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Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:59 pm
by TheOndrakGuy
I figured I'd run this past you guys, since I've not really got a good grasp of the 'industry' side of music - I just like to play gigs and make music.
My band,
Bad Apes, have recently released a new EP and I've been approached by a woman who says she's from a company called Minoan Music, who license music out to TV, Radio, Film and advertising as well as providing:
"Digital delivery to (digital specific) college, community and terrestrial stations worldwide
Digital delivery to (digital specific) internet radio worldwide
Digital delivery to (digital specific) magazines and e-zines worldwide
Digital delivery to (digital specific) music blogs worldwide
Digital delivery to film, T.V., advertising and video game music supervisors worldwide (with the potential to earn money from licensing)"All this is part of a compilation they do called 'music to kill for.' The snag is you have to pay for a slot on this compilation.
They've come to us saying they dig our music and have offered us a deal where they promote the EP as a standalone as well as putting a track on the compilation. The thing is, it's not cheap, and we can't find a great deal of information about them online.
What're your thoughts? The link here is to their sub-page of the company they're part of.
http://musicpromotion.com/licensing/ - admittedly, the name of the URL does seem a little iffy, but I've checked people out on LinkedIn etc. and their credentials seem to add up. However, this sentence does set alarm bells ringing: "Our source will not give out the names to the client (sorry) of the Music Supervisors involved but they are very prestigious." - I can't help but think that's a bit jarring there.
Obviously, we're side-eyeing this one quite a bit, but we don't want to end up shooting down a good opportunity either.
ANY info you guys can throw my way would be great.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:01 pm
by Chankgeez
I read this far:
TheOndrakGuy wrote:The snag is you have to pay for a slot on this compilation.
Sounds like a scam to me.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:46 pm
by devnulljp
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 8:06 pm
by bigchiefbc
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:16 pm
by Helter
I feel like there would be someone posting the compilations somewhere because it seems like this wouldn't be the first one.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:19 am
by Pollinator95
I think it's a scam (they contacted you first, right?). And it doesn't seem too time consuming to do the more important things of that list yourselves. I mean, digital delivery is an email, isn't it?
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:25 am
by greyscales
It's a scam. Don't ask how I know these things.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:17 am
by Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.
this sounds similar to this one ive seen pop up on CL a few times.
"Label Seeks Original Bands for Star-Studded Guns N Roses Tribute LP (Anywhere)
Starting production on star-studded forthcoming tribute album to Guns N Roses an internationally-known hard rock label with national distribution since 2000 is seeking to fill a limited number of cover song slots with original hard rock/metal bands influenced by both bands. Collectively, the records will feature current/former members of will feature performances from current/former members of Dio, Poison, Skid Row, Faster Pussycat, Lillian Axe, Ratt, LA Guns, Alice Cooper Band, Warrant, Love/Hate, Dangerous Toys, Slash's Snakepit, Keel, White Lion, Quiet Riot, and loads of others to be announced. Interested bands should email with a web link (Facebook, myspace, youtube, etc) and 2-3 song choice possibilities, as we have a limited number of new band spots available. Thanks!"
i think before they used metallica instead of GnR.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:26 am
by Ghost Hip
Chankgeez wrote:I read this far:
TheOndrakGuy wrote:The snag is you have to pay for a slot on this compilation.
Sounds like a scam to me.
Word. General rule of thumb is if you're asked to pay first it's probably a scam. Even if it isn't a scam, they definitely don't have your best interests in mind.
Btw totally dig the EP.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 11:31 am
by jesuismarie
Um...this company has licensed me 12 times in the last year. 10 shows and two web ads, have you all any clue whatsoever as to WTF you are talking about? This is why indie artists get a bad wrap, because too many of us are lazy idiots that don't research. Have you seen the flow of their info on their FB pages? Have you seen their playlist, which includes guys like Iggy Pop, Tracy Bonham, etc? Have you researched their personnel to see that they are major players in supergroups? Have you read that they work with the major labels and have been around 10 years? Seriously guys, this is just plain stupidity. Did you all know the owner is also a producer on a new tv show being developed which has guys like William Shatner, Daryl Hannah, Michael Chiklis, Jakob Dylan, Tommy Lee, Iggy Pop, guys from The Cure, Duran Duran and Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers involved??? Ofcourse you don't know, because you didn't bother to look them up, but instead jumped to your dumb conclusions. The people at Minoan are fantastic, COMPLETELY honest, and you know exactly what you're getting in to when you do it. They even cut people breaks, help them pay in pieces, and even throw people freebies at times. They always make it a point to promise that they can not guarantee placements, but the way they do it is much more advantageous to artists than free services with 40,000 tracks. I've been able to chat with the owner and others any time I need advice, any time I want to run a new song by them. I've paid $400 dollars and have so far made back almost $10K. Rule #1 that I've learned, whatch who you publically accuse of scamming, as word travels fast in t his business and it will surely come back to bite you in the ass. If you go around talking smack about people without knowing what the heck you're talking about, it's the first sign of failure. Ridiculous people.
