FAQs - Answers to questions you just may have!
Here's a few questions we've answered in the past that you just might have as well. Unlike some labels, we aren't shy about "telling it like it is"; we're very open and honest people, and we really do care about how shit goes down. Hell, it's our policy! Please note this is NOWHERE near complete, as we've just started hunting through all the emails we have received and have replied to (we save them ALL!). Plenty more will be listed as we get to it.
If YOU have a question you would like answered here, please drop us an email . Thanks!
Also! Be sure to check out Leon's MySpace Blog, as he has quite a bit of sage advice for you bands out there. Look for the subject heading The Rules of American Touring. This guy really knows his shit! As he should - check out who he's played with! |m|
You also might find this musician's career page created by the US Dept. of Labor interesting, as it pretty much puts everything we've ever said in a nutshell. Yeah, it's geared for teens, but damnit if it ain't accurate!
Q: Why did you guys change your site around? What happened to all the old shit?
A: Quite honestly, our old ISP crapped out on us in a major way, and while we really did like them, we just can't keep using them anymore. Shit was getting stale anyway, so when we moved over to the new ISP, Hostbaby, we realized how many features they offered we never had access to before, so we took full advantage. They're a lot less expensive, plus the fact they cater to the industry was a HUGE added bonus, so the transition to the much cleaner site you see before you is the result.
We do have all the older stuff on file, so if you really need something from us, drop us an email, and we'll send it right out to yas!
Q: It's pretty obvious you guy dig extreme and old school metal bands, but I just want to know if you also like other kindsa of stuff. Mind sharing?
A: Thanks for your question! We passed this around and had a bit of fun with it, so here's a quick list of some of our guilty pleasures!
The Police, The Cars, The Steve Miller Band, George Thorogood, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Boston, Kansas, Chicago, Styx, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, Rush and Foreigner.
Q. We finally got a label to sign us and we want to take this serisuly. How soon til we start seeing some money cus were broke!
A. A lot of bands think once they sign to a label, they can quit their day jobs and live on the road, because everything will be taken care of for them. We hate to break it to you guys, but unless The Big Four signed you, you better have one guy in the band with a rich grandma who unwittingly signs checks to you or plan on keeping your jobs, or give up that dirty habit everyone seems to have - of eating!
Seriously, we thought we stressed this in the past here on this page, but apparantly, it needs more explanation. Don't you guys ever watch Behind the Music? Damn!
Even if everyone in the band has mom's basement to fall back on, you're still going to need money to drive all over the place and eat, on top of extra "in case of" money. Here's some examples:
the van blows its radiator, the trailer flips, Pappy at Flapjack McGillicuddy's stiffs you, Joey busts his snare or some douchebag rips off your guitars and backline! These types of things have all happened recently to good friends of ours! SHIT HAPPENS!!!
What are you going to do to keep playing if you don't have money to cover all of this? Go crying to mom with your hand out? Hope the other acts will cover for you? Yes, people close to you will generally help, but you can't expect charity 24/7. You need to have your own money.
So, if you're all living at home, go ahead and spend the summer touring. But for the other 8-9 months out of the year, you guys should have day jobs to not only buy the stuff you need, but to tuck some of it away for when you do get out there.
If you guys have your own places, or even have families to support, plan on how you're going to be paying the rent or mortgage while you're gone. Is the better half able to float you? Are you guys all bringing the family entourge with you, doubling up as a big "working vacation"? It can be done and is all the time, but that's a whole lot more money to be planning on covering, without a steady income to back it. Plan wisely!
In the meantime, go ahead and do shows in your 100-mile radius on weekends or whatever, perhaps with a festival show once every couple of months, or even take one week off your jobs every month. Whatever you decide to do, make sure your employer is cool with it, because you want to also make sure you have something to come back to. If it's just a shit McJob anyway, then you may not care so much. But have some sort of concrete plan!!!
Don't count of your label covering your expenses. Sure, they'll probably give you a bunch of copies of your album to sell at your own asking price, which will help keep the tank full, and maybe even let you splurge on some Taco Bell. But again, please, please, PLEASE make sure you have that "what if" cash on hand, preferrably on a debit card, in case you lose your wallet!
Also, don't jack up a credit card, thinking you'll pay it off the rest of the year. Lori worked in a debt collections firm for almost 7 years - she's seen what happens to good people who do that, from all walks of life. It ain't pretty. Do you really want the best part of your lives to be followed up with judgments taken against you for bad debt? We don't think so!
Good luck to you guys! Please mind Murphy's Law (not the band, duuuh!), keep some common sense on yas, and you'll do just fine!
Q: Have you ever noticed that when the local kid bands play earlier in the day, they never stick around to catch the rest of the show, and that when they leave, the people they brought with them take off as well? What's with that???? I mean really - that's just fucking RUDE!
A: Yes, believe us - we've noticed that, too! While we understand these guys might have to leave because they're technically not old enough to be at some of those clubs in the first place, this isn't always the case.
You need to keep in mind that they ARE kids, complete with a lack of experience, and they might not be aware that there are certain unwritten rules about sticking around for the whole show whenever possible that they honestly are not aware of. So uhhh - if this applies to you, listen up!
