Contrary to the popular delusion, Record Companies DO NOT throw millions of dollars to the winds just for the hell of it. They'd skin a flea for the hide and tallow, so make no mistake about their intentions regardless of the disguise they wrap it in ... such as "your talent" ... "audition" ... "be discovered" ... and other such deliberately perpetuated damnable and knowing lies. Record Companies MUST make money to survive just like every other business, but they DO NOT have to take YOUR SHARE in the process! And VMG doesn't.
All VMG contracts guarantee full composition rights to the authors/composers and NEVER a 'collateralized' (less than statutory) mechanical royalty for artist-composed songs; NEVER an assignment of Public Performance earnings (in case you're in the Pay Clique of a PRO) under the guise of 'recoupables'; ALWAYS full ownership of the masters by whoever paid for them (and VMG does NOT pay for them!); 100% total control over one's career, image and management; and a whole lot more such goodies. VMG is legendary for paying ABOVE statutory royalties and NO CHARGE-BACK against the Artist!
NO! We do not finance pipe dreams. We'll help you prove your product to those High Dollar Financiers who do! Once you're on solid business ground, the money is there, the opportunity is there, and VMG is there.
So, what DO we do?
First, we get the product into commercial acceptability range: Radio Friendly, properly cleared, properly protected, and released on a distributed label. (For those stupid enough think we do all that 'in our studio', have a great time at the International Jackass Convention and don't forget to write home about all the other fools you've encountered.)
Radio Friendly: keep the production UNDER 3:30 total running time. Long winded productions cost too much to air, and in hard economic times can cut radio exposure to fatal levels. Even when you're BUYING it! We'll have it NORMALIZED when we process from here.
Properly cleared: Kak (infinitely unqualified) lawyers and equally crack pot bought-and-paid-for courts have created a mountain of totally useless and unnecessary paperwork that must be done properly. We take care of all that as the industry requires.
Properly protected: The Copyright Office and all it's must-hires can take forever and a year to process a copyright that used to take no more than ten days including mail. Even so we REQUIRE you to have a duly executed protective and mailing to yourself WILL NOT WORK! More details in the site.
Released on a Distributed Label: The amount of MONEY involved to establish a legitimate label, get it LICENSED for global distribution, and all the necessary logistics involved, is HUGE! But we have that, labels and publishers, since we're a GENERAL LICENSER (did you ever wonder WHY the Great Madonna's Maverick label needs Time-Warner?). Your own label is as good as ANY so-called Independent because you can throw the copies as far as they can.
Yes, we TEST everything via the most cost-effective resources available. Currently that is Electronic Music Services (EMS), aka promolibraries. The best part about EMS is the fact you don't need a manufactured record! More about that later.
Second, we watch the response, if any. If none, we go back to the drawing board. And since we (VMG and the ExP) haven't blown the entire farm, we can afford to go back to the drawing board! If some, we pay attention to the what, the where and the how much. Then we make a business plan - appropriate to that response - to follow up because a commercially acceptable product costs a lot of money to exploit.
Third, we count the cost to build this tower, spell it out, and go after the money to do it. We get the Artist on the desk of the investors! That STOPS the record company "front" cum "advance" that cleans the clock come CHARGE BACK time. It's the ARTIST's/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER's money, sufficient to do the job for as long as it takes, well invested and well managed.
Fourth, we live by that business plan, adapting as the market requires.
That's one hell of a lot of work for four points, and often one hell of a lot of time involved. But that's the sound business principals all successful businesses operate by. And understand this loud and clear: Entertainment and Recorded Music IS NOT a glory trip! IT'S A BUSINESS! And all other scenarios are poppycock.
VMG signs such PROVEN product Artists to a minimum of 5 Albums over 5 Years with an identical option. Depending on the Field of Music and the market at the time, costs can vary all over the place, and we make our projections accordingly to insure enough resources to stay the course for the entire term and duration of the contract.
NO! We do not 'pick up' anybody, at any time, for any reason. If you're free and clear of all encumbrances, READ THE ENTIRE SITE (links and all) and call us.
If you're tied up with Jackass, Jackass & Jackass and Associates - get UNtied - and call us.
If your 'management' got you signed to a label that's robbing you blind - fire the bastards - and call us.
If your 'management' got you signed to a label YOU can throw as far as they can - fire the bastards - and call us.
If your 'management' got you signed to anybody that cannot, or will not, get you on the desk of the financiers for the Booking and Concert Resources ($$$) you need - fire the bastards - and call us.
If your 'management' is 'shopping' you with "advance, advance, advance" on the brain - fire the bastards - and call us.
