Any of you bands ever get an email like this?

Milk_Steak · #1 11-16-2011, 08:06 PM

Hey,
My name is Evan Mann and I am writing to you on behalf of Relix Magazine. As I'm sure you already know, Relix covers the live music scene and our readers eat, sleep and breathe music. I recently took the time to get familiar with The Mundie's music, and I think it would be a PERFECT fit for Relix.
We sell tracks on our CD sampler that comes in every issue we print. I feel you could greatly benefit from having a track on this. Along with the CD, we have a section in our magazine called "On the Rise" and it consists of several artists we feel our readers should know about. I can package an ad in this section along with a CD track for a great price. Our readers claim this section and the CD are their "number one sources for discovering new music". The magazine is sold on newsstands across the country as well as select Barnes & Nobles. Our circulation is 102,000 and our readership is 360,000...needless to say, the exposure is priceless.
We are currently working on our big double January/February issue of Relix which will feature The Black Keys on the cover. We'll also take a look at the 40th anniversay of Neil Young's album Harvest and Bay Area psych rockers Howlin' Rains return.
This is a great issue to get involved with, as it will spend twice the normal amount of time on newsstands.
Let me know if you'd like to hear a little more!
Best,
Evan

Total ripoff or worth looking into?

bassbully · #2 11-16-2011, 08:14 PM

ripoff...forget it.

DanHavok · #3 11-16-2011, 08:22 PM

Check the dude's email. If it isn't @relix.com then it's a phishing scam

lfmn16 · #4 11-17-2011, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milk_Steak

I recently took the time to get familiar with The Mundie's music, and I think it would be a PERFECT fit for Relix.

Ask him what he like's most about your music and what makes it a PERFECT fit. You'll never hear from him again.

dlenaghan · #5 11-17-2011, 05:03 AM

Don't listen to these naysayers. A quick Google search finds the site, which has been up a while according to Google's cache, along with an issue with Wilco on the cover and an interview with Bob Weir.

Is he asking for any money? Figure out how much. At least reply.

We were offered a spot on a compilation CD once, for a fee of 300 bucks. If it had been a widely distributed, pay-for subscription magazine, we might have gone for it based on a cost-benefit analysis.

Looks like these guys are trying to be the next Pitchfork. Maybe ads and subs aren't covering costs, cause I think if they were totally on top of it they wouldn't be asking for a fee.

The least you can do is get the particulars.

Von Felgenhauer · #6 11-17-2011, 05:29 AM

Anyone asking for money upfront to support and or promote your band is in it for themselves. Will you see dividends in the end? Why are you paying them to let them use your music? I'd also be very iffy about having to sign a contract cause they might state any music they use will become their property, therefore giving up all future money that song makes.

lfmn16 · #7 11-17-2011, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlenaghan

Don't listen to these naysayers. A quick Google search finds the site, which has been up a while according to Google's cache, along with an issue with Wilco on the cover and an interview with Bob Weir.

Just because they have a website doesn't mean it's not a scam. The OP needs to use a little common sense. Out of the hundreds of thousands of bands out there, how did Evan Mann pick The Mundies to have all this good fortune?

Any time somone shows up out of the blue to "help" me I cover my ass with both hands and try not to bend over. Nobody does something for nothing. What is in it for Evan?

DBCrocky · #8 11-17-2011, 05:56 AM

Relix is a reputable publication that caters to the Jam Band scene - if this is in fact from Relix then I doubt it is an out and out scam. It is simply an account rep looking to sell advertising.

dlenaghan · #9 11-17-2011, 06:02 AM

The point is there's no reason to brush it off without doing some research first, obviously more than I've done since it's not my band. There are some rather simple ways to check web domain registry and if you can cross-reference the website with better known publications or web forums, then you can build a case for or against. Is it an opportunity? Is it a ghost? Check out the site. I've seen a lot of scammy sites. If this one's a scam, they've certainly upgraded their web design, which certainly is possible. I'm just saying don't brush it off. Be cautiously optimistic.

This is pretty much the manner in which we were contacted to open for MGMT's Seoul performance. Turning that one down was on us though, but I was suspicious at the outset. Didn't mean it wasn't a real offer, although there was nothing we would have had to pay, we just wouldn't get paid. (Yes, that's how it works here. Which is why no one ever tours in Korea, especially with accompaniment.)

Musicphan · #10 11-17-2011, 06:04 AM

Advertising & Marketing Manager = Evan Mann.. Relix is a solid magazine, been a subscriber for 20 years.