It is common courtesy to arrive on time and leave after the last band finishes, because when you leave, your entourage generally wants to leave with you. If you stick around, your friends will, too, which gives the later bands a few new people to play for. Not only is it the right thing to do (again, whenever possible, of course), but some promoters pay the bands after the last act, so you might want to hang out to collect your share. Expecting other bands to pick up your cash for you is kind of shitty, because you're saying to them that your time is more valuable than theirs. Also, and probably most importantly, you are also missing out on making new contacts. Think about it - as the night wears on, people tend to drink more, and when people are drinking and having a good time, they're more inclined to talk to you!
So, unless you have a lot of time to make up before heading to the next gig, you have to be at work immediately after a show, or you're 16 years old and Pappy is kicking you out, then you should stick around. And hey - just like on Fat Albert, you just might learn something before the night is through!
HEY! HEY! HEY!
Q: I'm sending you guys my homemade version of our cd now. Let me know what you think and is there anything with the artwork we can change before I send it off?
A: Thanks for the CD! Great stuff!
As far as the artwork goes, you have a great idea going on, but I have to ask: what resolution are you guys using? Things look a little too gritty here. Are your images in 300dpi? And, did you start off in 300dpi, or did you just blow it up that way?
We've been running into a lot of these problems lately, and it's to be understood, since many of you have never laid out a CD before. Every picture you guys intend to use NEED to be in 300dpi, be it for a CD layout or when a magazine hits you up for pics to add to the article they're writing on you. Anything less simply will not do. If you don't know what it is, right-click on the pic and read the SUMMARY section. It should tell you what the resolution is.
Now for you guys who always try to cheat the system, don't bother in this. Taking a 72dpi resolution image (or anything else) and buffing it up to 300dpi just doesn't work. DPI stands for Dots Per Inch: what you're doing is adding a bunch of random dots to fill up the added space you've created. Think of it like this: you'd probably rather play at a smallish venue filled to capacity with die hard fans instead of playing at an arena with that same crowd, but then filling up the space with a bunch of random people who think you suck. The quality in content is obviously lacking.
The other way people try to mess with the pics to make them fit is to open a new file and start it off in 300dpi, and then layer the 72dpi image onto it. This can work, but consider this: you're still using a subpar image, and while it probably looks okay to you now, the quality will show up when you get your CDs back. Y'know, you can take a cheap cut of meat and marinate and tenderize the hell out of it, too. It might taste pretty good, but in the end, it's still a cheap cut of meat, whereas a good quality steak needs no seasoning whatsoever. So please, start off on the right foot and use good images from the very beginning!!!
Also, specifically when doing a layout, you're better off making your pics in .tiff format so you can make changes along the way. When you have a finished product, then feel free to go ahead and change them to .jpg files and email them to the printer. The only .tiff file you will want to send him is the traycard, in case you have text the pressing guy might be able to better align for you. (Things always look different on his end somehow, even when you're all using the same program!)
HOWEVER, it is always better to have ALL the files kept as .tiff files, burn all the artwork onto a disc and snail mail the disc to the printer. But if you're only sending a couple panels or you are positive about your job, then high resolution (hi-res) jpegs will do just fine.
Also, don't delete any of those files, even after the CDs come in. You never know when you'll need a second pressing done, or if you decide to go ahead and use a different company. Of course, there's always the chance a label picks up your title, and they want to run the release! So never, ever get rid of those files! And make back-ups, too!
Q: Some asshole broke into our practice space late last night and took a ton of good shit! What are we supposed to do now???
A: Wow - fuck! That REALLY sucks! This sort of thing is getting to be a whole lot more common these days, including our own bands, nd we really feel for you. Here's what you need to do NOW!!!
- CALL THE COPS! Seriously, you need to file a police report on this! They may take a few hours to show up, so all of you guys need to get together and not touch anything, since they're going to dust for prints. While you're waiting for them...
- besides clearing out the cronic from view and spraying some air freshener, write down a list of everything that's missing, and scope around over a dozen times, looking for the smallest thing missing. This means right down to your pics, sticks and cords. Make sure you list the brand names, and especially anything about them that are unique, like serial numbers and customizations. I'm sure you have pics of yourselves on stage using the gear, so Photoshop the images, cropping out the big items, then start printing them out. Make extra copies, for the cops as well as for yourselves.
- be proactive about this! This is your musical careers here - act like it! If you had your stuff insured, get on the phone with your insurance agent, making a xerox of the police report, as well as providing them with the pics. Start scouring the pawn shops and flea markets, as that's the most likely places your stuff will turn up.
- post the list on your website, including the pics you have, asking your fans for help. Unfortunately, the #1 culprits are friends of friends of yours, because they know you have good shit, so there's a very good chance someone you know may have a lead for you. Offer a reward as well, because paying a reward is a whole lot cheaper than buying new gear!
- do not dwell on this. We've been robbed too, and it really is a kick in the balls, but you need to get up and keep on keepin' on. You probably won't get your shit back, so be prepared to start replacing your gear. Also, don't be surprised if the cops don't seem to care as much as you do, which is again why you need to be doing the bulk of the footwork yourselves.
We genuinely are sorry this happened to you, and we hope the crack head fucker who stole your babies gets ass-raped by Bruno the Cellmate. We just hope you can move forward and get back on stage soon! Good luck!
Q. Why are so many people busy smoking outside when they could be watching the show inside? That's fucking GAY!!!!!!!!!!
A:While we do not apologize for being smokers, we do try to catch as many acts as possible, at least one song to see if we like the band or not, but we're always within earshot of the performance. We see it as no different than taking off to stand in the beer line.
