After more than three decades in heavy music, Lamb Of God guitarist Mark Morton says the music industry looks dramatically different from when the band first started – particularly when it comes to how fans consume music and how artists earn a living.
Speaking in a new interview with Premier Guitar, Morton reflected on the constant evolution of the business side of music, explaining that modern bands must balance multiple revenue streams to survive.
“We do so many things,” Morton said. “A band at this level, we do a lot of things. We play shows. We tour and play concerts. We play a bunch of different kinds of concerts. We do our own tours, we play festivals, we play in different territories. We write and record music. We sell merchandise. So all of those are different activities in different parts of the business.”
Despite the many business elements, Morton emphasized that creativity remains the heart of the band. “And then there’s the business of being in the band, and then there’s the music, which is really the part that – that’s where the soul is. I mean, it’s a business, and you gotta make money and support your family.”
One of the most dramatic shifts Morton has witnessed is how fans listen to music. “I’ve been around and in the business long enough where when we first started, we sold a lot of records, physical copies – CDs, really, at the time,” he explained.
“And now less so. And the most physical copies you sell are LPs again. And streaming is, obviously, the way people consume most of the music.”
While the industry transformation has been significant, Morton noted that change isn’t unique to music. “I think any business you’re in changes, though, really,” he said. “There’s probably very few industries that haven’t had to evolve and change, and you have to adapt to it.”
The Richmond, VA metal band’s trajectory shifted dramatically when they signed with Epic Records in 2003. Their first major-label release followed in 2004, marking a major step forward after years of operating on minimal budgets.
“We have made records early on that were on a shoestring [budget], for sure, and they sounded like they were,” Morton said. “But that’s part of the journey.”
Before the major-label deal, Morton was already trying to make music his full-time career – even if it meant balancing other work.
“I was a roofer and I was kind of doing side work and stuff, just kind of hustling,” he recalled. “But signing a contract like that and getting into the big league, so to speak, did take some pressure off of the finances.”
Still, the guitarist didn’t expect the band’s success to last forever. “I lived pretty humbly,” he said. “And I just figured we’d be touring for a couple years and then eventually have to go back to some kind of day job – which it just didn’t work out that way.”
While fans might assume label expectations created the most stress, Morton says the real pressure came from within the band itself. “The most pressure I ever felt… it wasn’t from them; it was self-imposed.”
At the time, Lamb Of God had just released the 2003 album As the Palaces Burn when major labels started circling. “That record came out, and I think within five or six months we were talking actively to major labels,” he said. “So when we signed to Epic, of course they want their record: ‘Let’s go. Let’s make a record.'”
The challenge was that the band had already poured its best material into the previous album. “We were kind of creatively squeezed out,” Morton admitted. “We had just put all our best stuff into this record. Then we got signed off of it, and now they want a record right away.”
For Morton personally, it was a nerve-racking moment. “I remember feeling the pressure of, like, this is probably the most important, business-wise, creatively, moment. And I’m like, ‘I don’t have any material. What am I gonna do?'”
Ultimately, however, the band found its footing – and the gamble paid off.
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