serious opportunity- what to know legally

[bassgod0dmw]

Read the first page, read the last page...any one care to do some cliff notes here? Please?

[hernameisrio]

I nominate mellowinman.

[hernameisrio]

Okay, it's my thread, so I'll start.
This acquaintance of mine texted me a few weeks ago saying, "might have a gig for you in LA." I was like, "O rly?"
He said it's a pop rock band with a TV deal, signing to a label, looking for a female bassist, and that he can't say anything more than that at this point, but that if I'm interested I should send him photos and a demo.
He said he wants 15-20% of my earnings for anything I do with this band "like a manager or booking agent would get," without explicitly agreeing to act in either of those roles.
I said, "Oh, like a finder's fee?"
He said, "Yeah."
I said, "Cool story bro, put it in writing."
He hasn't yet but said he would. In the meantime I sent him a demo and some photos.
The reason I haven't been able to really fill people in on the details of this situation is because I'M just as much in the dark as them.
There have been several points raised here:
1) 20% is too much.
2) Is this gig legit or is this guy just taking me for a ride?
3) I clearly need a really cool hat like mellow's to make it fly.

That's it, pretty much.

[ddnidd1]

Round Two

Break out the hip waders. Its getting deeper.

[hernameisrio]

I know...I'm scared too.

[ArtechnikA]

I hate bringing up worst-case scenarios, but it's kinda what I get paid to do in my day job...

Here's a nightmare scenario, since you've sent the demo tape to 'the agent' and not the band directly:

'The Agent' takes the tape with your really cool playing and represents it to the band as the work of _some other artist_ that he's also 'promised' will get the gig. (For his own nefarious motivations about which we can only speculate, but we'd probably be right...)

By the time Big Name Band figures out it wasn't Pretty Face #2, she might already have the job, and you'd wind up with nothing. Except a cool demo tape...

Whatever 'the offer' is - Get It In Writing. Read it. Many times. Ask someone else to read it too. ONLY THEN think about signing it, if and only if you can agree to EVERYTHING.

[hernameisrio]

Wow, that would suck. Let's hope it doesn't come to that or I might have to get angry and hire somebody to do something violent to this dude. I would keep 20% of course. I kid, I kid.

At this point, I have settled into this weird state of complacency about the whole thing...if there are circumstances that I can't control, I just don't have the mental energy to burn on them anymore.

[xgator4u]

Originally Posted by hernameisrio

Not only that but I was also told that the demo I already sent to him, is not that good.

Wanna bet douchefriend has a solution to this......
"My Friend is a pro. level recording engineer, now HE can record a proper demo for you,and it will only cost you $X.XX."

[ibateur]

Originally Posted by hernameisrio

Okay, it's my thread, so I'll start.
This acquaintance of mine texted me a few weeks ago saying, "might have a gig for you in LA." I was like, "O rly?"
He said it's a pop rock band with a TV deal, signing to a label, looking for a female bassist, and that he can't say anything more than that at this point, but that if I'm interested I should send him photos and a demo.
He said he wants 15-20% of my earnings for anything I do with this band "like a manager or booking agent would get," without explicitly agreeing to act in either of those roles.
I said, "Oh, like a finder's fee?"
He said, "Yeah."
I said, "Cool story bro, put it in writing."
He hasn't yet but said he would. In the meantime I sent him a demo and some photos.
The reason I haven't been able to really fill people in on the details of this situation is because I'M just as much in the dark as them.
There have been several points raised here:
1) 20% is too much.
2) Is this gig legit or is this guy just taking me for a ride?
3) I clearly need a really cool hat like mellow's to make it fly.

That's it, pretty much.

You've implicitly agreed to his terms by sending your demo and photos, right?

[lowfreq33]

What exactly is wrong with Mellow's hat?

[hernameisrio]

Nothing, mellow's hat is awesome!

[hernameisrio]

Originally Posted by ibateur

You've implicitly agreed to his terms by sending your demo and photos, right?

Not that I'm aware of...

[pacojas]

you'll never get that gig without a Fender!

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by hernameisrio

Okay, it's my thread, so I'll start.
This acquaintance of mine texted me a few weeks ago saying, "might have a gig for you in LA." I was like, "O rly?"
He said it's a pop rock band with a TV deal, signing to a label, looking for a female bassist, and that he can't say anything more than that at this point, but that if I'm interested I should send him photos and a demo.
He said he wants 15-20% of my earnings for anything I do with this band "like a manager or booking agent would get," without explicitly agreeing to act in either of those roles.
I said, "Oh, like a finder's fee?"
He said, "Yeah."
I said, "Cool story bro, put it in writing."
He hasn't yet but said he would. In the meantime I sent him a demo and some photos.
The reason I haven't been able to really fill people in on the details of this situation is because I'M just as much in the dark as them.
There have been several points raised here:
1) 20% is too much.
2) Is this gig legit or is this guy just taking me for a ride?
3) I clearly need a really cool hat like mellow's to make it fly.

That's it, pretty much.

Thanks! Spoken in true Misc form...

So yeah, 20% is way too much.

The biggest point I want to make is: Do you want this person to be your manager? Do they have any experience whatsoever with managing? It seems fairly clear they do not.

There is no way I would ever continually pay someone royalties because they "found" me the gig. If I paid them anything at all it would be a one time thing for sure. Based on the pipe dream type info they provided you, I'd say that $100 is pushing it for that one time fee.

If this band has done all this great stuff so far, why can't he tell you their name? Then you can at least decide if it's something you'd even want to pursue. What if they completely suck and you hate their music with unbridled enthusiasm?

[ibateur]

Originally Posted by hernameisrio

Not that I'm aware of...

I hope so. Really wish you all the good vibes and grooves...

[hrodbert696]

So HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO A LAWYER YET or are we all just shootin' the breeze here?

[hernameisrio]

Originally Posted by pacojas

you'll never get that gig without a Fender!

Don't worry, I'll scratch the logo off my Squier fretless Jazz headstock and no one will ever know!

[smeet]

You don't need this guy. Just borrow a friend's bicycle and pedal on over to LA. We're all stars here, you will be too!

[masterFlash]

Don't sweat it so much.
Tell your *friend* that you can work out some details after you find out what kind of money this gig will actually produce. There's no point talking about fictional percentages of a fictional amount.

Heck you might not even get the gig because someone doesn't like vegans.

If you get the gig and you can make money, great definitely hook up the person who hooked you up.

By the way YOU are the one in control, not your friend. Remember that. He(?) can only make money if you make money.

[hernameisrio]

Originally Posted by smeet

You don't need this guy. Just borrow a friend's bicycle and pedal on over to LA. We're all stars here, you will be too!

I have a longboard and a Dogtown short-board, which one do you think would get me there faster?