To be honest, we think smoking bans are "gay" as a whole (that's right - FUCK YOU ACS!), and we know that smoking bans have hurt clubs, promoters and bands. It's a fact of life that most people haven't figured out yet how to successfully handle, and no, quitting smoking is not an option for us at this time, so don't even bring it up.
It sucks, but what are you going to do?
Q. A lot of American bands are having a hard time getting into Canada lately. Any advice?
A. Here's something Lori wrote up on Blabbermouth recently:
First-timers should contact the Canadian consulate to first check there won't be a problem with getting across the border, due to any background checks which may occur, when first CONSIDERING getting shows booked out there. If the drummer has a felony on him, that might come up! That's where the band finds out about the proper visas and whatnot.
Then, lots of paperwork should be drawn up, including an itinerary of where the band will be performing and whatnot. That occurs immediately after booking, a good month or two ahead of time. A FULL, itemized laundry list of every single item should then be written up, because it will help deter the border patrol from making the band open up the truck and trailer and having everything on the side of the road!
Also, if the band is bringing merch with them, they should be aware there will be heavy taxes put on any and all sales made. However, if their products were made in Canada, then that won't happen (it's their shit, afterall!). What some bands do to get around this is mail themselves merch ahead of time to a trustworthy Canadian relative/friend/street teamer, then mail the rest back home afterwards. Not exactly legal, but I've heard it's fairly common.
Finally, the band trying to get across the border should allow themselves an extra day, just in case there is still a holdup, especially in these post-9/11 times. That gives the band a day to grab a hotel room on the border, figure out what they're going to do, regroup and move on.
Usually, getting into Canada, with all the paperwork in hand, is fairly easy. The first time around, the border patrol will snap pics of the members and keep them on file. Any future crossings wind up being that much easier, beause they've already "been there, done that", and with a quick pop-up of their digital file, the band gets waved through, with not so much as a few seconds flipping through the itinerary and the aforementioned laundry list.
UPDATE 2007 saw a big change in Canadian travel, because you are now required to get a passport. So long are the days when you could pack the family in the 'wagon and go camping for a month in Alberta. Please view the US Post Office's website for information on obtaining a passport. We think it runs about $100 total for each member, and yes, kids need passports, too, so leave the family at home!
Q: We're your average struggling band, and we're always looking for more shows to do, as well as more ways to make gas money. Any ideas on that?
A: Hey, we hear ya! We know of bands who manage to pull off living on the road for months at a time, but we can't imagine it's easy by any stretch.
Look beyond the bar scene and into small festivals. We're finding them springing up all over the place. You may not get paid a whole lot, and the sound may not be the greatest, but you usually get to camp there for free, and some feed you as well to some damn good barbecue! Ask around and check the message boards!
Also you get a captive audience, which allows you to promote more in-depth, party with your fans and have a lot more time to sell your merch. We do quite a lot of fests of all kinds, and Lori goes to some of the hippy-type festivals on top of that. She's gained some good knowledge on camping in general, so feel free to snoop around. Check out her page specifically on vending for more details (scroll to the bottom - disregard the hippie shit if you want!):
You Have Arrived
Q. I heard you guys do a radio show. What's that all about?
A. Yep! We do a program on the last Friday night of every month on Chicago Metalworks at 8pm CST (Chicago time), which is -6:00 GMT, for a couple hours, called Rotting Corpse Radio. What we do is spin some of the most brutal shit from our private collection, plus host live interviews with bands of every caliber, either in the studio or over the phone.
We've recently talked to and featured Cattle Decapitation, Usurper and 3 Inches of Blood, along with some of our favorite local talent like In Autumn, Clad in Darkness and URN! We're gaining popularity steadily, to where we're seriously looking into syndicating the show to other Internet stations, and doing at least two a month.
If you're a band that's interested in doing an interview, contact Mark Smith about getting that set up! Like we said, Mark will spin just about anything, so if you send him your stuff, he'll probably put it up!
Oh and BTW, if you arrange an interview to hang out with us in the studio, not only can we take calls from your fans, you can help pick the playlist - plus, we buy yas beer and pizza! Ha!
Q: What's with all the hippy shit?! I thought you guys were hardcore! You're gay!
A: What hippy shit - Lori's vegetarian stuff? The Pagan links? The fact we like a little jurassic rock on occasion?
Sorry to disappoint you pal, but we're not 15 year old kids trying to prove to our friends how "brutal" we are, because we really don't care what anyone thinks, especially little dipshits like you.
Go home little man. Yo momma's callin!
Q: My band is coming to Chicago. Where can I play?
A: UPDATED!!! Here's a quick referral listing, with various attendance capacities, since we're not sure what exactly you're looking for:
Congress Theatre - 2890-seat auditorium
House of Blues - Chicago - 55,000 square foot venue
The Metro - 1,100 capacity
Riviera Theatre - Maximum capacity: 2300
Aragon Ballroom - 2,500 capacity
The Bottom Lounge - standard bar
The Double Door - standard bar
The Mutiny - standard small bar
The Vic Theatre - 1400 capacity
Nitecap - standard bar
Logan Square Auditorium - 700 capacity
Please also note: Our good friend Mark from Metalworks is getting a new, 400 capacity, 21+ venue together very shortly. Please check our NEWS feature for the opening announcement!
