record companies showed little inte

record companies showed little interest in such innovative music, preferring to look for bands similar to existing successful artists.
Kevin and his friends realised that the power which the major labels had enjoyed, of control over distribution and marketing, was changing rapidly through the Internet, especially by download and file-sharing music technology which the fans of the musicians around Loudmouth used constantly. They planned to develop Loudmouth as an independ¬ent music media business which would promote new music by using new technologies, and would be run to promote the artists better than the existing record labels.
Loudmouth Music is described using the themes of the cultural diffusion model, with illustrative quotes from the venture team.
Identity
Loudmouth appeals to young, 14-30 musicians and fans of 4alt-indy' (alternative independ¬ent styles of) music, especially those who are interested in the possibilities of combining different genres and styles of music to produce new and exciting sounds. The identity is summed up by the name: it is loud, with an aggressive, in-your-face, black-leather-jacket image. The personality of the business is independent, non-corporate and speaking for and to musicians and music fans, across all ethnic groups. Loudmouth aims to produce and release music quickly, with a constant stream of new sounds to excite listeners, and to keep them returning to hear new music every week:
We encourage young people who are involved in music to come here. We involve them in helping to grow Loudmouth, make them feel special and they feel part of it.
Product
Loudmouth fills three gaps: it enables artists to rehearse and develop new material; to record and produce it; and to release and promote it in various ways. Rehearsal and recording studios are available with skilled sound engineers and producers. CDs can be produced, artwork designed, copied and distributed by independent networks, though Internet-based distribution is also becoming more common. Songs can be mixed and released in CD, MP3 and downloadable iPod file formats. The Loudmouth website is the focal point for brows¬ing, downloading and mail ordering CDs. The music and the artists attract fans who want to hear different styles which experiment, challenge, sometimes subvert and give a voice to music which is not heard through the major commercial record labels and radio stations.
People listen to us because we offer them music that they want to listen to with an atti-tude and style they can relate to, it speaks to them and is not just a manufactured pop product.
Loudmouth is also involved in creative projects with youth groups, giving it an educational role in the community. It runs workshops and access courses in music recording and produc-tion to encourage young artists to develop their musical skills. Song-writing encourages self- expression, whilst recording and production develop organisation and problem-solving skills.
Business process
Loudmouth started as a purely creative organisation but Kevin and his friends quickly