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Re: TAXI - Independant A&R - Anybody have any comments? [message #85405 is a reply to message #85403] Sun, 27 May 2007 00:48 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Kim is currently offline  Kim
Messages: 1246
Registered: October 2005
Senior Member
"James McCloskey" <excelsm@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>I hear you Kim. You can always submit your material to record companies
>and publishing companies.

I don't know how it works in the states, but down here they all say "No unsolicited
material" on a large neon sign hanging from a blimp which hovers over the
company HQ. How they find artists I am unsure, but given I rarely play anywhere
I guess I'd be hard to find.

>If you have away to get radio air play, it's key.

Well I happen to work at the highest rating commercial music station in the
country, but we're in a small dungeon underneath a pile of rubble (well,
my previous lunch wrappers actually) in the back right corner where nobody
can see or hear us... and the station in question plays music almost, but
not quite, completely unlike the styles I like. ;o)

Mind you there are possible avenues there I guess if I can hold out long
enough...

Thanks heaps for the advice though. I hope I don't sound ungrateful in my
pessimism. ;o)

Cheers,
Kim.


>
>
>
>"Kim" <hiddensounds@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>"James McCloskey" <excelsm@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>If your just using it to try to sell your songs it might be worth
>>>it but I think you can do it on your own.
>>
>>Well this is the thing, I don't appear to be able to do it on my own. With
>>the exception of people here, I don't really know anybody who's actually
>>"in the industry" as a professional. I know a fair number of people in
bands,
>>some struggling, and every now and again one of my friends gets some moderate
>>success and does national tours for a while, but, well, quite honestly,
>on
>>the occasions where people actually go "Yeah, damned, that's a good tune!"
>>they then go "Tell you what, I'll take 70% and make it a hit for you" and
>>I'm like "Err, no you won't" and the discussion ends. Maybe not 70% all
>the
>>time, but people seem to want a stupidly high percentage simply for the
>fact
>>that they are the gatekeeper. I've been pushed into song writing partnerships
>>I didn't want to be in simply so that someone else could get their hands
>>on the cash. It all sucks, and I've had enough. I have, however (I think
>>/ hope) maintained the rights to pretty much all my stuff, and hence I
have
>>a fairly large library of songs I've written and recorded. Much of it would
>>need to be rerecorded for submission, but the tunes exist, and are mine
>still.
>>
>>I know this has all been said before, but the percentages which go to a
>songwriter
>>are low enough to begin with. I think in the states the figures are slightly
>>different, but here 6.25% of the disk price goes to the songwriter. Now
>out
>>of that I find that often they want to cut it in half before they start
>"just
>>because we're giving you a chance" and then they want to take another 20%
>>or so for "production" (why does that come out of my share? I ask them...
>>Oh, no answer. Thought as much...) and then of course the publisher will
>>take another 20% of whatever amount I may have left.
>>
>>6.25% x 50% - 20% - 20% = 2%
>>
>>So I'd end up with 2% of disk sales. Now I know that on a big hit 2% of
>disk
>>sales can be 2% of a lot of money, but it seems beyond stupidity and way
>>beyond fairness that the songwriter only gets under 1/3 of the money which
>>in itself is the actual songwriting money. I can understand a publisher
>taking
>>an administrative cut and I'm fine with that. Beyond that I would have
thought
>>that most of the money should belong to the writer.
>>
>>OK, now I'm just ranting. ;o)
>>
>>My point however is that I can't do it on my own. I don't know the right
>>people it seems. And I'm also not a pushy person, and hence don't force
>myself
>>upon people. If people ask about me then I'll play them something. If they
>>don't then I don't tend to go "Hey such and such, would you mind listening
>>to..." which appears to be what you have to do.
>>
>>What I cannot work out is why everybody puts up with it, because MOST people
>>complain about it.
>>
>>Don't get me wrong, I know there are a lot of shit artists out there who
>>are doing a lot of complaining because they think they deserve something
>>when really they don't. I'd be willing to accept that I'm one of them if
>>not for the fact that I do seem to get, shall we say, the occasional "offer
>>to be ripped off" which makes me think that I obviously have something
worth
>>ripping off.
>>
>>Sometimes I wonder if I'm the last human being on Earth who thinks people
>>should be fair and reasonable to each other. Don't get me wrong, if I earned
>>$5,000,000 from a song I'd give a lot away, but not to these greedy people...
>>
>>...I'd quite possibly start my own label. No wonder the Beatles had to
do
>>it. One wonders however "How long must we sing this song?". Why don't the
>>actual MAJOR artists, the big guys, actually make a stand and go "Nup,
it's
>>unfair". I know they get decent deals, but don't they have hearts? There
>>are bands out there that claim to care about the world and issues, yet
they
>>don't seem to care about their own industry.
>>
>>OK, rant mode OFF!
>>
>>The point is that at least with these guys I'm paying a set amount and
they
>>don't take a percentage. I find that reassuring. They're not asking to
own
>>my catalogue or take 50% or anything in order to do their job. Quite honestly,
>>$5 a song sounds pretty cheap if they're going to write any kind of even
>>half decent critique. The song itself is probably 3-4 minutes long, add
>the
>>time to put it in the player and muck about, and then writing the critique,
>>and it must take at least 10 probably 15 minutes to do. That means they're
>>making $20 an hour assuming they are at it all day, and it means that $5
>>is only buying you about 5-10 minutes of their time to write the critique.
>>I wouldn't expect every critique to be a novel...
>>
>>I dunno, the more I think about it the more reasonable it sounds.
>>
>>I hear what you're saying about the record execs not liking TAXI, though
>>I assume you're talking fairly much about one particular label. Even if
>only
>>5% of A&R people really pay attention to them, that's about 6% more people
>>than are paying attention to me now...