I highly suggest you also visit Heavycore , since they have a gig swap feature.
You will also find The Chicago Metal Factory extremely helpful as to where some of the locals and regulars around here play out.
NOTE: Give us a little time, and we will add to this list above, with who directly you should contact, what we think of the place, and other pertinent information. Thanks!
Q: I'm looking to work for a label. Are you hiring?
A: We're always on the lookout for raw talent to join our growing family of sick and twisted individuals! If you feel you can help us in any of the following fields, please be sure to drop us an email! We are exclusively seeking those who actually LIKE metal music, preferrably with some sort of musical talent. Fans of The Backstreet Boys can take their business down the street. Also note we are almost all smokers, and most venues are rather smokey, so if cigarette smoke bothers you, this might not be the place for you.
We are located in Chicago, IL (USA), near plenty of public/mass transit. Some of our employment opportunities can easily be done in your own home, at your own convenience, while others require you to actually come down to our studio. Be sure to contact us if you have any questions.
Current openings:
- promotion
- distribution
- A&R representatives
- street and email team coordinators
- regional marketing directors
- reporters/journalists
- technicians
Please note: at this time, we are only reimbursing services via promotional and retail merchandise and sub-contracting payments. We are simply not large enough to justify the use of a payroll company. This will change as we grow!
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer AND Destroyer: we do not discriminate based on race, sex (or lack thereof! haha!), marital status, sexual preference, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, criminal background, military service, education, religion or national origin. Who you are and what you do on your own time has nothing to do with how we hire people. We do not require a drug test, but we prefer to work with people who can keep their "indulgences" to themselves and maintain composure while working with us. (Raging alcoholics and complete burn-outs can always apply to be part of our comic relief! haha!)
However, we reserve the right to deny employment to anyone we deem to be a straight-up asshole. It's our dime, and we'll spend it any way we want! We also reserve the right to terminate services with anyone who doesn't fulfill their obligations due to sheer laziness, negligence, stupidity or develops serious attitude problems. We also will NOT tolerate being told what to do; suggestions for the betterment of the label is not the same thing. If you fit this profile, don't waste our time or yours.
The way we see it is this: if you can do the job, and we feel you can do it better than anyone else, and you don't have a showboat attitude, that's all that matters to us! Fair enough?
Q: What local stores will carry my DIY CDs?
A: Actually, there's quite a few places here, but since you're probably looking for metal-targeted stores, here's my three top picks:
Metal Haven (Can't go wrong with a name like that!)
604 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60657 USA
Mailing Address:
3176 N. Broadway #118
Chicago, IL 60657
773/755-9202
FAX: 773/755-9203
Email: metalhavenstore@yahoo.com
This store carries an UNGODLY amount of metal (except "Nu"), and they also do signings. Very cool! The "Brutal Shit" dept. is worth a look in itself!
Beyond the Limit
7316 W Irving Park Road
Norridge, IL 60706
708/452-5552
This store is both a head shop and carries lots of rare, import and underground shit.
Q: I was checking out your MERCH section, and I saw you guys carry a huge variety of CDs - some that's way underground, and some I've had since I was a kid on vinyl! Where do you get it all from? Is it all legit?
A. Where do we get them from? Ancient Chinese Secret!
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.
.
.
.
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Naahh, seriously... some are our titles, of course, some we get from trades, some we get from wholesale distributors and some we get from resales. ALL of the titles available on our catalog are NEW and shrink-wrapped (not counting when we sell our own personal stuff on the side, garage sale-style, which we say so up front). We do NOT sell used shit! You want used? Go to Disc-Go-Round!
Furthermore, we do not, have not, nor will we EVER sell burnt copies off our computer. The artwork looks like shit, the sound becomes inferior, and we'd be ripping off quite a few people if we did, including you! (Not to mention the fact that the RIAA would be laying some serious midevel smack-down on our happy asses! We're afraid of lawyers! They're even more wretched than we are! *shudder*)
Q: Do you think it's worth it for my band to do a "pay to play"? I hear good and bad things about them.
A. It depends on quite a number of things: the show's history itself, which venue and equipment is being used (and it's history), who's doing the promotion, how well it's promoted, which bands are headlining, what slot you can be guaranteed, who is expected to be in attendance and, of course, what you plan to get out of it.
On our side, we attend as many of these types of shows as possible, because not only do we go to see the show itself, we consider them as conventions. We like large fests, because we get to see a bunch of bands at once, which we're sure you can all understand that. We watch the bands, talk to members of ones we find especially interesting, and have our business cards on hand. We'll usually sport our logos so people can recognize us and chat; we usually pass out lots of goodies, whether we are vending there or not! So don't be shy - we'll only bite if you ask nicely!
Let's define what a PTP is exactly: a "pay to play" is any show where the band pays to perform for a set amount of time. Some bands absolutely refuse to do this, because it is against their policy to pay for what they feel they should be paid for. Some will do it for the right show/circumstances, and others will do any show, regardless of monitary negotiations, because their biggest concern is playing as many shows to as many people as possible.
One of the biggest examples of this is Ozzfest, where we have heard from very reliable sources it costs about $75,000 for the spot; we are unclear if that covers the entire tour or not. Some would argue it isn't worth the price of a home for a chance at stardom, while others will feel the exact opposite.
