What could possibly go wrong with this plan?

[coffeeandtv]

Thanks for the reply. oh, I know that its not going to be easy. There will be rejections and rebuttals and what not. Think about it this way. There are more than 50 major labels out there. I only have to sell one.

I do sincerely believe that I have an offering that will add substantially to the financial bottom-line of any record company, and that is why I press on. 6 months ago, I would have said it was impossible, now I know that with lots of conviction, confidence, and persistence, the sale will be made.

There are a lot of unknowns to me, and I am realizing that the more I reduce the unknowns, the more my chances of success increase. ONe thing I know though is that record companies want to make money and I know that I can get the offering , that elusive smash hit, that will make them a lot of money.

i say go for it and goodluck to you. if you are that ambitious about making it in the business then it's surely going to be a pivotal crossroad in your life, and whether you make it or not it'll probably the choice that will satisfy you most in the end. i think as long as you have some backup plan and you don't end up a bum if you don't make it in the industry, then you should go for it.

 

[MaxB]

There are probably more than a thousand with the same attitude as me,

but I doubt that you would find a thousand of them with degrees in marketing (emphasis on marketing and not degree), an MBA, knowledge of the wildcard, and enough guts to move thousands of miles to pursue a dream.

I bet you would only find one of those - me.

I've said it before. I have seen mindblowing talent on this board, and I mean mindblowing, but how many people will sell their house and use the money to pursue a dream of music? not many.

I should also say that the ability to sell oneself is a huge differentiator. I was not born with this talent so I educate myself.

Ah ah ah my dear Jaguar... Good Luck

 

[maryslittlesecret]

CJ, I admire your drive and confidence. You've always been helpful and supportive of us and our tunes, so I hope I can be the same.

By all means, I think you should go after your dream -- just be sure to keep your head in check.

If you're going after a deal as an artist, I agree with the other posts that suggest that you should build a buzz in your area. If you've got the talent and are in a region that accepts your style of music, you'll attract more attention from P-Diddy or whoever else if you can draw 500+ people each show and sell 5k of your own CD (and you'll make a lot more money). The idea that you'll be able to walk into P-Diddy's office off the street and say your peace is unrealistic (not trying to piss in your Cheerios, it just doesn't work like that)...

If you're going for an A&R/marketing position, keep in mind that the music industry is on its heels right now. Established A&R people with proven tracks records are getting laid off because sales are suffering. I'm not doubting your abilities, but the competition is more stiff than ever before... For example, check out sites like www.kingsofar.com, www.demodiaries.com, www.soundwerkz.com etc. These are independent A&R sites (run by people who feel they are as talented and qualified as you) that have 'discovered' many buzz bands long before the industry did. In fact, many industry pros monitor these sites. However, these people still can't get a job an A&R job even though they have proven they have an ear for it (which factors more than an education to many people).

All in all, I think you still need to follow your heart (and I think you've already made up your mind). If you make it, awesome. If not, you can't say you didn't try. I'm not sure you know exactly what you're up against, but in this case that could be a good thing. Best of luck, bro. Keep us in mind if you ever end up signing metal acts

J

 

[stonepiano]

Without an inside connection your chances are next to none.

That's the gist of what I would say. Doing it yourself (via starting your own record label) looks appealing until you remember that we live in a day and age where common folk don't expect to pay for their music anymore. Especially if you plan on writing that one hit song. It's a lot easier to justify stealing, *ahem* downloading an mp3 if "you wouldn't have bought that album anyway."

another 2cents