Record deals
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:37 pm

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Is there anybody out there who has a label or record contract.
If so could you share some info about them ie- the good the bad and the ugly.

I personaly dont have a clue about them ive herd heaps about them but how do you sort the fiction from non-fiction

Do all record labels try to rip the artist off or is that just a myth.

Do we even need them any more with the internet and so on now at our finger tips.

Some clarification in this area would be great. and if you are in a contract already do you like it or not - can you even say so- or are you sworn to silence.

any comments would be cool. Thanks

RE: Record deals
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:39 pm

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getting a deal can be a seriously evil thing
some good advice can be got at www.cdbaby.com

RE: Record deals
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:48 am

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Any one else to share there take on this- what about you guys and girls who own a label or work for one.

Dont be shy- I know there's proberly talant scoutts hidding behind there computer going thru the Muzic.Net.nz artists page's looking for the next Big pay day.

This is an observation only but what Ive seen when it comes to this is that most of those music bizzos are too busy doing there own projects to notice anything
But then it gets put back on the artist - "if you want to get any where you have to make them notice you!" OK now were back at the begining.
I really havent had that much to do with this but i do know bands that get this all the time like 95% of the population that have ever givin a f**k to care for it.

Right now im not sure if I do Or Dont from what Ive "herd" its a bank loan!

would really love to hear from some one POSITIVE about this subject.

Have a nice day

RE: Record deals
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 1:17 pm

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Julius I'm not too sure what you're looking for here but I'll give it a shot.
If you have 5% of NZ tuning in to you that is bloody massive, 5% of anywhere is huge. A record company that get you onto the itunes a cd players of 100,000 kiwis would be one hell of an accomplishment. If 95% of NZ doesn't give a shit tell me who's crying all the way to the bank?
Think bout stats. Any band in nz can record a song and move 100 units. Think bout it 4 people give the cd to their friends and family, flick off a few copies to workmates then your there. moving to 200 is not too hard if you have a fan base. we moved 267 copies of the Pleasure dome demo, 268 if you count the copy in the mail to mr Foal30 at the moment. If you are moving 500 copies in Auckland alone by yourself that is massive, if you are able to move 1000 hard copies (approx 1 in 4000 kiwis) it is likely major record companies are gonna be keeping an eye on you as you are a band with a massive local buzz going on.
So ok at this point you, the artist, are making all the $$s frm yous sales, minus the $2000+ a song recording costs, the outlay on gigging, advertising and shamelessly self- promoting. At this point, despite having emails for the good folk at the rock and Kiwi, some guy who makes the coffee for one news, a dozen bars, 32 bass players 300 fans, Annie Crummer (from an industry bulletin that should have been BCCed) and Trevor Reekie, airplay and talk of a video you are reaching 0.025% on NZ.
How do you take your sound to a wider audience? well maybe you'll need to make that phone call to the guy from BMG who gave you his card at the last Kings Arms gig.
But they are just going to rip you off right? WRONG. Keep in mind its not just the costs of recording we're talking bout here, there are huge costs involved in MARKETING a band. When Ishtar put on a gig it might cost us $150 for a soundguy and $25 for posters. When I last talked with Brent from 8 Foot Sativa he was telling me the cost of putting on some of their gigs on their last tour came to approx $2000 a show. Touring can be bloody expensive. Keep in mind where you were once a one person operation posting your own gigs and running your own promotions you are now too busy to do a lot of that and there is a team of people doing stuff for you. Maintaining your site, hooking up interviews with Real Groove and coke fridge, talking with BMG Aussie and various record companies in other territories about Licensing deals (cause if you are signed to BMG NZ that is it, the mob across the ditch have no idea who you are), negotiating for you to open for overseas touring acts .I suppose you are aware those generally tend to be pay to play?
Nothing saying you'll be rich. I heard once in 2001 26,000 cds were released in the USA including everything from major label releases to vanity projects, but only 23 releases actually made a profit directly from sales- the same year 26 people got struck by lightning in the USA. Take that into account and factor into that NZ is a lot smaller than the USA (a country of approx 280million people with cultural hegemony).
Bottom line dude, whatever you set your sights on don't give up your day job.
At least not till people are mentioning your name alongside Dobbin, Finn and Runga

This message was edited by simon_ishtar on Mon Dec 12, 2005 1:20 pm.

