Settle in kiddies, I'm going to tell everyone a nice bedtime story. A TRUE story at that! Ready?
Once upon a time there was a band. The band was good. They lived and played in a town with 20 or 30 other good bands. One day, one of them convinced their parents (all the members were in their 20's) to take out a Home Equity line on their house for $65k. Mom and Dad complied. With their $65K in pocket, they went and spent $12K and recorded a studio quality album. Then they hired a conceptual artist to design a look and logo and artwork for them. They also hired a web guy to design a myspace page. All this, and some legal fees for trademarking and forming an LLc, cost them about $2k. Then they Pressed 18,000 copies of thier album for another $12K. Then, for a paltry $5K they signed a distribution deal with Trans-World and got their album in every FYE and Borders in the world. Another $2k got them European distribution. Another $5k bought them enough posters, banners and cards to send to all the top 20% sales market stores in the US and Europe, as well a full page ad in a popular music publication declaring the CD release date.... buying that ad also got them a review in the same publication. Another $5k bought them a radio ad and a 60-day deal with Clear Channel communications and all thier hundreds of subsidiary radio stations. Another $12k bought them road cases for their gear, a trailer for the van and 6 months worth of Merch. A $2k flat out BRIBE to a major booking agent got them penciled in for a tiny slot in a medium sized summer tour package with 5 other signed bands.
With the few thousand remaining dollars in a savings account, they approached a major record label with documentation of everything they'd done. With the advertised release date 30 days away, they negotiated a 2 album deal with the label, with the label providing ONLY; continuation of their existing advertising and marketing contracts for the term, guaranteed additional marketing and advertising, tour support, guaranteed slots on label sponsored tours and dedicated rep to pitch them to other national radio, TV, and promotions companies. The contract stipulated a guaranteed recoup for the label of ONLY 60% of what they laid out on these items, forcing the label to HEAVILY promote the band. All royalties become the bands after 150% recoup by the label.... further encouraging them to market the band properly. Signed, sealed, delivered.
Armed with this contract, they signed with a major booking agency, and a nationally known management firm.
That was 5 years ago. The band made their original $65K back in 13 months, and each member has made a steady Six Figures every year since, sometimes over $200K each per year.
The kicker? This was a FREAKING DEATH METAL BAND!!!
Bottom Line.... do it yourself, whatever way you can.
Once upon a time there was a band. The band was good. They lived and played in a town with 20 or 30 other good bands. One day, one of them convinced their parents (all the members were in their 20's) to take out a Home Equity line on their house for $65k. Mom and Dad complied. With their $65K in pocket, they went and spent $12K and recorded a studio quality album. Then they hired a conceptual artist to design a look and logo and artwork for them. They also hired a web guy to design a myspace page. All this, and some legal fees for trademarking and forming an LLc, cost them about $2k. Then they Pressed 18,000 copies of thier album for another $12K. Then, for a paltry $5K they signed a distribution deal with Trans-World and got their album in every FYE and Borders in the world. Another $2k got them European distribution. Another $5k bought them enough posters, banners and cards to send to all the top 20% sales market stores in the US and Europe, as well a full page ad in a popular music publication declaring the CD release date.... buying that ad also got them a review in the same publication. Another $5k bought them a radio ad and a 60-day deal with Clear Channel communications and all thier hundreds of subsidiary radio stations. Another $12k bought them road cases for their gear, a trailer for the van and 6 months worth of Merch. A $2k flat out BRIBE to a major booking agent got them penciled in for a tiny slot in a medium sized summer tour package with 5 other signed bands.
With the few thousand remaining dollars in a savings account, they approached a major record label with documentation of everything they'd done. With the advertised release date 30 days away, they negotiated a 2 album deal with the label, with the label providing ONLY; continuation of their existing advertising and marketing contracts for the term, guaranteed additional marketing and advertising, tour support, guaranteed slots on label sponsored tours and dedicated rep to pitch them to other national radio, TV, and promotions companies. The contract stipulated a guaranteed recoup for the label of ONLY 60% of what they laid out on these items, forcing the label to HEAVILY promote the band. All royalties become the bands after 150% recoup by the label.... further encouraging them to market the band properly. Signed, sealed, delivered.
Armed with this contract, they signed with a major booking agency, and a nationally known management firm.
That was 5 years ago. The band made their original $65K back in 13 months, and each member has made a steady Six Figures every year since, sometimes over $200K each per year.
The kicker? This was a FREAKING DEATH METAL BAND!!!
Bottom Line.... do it yourself, whatever way you can.
**sniff**
