14 Oct
2003
14 Oct
'03
2:51 p.m.
--- Paul Winkler <pw_lists(a)slinkp.com> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 13, 2003 at 08:14:05PM -0400, Taybin
Rutkin wrote:
For me, the reality of running a sound business hurts
like a hammer slapped upside the head. It's hard to
design and execute any business plan. All I really
want to do is arrange and perform music with my
friends.
I think if all our bands had a Col. Parker (of Elvis
fame) in our camps, we'd never miss the opportunity to
tour into a market where our material is getting radio
play. I don't think the management that comes with a
label contract is the same thing you get from a
personal band manager.
What little I observe of KISS tells me that Gene
Simmons is a hell of a businessman. The guy breeds
success. In fact, it's easy to imagine that he breeds
alot.
My studio business partner experienced some success
while signed to an independent lable. I saw BMI
royalty checks of up to $40,000.00 USD from S. Afrika
to Finland and everywhere inbetween. There were no
mechanical royalties. When they tossed the indie label
owner into prison for embezzlement they seized an
estate that included; large home, sports cars, SSL
mixers, etc, etc. All of it purchased from revenues of
their product. What happened to the seized estate? We
don't know and it's unlikely we ever will.
Related to that deal were publishing revenues
originally owned by Motown but transfered to the major
that purchased them. Several years went by without
anyone even knowing that a publishing royalty existed.
It was discovered by accident during the embezzlment
investigations. Even after discovery it took a couple
years to collect. The label, when asked why the
publishing royalty hadn't been delivered, replied, "we
didn't have your mailing address."
I think bands need talented, trustworthy and motivated
business persons if they want to make money. But my
ultimate point is, I'm gonna go play the drums!
ron
Well, some friends of mine just signed to Palm.
There is still hope of
talented, hardworking bands getting signed.
Besides, there are always
the minor labels. Thank god for K Records,
Kindercore, and Barsuk
Records.
The minor labels are probably much better for you in
the long haul
as an artist. Being on a major doesn't guarantee you
anything, in
fact if you're *lucky* you will merely fail to make
any money. Some acquaintances of mine put out two records on
RCA, one in '96
and one in '98, and despite a great live show, some
good
reviews and some "modern rock" airplay here and
there, they got no
promotional backup - e.g. they'd find out their song
had been played
regularly on a radio station in an area they could
have easily travelled
to & performed, but they'd be told about this long
*after* the song had
been cycled out of airplay. The general impression
was that nobody
at the label was paying attention.
And they got off pretty easy, they just got dropped
after
the second album failed to do much of anything.
For a real horror story read those prosoundweb
"mixerman diaries"
that somebody posted a day or two ago. So horrible
it's almost funny.
It could be subtitled "How to fail in the record
industry by spending
2 million dollars on total shit."
- PW
--
Paul Winkler
http://www.slinkp.com
Look! Up in the sky! It's SILICO PUMA FROM SWEDEN!
(random hero from isometric.spaceninja.com)
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