UPDATE: please refer to the following posting from BLABBERMOUTH:
THE HAUNTED Guitarist Is In No Rush To Play OZZFEST Again
Some shows are actually co-op deals, where all the bands chip in to cover the expenses, and anything leftover is divvied up among the bands. We wouldn't even add this particular type of show in this context, except for the fact there is money being sent to the promoter, which some bands may mistake for a traditional PTP.
Most PTPs cost quite a bit less than Ozzfest, but nonetheless are extremely expensive to many struggling musicians. If you are the slightest bit interested, may we suggest researching the show and the promoter's history first before making contact. This includes asking other bands their personal past experiences. Some promoters have notoriously bad reputations, like providing bad/cheap equipment and technicians and not keeping the show on schedule.
Granted, primadonna bands are usually the culprits to the schedule going off whack, but it is up to the promoter to be firm about this. 15 minutes extra to set up? Too bad - the band just cut into THEIR time, not everyone elses! It is also his/her/their job to make sure there are contingency plans in case a PA catches on fire, the sound guy shows up drunk or if part of the stage collapses from water rot (we have seen ALL these things happen!).
The show's reputation itself is just as important. If it's been running for 10 years, but the promoter is a complete jerk-off, you need to ask yourself why the show still exists. You may hear something like, "Sure, Bob shafted me good, but I wouldn't have met so-and-so who got me the record deal with Big Guy Recordings." If the show itself is well-promoted, gets reputable A&R folks down there and has heavy-hitters for headliners (especially is those bands have a similar style to your own!), then it may be worth your while afterall.
Many times, you will be given a batch of tickets to sell to help recoup your money. However, if the show is in LA and you are in NYC, it might be pretty hard to sell any tickets right off the bat. Our suggestion is to hit up all the message boards of fans who are near the venue, and offer the tickets at a discount. You may not get 100% of your money back, but you'll gain new fans by doing them a favor. Mail the tickets with a bit of autographed swag or even a CD; it'll ensure the recipients get into your music and look forward to seeing you perform, not to mention telling their friends how cool you guys are! We've heard many experiences where the bands did such a good job of hyping up new fans, they were invited to after-parties, fed well and... well, let's just say the paternity suits are still pending! Ha!
Above all, our biggest suggestion to you is to once again get everything in writing. Any large show should provide you with a run-down of everything included in the show itself, even if it's in email form. That includes everything discussed above, plus HOW the show will be promoted (radio, flyers, ads, ect), if the show is fully insured, right down to where you'll park, and if they'll feed you! Always email the promoter any dialog you have, so you have proof of what was said and agreed upon. If you arrive at the show and get put on a noon slot on the second stage but were promised an 8:30 slot on the main stage, you'll realize then how important it is to have that sort of thing in writing!
Good luck, have fun, and we're sure we'll catch your show soon!
Q: I'm a friend of a guitarist in one of your bands. Can you get me on the guest list?
A: Let's rephrase that a bit, just to see if we're hearing that right. Did you mean to say,
"I'm too cheap to pay to see a show"
or
"I'm a friend/girlfriend/manager, so I don't feel I should have to pay to see the band, when I can see them any day of the week at practice"
or even
"I know it's only $10, but I'd rather spend that on weed"?
In our not so fucking humble opinions, the ONLY people who should be on the guest list are the band members themselves and their road crew. By road crew, we mean a guy or two, unless you're on a MAJOR tour with an elaborate stage. Everyone else shoud pay. Why?
Because:
a) the places the bands play at don't count guest list people as part of the draw. A lot of clubs use a system that has the door guy asking who you're there to see when you pay, and they tally the score at the end of the night. Even if the band brought a ton of people, the door sales tally won't reflect that, meaning the band may not be asked back. By not coughing up the money, you're directly hurting the band's chances of getting good shows!
b) the band usually gets a cut of the door, and may ONLY be playing for the door! They need that for gas money to make it to the next show, and by you (and a bunch of other people) not paying, they may have to cancel a show because they couldn't get up enough gas money!
c) it's just the right thing to do. WE never expect to get in for free, even if our own bands are playing there! If we're sponsoring the show, that's different, and sometimes we're automatically put on the guest list, which is a nice surprise, but we never expect it, nor do we ask for it! If we're sponsoring or vending at a show, we'll pay for our crew's tickets ahead of time, and we make them work it off then and there!
Like the old saying goes,
Cash, grass or ass: no one rides for free!
Q: Do you do any distribution? Can you sell my CD?
A: Hell yeah we do! Ain't nuthin' better than doing it yourself! Check out our Merch Section and see what we currently have to offer. Right now, we're trading especially for Ominous's Intercorpse, Low Twelve's This Side Toward Enemy, URN's Dancing with the Demigods, as well as Doom Syndicate's Beyond Salvation. We are willing to send out as many CDs as you like,with an equal amount in return, of either the same release or, which would be great, a good mix of releases.
Please remember, we can only accept store quality CDs. That means what you send us MUST be duplicated professionally. We CANNOT accept CDs you burned off your computer at home. We have no problem re-packaging them and redoing the shrink-wrap, but we must stress we will not trade anything that isn't a quality production.
The primary way your CD will be sold is through us directly, both here online and on our eBay store, as well as at various venues. We have many titles for sale currently, and we buy vending space at some of the larger Metal shows. We will also be trading and putting CDs on consignment at various local stores. Also, we are joining forces with "one stops" (where small stores get their stock) and other much larger distribution hubs. Drop us a line if you are seriously interested.
