Encouraging your 'legitimate' artist

[@?,*???&?]

As I've ranted about artists releasing 'real' and 'legitimate' barcoded product ad nauseum on this board. This legislation (or beginning of legislation) is key for artists who do so to gain some kind of success.

http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=765197

It all starts with a 'real' record. It implies the band will have their publishing sorted out through Soundexchange, BMI and ASCAP and thus will derive future income from this.

Artists and performers with burned discs or .mp3s passed around without the fanfare as a 'legitimate' release will likely not see ANY of the benefit from this legislation.

It will be 'punks of the future' who choose to fail in yet one more way!

[GooberNumber9]

Artists and performers with burned discs or .mp3s passed around without the fanfare as a 'legitimate' release will likely not see ANY of the benefit from this legislation.

Those of us who see online distribution like iTunes as the future of music, and physical products like CDs and radio airplay as dead formats that just haven't realized it yet, also won't see any benefit from this legislation, since it only deals with radio airplay.

You don't need a barcode or any kind of relationship with ASCAP or BMI to get 70 cents a song from iTunes.

[JGriffin]

It implies the band will have their publishing sorted out through Soundexchange, BMI and ASCAP and thus will derive future income from this.

BMI and ASCAP have fundamentally flawed reporting and payment systems, the result of which is that these organizations cannot be counted upon to provide appropriate income to (non-major label) artists, regardless of how "legit" they are. Unless the radio stations are forced to log every single song they play --like they used to before deregulation-- nothing will change.

[@?,*???&?]

It implies the band will have their publishing sorted out through Soundexchange, BMI and ASCAP and thus will derive future income from this.

BMI and ASCAP have fundamentally flawed reporting and payment systems, the result of which is that these organizations cannot be counted upon to provide appropriate income to (non-major label) artists, regardless of how "legit" they are. Unless the radio stations are forced to log every single song they play --like they used to before deregulation-- nothing will change.

So then, you'd reject their money!?!

How 'punk' and 'anti-establishment' of you!

My point exactly!

[Smitty]

all aboard the burning ship!

[Gentleman Jim]

@?,*???&? wrote:

It will be 'punks of the future' who choose to fail in yet one more way!

Tell that to the good folks at Fat Wreck Chords, Dischord, Touch and Go. Merge, Yeproc, Vagrant, Epitaph/Hellcat/Anti, et al, and the bands who sign with them. If you call getting the best royalty rate in the business on cd's while maintaining publishing and artistic control failure, then yes, the 'punks' have failed. They've also obviously failed with the Warped Tour, the Bamboozle festivals, and the dozens of smaller regional "fests" where a couple of dozen bands come together and draw well into the multiple thousands while managing to keep the expenses low enough to get bands paid. I'd compare that to say... the parasitic practice of having opening bands "buy on" to a metal tour.

You don't hear all that many 'punk' bands complaining about how they got screwed by their record label. Yes, there are certainly a few labels that have bad reputations, but they're the exception, not the rule. Contrast that with the notorious names in metal and hip hop, and the 'punks' end up looking a lot better.

(I will not entertain what is or isn't really considered 'punk.' I will, however, go on record as saying that I don't think Jeff knows punk from a hole in the ground.)

I have to ask: why all the love for the legalized pyramid scheme that is the major label record/radio business? Your stance vis a vis independent distribution is downright reactionary at times. If a band has a following in a metro area that would allow them to sell 1000 cd's, doesn't it make sense to press 1000 cd's at cost of $8000 total and sell them for $12 each? They would make $4000 profit in this case. Alternatively, they could (theoretically) sign to a label, who would press 5000 copies, spend money touring to other areas, (where they would lose money), spend money on marketing, and end up not selling much more than those same 1000 cd's in their local area. And this costs how much? Probably more than that $12000 they're going to gross. So the band gets nothing, but they got to play in Evansville, Indiana on a Wednesday night in March. Oh, and the drummer's mom has a copy of the 17x11" poster the label printed up that no record stores actually hung. This is the actual experience of a large chunk of bands; I would imagine it's probably the majority.

