JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Industry Message Forum What does this mean to us

Boy, if this isn't a case of the dog chasin' its tail around a post I don't know what is.

I cannot believe the time I have spent on here and the net over the past few weeks trying to figure this all out.
I've got about 30 net stations considering my songs right now and every one of them gets a waiver for royalties. But, I guess I'm OK with that. People will here my music.
They must have a reason for broadcasting. Love of the music I guess, because they all say it's not about money.

What gets my shorts in a wrinkle is the ones that want "professionally produced" songs done in a real studio. You know, the ones you pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get recorded in. Then they don't want burned CD's. They want Professionally pressed CD's, with professional artwork and graphics. And, send them a press kit. Last time I checked you have to order about a thousand CD's to get a decent price per CD.(and it seems like everyone has a few cases of them sitting in their basement)

I've been told "don't send us anything done in a "home" studio. We can tell the difference.
Have "so and so" master it for you or it won't be radio quality. Lets see, that's what, another 3 or 4 hundred.
So we shell out thousands of dollars getting a good quality product, not to mention the hundreds of hours we invest, and are expect to give it away 'cause they don't pay royalties.

Every one knows you can easily capture streamed files off these stations. So we cut our own throats for digital downloads. We don't get royalties and we cut our chances for Digital Downloads..Who is gonna pay for it when you can get it with a mouse click?
So who's actually making money in this business?
Obviously some artists are, doing gigs and such.

Then we have
People who run song contests(with entry fees)
People who sucker artists into paying to have their songs on a compilation
People who con the artist into Paying them to be their publisher or song Plugger, Etc. Etc. Etc.
Then we have internet sites that will sell our CD's. They take a cut of course. usually a pretty good chunk. By the time you pay to have the CD's done and they take their cut you've prolly got about $10.00 per CD invested. So if you can sell it for $12.95 you make about $3.00 per CD. But don't forget about Uncle Sam.

I had a young man(Rap and Hip Hop) in my little studio the other day. He was really excited. This is what he told me.
He was "signed" by a "Publisher" in Las Vegas. The guy told him his stuff was great. He wanted him to get some good demos done and send them to him. He would put him under contract and get him a "deal". All he had to do was sign a contract with them. The cost for all this was $450.00 but they were kind enough to let him pay it in monthly installments. Isn't that great.

I just sighed.

I got the name of the "Publisher" from him and told him I'd check them out. After he left I went online. Well, needless to say I found out everything I needed to know. Pure sharks. Everything I found out was they kept upping the ante until you finally quit. They even book you into a venue where you can get heard by industry "profesionals". But, you pay for transportation, lodging, and the facility. Average cost? around $1500. Then, of course, you have a meeting with some "executives" who tell you how great you are. They want to do a video. The cost will be $40,000. They will pay $10.000 of the cost and you pay $30,000. They will even help you get a loan for it. If it tanks, of course, it is because you just weren't good enough.
Now I have to tell this kid what I found out.

I give up. I'm Gonna just do my music and quit worrying about this crap.

Now I know how that artist dude felt when he cut his ear off.
Van..something...or...Rem....something.

I guess I'm just disillusioned.