I totally respect your opinion. Thing is though, for me, i want to make a living out of playing. I'm sure there are other ways to make money out of music what with modern developments such as the internet - giving lessons is also one but i'm not really that good with my instrument except with a band.
The thing is, I am kinda old school. Maybe its cause i watched too many feel good movies when i was a kid. But i want may name as well as my music to be recognized. Perhaps even do a "john mayer" just to get there. You know, getting my foot through the door first by playing pop or anything "maka-masa" (just short of doing novelty though!) then once in, letting loose with a barage of metal whom no one can ignore being that i'm already inside their little circle.
But that's just me.
I like your approach, and even more so that you write your opinions well. I'm going to answer you with a bit more detail, and with a lot of honesty.
You can start one of three ways:
1) Day job with band on the side: This is currently what many bands do, and in the process, simply hope to make their mark on the scene. This is also the way for bands whose genres or philosophies don't leave much room for compromise, or are simply not mainstream enough.
2) Music "Day job" with "real" band on the side: you can play with a showband, teach music, or otherwise be working in the music entertainment industry, while at the same time, you can be holding down a spot in a band that plays the music you want.
3) Hold down a spot in a lot of bands, a la Louie Talan or Raimund Marasigan. But then, these two may be false examples, as they also have jobs in the industry side.
You also need to have the right tools. That means management, choosing the "right" gigs, possibly even taking up lessons in songwriting and arrangement. You could also try the Internet - selling and exposing your music to people outside of the Philippines.
But I can honestly also say that there is a fair amount of luck to it if you want to get famous and make a living making music you want to make. There's the factor of timing - if your sound is what's being looked for (i.e. Nirvana), and there's also the element of commercialism (Eraserheads' brilliant pop hooks).
but the idea of getting your foot in the door...and then releasing a barrage of metal? that's a bit iffy, honestly. John Mayer, no matter how famous, will always have a shadow for taking what many perceived as an easy way out (though it really is not as easy as people say). A great example of that is Extreme. "More than words," surely, but after that...they petered out of the commercial arena, with some people calling them one-hit wonders, when in fact they have kickass songs - just not as commercial as MTW.
You're also right in wanting to be that one in a hundred - why not? that is your dream. But the total dedication to that dream may be very, very difficult. That's why a lot of bands prefer option #1 above.
Now, do take note, I'm not discouraging you. What I am trying to say is, you have to be prepared for a lot of hardship. There is no sure path to your goal, and even worse, there is no established path.
And now, to tie it in with "major labels" and your title question...
1) Major labels are a business. they will always go for a sure thing above anything else. In a major label's eyes, you are a sure thing if they see you've done well enough on your own, and if the scout, agents or executives think that a) your kind of band and music is what people want at the moment, or b) with a little nudging, you can be made more successful. Normally, they want both options. SO, going by that thought...you have to be sellable, for whatever reason.
2) Bands being discovered? yes, it still happens. at the rate of 1 band over so many thousands in the philippines. And you can't control the odds, though having a well-connected manager helps.
My real advice is: go for it, but always have a backup (a day job) until you actually can afford to make a living out of your music alone. Otherwise, it's time to take a lot of music and instrument lessons, and become a sessionist.
ah, and on a side note: someone once asked Jerome Abalos why he did larawang kupas...and the story goes he answered: "Kailangan ng gatas para sa anak ko." That there, if true, is a perfect example of the harsh reality of the music business.