Get hip, Jeff. The tools of distribution are either in the hands of the artists, or darn close by. There's no putting the genie back in the bottle and turning the WayBack Machine to 1975 to keep the kids out of the party.

Finally: as an independent record label owner, I would think you would have hopped the fence by now. What does Third Monk do that falls in line with the major label way of doing business?

[Smitty]

What does Third Monk do that falls in line with the major label way of doing business?

Barcodes. Lots of barcodes.

[Winstontaneous]

What does Third Monk do that falls in line with the major label way of doing business?

Barcodes. Lots of barcodes.

And speedy direct-to-artist invoicing for all instruments/amps/FX/mics/cables/picks rented at in-house studio.

[JGriffin]

It implies the band will have their publishing sorted out through Soundexchange, BMI and ASCAP and thus will derive future income from this.

BMI and ASCAP have fundamentally flawed reporting and payment systems, the result of which is that these organizations cannot be counted upon to provide appropriate income to (non-major label) artists, regardless of how "legit" they are. Unless the radio stations are forced to log every single song they play --like they used to before deregulation-- nothing will change.

So then, you'd reject their money!?!

How 'punk' and 'anti-establishment' of you!

My point exactly!

A little reading comprehension goes a long way, Jeffrey. Try responding to what I say, not to what you imagine I say based on your assumption of who I am and how "punk" or "anti-establishment" you think I consider myself.

I would not reject their money (and I am in fact affiliated with BMI). What I'm saying is the artists who aren't at the top of the heap already don't show up on BMI/ASCAP's radar. I know bunches of artists who have tried to get money that was legitimately due them from BMI/ASCAP --they had barcodes, trackable airplay and everythng-- and were told they weren't going to get any money because of the way those organizations do their data collection. The system you put so much faith in does not work for the little guy, plain and simple. I wouldn't reject the money but I also don't expect to ever see any of it.

And yes, I have a fucking barcode on my CD.

[AstroDan]

If they found a way to replace gasoline with saltwater by this weekend, I think Jeff would worry about how Exxon-Mobil's going to stay in business.

[evengangstersreadtapeop]

I never thought an message board troll could conjure up so many opinions about something as worthless as a bar code.

[@?,*???&?]

I would not reject their money (and I am in fact affiliated with BMI). What I'm saying is the artists who aren't at the top of the heap already don't show up on BMI/ASCAP's radar. I know bunches of artists who have tried to get money that was legitimately due them from BMI/ASCAP --they had barcodes, trackable airplay and everythng-- and were told they weren't going to get any money because of the way those organizations do their data collection. The system you put so much faith in does not work for the little guy, plain and simple. I wouldn't reject the money but I also don't expect to ever see any of it.

And yes, I have a fucking barcode on my CD.

Then you are part of the legitimate system.

I know many bands/writers/artists who derive income from airplay. Not all are major label bands. Many are independent. You do not need to be 'top of the heap' to get paid through these means. If that is what you believe, then you do not know the strength of the plethora of tracking services available to an artist at this point.

Get hip, Soundexchange tracks digital uses in real time on line. If I were a performer, I'd certainly want to be paid for that like my publisher has been for decades.

The particularly partisan thing here (which is just f-in nasty) is that the NAB was the #2 contributor to the Bush administration in the run-up to the 2000 election. Clear Channel was #10. Says alot about the resistance to this new potential bill and where it comes from and why. If it does not pass, it is because of the lobby of these corporations.

Suddenly, through saying that, I am on your side- against the major label system, but for the everyman band that releases their own 'real' and 'legitimate' product.

[RefD]

[johnny7]

Slight tangent here...
I just resigned from ASCRAP for the same reasons as mentioned in earlier posts. I have heard of people getting better results with BMI due to their broader survey. Anyone care to enlighten me on this?
Thanks, Johnny

[xhavepatiencex]

up the punx