Replies from people I emailed

[Laura Chow]

[glow=limegreen,2,300]This one is from Brent Handy. He's not signed to Statue.
[/glow]

Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 07:51:40 -0800 (PST)
From: "B Handy" <[e-mail]> Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: label companies
To: [e-mail]


Thanks for the e-mail.

I don't know what you do, or how old you are. I speak
what is on my mind. Take no offense.

Statue is not a real label. There are five REAL
labels on the planet. These five own smaller labels,
some indie. Statue is not owned by the big boys.
They will do nothing for you.

What you should consider is this:
1. A real label will come calling when they see you
putting money in your pocket from selling out regional
shows, playing a circuit, selling CD's on iTunes, CD
Baby, Amazon.com, etc. You need them more then they
need you and they know it. There has to be a demand
for you, or the potential for one.
2. Labels don't just send a contract. Someone will
come see you, or you will be taken to where they are.
They will watch you in your element. They will
interview you. You will have a legion of lawyers to
deal with. with lots of paperwork. It isn't as easy
as a deal in the mail.
3. The best way to make things happen is on your own
for now. You will owe the label money, or end up
paying a majority of the expenses yourself. So why
cut someone else in on YOUR money? If these guys at
the label are so connected, then why hasn't anyone
heard of them, and why don't they have some
credentials? Because they have no more clout in the
industry than you do as an indie. So why give them
your money?
3. I have an indie label now. I have a band that I
assembled to make the record (John Schlitt, Louie
Weaver, Kerry Livgren, etc, etc). I will be selling
CD's on the internet, where I will keep all but $4 of
my sale price. I will sell it at Family Book stores,
Lifeway, etc where I get to keep all but $8 per CD.
If I had a label, one of the big five, then I would
get 3 CENTS MAX per disc, and then out of that they
would deduct the "recoupable expenses" like an
adavnce, expenses, etc, etc. Nirvana never made a
dime off of CD sales. They were indebt. Their first
CD was a big hit, and they were in the hole $25,000.
They made their money from touring.
4. The internet accounts for 10% of the CD sales sold.
Walmart accounts for a large chunk of the rest.
Amazon.com accounts for 90% of the internet sales.
iTunes is the legit download provider. That's where
you need to be. What you need is not a label, but a
manager that has an "in" with the music industry,
marketing, etc to create a stink so that people know
that you are there. If you are THAT good, then God,
or a family member or somebody will hear about you,
and the funds will come, and you will be off. Pray
about it first. Make sure that you are willing to
starve a few years, and that your obligations are few.
That's what it takes to make it.
5. One of the bands that I have mixed for sells about
10,000 CD's annually. They make $8 per CD. That's
$80,000.00 annually. It can be done. This is small
time mind you, but $80k will put some clothes on your
back and buy alot of 99 cent tacos.

Send me an MP3 or a CD. I'd be interested to hear
your music.

Thanks
Brent Handy
HA! Recording LLC, Tulsa, OK
918-664-4952
[e-mail]


[glow=limegreen,2,300]This one is from an artist signed with Statue Records[/glow]

From: "Salman Anwer" <[e-mail]> Add to Address Book
To: [e-mail]
Subject: RE: about Statue Records
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2004 01:22:43 +0500


Hi Laura !

Well ! These day, I'm receiving all these question from different
people who
have been offered the same deal by Statue..

Yes ! They have released my album and selling it through their
website.. I
haven't recieved my royalty payments yet sine it takes 6 months and
it's
just been 3 months of my release..

Let's see what happens with Royalties.. I think I'd be able to say
something
with surety after receiving these payments.. but this is for sure that
they
are selling the CD's and delivering it to the international buyers sine
one
of my friends had purchased my album and they sent the CD to her in
Glasgow,
U.K. Rest has been fine with me..

You've asked about the promotion.. I can't say much about it cuz I'm in
Pakistan and they are in U.S .. so I don't know if this CD is palyed on
the
local US radio or not.. but I think they would get the air play cuz
after
all they would earn by selling more CD's through this.. This is a
logical
explaination..

Rest of things have been fine with me.. The contract seems ok to me..
there's nothing in it to bind you.. You can even release the same album
with
another record company since the rights are yours..

So if you're looking to first make yourself heard then there's nothing
wrong
with this deal.. Usually first deal never gives big bucks.. but one has
to
make his/her market first.. once you're a bit known to people then you
can
get a better deal and make money with your next albums.. This is my
point of
view.. Now it's up to you how you see it or what your plans are.. :-)

Hope it would help..

Musicarian.

www.musicarian.cjb.net
www.soundclick.com/musicarian

[Laura Chow]

[glow=limegreen,2,300]Reply from Brent[/glow]

From: "B Handy" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: direct link
To: [e-mail]


Sounds good. I would get a vocal trainer for
dexterity, control, breathing so that you can keep
that nice innocent and personable voice the way it is.

Stay in touch.

Brent Handy
HA! Recording LLC


[glow=limegreen,2,300]Reply from Salman[/glow]

From: "Salman Anwer" <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: RE: thank you!
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 02:27:04 +0500


Hi Laura !

Actually, 6 month is the time period when you receive your first
royalty
payment. They pay twice a year.. that means they pay after every six
months.. About the selling of first hundred CD's, they actually start
counting your royalties after selling first 100 units (CD's).. after
the
sell of 100 CD's they start calculating your royalty amount from the
next
sell .. So it's like you'll not get that 25% till the sell of 100 units
but
then from the 101st unit they would start calculating your royalty
payments..


About the number of CD's I've sold... I don't know about this.. cuz
they
didn't tell me how many compies they have released and distributed in
the
market.. I've actually signed this contract to get my album released by
a
record company and to be distributed a lil' atleast..
I'd come to know about this when I'll receive my royalty payments..
Let's
see how much they send.. but my aim was to make people listen to my
music
and know that there's a guitar player who does instrumental music...
Now I
can atleast say and tell the other record companies that I've got my
first
album released and they would take interest in releasing my second
album..
That's the point..

But to be honest, I don't think Statue is a big ore huge company.. It
seems
like a small company which is working from a very little place and may
be
there are not much people running it.. They are trying to grow and it
could
be a start for some artists who are looking forward to release their
stuff... I'm sure the next deal would be perfect, the way it usually
happens..

I'd suggest you to sign this contract if you want to have a properly
released album and may be a lil' promotion.. They surely sell the CD's
through their website.. This is sure.. Rest of the things could be said
after receiving the royalty payments... But as I said, don't expect
much..
it's a growing company as I feel.. and they earn by selling our CD's...
now
it's up to them how honest they are to deliver the payments to the
artists... but I don't think they are upto cheat people.. cuz I've
myself
read a lot about them but I never found a single post where someone
ssaid
that he got cheated in terms of payments or in any other way.. That was
the
reason I signed that contract..


Hope it would help.. By the way, where I can hear your music.. Is it
available on net ? :-)

Regards.

Salman.

www.musicarian.cjb.net
www.soundclick.com/musicarian