Anybody with knowlegde of the music business here (lawyers?)

Message

Aaron · #16 Post by **Aaron** » Wed 03 Mar 2004, 9:14 pm

This is not something to figure out here, you should definitely hire a lawyer if you're going to do this.

rags · #17 Post by **rags** » Wed 03 Mar 2004, 9:23 pm

That is the best advice so far if I have to say...

(didn't we have an agreement that you would change your avatar btw? :p)

Darkmoon · #18 Post by **Darkmoon** » Wed 03 Mar 2004, 11:47 pm

you DON'T need a publisher! Tell them you already have one. WHEN you sign a publishing deal, DON'T sign it with the publisher the recordcompany wants. It's a bit too long to explain here, but they won't run for you except when you've proven to make money. So why not sign when you're succesful, that way it's a good deal for you everytime.

By the way, Producer-rights, or whatever they are called are something TOTALLY different than the rights of the composition itself! Keep this in mind!

BlueSwan · #19 Post by **BlueSwan** » Thu 04 Mar 2004, 6:30 am

Darkmoon wrote:you DON'T need a publisher! Tell them you already have one. WHEN you sign a publishing deal, DON'T sign it with the publisher the recordcompany wants. It's a bit too long to explain here, but they won't run for you except when you've proven to make money. So why not sign when you're succesful, that way it's a good deal for you everytime.

By the way, Producer-rights, or whatever they are called are something TOTALLY different than the rights of the composition itself! Keep this in mind!

Your publisher argument makes good sense! But what then exatcly ARE producer-rights?

BlueSwan · #20 Post by **BlueSwan** » Thu 04 Mar 2004, 6:31 am

Shenandoah wrote:This is not something to figure out here, you should definitely hire a lawyer if you're going to do this.

Right! The reason why we haven't done anything about this yet, is that we HATE to lose money on this when we don't even know for sure if we'll ever MAKE any money on it. Does that make sense.

Anyway, the plan is to seek professional advice as soon as we know for sure that they're serious. Which, obviously is around now - I just need to see a songwriter contract first as well.

Deschanel · #21 Post by **Deschanel** » Thu 04 Mar 2004, 8:03 am

Seriously Blueswan, you do need a lawyer at this point.

Any reputable record co. will be fine with this. If they're not, then you ought to smell trouble.
Best to you.

Joemoz · #22 Post by **Joemoz** » Thu 04 Mar 2004, 8:45 am

BlueSwan wrote:Production/mix NOW 31th of April2004

Final deadline: Spin has informed the Producer – and the Producer has accepted – that the final deadline for the final delivery of the final and completely finished master recordings of the Tracks is the
31th of April, 2004

Well, for one thing, that date doesn't exist

And even if it did, it would be the 31st. Which tells me that other parts of this contract could be amateurish as well.

Whatever the case may be, making a contract is always a matter of discussing things back and forth. They have made their proposal, which of course is most focused on their rights, now you need to make a counterproposal that takes your rights into account.

I agree that of course you should hire a lawyer before signing anything, but I think you would definitely do well to go through this very thoroughly first, then you know exactly what to ask the lawyer.

LittleBummerBoy · Thu 04 Mar 2004, 12:08 pm

BlueSwan wrote: The "no payment in countries where it sells less than 2000 copies" is complete bullshit, if you ask me. I have NEVER heard of anything like that before.

Labels like EMI tried to introduce that kind of thing for singles royalites a few years back. I think it fell by the wayside. Or maybe it didn't?