M PIRE DROPS
GEMS
Do You Really Need A Record Deal?
(Cont’d from the May 2014 Issue)
By Camille Barbone
Why do you want to do this? What is the true motivation? Do you love it enough to
work long and hard to get it? Think: does your music have commercial appeal? Are
there people who are willing to buy it and tell their friends about it? Have you ever read
a recording contract? If not, go online, go to the library and read one. It will tell you a
lot about the business, the intricacies and what you need to know. Do you understand
the basics of music publishing? Again, hit the Internet, go to the library (I think they still
exist) and do the homework. You can be creative AND business savvy. It’s kind of hot
when you really think about it… an artist that is taking the initiative and developing his
or her own creative identity. Get into the legal stuff but just enough to keep your music
and copyrights protected. Think about accounting needs; keep great records, scan
or store all receipts and figure out how much you are spending and how much you
will have to sell in order to break even and move on to the profitable side of your career. Remember, if the record industry system as we know it today, stays intact they will
continue to be the only way in to the inner sanctum of real stardom; the best agents,
the most powerful managers, the global reach, the top concert promoters, more press
than you can handle, your own perfume fragrance (ugh, enough) or designer headphones, heavy rotation on traditional radio stations, the front page of iTunes, major
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venues, corporate endorsements and more. (Cont’d)