for musicians: what is your dream recordcontract?
- Thread starter Koi
- Start date
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
I'd have to say independent with possibly a PnD deal.
It's a bit of a minefield out there. Publishers want you to sign over a set number of your creative works to them in return for exposure (ie. you don't own your songs for a set period of time.. which can vary from a few to several years, to decades). Labels want you to sign your band to them for a set number of recordings, during which period you're not allowed to record anything for anyone else without their express permission. Bands can really get themselves caught in a shitstorm unless they have a great management team and a good music lawyer on the side somewhere.
I'd keep it as simple as possible, because I hate the legal side of things. Music I think should be kept as separate from that shit as possible.
It's a bit of a minefield out there. Publishers want you to sign over a set number of your creative works to them in return for exposure (ie. you don't own your songs for a set period of time.. which can vary from a few to several years, to decades). Labels want you to sign your band to them for a set number of recordings, during which period you're not allowed to record anything for anyone else without their express permission. Bands can really get themselves caught in a shitstorm unless they have a great management team and a good music lawyer on the side somewhere.
I'd keep it as simple as possible, because I hate the legal side of things. Music I think should be kept as separate from that shit as possible.
LightningLixxx
Saw You Frown
Peaceville. I mean, Katatonia, Novembre, Anathema, Opeth, Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Akercocke, Pentagram...I think that's enough said.
discouraged1
disco my arse!
opeth_353
Member
I want any of my bands to try and remain self released, i'd rather keep total control than sign to a label and gain some popularity, but lose the total control.
The label i think might be the only one i'd consider working with is Code 666:
Negura Bunget, Amesoeurs, The Axis Of Perdition, Thee Maldoror Kollective etc.. Yes thank you!
The label i think might be the only one i'd consider working with is Code 666:
Negura Bunget, Amesoeurs, The Axis Of Perdition, Thee Maldoror Kollective etc.. Yes thank you!
Kenneth R.
Cináed
outerone
Alchemy of the Sorcerer
Its so crazy to me that musicians many times dont own their own music. That just bogles my mind (or as Will Farrell would put it, bottles my mind). I mean it sucked for Opeth when they recorded their last DVD Lamentations and they could play any music at the show pre-Blackwater Park cause thet stuff was on a different label.
But if I had my band still together and we had major potential there are some good metal labels. Maybe Id go with Spinefarm or Peaceville, most of the big metal labels are all the same. I like the stuff thats come out from Candlelight but their promotion is pretty much non-existant.
Ill go with Peaceville.
But if I had my band still together and we had major potential there are some good metal labels. Maybe Id go with Spinefarm or Peaceville, most of the big metal labels are all the same. I like the stuff thats come out from Candlelight but their promotion is pretty much non-existant.
Ill go with Peaceville.
Liquid Diamonds
Member
AnTz0r
Crimson King
JoeVice
Member
sacrifices might have to be made. bands are promoted and given an opportunity to tour, and in many cases, make a living, thanks to record labels. they have some "rights" concerning money, but the label doesn't actually "own" the music, or an artist's creative direction. plus, i imagine if the band is good enough, and smart enough, they won't sign with a label that wants creative control. and, if an artist wants to record or play something on the side, they always have that old basement.
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
The label doesn't commonly own the intellectual property (ie the song) but they DO commonly own the recording of the song, as record sales are how they make the majority of their income.
Metal bands commonly can't even come close to making a living off record sales alone. The breakdown varies from country to country, but just imagine earning 1 dollar for every copy sold and you're about on the right track. That's for the ENTIRE band, not just for a single member.
The main songwriter will get something extra from publishing, including airplay of the song amongst other things (which are virtually nonexistent in metal anyhow). So as a whole, the band are very much reliant on merch sales and touring to generate the majority of their income. I have no idea how much the label has to do with the actual touring part of it, as they are mainly interested in whoring the actual recorded album.
These days labels are starting to become something that's largely unnecessary. The largest promotional vehicle of all (the internet) is here, and people are becoming more and more reluctant to sign their rights away when they can just do things themselves with less restrictive deals.
Metal bands commonly can't even come close to making a living off record sales alone. The breakdown varies from country to country, but just imagine earning 1 dollar for every copy sold and you're about on the right track. That's for the ENTIRE band, not just for a single member.
The main songwriter will get something extra from publishing, including airplay of the song amongst other things (which are virtually nonexistent in metal anyhow). So as a whole, the band are very much reliant on merch sales and touring to generate the majority of their income. I have no idea how much the label has to do with the actual touring part of it, as they are mainly interested in whoring the actual recorded album.
These days labels are starting to become something that's largely unnecessary. The largest promotional vehicle of all (the internet) is here, and people are becoming more and more reluctant to sign their rights away when they can just do things themselves with less restrictive deals.
