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sooooo....who's in a signed band....


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Originally posted by THB

I'm working on it, Gunny. I met a guy locally who is a scout for several majors and am working towards signing an agreement with him. I hope we're gettin' close.


:cool:

 

 

you guys deserve it....keep us posted.

 

 

*pops Taylor Harvey Band in CD player*

 

 

:cool:

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Originally posted by machinegun78_2




you guys deserve it....keep us posted.



*pops Taylor Harvey Band in CD player*



:cool:

 

Thanks for the kind words. I just sent Tank a copy of the new release. Let me know what you think when it makes the rounds. When am I gonna get some of your stuff?????

 

:cool:

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Originally posted by THB



Thanks for the kind words. I just sent Tank a copy of the new release. Let me know what you think when it makes the rounds. When am I gonna get some of your stuff?????


:cool:

 

 

you can bet I'll let you know what I think as soon as I hear it. if you want to hear Push Off, here's the link to our Download page. those are the EP versions of a few of the songs you'll hear on the record.

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I was in a signed band once... a long time ago. The experience made me decide I never wanted to do it again. :D That said, we are talking to a label now (wtf are we thinking?), but ONLY because we think it's the only label in the world who has a clue what we're about and wouldn't try to {censored} that up. Even so, we're approaching with extreme caution.

 

Otherwise, if things don't work out with this label we would sign a distribution deal with a small indie label, but that's about it.

 

What is it you're looking for from a label? And are you trying to sign with an indie or a major?

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Originally posted by Lee Flier

I was in a signed band once... a long time ago. The experience made me decide I never wanted to do it again.
:D
That said, we are talking to a label now (wtf are we thinking?), but ONLY because we think it's the only label in the world who has a clue what we're about and wouldn't try to {censored} that up. Even so, we're approaching with extreme caution.


Otherwise, if things don't work out with this label we would sign a distribution deal with a small indie label, but that's about it.


What is it you're looking for from a label? And are you trying to sign with an indie or a major?

 

 

more than likely an inde Detroit based label...but only because that's the only way to insure we get things "our" way...

 

what are we looking for? distribution, promotion, management.....someone to throw money into a few records. things like that.

 

:cool:

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Originally posted by fastplant

I was in a band once that was signed. The label did literally NOTHING for us.

 

 

I was in a band with pro management once, but they didn't do {censored} for us. that's why I thought a label would be better at finding pro management...I guess it's subjective.

 

:confused:

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Sounds like a good plan. Do you know anybody at any of these labels? The first thing you'd want to do is compile a list of labels who have artist rosters that seem to be compatible with your band, and seem to be actually doing something for their artists. Then, since they're local labels, you should be able to catch some of the labels' clients at their gigs and talk to the folks in those bands. This is a good way to find out 1) how the label is doing for them, and 2) who you should talk to at the label.

 

Even better, if you can get an opening slot for some of these bands then they will see you play. There may even be a rep from the label present. If nothing else, this will give you an opening line when you write to the label or call them: "My band opened for so-and-so on this date and I think we have the kind of vibe that would work well with your label..." etc.

 

You get the idea. Don't just send a CD to a bunch of labels unsolicited and expect things to happen. Do your homework and find labels YOU want to court, then start developing relationships with anybody you can who's connected with the label. Find out who makes the decisions and make it a point to get to know that person. Call them and offer to put together a gig featuring your band and one of theirs. Whatever you've gotta do to stay in their face while at the same time giving them the impression that you're organized and a giver as well as a taker. If you do that consistently, you'll get your opportunity to be heard.

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We signed a little girl's t-shirt this weekend. Does that count? :D

 

In all seriousness, I've found that labels/sponsors/endorsees are eager to attach their name to something as long as nothing significant is expected in return. Most corporations involved in the quote-unquote promotion of live music seek to do nothing more than siphon a little money out of the situation, then move on when they get caught being the greedy little bastards they really are. My band accepted sponsorship from a very well-known beer company. The exchange was supposed to be very simple. The local rep would travel to the bars we played at and set up a few banners to atract attention for the upcoming weekend gig. In exchange, we would negotiate with the bar owners to have their beer sold on special that night. The concept was simple: the bar would sell twice as much of that brand of beer, thus ensuring the beer company would make more money. The glitch? The damn banners never showed up. Occasionally a banner advertising the beer special would show up, but our name was never on there. We told them to {censored} off after about two months.

