Yes its true & oh so common to be a well known artist who sells lots of
records & still be deeply in debt to a major label. It has very little with
CD duplication & a lot to do with artist promotion costs. Believe what Joni
says. Here are just a few other examples:
Shawn Colvin:
http://www.billboard.com/daily/feature/010320colvin.asp
"Touring is is also Colvin's livelihood. After 12 years on Columbia, the
artist says she has yet to make any money from her album sales. 'A Few Small
Repairs,' Colvin's top-seller, has moved 872,000 units in the US, according
to SoundScan. "'I still have a huge debt to the record company,' Colvin
says. 'There are video costs, promotion costs. I have one record that went
platinum, and the rest went nearly gold. I'm going to have to sell a whole
lot of records to get into the black.
Jonatha Brooke: now indie
Was dropped by her label, then released Live, her first record on her own
label & the most successful to date.
Amiee Mann: now indie
Aimee Mann still owes her LAST label, Geffen.
Prince:
Prince changed his name to an unpronouncable symbol (his contract was with
Prince) and wrote "Slave" on his cheek.
Courtney Love:
http://www.latimes.com/business/updates/lat_love010228.htm where you can
read about why she is suing her record company.
Or this widely publicized rant on the music biz: http://www.hole.com/speech/
And finally, this info from a friend who used to work at a major label:
I can't tell you how many deals I've watched ruin artists and bands in every
way, shape and form. It's not about major label evils, it's about the artist
and band being aware of what's to come so that you don't end up in
recoupable hell (aka being in debt). The label doesn't tell you that each
and every can of Pepsi you drink you WILL pay for...
When an artist plays a gig at say, The Roxy, in celebration of their cd
release and in an effort to win and woo commercial radio, that artist pays
for each and every industry rep there, each drink and dinner bought that
evening, the promo and label folks airfare, treats, magazines, gas, you name
it.
While a major label act is performing their first too-cool show in LA under
their new major label contract, the label is spending thousands that night,
most of which is friendly little versions of payola, little expenditures
that the artist ends up owing for and they never even know. Contracts are
not necessarily the problem, it's what a contract becomes and what an artist
ends
up paying for when signed that is the problem, that leaves the artist in
debt.
To simplify it into a funneled example, Boyz II Men not only paid my salary
and the likes of a hundred other folks, they paid for my lunches, my
dinners, my coffee, my cigarettes, my nights out on the town... How? Well,
if a group of Motown employees goes to dinner, it get's written off on the
artists recoupables, and each and every thing that possibly can, does. And
of course,
the label doesn't share that upon signing, or ever, even. You think an
artist or band is allowed at Cost Marketing meetings come Friday morning at
the record label?
And wow, guess who pays for the donuts (no, scratch that) the continental
breakfast and coffee provided at the Cost Marketing Meeting? Or Motown night
at the race track? The VP's trip to Ikea for new shelves for his office? Who
pays? The artist...
Shawn Colvin is paying for each and every bit, bite and blunder from the
bottom up and as long as she is in that contract, th label continues,
without her knowledge, charging up each and every thing they can in her
name. THAT is the problem, not the contract.
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Kate Bennett
www.katebennett.com
sponsored by Polysonics www.polysonics.com
Discover the Indies at Taylor Guitars:
http://www.taylorguitars.com/artists/awp/indies/bennett.html
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