Q: I'm putting together a show, and I'm looking for some sponsorship. Are you interested?
A. It depends on what exactly you need from us. We're more than happy to set up our vending booth at a show, but we need some reasonable advance notice, because our schedule books up pretty quickly; we especially need time if it's more than a few hours away from Chicago, or if it's on a weeknight. Contact Ron to see what we can set up!
Q. What do you mean by trades and trading?
A. Remember when you were kids and you traded baseball cards (or knew a kid that did)? What did you do with the extras... the ones you have doubles on? You traded them for something you didn’t have. It’s the same thing with CD trading. You have a few releases, and you trade them for copies of releases you don’t. That builds up your catalog, which basically turns into both an Internet and an on-the-road record store.
Trading is just a part of distributing and selling CDs; we of course use traditional methods of selling our releases. You know, the commercial route: selling CDs in major stores, right there on the store shelves for people to waltz on in and pick up a copy. It’s the base to many underground label’s sales, but is generally not the be all, end all, nor is it the majority of where sales generate. It’s just another well-hidden tool.
Think about it: no one is going to spend $16-20 on a CD if they never heard anything about the band, unless of course, the album cover is just THAT fucking cool! Needless to say, no major record store is going to carry your album for the same reason. So, along with the bands doing shows, having a snazzy website and networking, you can do a few trades here and there, with that aforementioned awesome album cover, to help gain that much-needed exposure.
By trading, you’re literally putting your release into the hands of a new fanbase who many not have otherwise heard of your product. You’re also helping yourself gain the attention of the major stores and distributors, because your release amazingly finds itself all over the place.
Unfortunately, many countries outright ban commercial sales of underground metal, even such well-known acts like Cannibal Corpse, so this is an excellent way to reach an otherwise unreachable market. In Europe, as well as in other continents, trading is the best way to get underground metal out to the masses; the more you trade, the more people hear of your releases.
Trading, therefore, is an excellent jumpstart for many bands, as well as another tool to be used for additional exposure. It has the added benefit of reaching new and otherwise unattainable markets, and, unlike ads and flyers, has a lasting impact on the newly discovered fanbase.
If you have additional questions on trading, kindly contact Ron.
Q. I signed up with [ABC Distribution] a month ago, and my CD is not on any shelves! They said we've be in BestBuy, Target and everywhere else! Help!
A. To grace the shelves of a major chain, you need to be doing three things: providing your distributor with about 10,000 copies, extensively touring AND taking out big ads in magazines geared toward your style of music. Here's why:
a) Major chains like BestBuy have LOTS of stores, and they generally will want to have a few copies of each album in each of their stores. Multiply that with every other chain (Target, Wal*Mart, Circuit City, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Virgin Megastores and so on), on top of every independent store that carries your kind of stuff, and you've got a TON of CDs you need to be supplying!
If you cut a deal where they ask you for 30 CDs, it's just physically impossible to cover all of them. What you may have misinterpreted is the distributor said they'd make your album AVAILABLE to all of those stores! That generally means a fan can ORDER the CD from something like Muze - those little kiosks in the chains where you look up a title and have the store get it for you. Big difference!
b) Major chains are only going to stock CDs from bands they know are touring nd/or getting extensive airplay on corporate radio stations. Touring, in their eyes, means you took off your day job for an entire summer and hit every state in the country, playing your heart out, night after night, with little to no downtime in-between. Bands like Cattle Decapitation aren't getting much (if any) corporate airplay, but damnnit if they aren't playing out at least 100 days out of every year! That's why their album is available at BestBuy.
c) The stores also want to see that you're pushing your album consistently through the media. Granted, extreme metal isn't going to be on any popular FM stations anytime soon (except in rare circumstances), and they know that, but they do expect you to be taking out at least 1/4 page ads in magazines that have a good distribution ratio (NOT xeroxed fan zines!!), and taking them out continuously! Tour all you want, but if the store's ordering manager down in Memphis hasn't heard of you, even though you're planning on hitting a bar there in a couple months, there's not a snowball's chance in Hell he's going to order your CD, when he knows Madonna's latest release will sell, making better use of his store's shelf space.
Even if you went ahead and stocked up on 10,000 CDs and hit every VFW in the lower 48 and took out full-color backpage ads in Revolver, that still doesn't guarantee you'll get shelf space, because your distributor may not be the kind that can handle that capacity. And, even if you do get the shelf space, it doesn't mean you'll actually sell all of those CDs! Most stores require a 100% return policy, which means if your CD isn't moving, they have a right to send it back, and that can be as soon as a month. Do you really want to take the chance of sitting on top of even half of those copies? Do you think your distributor does?
Some stores buy the CD's up front and don't send them back. On CDs that don't sell, you'll see some of your favorite bands in the mark-down bin (perhaps with the Nice Price sticker on it), or worse, on eBay somewhere, going for a mere $1. Sometimes, you need to remember the music business is just that: a business, and shit happens.
Our advice to you: don't sweat not being on a store shelf. The bulk of your sales are probably going to come from you pushing your album yourself, selling it at shows, getting that impulse sale, and drumming up some new fans. With enough touring and interest, you should become popular enough to warrant the 10,000 pressing on a second or third album (since they always do better anyway because people know you now!), and getting most if not all of them sold!