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best piece of advice I could give anyoneaskign something like that IMO:

 

NEVER go with a mob just to say you're signed or because they show interest. My band knocked back about a dozen labels ranging from total chancers and cowboys who just turned up at gigs unannounced to well meaning folk with labels who just didn't have the resources to realise what we wanted.

 

None of us regret it at all.

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Signed band here.

 

We get a lot of support. Better than the last label, who didn't really do anything for us.

 

*jan 2003* "Hey, got some sales figures for us?" -"Ummm no"

 

*feb 2003* "Hey, got some sales figures for us?" -"Ummm no"

 

*mar 2003* "Hey, got some sales figures for us?" -"Ummm no"

 

*apr 2003* "Hey, got some sales figures for us?" -"Ummm no"

 

*jan 2003* "Hey, got some sales figures for us?" -"Ummm no but you're not at break-even yet"

 

*jan 2004* "Hey, got some sales figures for us?" -"Ummm no but you're not at break-even yet".

 

Ack. The guy pulled all kinds of stunt to keep us below the break-even point. Like - on paper - sending out ludicrous amounts of promo copies to the weirdest countries. Like trading boxes of our CD's for boxes of CD's from other bands (= no sale).

 

Yeah, we learnt a lot allright :mad:

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Used to be on a Big Label, but due to a long-running class-act suit I'm advised not to "name names" (however, those of you who keep up with such things may be able to guess;))...made all the classic blunders because I was so exdcited to actually be "on a Label" and well on my way to my first million...like not having a trusted lawyer read the contract over and explain how I would be reamed, that sort of thing...

 

I did finally figure out that a lot of acts are signed as tax write-offs for the labels, unless you just happen to become a Big Star, in which case you get to help pay for everyone's living from the Prez to the mop-pusher...except your own! :eek:

 

I've many more horror stories I could tell, but I'll end this by just saying I've made more $$$ from the two CDs/cassettes I've released on my own label than the four albums I made for the "Big Label".

 

If the class-action goes as I'm hoping it will, I'll get the rights back for those four, too! :)

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Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall

Used to be on a Big Label, but due to a long-running class-act suit I'm advised not to "name names" (however, those of you who keep up with such things may be able to guess;))...made all the classic blunders because I was so exdcited to actually be "on a Label" and well on my way to my first million...like not having a
trusted
lawyer read the contract over and explain how I would be reamed, that sort of thing...


I did finally figure out that a lot of acts are signed as tax write-offs for the labels, unless you just happen to become a Big Star, in which case you get to help pay for everyone's living from the Prez to the mop-pusher...except your own!
:eek:

I've many more horror stories I could tell, but I'll end this by just saying I've made more $$$ from the two CDs/cassettes I've released on my own label than the four albums I made for the "Big Label".


If the class-action goes as I'm hoping it will, I'll get the rights back for those four, too!
:)

 

+1

Boy can I relate to that, my last CD made me more money than any label has ever made me.

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Wow, this is really interesting. It's a topic that always fascinates me. I spent a few years out in LA in my early 20's in an attempt to "make it", but nothing happened. The thing that always pissed me off is that the local music rag would talk about the bands that got signed from the local scene, but it always seems to be "they got signed after one gig" or "before their first gig", so it only lead me to understand that who you know is very important.

 

A couple of local bands were signed to majors from another town where I lived, and neither went anywhere, but of course the lablels seemingly altered their sounds to such a degree that they were completely generic and awful.

 

To relate to something someone mentioned about promo copies of albums: I was a dj at a very very very small college radio station for a few years. I mean, we had trouble giving tickets away, etc. because there were so few listeners. But man, we got 5-6 copies of every {censored}ty no-name act signed to a major label. I figured if we were getting that many, the big stations must've gotten caseloads.

 

Anyway, if anyone wants to tell any more stories, I'm interested!!

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