record contracts

Back to the music business.

I had to attend an open forum the other week as a panelist. Now this will be a real snore blog unless you are involved someway so I suggest you only read this if you have an inclination to legal matters.

The subject of the panel was record contracts and the like and it was quite an interesting discussion. There were some guys there who really knew what they were talking about but as the conversation ranged over a wide area including recording, touring, synch rights and so on we got a bit involved in finding out what mangers and acts were thinking about.

I was really surprised to find that people are actually quite clued up about this really deadly dull area. I guess if you are thinking that you are going to make lots of money it is important. I was even more surprised to find out that bands are really reluctant to invest in themselves.

Everyone there had an opinion about what made a good deal for bands and labels and so on but hardly anyone was interested in looking at the bigger picture. It seemed like the deal was done on paper alone and there was no reason for anyone to make that the starting point for their business relationships.

What I mean is that once a deal is done it is only the begining. It is like a marriage and once the initial love is over you have to work like abastard to keep the marriage alive. No one seemed to get that and I found it illuminating. After all if you expect sex you at least need to get into foreplay right?

One guy asked me if I thought he should register his bands name as a trademark.

Damn right I do - that is all you have left if it all goes to shit. Who knows what might happen and if you have a record out there and you own the rights you can get tons back if someone steals the name later on. Look at the spinners - detroit spinners fight back in the day and you will get the idea.

think big and forget the numbers on the contract - get the records out there and sold and you willbe able to fight like a bastard later. Don't argue about money you don't have and may never get - argue about what is real and now.