Q. My band sent out a ton of press kits a month ago, and we haven't gotten any replies. Should I contact them again?
A. One follow-up is fine, but any more than that is usually considered pestering whoever you contacted. It's basically a "Don't call us - we'll call you" deal. You need to understand labels, radio stations, magazines, musical equipment companies and whatnot are all very busy, and getting back to everyone is nearly impossible. This does not mean your material was not reviewed! They'll usually keep your material until they can find a place for it - that is, of course, if it doesn't just plain suck!
In our case, we receive hundreds of kits, online and in the mail, and getting back to everyone just isn't going to happen. We review everything we get, and we eventually contact everyone. Sometimes, it can take up to six months, so don't be discouraged. Some stuff we save on the back burner, for stuff like our Raw Aggression compilations!
Q. My band emailed out samples of our MP3s and a link to our page. Why didn't they mail me back?
A. Let's play Devil's Advocate here: we get an email from you that you obviously sent to a hundred other email addresses - nothing personalized, no note even saying our names - nothing. To us, it looks a little like spam, and we treat it as such. Sure, we may be experiencing a good day and check out your page, but do you want to take that chance?
Here's an idea: if you're going to email a bunch of labels, first off, write up a draft and email them all one at a time. Yeah, it's more work, but it comes off as if you are actually are interested in THAT label, compared to throwing the dice any ole place! In your draft, say something like,
"Greetings, _____________!
"We are a _________ metal band from _________ and are interested in your label. If you would like a press kit, kindly reply back at your earliest convenience.
"Please visit our website at http://www.__________________.com for a little taste while you wait!
"Keep it brutal!
"______________________"
This includes contacting labels on MySpace and whatnot! Some companies just don't have time, while others are online 24/7. So, if you send out a hundred DRAFTED emails and get ten replies, you should count that as a good draw.
At this point, you will may have a choice of working with one label verses another, which is always good on your part. Just be sure anyone who has replied positively, you send out that press kit ASAP!
Q. Hey bro! My band is the next big thing! Shit, we're even better than Carcass/Immortal/Slayer! You need to sign us! We'll sell a zillion albums right off the top! What do we have to do?
A. *sigh* Okay. Stop. Right there. Anytime we hear that sort of thing... right out of the blue... that's the first and last time we'll ever deal with you, and we'll use your material for our cat's litter box. That's not selling or promoting yourselves, that's being a showboat with a primadonna attitude to boot, which we do not want to deal with!
Think about it: you're coming off saying you're better than (x) seriously popular band in your style, and all you need is us to pay out the ass to get you some recognition you damn well deserve! Um. Go fuck yourself. You're not doing us any favors. We'd rather sign bands who contacted us politely, because a signing IS a 2-way street! We don't talk to our advertisers like that, or our bands, or even each other, so why would we want to get involved with people who think they can walk all over us?
If that's truly the case, that you're that damn good, then how come we haven't even heard of you guys before? Bands who are that good are also that good at promoting themselves, by doing countless shows all over the place, gaining a large fanbase, etc etc etc. Also, bands who are THAT good are hounded by labels much bigger than we are. We're a small, family-based business, and we don't WANT to be Corporate A$$holes, and we especially don't want to involve ourselves with people who want to be!
So uhhh. Thanks, but no thanks.
Q. Dude, what's your creed? Are you in with the Brotherhood?
A. Bluntly... Fuck off! We ain't having it!
Specifically... No. Absolutely not. We don't knowingly involve ourselves with racists. Yes, many of us are caucasian, but that's the extent of our commonality with white supremist, Nazi jerkoffs. Members of our own families, as well as members of our staff and bands signed to our label, are hispanic, black, Jewish, homo/bi-sexual, etc etc etc. Do you really think we want to even associate with people like you? We guess you could say we're the touchy-feely, liberal types, if that makes you happy. We prefer saying we're human beings who bleed the same color blood as everyone else, and that we're no better or worse than the Pope or a homeless guy on a street corner.
Now if you can't fathom that, here's a sterile reply. Dealing with people like you is bad for business, because it limits who we can work with; our associates are from every corner of the earth! We won't even accept releases for our MERCH department that have racist members in the bands, not to mention ones that have bigoted crap all over the inserts and artwork!
We've received some racist merch in the past, which pissed us off completely, so not only did we throw the titles away, but we stopped doing business with the companies who sent that shit to us! We didn't even ask for our money back, or even an exchange!
In other words, you're wasting our time and yours. Why don't you go fuck a pig (or your sister), and leave the adults alone to do their work. And for the last time, no! We're not going to tell you who WILL deal with you! Find that crap on Google like all your other sorry-ass friends!
Q. What’s the big fuckin’ deal about sharing (aka illegally downloading music)?
A. Okay, you want a brutal, truthful answer, and we’re going to come right out and say it. Stealing is stealing. We spend a lot of time and money producing the albums, and the bands spend 10x more time and effort writing and recording it. For what? For someone to just take it? Why not just walk into a record store and stuff a CD down your pants? It’s the same thing.
However, and this is a BIG however, we agree the corporate labels and bands have really taken it too damn far. When we were kids, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Metallica and Slayer weren’t exactly getting a whole lot of airplay; we heard about these bands from our friends! They’d dub us a cassette to bring home, and we’d check it out, or make a bunch of mix tapes. Whatever we liked, we’d run out and buy, because our shitty mix tapes were no match to vinyl and well-produced cassettes! So, if you're turning your friends on, that's a completely different scenario!
