Has anyone tried the so-called A&R service TAXI? If you have, did they ever forward any of your songs? I was with them for a year and all I got was some feedback like I didn't like a particular line in this song so it won't be forwarded crap. I feel that they are scammers. Anyone disagree?
Has Anyone Had Any Luck With TAXI?
- Thread starter bernisava
- Start date
monkeymanx
New member
They are probably BS... I think they have had the same "success story" on their site since 2000... Not very promising. You could have written some of the best most catchy songs and they wouldn't have sent it on... Honestly, if they were for real, they would just take a percentage of what you make off your songs. Just the fact that you have to shell out up front says something about them.
songwritten
New member
I have no experience with them, but I haven't heard or anyone having a "bad" experience with them. There is a fine line between a hit song and a reject...you just have to find where that fine line lies and better it.
I work with a writer who was a Taxi member. While many of the songs we worked on were reviewed, but not passed on - one song was passed on to a publisher.
The publisher got that song in a movie (direct to video). Since that time, we've had a song in 4 movies and 1 network television show. The movies continue to get played on cable, etc. so in addition to the initial publishing revenue we get income from BMI every year (not a lot, but it comes in consistantly).
More important than the income - we now have a direct access to a legit, successful publisher. We would never have been able to access this publisher on our own. Of equal importance - our material is out there, being heard - which potentially increases the chance that a major artist may hear it, like it and record it (which could make the income from the movies/TV pale by comparison).
A careful, honest analysis of our material has helped us to understand what the publisher wants and why Taxi did forward the original song. Candidly, the songs that were not passed on by Taxi simply were not good enough (although at the time, we thought they were).
Taxi may not be right for everyone and certainly they are looking for specific commerical types of material (which many writers simply choose not to do) - but I sure will not bad rap Taxi. We've earned more than what Taxi charged and the income stream will now likely continue (assuming we can continue to write the type of material our publisher can work with). At very least, it would now be easier to access another publisher since we now have credibility (thanks to Taxi).
The publisher got that song in a movie (direct to video). Since that time, we've had a song in 4 movies and 1 network television show. The movies continue to get played on cable, etc. so in addition to the initial publishing revenue we get income from BMI every year (not a lot, but it comes in consistantly).
More important than the income - we now have a direct access to a legit, successful publisher. We would never have been able to access this publisher on our own. Of equal importance - our material is out there, being heard - which potentially increases the chance that a major artist may hear it, like it and record it (which could make the income from the movies/TV pale by comparison).
A careful, honest analysis of our material has helped us to understand what the publisher wants and why Taxi did forward the original song. Candidly, the songs that were not passed on by Taxi simply were not good enough (although at the time, we thought they were).
Taxi may not be right for everyone and certainly they are looking for specific commerical types of material (which many writers simply choose not to do) - but I sure will not bad rap Taxi. We've earned more than what Taxi charged and the income stream will now likely continue (assuming we can continue to write the type of material our publisher can work with). At very least, it would now be easier to access another publisher since we now have credibility (thanks to Taxi).
Beerhunter
Barley Processing Unit
I too was curious about TAXI so I posted over at GearSlutz. Lots of info to be had here http://www.gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=111737&highlight=taxi
That was an interesting link. The guy who had good things to say about Taxi was candid and accurate.
My experiance was that Taxi provided very valid feedback (worth the $5 per song) which was helpful and much more useful than feedback from friends, relatives, people on myspace or even people on homerecording.com
Taxi will not pass material through unless they think the publisher, producer, music supervisor, whatever can use it - thier credibility in the industry is at risk. I would not risk my credibility by recommending (forwarding) a song, a musician or a job reference - unless I really thought it was a good match. Why would Taxi???
If the material is well written, well sung, well played, well recorded and meets certain reasonably logical commercial guidelines, then maybe Taxi can forward it to someone - if it isn't they will tell you why. That seems fair to me.
I currently don't need Taxi - because I now have a publisher (thanks to Taxi) - but I would join again if my publisher dropped me (and I'm sure I would get my monies worth).
My experiance was that Taxi provided very valid feedback (worth the $5 per song) which was helpful and much more useful than feedback from friends, relatives, people on myspace or even people on homerecording.com
Taxi will not pass material through unless they think the publisher, producer, music supervisor, whatever can use it - thier credibility in the industry is at risk. I would not risk my credibility by recommending (forwarding) a song, a musician or a job reference - unless I really thought it was a good match. Why would Taxi???
If the material is well written, well sung, well played, well recorded and meets certain reasonably logical commercial guidelines, then maybe Taxi can forward it to someone - if it isn't they will tell you why. That seems fair to me.
I currently don't need Taxi - because I now have a publisher (thanks to Taxi) - but I would join again if my publisher dropped me (and I'm sure I would get my monies worth).
gullyjewelz
New member
i LOVE THE IDEA OF TAXI, AND HAVE BEEN ON THE FENCE FOR YEARS ABOUT JOINING THEM - BUT $300 SEEMS LIKE A LOT . . . JUST TO HAVE YOUR HOPES DISSAPPOINTED . . . ITS REALLY A TUFF CALL . . . IF U GOT IT TO BURN, ITS A MUCH EASIER CALL . . . IM NOT ONE WITH AN EXTRA $300 LAYIN AROUND SO . .
gullyjewelz
New member
By The Way - Would You Guys Mind If Were To Use Your Thoughts And Responses In This Particular Post About Taxi In A Newsletter I Am Trying To Publish? I Would Give You Credit And Website Listing In The Newsletter?
Pm Me If You Are Cool With It
Pm Me If You Are Cool With It