Ways to get a deal

[skip bitmin]

How does a band or a solo artist get a recording contract?
I know the typical:band plays and gets a following etc...
But there must be other ways. Any stories of how some
bands or solo artist did this? How can it be done,who has
some advice?

1st stop is usually to try to get a manager.

Artists arent widely expected to be music business geniuses, just good enough to attract a manager...

Work on that!

[skip bitmin]

Thanks Jules, good advice! but is there any stories out there
of how some artists got deals ,for example I heard of a guy
selling cds out of his car across the country ( cant remember
who ,I think it was an RnB artist) ok not much of a story but you know what I mean.

[Randall]

heres how ya get some guaranteed attention, ya go to the label and pitch a tent in the CEO's personal parking space, and when they come to oust ya, thats when ya tell em yer sittin on 672 and a half lbs of dynomite and 90 gallons of gasoline and ya ain't a comin out till you get one of them recordin contracts that they pass out like candy to every no talent, idiot kid with a purty face or bubble butt with asperations of livin the good life.
Truck stops and busses yep...could it get any better?

[David Herbert]

OK, Randall, that avatar is ultra disturbing... David

[ProFool]

A couple years ago there was a flemisch band wiht a song cold orange, very wel produced etc and a true hit.
so while trying to get a record company's attention they send there cd to the labels in a small basket of orange's.
once delivered at most of the labels it ended up with basket and all in the corner where a couple 1000 cd where waiting to be listened to or waiting for the trash can.
it was a really hot summer and after a couple of weeks the A&R room was starting to smell really really bad, so that way they got the labels attention. when they open the basket up there cd was lying in muddy smelly rotten oranges, so atleast one a&r picket it out, played it and signed them right away.
so when you have song called bannana or apple or whatever you know what to do
greetz

[ProFool]

Originally posted by David Herbert
OK, Randall, that avatar is ultra disturbing... David

by the way i tought he was looking better every day

[joeq]

a student of mine suggested this: Go to the performance of some Other band for which there already is a buzz or a band that has been recently signed. Look around the room for the record company people - you'll be able to spot them and they usually cluster together. Chat them up and hit them with your demo. They are sort of already in 'work mode' they are probably in a good mood, too.


Getting record deals is like kicking heroin. For everyone who has done it, thousands have failed. The success stories are so few and far between that very little "advice" can be gleaned from them. In other words the information is anecdotal, no meaningful statistical data can be derived from a handful of stories.

The one thing these stories have in common is the perseverance and imagination of the subjects. Keep plugging - and don't forget to put your phone number on every disk. That's another story.

[Musiclab]

get yourself a super aggressive well connected music attorney. For at least the last 15 years or so managers arent interested, unless you already have a deal. The day of a manager willing to find and develop talent is long gone. Also it helps alot if you're at the cutting edge of whatever new trend is happening. Since most of the record label A&R guys don't actually know anything about music, its difficult to get a deal just because you're really good.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by skip bitmin
How does a band or a solo artist get a recording contract?

Step #1 is to write great songs and have a solid show together. Be professional, show up on time, don't play over etc. After that gig anywhere and everywhere, get a good manager and a great lawyer.

[skip bitmin]

Thanks guys, this is great stuff.I've been around for a while
but it's still helpful to hear different ideas - this is a great place.

[warhead]

Label guys like to see a band who can draw a crowd and sell shit to them. So creating a following is pretty damn big.

War

[AlphaDingo]

Step #1 is to write great songs and have a solid show together. Be professional, show up on time, don't play over etc. After that gig anywhere and everywhere, get a good manager and a great lawyer.

Step 2: instead of shit say poo. like bull poo, poo head, and this poo is cold.

[Randall]

step 3; Go to Wal Mart and buy as many as those pink lawn flamingos as you can afford...when they tell you thanks, but no thanks, I'll tell ya what to do with em

[ozraves]

Originally posted by ProFool
A couple years ago there was a flemisch band wiht a song cold orange, very wel produced etc and a true hit.
so while trying to get a record company's attention they send there cd to the labels in a small basket of orange's.
once delivered at most of the labels it ended up with basket and all in the corner where a couple 1000 cd where waiting to be listened to or waiting for the trash can.
it was a really hot summer and after a couple of weeks the A&R room was starting to smell really really bad, so that way they got the labels attention. when they open the basket up there cd was lying in muddy smelly rotten oranges, so atleast one a&r picket it out, played it and signed them right away.
so when you have song called bannana or apple or whatever you know what to do
greetz

this is some great stuff.

[ozraves]

the thing i've found is that there are guys who think they know everything there is to know about the music biz just like they know everything there is to know about writing songs, singing, recording, playing shows, etc.

ok, prince could do that but can you name off the other two or three multi talented cats who could do the same? in essence, everyone thinks they got prince's massive talent and abilities.

learn this lesson: write songs, develop your performance talents, take care of yourself physically/healthwise and get someone else to worry about all the other shit. and, these guys or the guy who does the other shit... listen to them. if you can network with a good tracking engineer at a studio, a good mix engineer and a good lawyer and if you take their advice and input then you probably have a good shot.

but, if you think you can get by on some sort of survivalist thing where you do it all, then you are already doomed to fail unless you are the next coming of prince. if your people skills are so bad that you can't network or if you can't humble yourself to let someone else into your life to guide your career and music then you aren't ready to be signed. go off and make vanity recordings and hand them out to your mom and your relatives.

[Jay Kahrs]

Anyone who's in music for a living also needs to be able to take criticism well, both constructive and non-constructive.

