Do you guys know any scam signing record deals? If u get to sign a contract would be better to get a lawyer? I would like to know it for my own knowledge.
Thanks
Pretty much all Chicago pioneers were scammed in the 80s, lol
But I donât know any other ârealâ examplesâŚbut treat it as any other business deal,
in UK you can approach Musicians Union for legal help, etc and a directory of music business lawyers Iâd assume that you can find similar organisation in US
[quote]seanl (04/04/2010)[hr]can approach Musicians Union for legal help, etc and a directory of music business lawyers Iâd assume that you can find similar organisation in US[/quote]
This^^
Just remember to read your contract thoroughly and if there is anything youâre unsure about just ask the label, heck, even feel free to ask here. I think there is some other free legal advice out there too, so getting a lawyer may just be an expense you might not need to do.
Generally when it comes to money, all costs will be on a 50/50% deal, thatâs costs of outgoings (promotions etc) and incomings (sales).
Most labels these days wonât give you an advance, but best to check that one up as some will, it also depends on if youâre a known name. Unknowns may get a couple of hundred, sometimes nothing, strike a deal with the label.
all that i can say is where thereâs money thereâs crooks
Ive had a really bad experiences with signing deals etc.
be very wary of long term exclusive deals where you sign as yourself⌠as in your name not the artist.
I was trapped in a deal where the label refused to accept to release our music as it would put them in to the next phase of the deal i.e. they would have had to shell out a hefty advance. We couldnât release any music to anyone else as we where signed exclusively and where trapped.
Because we where skint and couldnt make any money we couldnt fight back with lawers etc.
Completely ruined my music career⌠and some other artists i know.
[quote]phil johnston (04/04/2010)[hr]Ive had a really bad experiences with signing deals etc.
be very wary of long term exclusive deals where you sign as yourself⌠as in your name not the artist.
I was trapped in a deal where the label refused to accept to release our music as it would put them in to the next phase of the deal i.e. they would have had to shell out a hefty advance. We couldnât release any music to anyone else as we where signed exclusively and where trapped.
Because we where skint and couldnt make any money we couldnt fight back with lawers etc.
Completely ruined my music career⌠and some other artists i know.
[/quote]
Sh*********t!! Thatâs not good man :blink: :blink: :blink:
Could you not have struck a new contract with the label: ie: Smaller/No advance for new contract?
they had already made 10s of thousands off our tracks that we hadnt seen a penny of⌠they where just crooks.
basicly they would rack up recuperables on our behalf⌠then pay us nothing say⌠you paid for a video⌠cars, photos dinners etc⌠etc.
[quote]phil johnston (04/04/2010)[hr]Ive had a really bad experiences with signing deals etc.
be very wary of long term exclusive deals where you sign as yourself⌠as in your name not the artist.
I was trapped in a deal where the label refused to accept to release our music as it would put them in to the next phase of the deal i.e. they would have had to shell out a hefty advance. We couldnât release any music to anyone else as we where signed exclusively and where trapped.
Because we where skint and couldnt make any money we couldnt fight back with lawers etc.
Completely ruined my music career⌠and some other artists i know.
[/quote]
thanks all for the advice . thats messed up how there is many people who dont have a a heart or wants to take advantage with your talent.
grrrr
[quote]alinenunez (04/04/2010)[hr][quote]phil johnston (04/04/2010)[hr]Ive had a really bad experiences with signing deals etc.
be very wary of long term exclusive deals where you sign as yourself⌠as in your name not the artist.
I was trapped in a deal where the label refused to accept to release our music as it would put them in to the next phase of the deal i.e. they would have had to shell out a hefty advance. We couldnât release any music to anyone else as we where signed exclusively and where trapped.
Because we where skint and couldnt make any money we couldnt fight back with lawers etc.
Completely ruined my music career⌠and some other artists i know.
[/quote]
thanks all for the advice . thats messed up how there is many people who dont have a a heart or wants to take advantage with your talent.
grrrr
[/quote]
they do take advantage of your talent. just like Don King did with mike tyson
hope thats all in the past phil, its pieces of crap like that the world can do without, it makes me mad even though it didnt happen to me, thats a awful lot of money that got taken from you, was that for your track home?
All the more reason you need to start up the SA label, Phil! You can release your own tunes as well as the worthy ones that come out of SA and help take back the music biz! Weâll have the first compilation be called âF#@k your stinkinâ contractâ. 
Raymond
i have always remembered this quote from Hunter S. Thompson:
âThe music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. Thereâs also a negative side.â
i think that sums it up. jons post also got it in a nutshell⌠âwhere thereâs money thereâs crooksââŚÂ Â
dodgey scumbags, dont trust any of them. just cos they wear suits dont mean they aint lying thieves waiting to taking advantage of your/our commitment, dedication, hard work and love for creating. just so they can swan around in YOUR hard earn flash carâŚ
:crazy:Â
i still think that a S.A digital record label is a great idea but it obviously takes time and money to run. i know that in the past many other forums have started their own labels, the college i went to produced an album at the end of every year using all the students for the complete project.
SA Record label, didnât we mention this about a year ago?
Would be a great idea, obviously though the main focus at the moment is this website and itâs tutorials. Maybe when SA grow further down the line then they can move on to world domination 
[quote]roben (05/04/2010)[hr]SA Record label, didnât we mention this about a year ago?
Would be a great idea, obviously though the main focus at the moment is this website and itâs tutorials. Maybe when SA grow further down the line then they can move on to world domination ;)[/quote]
iâm sure when it was talked about before it was mentioned that the chosen members would collect the tracks and sort out almost all parts of running the label with SA having the final say (as their name would be on it) so if it was the case it wouldnât take up that much of SAâs time