Bands Beware

[matt schrauben]

I know some of you on here are in bands yourself. I came across the "Get our of the Garage" promotion that is being put on by Converse and Guitar Center. The terms and conditions of it are so ridiculous and one-sided that our band felt the need to notify others.

On the surface the promotion sounds good:

Submit your music and you could win:
$25,000
A show at the Fader Fort in Texas
A 3 song EP Produced by Dev Hynes
Some free Gear
Free worldwide digital distribution from TuneCore.


However the terms and conditions give Guitar Center and Converse (and whoever else maybe associated) the complete right to anything you submit (including music) without your permission or compensation, perpetually. Take a look at them:

Subject to the application of the Privacy Policy to personal data, any Materials you send to this Site, including, but not limited to, any data, questions, comments, suggestions, ideas or other information, material or property will be deemed non-confidential and non-proprietary. You agree that by submitting Materials to the Site, you are granting us and any and all of our Related Parties the non-exclusive, irrevocable right and license to exhibit, broadcast, copy, reproduce, encode, compress, encrypt, incorporate data into, edit, rebroadcast, transmit, record, publicly perform, create derivative works of, and distribute and synchronize in timed relation to visual elements, the Materials and/or any portions or excerpts thereof, in any manner, an unlimited number of times, in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity. We may use the Materials to advertise, promote and publicize any of our or our Related Parties' worldwide products and/or services and/or any Site in all media throughout the universe and may authorize others to do so, such advertising, promotion and publicity which may include portions and excerpts, in addition to cut-in, synchronized, dubbed and superimposed versions of the Materials. You acknowledge that we may use the Materials in accordance with the permission granted herein without notice and WITHOUT COMPENSATION, royalty, accounting, liability or obligation of any kind to you.

Just want to give a fair warning to anyone who may have seen this and is in a band. Metul.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

lol if GuitarCenter and Converse want to use my shitty music for free, I say go for it. I'm not writing music to make money anyways.

 

[The Ozzman]

I don't think I've stepped foot in a GC or Sam Ash in years. I really need to get back into bass playing..

 

[matt schrauben]

I don't think I've stepped foot in a GC or Sam Ash in years. I really need to get back into bass playing..

You do! I'm a bassist myself. How long has it been since you've played.

 

[The Ozzman]

At least 2 years

 

[Draehl]

<< Also a bassist. One of the strings broke like 3 years ago. I still haven't restrung it...

 

[Master_Yoda77]

As a guitarist, I play bass as well bros. In b4 you guys call me a fag for using a pick.

 

[matt schrauben]

At least 2 years

<< Also a bassist. One of the strings broke like 3 years ago. I still haven't restrung it...

Wow, you guys need to jump back on the wagon!

I haven't played with pick in years, but it does have distinct sound and attack.

 

[PhlegethonVeins]

That is important to note, however so long as you preserve the right to use any material you write yourself as well I don't see the problem. Considering that the majority of acts that would enter into such a competition would not see near that prize pool from sales of material anyways, it really isn't that raw of a deal at all.

If anything, it would result in potential free advertising for your band itself.

 

[Der Morgenstern]

I play drums.

Kneel before me.

 

[Eligos]

As a guitarist, I play bass as well bros. In b4 you guys call me a fag for using a pick.

I stopped using a pick until recently. We wrote this new song that fell somewhere in between the sounds of My Bloody Valentine, Yes, and Muse, and playing with a pick just brought the perfect amount of sass and bark into the mix.

It's important to have a wide tonal array if you want to get any attention as a bassist. A single sound's not gonna work well in every setting.

In regards to the OP, though, I'm more surprised by Converse in this matter than I am by GC, who has been ripping American youth off for decades. I don't understand why Converse can't just pay people for the music they use in their commercials and maybe hire an A&R guy to acquire young talent.