has had difficulty putting out his album because of money and work schedules.
“It costs too much money. People keep bugging me about getting the record out," Charley said. "It’s like, listen, when someone has got three or four thousand dollars to hand me and say ‘here put out the record’ I’d love to do it, but until then I work a day job and I make a living doing that.”
Local musicians said they have lost faith in the record industry and feel it is declining.
Markham said he has not been excited about the record industry or newly released albums.
“The industry feels like it’s biting it. I haven’t heard about anything I’ve been excited about lately, which is unusual,” he said.
Despite a lack of faith in the music industry, local artists are not afraid of downloadable music.
Daniel Fluitt, of The Thrift Store Cowboys, said he does not care if anyone downloads his music. 
“They can download it as much as they want and give it to their friends. I don’t care,” he said. “The only people complaining are already making tons of money.”
Markham said he does not agree with downloading music. He added that he is not opposed to it either.
“I don’t do it, but I understand why people do. I think it would hurt someone like me more, but I just want to be heard,” he said.