Marie G.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 11:58 am
by Chankgeez
jesuismarie wrote:Um...this company has licensed me 12 times in the last year. 10 shows and two web ads, have you all any clue whatsoever as to WTF you are talking about? This is why indie artists get a bad wrap, because too many of us are lazy idiots that don't research. Have you seen the flow of their info on their FB pages? Have you seen their playlist, which includes guys like Iggy Pop, Tracy Bonham, etc? Have you researched their personnel to see that they are major players in supergroups? Have you read that they work with the major labels and have been around 10 years? Seriously guys, this is just plain stupidity. Did you all know the owner is also a producer on a new tv show being developed which has guys like William Shatner, Daryl Hannah, Michael Chiklis, Jakob Dylan, Tommy Lee, Iggy Pop, guys from The Cure, Duran Duran and Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers involved??? Ofcourse you don't know, because you didn't bother to look them up, but instead jumped to your dumb conclusions. The people at Minoan are fantastic, COMPLETELY honest, and you know exactly what you're getting in to when you do it. They even cut people breaks, help them pay in pieces, and even throw people freebies at times. They always make it a point to promise that they can not guarantee placements, but the way they do it is much more advantageous to artists than free services with 40,000 tracks. I've been able to chat with the owner and others any time I need advice, any time I want to run a new song by them. I've paid $400 dollars and have so far made back almost $10K. Rule #1 that I've learned, whatch who you publically accuse of scamming, as word travels fast in t his business and it will surely come back to bite you in the ass. If you go around talking smack about people without knowing what the heck you're talking about, it's the first sign of failure. Ridiculous people.
Marie G.
Stay indie, my friends.
Oh, and, also, Marie G., FTW.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm
by jfrey
Yeah, all I have to say is...
http://www.minoanmusic.com/As a web designer and developer, in my experience if a company is legitimate, this isn't what their web presence looks like.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:17 pm
by bigchiefbc
jesuismarie wrote:Um...this company has licensed me 12 times in the last year. 10 shows and two web ads, have you all any clue whatsoever as to WTF you are talking about? This is why indie artists get a bad wrap, because too many of us are lazy idiots that don't research. Have you seen the flow of their info on their FB pages? Have you seen their playlist, which includes guys like Iggy Pop, Tracy Bonham, etc? Have you researched their personnel to see that they are major players in supergroups? Have you read that they work with the major labels and have been around 10 years? Seriously guys, this is just plain stupidity. Did you all know the owner is also a producer on a new tv show being developed which has guys like William Shatner, Daryl Hannah, Michael Chiklis, Jakob Dylan, Tommy Lee, Iggy Pop, guys from The Cure, Duran Duran and Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers involved??? Ofcourse you don't know, because you didn't bother to look them up, but instead jumped to your dumb conclusions. The people at Minoan are fantastic, COMPLETELY honest, and you know exactly what you're getting in to when you do it. They even cut people breaks, help them pay in pieces, and even throw people freebies at times. They always make it a point to promise that they can not guarantee placements, but the way they do it is much more advantageous to artists than free services with 40,000 tracks. I've been able to chat with the owner and others any time I need advice, any time I want to run a new song by them. I've paid $400 dollars and have so far made back almost $10K. Rule #1 that I've learned, whatch who you publically accuse of scamming, as word travels fast in t his business and it will surely come back to bite you in the ass. If you go around talking smack about people without knowing what the heck you're talking about, it's the first sign of failure. Ridiculous people.
Marie G.
Regardless of whether its a scam or not, pay-to-play disgusts me and exploits poor bands that don't know any better. It's predatory and despicable.
If this were a real company with an actual business plan that actually makes money, then they could afford to finance and put out the compilation themselves, and not make the bands pay for the privilege.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:32 pm
by Pollinator95
jesuismarie wrote:Um...this company has licensed me 12 times in the last year. 10 shows and two web ads, have you all any clue whatsoever as to WTF you are talking about? This is why indie artists get a bad wrap, because too many of us are lazy idiots that don't research. Have you seen the flow of their info on their FB pages? Have you seen their playlist, which includes guys like Iggy Pop, Tracy Bonham, etc? Have you researched their personnel to see that they are major players in supergroups? Have you read that they work with the major labels and have been around 10 years? Seriously guys, this is just plain stupidity. Did you all know the owner is also a producer on a new tv show being developed which has guys like William Shatner, Daryl Hannah, Michael Chiklis, Jakob Dylan, Tommy Lee, Iggy Pop, guys from The Cure, Duran Duran and Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers involved??? Ofcourse you don't know, because you didn't bother to look them up, but instead jumped to your dumb conclusions. The people at Minoan are fantastic, COMPLETELY honest, and you know exactly what you're getting in to when you do it. They even cut people breaks, help them pay in pieces, and even throw people freebies at times. They always make it a point to promise that they can not guarantee placements, but the way they do it is much more advantageous to artists than free services with 40,000 tracks. I've been able to chat with the owner and others any time I need advice, any time I want to run a new song by them. I've paid $400 dollars and have so far made back almost $10K. Rule #1 that I've learned, whatch who you publically accuse of scamming, as word travels fast in t his business and it will surely come back to bite you in the ass. If you go around talking smack about people without knowing what the heck you're talking about, it's the first sign of failure. Ridiculous people.
Marie G.
Minoan PR
Fixed.
Re: Is someone waving a scammy carrot under my nose?
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:34 pm
by Chankgeez
Sorta reminiscent in concept to what this is a part of:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34z12XeJq68[/youtube]
