best way to find A&R's contact info....

[beatzz]

If i know the name of an A&R individual who is not that "big" of a name, what would be the best way to find his contact info? Eg: email, contact number

Any suggestions?

[nukmusic]

http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php3?t=45785

[beatzz]

hmmm is that book for sale actually legit?

I've always been skeptical about buying those books for contact info....

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by beatzz

hmmm is that book for sale actually legit?

I've always been skeptical about buying those books for contact info....

The problem with those books is they get out of date pretty fast... I had a friend buy a similar one, and I knew half the people in there weren't working at the various labels anymore (re-structuring, etc)...

Also, just because you have their name and number, doesn't mean you will get them on the phone... Get used to hearing "He's in a meeting right now, can I take a message?"

[edmann]

signing a record deal is usually the worst move that a musican can make

A&R people are not your friends anymore than car salesmen are = you do not need them and they are absolutely not looking out for your best interests.

If you do choose to go the record label route - never sign away ownership of your masters -

a much better route to take is create the masters yourself and then license them

I speak from much experience

best wishes

Ed

[nukmusic]

i friend hit me with this one.............so i thought i'd pass it on. Most of the info i know about from dealing with cats in the mainstream. I peeped through some of it and its not focused on names and phone numbers. it more of what to do/not do with the phone numbers and names, and before you even get to that point of calling. Would answer a lot of questions folks ask on the board, even the one above. I understand the do industry lists dont do jack, the game is more based on making a good product and beating the streets.

this is a one of the chapters(14 of 331 pages)CHAPTER

read it and see, it might help some

and like T said be ready for the "He's in a meeting right now, can I take a message?" (sent u a PM tony, holla back)

make them come to you, you'll have a make better chance. and make it known that you was making money by selling records/music before they came to you.

[jlotto]

Even if u had their home numbers.

a&r's are not recommeding the signing of anyone if they don't have a significant buzz or moved a good amount of indy units or got some "decent for indy" BDS numbers, or isn't attached to a succesful artist or manager.

[edmann]

recent example is the Fiona Apple situation, and that one has a "happy" (?) ending (not really considering the toll) - most do not.

i have seen major bands destroyed by signing record deals

forget about a+r -

make great music - get your own buzz going - make them come to you - get a great lawyer - make the deal on your own terms

learn from rap artists who have become entrepeneurs

read Frank Zappa's book

[MarkusColeman]

Originally Posted by edmann

signing a record deal is usually the worst move that a musican can make

A&R people are not your friends anymore than car salesmen are = you do not need them and they are absolutely not looking out for your best interests.

Hi Ed,

you are sounding pretty much "burned" by A&Rs.
From my own experience, I can say, that A&Rs are businessman (big surprise, huh? ).

A car salesman won´t let pass a good deal; an A&R won´t let pass it, too.

After sending out my first demo years ago, I´ve been approached by the companies´ heads of A&R after 3 days (!!!), 2 weeks and 6 weeks. One never called back (needless to say, he´s the one bugging me the most right now).
I didn´t know anyone back then, nor did I know who those person were or what they did.

By the way, the head of A&R of the major that called back first, his company had projects like Britney, Backstreet Boys and N´Sync going on back then; so he wasn´t neither ignorant, nor didn´t he let the "car deal" pass through. I didn´t have a track record either.

He called me personaly; we had a 1 1/2 hours talk on the phone. He asked about everything - from my neighbourhood, my favourite food, my political opinion to my shoesize; you get the idea.

He KNEW the product wasn´t the thing to worry about - it was the producer. It´s not hard to produce a hit, get the money for 2-3 videos, promotion. Why do you think, there are so many "one hit wonders"?

Music is such a small part of becoming a succesfull producer/engineer/songwriter...
Learn everything about the game-industry, what clothe people curryntly buy, what´s their favourite soft-drink. Who are the biggest players in the advertising industry?

For example, there are many out of this world-webdesigners; there are few if even virtualy no companies specializing in custom sounddesign...learn about different income-streams; if non-existent, create them.

Every advertising and promotion guy I have spoken too, told me, how sound is (at least) 50% of today´s movie/ad.

There are enough Lemmings...

To assume that A&Rs are lazy, ignorant and arrogant "industry vampires" is a prejudice; a dangerous, by the way, as an A&R of a major can make you sell your music in Japan, Germany or the US...no matter if you are sitting in your 10 million $ studio-complex in Sweden or Germany or working your laptop sitting at the beach in Brasil or the Maledives.

There wasn´t a better age for music producers than now. Networking is the key.
If your market is saturated, sell your beats abroad. If you are making hip hop, make sure you can produce/write classic music and 60s rock and funk.
If you are into reaggaton, study the best drum and bass and house from the 80s/90s. Listen to irish folk, indian music, etc...

Always remember; there are 10s if not 100s who can replace you right away...and nobody will care besides you.

Really, noone will turn your offer down, if it´s not just an offer among 1000s.

[edmann]

right on Markus

I do have my own experiences and I have observed a lot of what other people have gone thru too, but you are right, there will always be exceptions.

What I will say is:

do not let anyone own your masters but you

an opinion

yours

Ed

[Methlab]

Markus is exactly right..Networking is the only way. I talk to my AR friends at least once a week and constantly have new songs and bands to feed them. This has gotten me more and more contacts....if you have no AR contacts..find scouts first..aim a little lower and you will get straight to the ARs if you have hot music.

[Marky]

Well said, Markus!

[GYMusic]

Originally Posted by edmann

right on Markus

I do have my own experiences and I have observed a lot of what other people have gone thru too, but you are right, there will always be exceptions.

What I will say is:

do not let anyone own your masters but you

an opinion

yours

Ed

Boy Ed, you've got some good advice. The only thing I would ad is don't sell your copyrights.