Don't Do Favours!!!

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Just a little story to tell you guys about a certain so-called friend of mine that I offered to do him a recording for a carton of beer type deal.

Basically I recorded 5 cover soings for him (drums bass and guitar) for a carton of beer (in october of 2000), and the only reason I said that I'd do it, is if it was done quickly, because I had a lot of other work on, otherwise it wouldn't get done at all . As the story goes...the vocals were basically half done,I arranged with the dickhead to come and mix it on a thursday and finish off the vocals, So i spent a few hours on the wednesday mixing it. It sounded good. Unfortunately this loser never showed up for mixing on the thursday, and I was recording a (paying) band on the saturday. I had to delete all the tracks that the previous band did.

Of the 5 songs that were recorded, 2 have been fully mixed and sent off for a compilation of some sort. So I was left with 3 tracks to delete, and I figured that I'd been screwed around by this dickhead enough so I deleted them, and wrote him an email explaining the situation ie...that I didn't have enough time, That I am selling my VS1680 in 3 weeks because I am totally strapped for cash. I get home today, and find a nice little note saying that if he doesn't receive the remaining songs within 10 days.....he is going to take legal action!!!


So I am left with 2 choices. I can decide not to do the recording, go to small claims court (in which case I'll have to give him back a carton of beer if he wins). Or I can do the mix, but make it sound like it was recorded for a carton of beer.......Basically make it sound like shite so that he can't come back and bite me on the arse legally. ( i am not sure if he can take any action at all because there was no documentation of the payment for beer for recording)



This has really pissed me off and will teach me to be a hell of a lot more weary around so called mates. The lesson here is that you make sure you are payed for your time.
 
Do a good mix because it is going to have your name on it, just pitch shift the guitars so they sound like the guitarist was out of tune :D
 
Tell him where to stick his legal action. He didn't keep to his arrangement with you (by not turning up when he should have) and you werent conducting a business transaction. It'll cost him more to take action than he could possibly hope to recover.

Don't let him push you around. I'd even give him his damn beer back too.
 
I'd give him his beer back too... but I would make sure it had been filtered through my kidneys first.
 
this is great... great replys too. I wouldnt do jack sh*t for that guy. Thats a bad scene. If he calls again ask him if hes off his lithium.
 
Although your "client" does sound like a dickhead. There are two real issues here.

1. If he does take you to court it would cost YOU more than it's worth (in time and maybe money if he wins the case and you are assessed court costs). In particular if he can prove he lost some opportunity (gigs' management contract, etc) you could have more at risk then him.

2. You did agree to provide him a product. Even though he didn't show when he said he would - you did agree to provide a product.

If it was me, I would return his payment (it's only beer) or I would provide him a product. By doing one of these actions you protect yourself if he does take legal action. If you return payment or provide product, document what you did and why - just in case he still isn't satisfied.

If you provide him a product, try to make it sound decent - as previously stated - your reputation is at risk. Ain't it funny how the business side of "the music business" sucks? Good luck!
 
Well after all this.....I actually decided to mix his tracks......He wasn't here for the mix.....So whether or not he's happy with it or not I couldn't give a shit. I recorded a previous album for him that came out great, So if people ask why the quality suffered this time.....I'll tell em the story. I've got a good enough reputation in my town, and some fucking brat in a crappy little punk band isn't going to wreck it for me. I just wanna get this dickface outta my life! Cheers for all the amusing replies though :)
 
I was taken to small claims court for the same thing by a girl I was in a band with that I made the mistake of recording and then fucking. Since no money changed hands (just some body fluids) and there was nothing in writting alls I did was give the Judge a shrug and a blank stare and he thru the case out.
 
favors

link,
i have a few friends that i have played music with for about 25 years and for about 3 years we have been
recording stuff for fun. recently my friends called up
and wanted to do some recording of a few new things
they had come up with and said if i would be available
they would bring the BEER. so we did our usual thing
which is sitting around drinking the BEER, talking about
the new stuff, drinking the BEER, practicing the new stuff
drinking the BEER, and getting the new stuff down for
a recording. all preparations done, we played this new stuff and it sounded great. next time we do this i REALLY
hope to remember to turn the recorder on. oh yeh, i
sued myself for drinking to much BEER on a week night.
i hope your problem with the DICKHEAD is resolved in
a good way for you.
dan
 
Link....

Do the words "Ninja hit-squad" mean anything to you? :D
 
No, no VD, but never, repeat, NEVER do the singer. It's like the old saying;
"never shit where you eat"
 
Ah, OK, she was GOOD singer. Thats why it was a mistake. I get it.
 
Hey! What's wrong with doing the singer? If she's a great singer and only if she's a great singer, then here's what to do.

I married mine, built a studio, hit the road, had kids and am building a new studio(we moved). 6 years, still play in a band together and recording us and many others.

Never under estimate the power of a great singer!

Cheers!
 
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