Meg and Dia Would Rather 'Do It on Our Own' Than Sign with Another Label

By Emily Tan Posted Jan 12th 2011 10:30AM

When indie pop-rock band Meg and Dia signed a deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2007, the deal led the five-piece from Draper, Utah, to open for Angels and Airwaves, taking their live show to Europe and making their rock star dreams come true -- until the band was dropped from the label in 2009. And while some bands would disappear soon after losing their contract, Meg and Dia wanted to keep putting their music out there and were actually happy about it.

"At first it was a little bit scary," guitarist and vocalist Meg Frampton told PopEater. "But after the separation happened and the dust settled, I really think it's the best thing that could have happened to us. Because after that happened, we all got together and realized that if we didn't get everything going and work on things ourselves, we would disintegrate."

"We were young and as the major label was handling everything for us," Frampton continued, "we didn't realize that even though we were on a major label, we incorrectly assumed that they were going to do everything for us as best as they could because they were a major label. It's funny that what we five do on our own is more than what the huge company did for us because we care more about us obviously. So this way works out a lot better."

Although Frampton admitted that she started learning about the business side of Meg and Dia after the split, she revealed that going DIY was taking the band back to its roots and felt like it did when they originally formed in 2004. After regrouping, the band got back into the studio last spring to record their fourth EP, 'It's Always Stormy in Tillamook,' which they self-released in November. They ended 2010 by taking their new material to small venues all over the U.S.

"I think we're actually doing well," she said. "We send out our own posters all over [using] our street teamers. We set up our own merch store online, do our own publicity and marketing. We're back to meeting fans one-on-one and answering personal MySpace messages again. So I think because of all that we've done, people who listen to our music know our story and know that we're working hard, so the reaction has been really wonderful. Everybody's been real supportive."

Now, Meg and Dia are currently working on the follow-up to their last full-length record, 2009's 'Here, Here and Here.' Doing all the recording and production on their own, the band has plans to combine the songs from 'It's Always Stormy in Tillamook' with the other newly-penned music for the as-yet-untitled album that they hope to release sometime in early 2011.

And as for shopping their new record to other labels, Frampton doesn't think Meg and Dia will take that route again, as the band members plan to just keep doing it their way.

"I don't think there are any plans to even find an independent label," she said. "That's not anything we even talk about. Doing this EP on our own just worked out so well that there's just not really a need for a label. We're doing better on our own -- it would be scary for a label to come up to us. I would be really hesitant to sign anything at this point. I'd just rather we handle that stuff on our own. And we've been working so hard with no sleep. So it is a lot harder, but it's still better for us in the long run."

Watch Meg and Dia's video of 'Black Wedding' here.

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