[Bob Olhsson]

Originally posted by ozraves

ok, prince could do that but can you name off the other two or three multi talented cats who could do the same?

FWIW Prince spent a year doing his first album with a veteran engineer. If he couldn't learn a lot about production from that experience, nobody could!

The way he got a deal was by successfully promoting his own shows using hotel ballrooms.

[skip bitmin]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
FWIW Prince spent a year doing his first album with a veteran engineer. If he couldn't learn a lot about production from that experience, nobody could!

The way he got a deal was by successfully promoting his own shows using hotel ballrooms.

Im a Prince fan,how did he use hotel ballrooms,where did
he get the cash to do this ?just curious.I heard rec companies
where bidding against each other for him.

[David R.]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
Step #1 is to write great songs and have a solid show together. Be professional, show up on time, don't play over etc. After that gig anywhere and everywhere, get a good manager and a great lawyer.

Jay - I wish it was that easy. You can do all of that and be ignored while watching some f*cked up band led by a junkie get in a bidding war.

I really think that in today's climate, bands are much better off not getting a deal untill they can dictate all the terms. Much better to release stuff on your own and hire promotion.

IMHO.

[ozraves]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
FWIW Prince spent a year doing his first album with a veteran engineer. If he couldn't learn a lot about production from that experience, nobody could!

The way he got a deal was by successfully promoting his own shows using hotel ballrooms.

I guess it all depends on who you want to give credit to. There were guys in his life before the first label album who got him in the studio where Prince started doing everything which became the pattern of his career. I'd rather give the credit to Prince.

[Ruphus]

Seems Ozraves is a prince fan.

I think there has been a lot of hype about Prince. Aside from his music which aint my cup of tea. Things were spread like he could play over thirty instruments. I´d say you can´t do that under the age of 90. Even a talent would be needing some rehearsal time, wouldn´t it?
Err ..., ok, maybe not.

Ruphus

[ozraves]

Originally posted by Ruphus
Seems Ozraves is a prince fan.

I think there has been a lot of hype about Prince. Aside from his music which aint my cup of tea. Things were spread like he could play over thirty instruments. I´d say you can´t do that under the age of 90. Even a talent would be needing some rehearsal time, wouldn´t it?
Err ..., ok, maybe not.

Ruphus

You're confusing "playing" 30 instruments with "playing 30 instruments on a pop recording." I doubt Prince could play one instrument on a jazz or legit recording but those are different vibes.

[alphajerk]

Originally posted by Ruphus
Things were spread like he could play over thirty instruments. I´d say you can´t do that under the age of 90. Even a talent would be needing some rehearsal time, wouldn´t it?

one of my friends plays over a dozen.... really well. he is only 31.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by David R.
I really think that in today's climate, bands are much better off not getting a deal untill they can dictate all the terms. Much better to release stuff on your own and hire promotion.

Also, most bands can make more money by selling 5,000 copies of an indie release then they can by selling 50,000 on a label.

[skip bitmin]

Originally posted by David R.
Jay - I wish it was that easy. You can do all of that and be ignored while watching some f*cked up band led by a junkie get in a bidding war.

I really think that in today's climate, bands are much better off not getting a deal untill they can dictate all the terms. Much better to release stuff on your own and hire promotion.

IMHO.

How do you hire promotion,where do you look?
I saw Prince almost two years ago - he can play,the guy's amazing.

[Bob Olhsson]

Originally posted by skip bitmin

I know the typical:band plays and gets a following etc...
But there must be other ways.

The other ways have almost entirely to do with lawyers and managers making all the money. The only secret is that it's all about delivering fans to labels and promoters. It's harder than a lot of people are willing to work but it's lots easier than most people think.

[skip bitmin]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
The other ways have almost entirely to do with lawyers and managers making all the money. The only secret is that it's all about delivering fans to labels and promoters. It's harder than a lot of people are willing to work but it's lots easier than most people think.

Please go on,what are some ways you have heard bands
do this?

[codeman]

Originally Posted by alphajerk

one of my friends plays over a dozen.... really well. he is only 31.

I'm only 22 and can play over a dozen.... competently!!!!

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

FWIW Prince spent a year doing his first album with a veteran engineer. If he couldn't learn a lot about production from that experience, nobody could!

The way he got a deal was by successfully promoting his own shows using hotel ballrooms.

there's only one small detail omitted here, Bob.

and that is that PRINCE is one of the most talented musicians and performers in pop music EVER.

there are VERY FEW like him. so, yes, this business worked for HIM, but would hardly work for most people, simply because most musicians do not have the same level of musicianship and showmanship as PRINCE does.

yes, i realize he had to develop all these skills to his high level, and i know he's had his ups and downs, but in the END, he was BORN PRINCE - born with a talent and charisma that very few are born with.

and, incidentally, PRINCE is a pretty creative and shrewd business person, aside of being a crazy control freak, and skilled media manipulator. (he is also CRAZY, and has INSANE amounts of energy - both on and OFF the stage - NOT many people are like this).

so different business models may need to be applied where the artist:

a) is NOT prince

b) is trying to build a CAREER in 2008 (where many of the old rules and infrastructures have changed)


however, i agree that the principles in business are always pretty much the same - and are also greatly affected by the local and global laws of economics (i.e. markets).

some of these laws include - it takes money to make money. so locating an investor, any investor, whether it's somone who's willing to put their business time and resources, and / or finances into your project, are key. these investors can be lawyers, labels, managers, and all kinds of other business people, including private investors, family and friends.

but first you gotta be the shizzle. or at least CONVINCE a lot of people you're the shizzle.



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