There’s not a damn thing wrong with downloading something freely offered by the labels and bands. If you check out our MERCH page, we have some free stuff for you to download and check out! Consider it a free sample; if you like it, you just might buy the rest of the album! If you spend enough time online, you can just about fill up your iPod with lots of great metal tracks! But, that’s if you have time enough to do that!
What’s great about buying CDs, especially from an independent artist or from an independent and/or underground label, is:
- it’s a lot cheaper than what you can find at BestBuy, even with shipping costs involved!
- you get the whole CD; the artwork, the liner notes, everything!
- if you buy from the bands directly, you are telling them that you support what they’re doing, you can get it signed just by asking and it puts some cash in their pockets - usually for gas money to make it to the next show!!
Nowadays, you can still support the bands by buying individual songs instead of whole releases; you don’t have to get the whole thing. Just check out sites like iTunes, Napster and Rhapsody!
If you’re really that strapped for cash but still want to listen to some great shit, check out the Internet radio stations! Metalworks has over 25,000 requestable tracks available, and it doesn’t cost you a thing! Right now, we're checking out some Finntroll, Deicide and yes, *good* Metallica! It’s also a great resource for checking out stuff you haven’t heard of before, since Metalworks features lots of obscure, independent bands you just won’t find anywhere else. And Mark is a helluva nice guy - if you want something on the catalog, no matter how out there and rare, that guy finds it and puts it up!
Q. We were offered a record deal; why should my band consider signing with a label? We can do all that ourselves!
A. You’re 100% right: you can. All it takes are money and connections. Any band can duplicate their own albums, do their own artwork, promote themselves, book their own shows and obtain their own distribution. However, and this is generally speaking, one person, or one band, can only go so far.
UPDATE: Read the posting by popular indie band Abney Park on their feelings about signing with The Big Four. Not metal, true, but very applicable, and they do quite well all on their lonesome!
Each label operates differently, caters to different genres and has their own specialties. What your band really needs may be a little (or a lot!) out of reach. We have outlined for you, in very simplistic terms, the entire process. May we suggest reading a couple books on the subject, so you are more prepared for what to expect. One detailed, yet very user-friendly, book out there that’s tailored to the bands is Get it in Writing: the Musician’s Guide to the Music Business by Brian McPherson. We HIGHLY recommend reading that one first!
Producing an album, as you already know, involves a lot more than running off some demos off a computer. First, it needs to be recorded. It then needs to be mastered. After, before, or many times during, the recording and mastering process, artwork needs to be created and laid out. After that, your album needs to be duplicated. Once you have the completed product, then you need to figure out how to sell it. Any album needs to be supported, and this is done by mainly playing out and also by promoting the album, as well as yourselves.
Some labels do EVERYTHING we mentioned above for you. Of course, that’s an awful lot of money invested on their part, so prepare to be either broke after all is said and done, or you’re just THAT good that your band will actually become filthy stinking rich! Major labels’ record deals recoup every penny spent on you, right down to postage stamps, and generally offer your band only 5-15% of album sales.
If a major label “takes care of you”, be prepared to be working at Burger King in five years. They recoup ALL the costs involved, including your beer money, your tour bus, your security, your elaborate stage, your full-page color advertisements and your slots at Ozzfest. If your album never did catch on enough to cover the $200,000 investment (or MORE!), you will end up OWING the label, which you WILL need to pay back some way, some how. And trust us, the Big Guys WILL get their money back!
Smaller labels do some or most of the aforementioned, meaning you will either have to give up some bigger advertising or cough it up yourselves. However, smaller labels generally make up for it by offering more percentage of sales and closer band-to-label contact, sometimes as high as 25%. Many bands PREFER working with smaller labels just for this fact, and end up MAKING OUT on the deal after the day is done. Other benefits include being signed much easier, and also making a name for yourselves to the bigger labels, by going through and knowing the ropes, albeit on a smaller scale. You’ve already “been there, done that”, which nowadays, many major, corporate labels only deal with.
Again, if you can do everything above yourselves, or (even better) start your own label to ride under, then you most certainly have the capability of living on the road and becoming your own bosses. It's not easy by any stretch, but it is possible, and we certainly don't wish to discourage you guys!
So the real question is, do you want to become a Rock Star for a few years with the ultra-slim chance of keeping your millions, or do you want to make a living being a musician, doing what you truly love? Either way, we highly suggest you guys keep your day jobs!
Q. Why has the Cookie Crook has been replaced by a gayass wolf? Oh, and you never hear about the Hamburglar anymore either! And just WTF is Grimmace supposed to be anyway?
A. Uhhh... what?
Please note: The above statements are of our opinions and are not necessarily true of every label, both indie and corporate. It is based on our findings, as well as many bands we have spoken to of all calibers. Also, our findings are not targeted at any one band or label in particular. It is again our opinion. Thank you.
Please also note: We are not trying to be condesending, patronizing or in any way talk down to you guys! We've just come across some bands who have had really unrealistic expectations, so we want to "nip it in the bud", so to speak. Then we had lots of others who genuinely wanted to know everything that's involved, so we figured it would be a great idea just to come out and say what's up. And just for the record, each band we sign gets a customized contract, based on what their true needs are. We don't use standard contracts, because you guys aren't standard bands! Thanks!
More questions and answers available shortly.