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So I have this musical project, which could be labelled under 'italian indie' where I'm the only member, playing acoustic guitar and singing. I've been playing for many years but the bands I had were not that special, mostly due to our inexperience and my bad songwriting.
This project, however, is going well. After an acoustic ep, I decided to record an entire album but this time the songs were arranged by me for a full band. Many friends came to record their parts and the album sounds pretty good! So good that last Sunday I had a meeting with a label.
This label is not a major - so nobody is expecting 10,000 seats venues or million dollars, but it is pretty solid. All of their bands were able to tour Italy in 15-20 dates, in good venues and often opening for some BIG names in the italian indie scene. On Sunday, we talked a lot and I played some tunes. They told me that they would get in touch with me again (they already had some of the tunes from the new cd, of course)
Today I received a call from them but I was at work, so we exchanged some texts and we are going to have a call tomorrow around lunch. I honestly don't know what to expect - I'm scared!
Fear of two scenarios:
1) I don't know if this will be a cold rejection like 'we don't like you live, better to say it immediately and good luck'. That would be bad, but I survived until now without labels so...
2) They want me. In that case, I have to say that it is fantastic but I feel a bit overwhelmed. Will I be able to rehearse with good people, match all the schedules, help organize the tour, shooting the videos...I feel a bit scared. It is the same fear that I get when I enter a new job - you know when everything seems stressful and then you get used to it and laugh when new recruits feel overwhelmed?
Well, let's hope for tomorrow.
 
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And no sample to go with the blog?
Damn! 
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Ahah I can't release anything for now ;D
Update! They called me and told me that they are currently deciding which projects to focus on because they want to push big on them, so he asked me for few more days. They also added that they liked me a lot both musically and personally and the guy who called me said that according to him there are probably very good chances that we are going to publish this record together. So I'll update in few days I guess!
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Update!! Good and bad news.
So, the guys proposed me this deal:
1) No contract for this album. Why? Because this label is like a sub-division of another one, which is bigger. They told me that they would like to record the next album in their studio (for free) because they prefer to sign artists who produced the album with them (they want to supervise mixing choices etc.) This way I would release my (already recorded) album and in the next year record the new with them.
2) Since there is no contract, they specified I will get 100% of digital and physical earnings and they will not take money from the tour dates. So if I get 200 euros a night, I take 200 (to divide with band etc)
3) Here is the point that troubles me. They asked for nearly 700 euros for promotion. They said that, since they will not take anything from sales nor dates, this is just to break even. What are this money for? According to them, to do stuff like buy facebook promotions, buy spaces in magazines, organize the tour (calls, sending materials to promoters and avenues, etc). I'll be frank: if I think rationally about this, I feel this is legit. I mean, even if you just make phone calls, you are spending money and not getting any back: at least you cover those expenses. But a part of me is naturally inclined to turn up my nose whenever people are asking me money. I don't know.
I could do this alone, but afterall wouldn't I be spending money either way? I would need to call the avenues, buy spaces on facebook and on magazines... I don't know. What do you think?
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Congratulations!
For their deal, if you remove the taxes, and the actual expenses, they won't have much left in the 700€ for actual wage. I'd say it mainly depends on how much work you expect from them vs. how much you think they will actually work vs. how much does 700€ represent for you.
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>They asked for nearly 700 euros for promotion.
i dont know about acoustic indie pop labels, but in underground extreme metal this is 100% a scam. the label that released my demo would never ask for money, the parent label of that label is one of the biggest extreme metal labels right now and they never take your money. the label should be INVESTING in you. otherwise, why do you even need these guys? just hire your own promo company and book it yourself.
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Here's my decision: I told them (in a polite way ofc) that I prefer the model of not giving money now and they take a percentage of sales/dates to recover their money.
I believe that a label should trust you and if they ask money upfront it means that they are not that sure that you will generate at least as much (and this could even translate to 'we aren't sure we'll find many dates), so why bother? At this point I can simply do it on my own!
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EPT