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Kim.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>If you go with it, let us know what you think.
>>>
>>>Good luck!
>>>
>>>James
>>>
>>>Jeff Hoover <jkhoover@excite.com> wrote:
>>>>Kim,
>>>>
>>>>I've only heard they haven't so far :-)
>>>>
>>>>I would assume they let you know the other way.
>>>>
>>>>Theydon't give feedback iunless the listing says it includes critiques.
>>>>
>>>>JH
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes they do say there is a money back guarantee. I haven't seen what
>>the
>>>>> conditions are, but they do say you can't have your money back just
>because
>>>>> "I'm out of cash at the moment" type of thing, so obviously your reason
>>>would
>>>>> have to be related to their service, and fair and valid.
>>>>>
>>>>> In that respect I guess it is worth a try in any case. Pay up, submit
>>>a few
>>>>> tracks and see what happens. Worst case it will only cost the song
submission
>>>>> amount and (I assume) the portion of the year that you were a member,
>>>so
>>>>> maybe $100 all up.
>>>>>
>>>>> So I assume they tell you when they submit something, and also tell
>you
>>>why
>>>>> they have or have not submitted a particular tune?
>>>>>
>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>> Kim.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jeff Hoover <jkhoover@excite.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>Kim,
>>>>>>For what you want, I'd go for it. I believe the initiation fee is
still
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>refundable, you get the Rcording Mag, and the monthly writeups from
>>
>>>>>>Michael (the TAXI dude) area a great read. My guess is the best chance
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>for a deal is if they refer you to one of the houses trying to increase
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>their book for TV, etc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Jeff
>>>>>>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Jeff,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Thanks for that. The value of the critiques was one thing on my list
>>>of
>>>>>
>>>>> queries
>>>>>
>>>>>>>in my head.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Generally I believe I'm quite a good emulator of styles, and by the
>>sound
>>>>>>>of it they say a bit of "...in the style of..." so if the job is to
>>write
>>>>>>>a song like somebody else's, I might be in luck. ;o)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>It would also be good to get some feedback from people who listen
all
>>>>>
>>>>> day
>>>>>
>>>>>>>to which songs "make it" and which songs don't, even if I don't get
>>anything
>>>>>>>other than that from it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Cheers,
>>>>>>>Kim.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Jeff Hoover <jkhoover@excite.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Kim,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>My opinion is a little different, being a TAXI member. Here's some
>>>
>>>>>>>>observations after being involved a little over a year. First off,
>>>let
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>it be understood I haven't gotten a deal off Taxi at present. I
have
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>only submitted for listings that include a critique as sending money
>>>off
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>with no feedback doesn't seem prudent to me. The feedback I've received
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>on a couple of submissions was helpful but elad me to a couple of
>
>>>>>>>>conclusions:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>1. Quality of the initial recording will matter
>>>>>>>>Even if you are trying to sell a song, the feedback I recieved made
>>>it
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>obvious these were not "producers" on the other end, they were buyers
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>(at least in mentality). They want fairly finished product.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>2. Quality of feedback will vary greatly.
>>>>>>>>A couple of critiques were well thoguht through, Ac ouple of them
>
>>>>>>>>obviously quick dismissals...on the sam song for different submissions.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>3. Stick to EXACTLY what they are asking for.
>>>>>>>>If they say ALA Toby Keith, it means just that, lack of pitch control
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>and all.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>4. Don't submit if you don't have time to rework.
>>>>>>>>This has been my issue. I have not had time to hit the studio and
>>apply
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>the ideas the critiques have had for improving the song.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Hope this helps,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Jeff
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>skey" <excelsm@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>It's a wast of money and a bit of a scam.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Thanks James.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Do you mind if I ask what that is based on? Is it "the talk" you've
>>>heard
>>>>>>>>>around, or just people who have submitted tunes and gotten nowhere?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Cheers,
>>>>>>>>>Kim.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>"Kim" <hiddensounds@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Fandangled technology. I meant to make a post... ;o)
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>www.taxi.com
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>This mob claim to submit your material for you to, err, people
>who
>>>>>
>>>>> want
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>music.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>;o) They say that 6% of people per year get a deal of some sort.
>>>The
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>question
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>is I guess, am I in the top 6% of unsigned artists?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>It costs $299US pa to be a member, plus $5 per song you submit.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>I figure I'm sitting here writing and recording anyhow...?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Cheers,
>>>>>>>>>>>Kim.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>
>

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