1st Things first, If you wanta start a lable man Go for it, Dont let any one bust your dreams They are what pull you though the shit times in life.
2nd Learn before you leap, People who you wanta deal with are independant musicans, They arnt stupid they have been payin the morgage/rent off thier music. They wanta know who ur distibuted by. How many stores they stock, What area's do they stock. What do you as a lable do about area's ur distibutor doesnt supply to. What type of publisity budget do you have per album $10k, $100k? who pays for recording cost? You or them. If its You are u gona front the cash and then want it back outa future royaltys or do you belive in the project enough to spend the $75,000 to record the album and know your gona make your money back beacuse its gona be an uber hit because you already have 75 radio stations in major markets lined up waiting for your next album.
Unless you can do better for people than what they are doin now all ur gona do is get the big Fuck You! why should i give you 25% of record sales price at the holesale price meaning $2.00 an album just to cover the pressing when i can get a 4 color print 4 page liner and cd cut at about $0.75 if im willin to order 2k of them. are u gona get them in stores? IF not I'll make more money sellin them for $8.00 a pop at a gig and try to shop the Indie record stores in my area to take them on consignmnet.
basicly when some one signs with a record lable they are saying i no longer work for my self. Im under contract to you and if you fail i fail. When your talkin about some ones Dream thats a shit ton of trust they are puting in you. I've been playin paino for over 20 years so basicly if i sign with you i'm puting 20 years of hard work and dreamin and writing and laughin and cryin in your hands. I want to know that your not gona fuck it up. And i want to know how i can get out of it if you do fuck it up.
Music is personal man. I dont care if your into rap or metal or Jazz or Clasical or country, Its our music. Our music represents the best times in our life and the worst.
Its our Dream Our Love and our life.
When you come in here trying to get our hopes up and we see though the bull shit that you dont have a clue what the hell your talkin about were gona feal burt dissed and some times down right pissed.
You wouldnt Open a Car repair shop if all you knew about cars is that you gota put gass in them, what makes you think you can open a music bussness if all you know about music is that you like it and wana be part of the sceene?
Do your homework, Learn how the music bussnes works. If you arnt willing to learn what it is you gota do as a record company than why are we gona give you our music?
Rich