JoeVice
Member
^^^^oops
"The main songwriter will get something extra from publishing, including airplay of the song amongst other things (which are virtually nonexistent in metal anyhow). So as a whole, the band are very much reliant on merch sales and touring to generate the majority of their income. I have no idea how much the label has to do with the actual touring part of it, as they are mainly interested in whoring the actual recorded album.
These days labels are starting to become something that's largely unnecessary. The largest promotional vehicle of all (the internet) is here, and people are becoming more and more reluctant to sign their rights away when they can just do things themselves with less restrictive deals."
record labels have a huge part to do with touring and merch sales, and in turn album sales, even if they have little say in the operation. the record label has an enourmous impact on people, especially young and upcoming music fans, who are just discovering that slipknot isn't the heaviest metal. i wonder how many opeth fans were born because of roadrunner. i'm assuming it drove up tour and merch sales.
"The main songwriter will get something extra from publishing, including airplay of the song amongst other things (which are virtually nonexistent in metal anyhow). So as a whole, the band are very much reliant on merch sales and touring to generate the majority of their income. I have no idea how much the label has to do with the actual touring part of it, as they are mainly interested in whoring the actual recorded album.
These days labels are starting to become something that's largely unnecessary. The largest promotional vehicle of all (the internet) is here, and people are becoming more and more reluctant to sign their rights away when they can just do things themselves with less restrictive deals."
record labels have a huge part to do with touring and merch sales, and in turn album sales, even if they have little say in the operation. the record label has an enourmous impact on people, especially young and upcoming music fans, who are just discovering that slipknot isn't the heaviest metal. i wonder how many opeth fans were born because of roadrunner. i'm assuming it drove up tour and merch sales.
Tubbs
Bi-weekly top album:
I guess it's true nowadays that we really could sell our music without a label though. The only problem I see with that is getting shows and recording in studios. Where would someone get the money from? Usually the label helps, so personally I wouldn't know which way to go with any of my bands.
JoeVice
Member
concerning the recording, a band definetely doesn't need a professional studio. that can be built from scratch. *see darkthrone* moonlapse, i imagine you are still in the process. being a reborn boston fan, i'm hearing the genius in tom sholtz's home setup, in the seventies no less. their s/t was recorded in his basement. granted, i think the guy earned a masters from mit, so he was no dummy with the electricz.
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
It's very possible, tubbs, and it's being done more and more prolifically where I live.
Many labels these days are wary of even fronting up a recording advance to a newly signed artist, as there's so little chance of them recouping. Many artists have to front up the costs themselves in any case, and studio prices have had to go down accordingly.
Studio time now is more affordable than ever before, especially with every man and his dog having a home studio set-up. The rates are so ridiculously low at the moment that you'd have to pay your damn client to be any more competitive as a studio owner.
As Joe says, you don't even need a professional studio, depending on what you're trying to achieve.
I'm in the midst of recording a band's debut album who are unsigned. They have just pooled together and created a budget of around 10k, using their own money, and will use it to get the album recorded, mixed and mastered. Then they'll fire off a few hundred copies which will go around to various promotional agencies, labels, whatnot and see what they can get from it.
Many labels these days are wary of even fronting up a recording advance to a newly signed artist, as there's so little chance of them recouping. Many artists have to front up the costs themselves in any case, and studio prices have had to go down accordingly.
Studio time now is more affordable than ever before, especially with every man and his dog having a home studio set-up. The rates are so ridiculously low at the moment that you'd have to pay your damn client to be any more competitive as a studio owner.
As Joe says, you don't even need a professional studio, depending on what you're trying to achieve.
I'm in the midst of recording a band's debut album who are unsigned. They have just pooled together and created a budget of around 10k, using their own money, and will use it to get the album recorded, mixed and mastered. Then they'll fire off a few hundred copies which will go around to various promotional agencies, labels, whatnot and see what they can get from it.
JoeVice
Member
10K? holy shit!!!! i know its really none of my business, but if you don't mind, what is the ratio of distribution with that money?
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
Yeah, as I said, the budgets are decreasing so drastically. Around here its fairly common that the top local metal albums have budgets around 20k. The techniques that people use to record are saving money as well as blanketly degrading the overall sound quality of releases.
I don't know what the distribution ratio is, and even if I did.. it's not my place to give it out.
I don't know what the distribution ratio is, and even if I did.. it's not my place to give it out.
naboo
Just Ask The Axis
- Oct 6, 2004
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To be perfectly honest, yes that is one of my dreams, to have a record contract. It's the best way to spread your music, not to mention tour, which would be near impossible to organize on your own. The legal part scares me though. I really don't want my songs being used on Nike commercials (not like they would be, but you get the point). I wrote them - they're mine.
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