Friends of mine were on the sampler, it certainly didn't make them 'stars' overnight but it has helped..

Rudreax · #11 11-17-2011, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlenaghan

Don't listen to these naysayers. A quick Google search finds the site, which has been up a while according to Google's cache, along with an issue with Wilco on the cover and an interview with Bob Weir.

Is he asking for any money? Figure out how much. At least reply.

We were offered a spot on a compilation CD once, for a fee of 300 bucks. If it had been a widely distributed, pay-for subscription magazine, we might have gone for it based on a cost-benefit analysis.

Looks like these guys are trying to be the next Pitchfork. Maybe ads and subs aren't covering costs, cause I think if they were totally on top of it they wouldn't be asking for a fee.

The least you can do is get the particulars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBCrocky

Relix is a reputable publication that caters to the Jam Band scene - if this is in fact from Relix then I doubt it is an out and out scam. It is simply an account rep looking to sell advertising.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlenaghan

The point is there's no reason to brush it off without doing some research first, obviously more than I've done since it's not my band. There are some rather simple ways to check web domain registry and if you can cross-reference the website with better known publications or web forums, then you can build a case for or against. Is it an opportunity? Is it a ghost? Check out the site. I've seen a lot of scammy sites. If this one's a scam, they've certainly upgraded their web design, which certainly is possible. I'm just saying don't brush it off. Be cautiously optimistic.

This is pretty much the manner in which we were contacted to open for MGMT's Seoul performance. Turning that one down was on us though, but I was suspicious at the outset. Didn't mean it wasn't a real offer, although there was nothing we would have had to pay, we just wouldn't get paid. (Yes, that's how it works here. Which is why no one ever tours in Korea, especially with accompaniment.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musicphan

Advertising & Marketing Manager = Evan Mann.. Relix is a solid magazine, been a subscriber for 20 years.

Friends of mine were on the sampler, it certainly didn't make them 'stars' overnight but it has helped..

Word of wisdom. Please actually look into this company and learn about what the deal would entail before throwing them to the wayside. How much time would you lose if one of the band members followed up on this and figured out whether or not this is worth it?

BassNeo · #12 11-17-2011, 07:25 AM

What ^ he said.

Do your research, ask some questions and see what the costs and obligations are.

In this world of new media sometimes the oddest places bring the biggest opportunities

Just ask justin bieber or Foster the People

MatticusMania · #13 11-17-2011, 12:01 PM

OP, I love your username. Are you boiled over hard?

Milk_Steak · #14 11-17-2011, 12:10 PM

of course and i like my milksteak w a side of jellybeans raw of course, anyways thanks alot for the input guys we've been in communication w Evan and this is what we learned. Basically they are asking about 2 grand for a spot on the cd and some ad space in the magazine (which by the way is definetly a legit magazine ive seen it on music stands a thousand times). Musicphan can you give me some more details as to the positives your friends band gained from this?

Milk_Steak · #15 11-17-2011, 12:49 PM

bump for info from musicphan

harmonicon · #16 11-17-2011, 12:58 PM

Don't do it, dude. Having someone ask you to pay to be on a compilation is a total rip-off. This is my opinion, of course, and some people disagree.

Think about it this way: would you have previously considered spending two grand to advertise in a magazine? No? That's what I thought. You were right to not consider it then, and you shouldn't consider it now.

Milk_Steak · #17 11-17-2011, 01:02 PM

ya thats kinda what we all thought its 2 grand much better spent recording the album

lfmn16 · #18 11-17-2011, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harmonicon

Think about it this way: would you have previously considered spending two grand to advertise in a magazine? No? That's what I thought. You were right to not consider it then, and you shouldn't consider it now.

The other thing to do is to consider what other forms of advertising you could get for $2000.

sandmangeck · #19 11-17-2011, 01:06 PM

Milk Steak. It's Ryan, from Lounge Soundsystem. Welcome to talkbass man. Talk to Buddha from Glostik Willy about it. Relix helped them get on The Werkout, and a couple of other really decent festivals last summer.

lfmn16 · #20 11-17-2011, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milk_Steak

ya thats kinda what we all thought its 2 grand much better spent recording the album

Back in 1974 my band was approached by a "talent scout." He wanted to sign us to a record contract. We were just what he was looking for; we had the look, the talent, the sound, blah, blah, blah. He shined us along for a couple of weeks until he finally told us he would do ALL of this for only $5,000.

I quickly realized that no one does anything for nothing. Two questions I always asked when faced with such good fortune - why me, and what's in it for the other guy.