This message was edited by simon_ishtar on Mon Dec 12, 2005 1:22 pm.

RE: Record deals
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:08 pm

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Wicked man what a ride!!

It sounds like there's alot of hard work involved thanks so much for sharing that story It helps alot to learn off those who have ran the gauntlet and lived to tell the tale!

I think for muso's like myself who are new to that aspect of the bizz- gain heaps from this type of info-you know- the real stuff!!!

To all the the people out there - have you got a story to share - love to hear it-I mean - read it!

RE: Record deals
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:25 pm

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We're still running the gauntlet and at this point doing everything indie. I do know a few people who are signed to record contracts, as do a lot of people who post here, and i think there's good and bad to it. All up though if someone came to us from a major label I wouldn't even blink, Id' sign the paperwork, provided I maintained most the profits from t shirts of course....

This message was edited by simon_ishtar on Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:26 pm.

RE: Record deals
Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:34 am

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The thing to think about is that record companies are in the business of being a business. They are out to make money.

No one would invest in anything that was not likely to return a profit - that's just bad business.

So what does that mean?
It means you / your band have to be a viable investment.

The only way to prove that you are bankable is to prove that there is a lot of interest in your music, and you therefore have a market share.

Some people find thinking about their music like this distressing, but if you want to make a living out of it, then your music must be generating a wage for at least the members in your band.

So if you have four people in your band, the music must be generating a PROFIT of approximately $120,000 - this means each person gets a wage of $30,000 per year.

Then of course there are all the expenses that go on top of that, touring, marketing etc.

So obviously that is long term, what can be done now?

The first thing is to get out and play infront of as many people as you can, target playing with touring bands that are established, or have a decent following. To do this you either need to know someone who has contact with high profile bands, or even just email the bands themselves with a bio and music sample (I know this has worked well for a few bands down in Welly here).

Touring is a big part of it ... but you need to be smart about it. Playing out town will cost anywhere from $500 - $1000 including travel and marketing, and possibly accomodation (although we tend to stay with friends) - so if you're going to be spending that sort of money you need to get something out of it, and I'd say the most important thing would be getting people to see you.

The more people that know about you, the higher the percentage of people that like you will become.

Then, as Simon said it's all about generating a strong following.

If you are getting 500plus people along to your gigs, and can easily sell 1000plus copies of a CD, and if you are actually making money of your music (even if it is a small profit that you use to do more tours / promotion etc), then record companies who are looking to invest in projects will take more notice.


We are currently is the "building our profile" stage, so I can't comment on what it was like to get a record deal, but from everything I've read on the subject, this seems to be the way to do it.

At the end of the day, if people like your music, and you market youself well, then you will develop a following, and you will be generating more cash to be able to promote yourself more, to get a larger fan base, etc.

If you get to that stage, then record companies will take notice - and if they don't, then it's up to you to make them take notice - send them CD's, invite the A & R people to your gigs, talk to people in the band management business (like the people at CRS in Auckland - or local promoters) - talk to anyone who can give you leads to other people to talk to.

The music business is an industry that is based on contacts - it's all about who you know (we've all heard this before, right), so to get to "the right people" you need to following a chain of contacts - well that's not hard - talk to people get referrals, introduce yourself to other people, who will know people, etc.


Well, I feel I've gone on too long now.

Hope that helps in some way.



Dan from OOS

www.oosband.com

RE: Record deals
Posted: Fri Jan 5, 2007 1:22 pm

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