If your 'entertainment' attorneys approved such jackass contracts as just mentioned above - fire the bastards - and call us.
If you've got baggage, personal or legal - UNload it - and call us.
If you've got what it takes to be a Super Star - ability and business acumen - call us.
NO! We do not 'pick up' any product and 'take it from there', at any time, for any reason. If your product is free and clear of all encumbrances, READ THE ENTIRE SITE (links and all) and call us.
If you've already manufactured your product - throw it in the trash - and call us.
If you've already signed away part of your 'distribution' - don't call us - do another project and call us before you do the same thing again.
CHECK LIST OF THE VMG PROCESS AND PROMO-PACK!
MARKET TEST EVERY THING BEFORE HEAVY INVESTMENT!
Every Artist and Songwriter worth their salt wants to GET THEIR MUSIC HEARD and make a living doing what we really do best: Performing. The problem is two-fold: "HOW?" and "HOW MUCH?"
HOW?
BEFORE you spend one more second or one more penny making copies of product, even on your own equipment and especially on your own hip-pocket label, to send to radio stations that can't air it, promoters who can't use it, and agents that can't use you either: STOP! You're trying to play this tuba from the wrong end!
You have to ADAPT TO THE MARKET, not adapt the market to you!
FIRST: Understand that Recorded Music is a BUSINESS, and not a glory-trip! And all businesses require the same foundations: land (facilities, equipment), labor (expertise) and capital (investment).
SECOND: Market Test your product in a BUSINESS manner that will have INDUSTRY CREDIBILITY! THAT DOES NOT mean 'college' radio, KW-JACKASS every Thursday morning at 3:AM, or puppy-dog 'reviews' that nobody IN the Industry gives a damn about, et cetera. To make a record successful in the market you NEED SCADS of investment, but FIRST you need a commercially acceptable product!
The simplest and CHEAPEST way to hard test YOUR-MUSIC-DONE-YOUR-WAY against the WORLD COMPETITION is to upload your initial efforts into the PromoLibraries to prove one way or the other YOUR-MUSIC-DONE-YOUR-WAY can fly on its own groove. No hype, no phony bought-and-paid-for 'charts', just hard groove-for-groove competition on a level playing field, and UP AGAINST the Big Dogs of the Pack.
Can't play in that League? Then DO NOT squander any more time or money until you CAN! You dont have to sell the farm to make yourself a staple in music, but you can't do it 'free' either. TEST your product, PROVE your product, and THEN consider your options.
Already playing in that League? Then TEST your new product, PROVE your product, and consider the offer below.
Now let's take the ramifications of "HOW MUCH?".
First consideration is HOW MANY Broadcasters, Foreign and Domestic Licensers, Major Chain and Independent Buyers your music is going to cover. NO! Your music WILL NOT cover it all! Crossover is one thing, and a Clean Sweep is another: and NOBODY has ever made a Clean Sweep with ONE release!
Let's look at the Specialty Product fields, Gospel, Blue Grass, Progressive Jazz, Dixie Land, Folk, most Underground and Underground Alternative, et cetera, for example:
Gospel, all fields. There are only about 1,100 broadcasters airing some form of Gospel during their broadcast day. 1,100. Sounds like a lot. IS NOT! When you actually run the stats on this 1,100, you find that about 800 of them are actually airing 30-Minute and 1-Hour PROGRAMS for whoever BUYS the airtime! Empty slots, usually between late-night and AM Drive Time are generally filled with SATELLITE FEEDS via a reasonably trustworthy computer! Most simply cannot afford to pay someone to sit up all night playing records and "trusting in the lord" since listeners are FEW enough to begin with.
Now let's look at that remaining 300. It's just about divided by the DENOMINATIONAL factor! For example: it's a well-known fact that WHITE Gospel stations won't air BLACK Gospel music and the feeling is mutual, UNLESS somebody is BUYING airtime. Shouldn't be, but a fact of life nevertheless. Most of it of NECESSITY, because of LISTENER tastes.
With an equally FEW Main Stream outlets handling Gospel, there really isn't a lot of sense in investing a ton of money since the necessary COVERAGE isn't all that huge to begin with. There are still FIXED COSTS, but running 50,000 copies for "in-advance-of-orders" shelf stocking is absolute idiocy!
Main Stream is another matter! Let's say you have a Country release that for all intents and purposes goes right between they eyes of the dirty pickup truck driving, Caterpillar Equipment ball cap wearing, warm Budweiser Beer drinking, RED NECK. Now there really isn't any use sending that record to a HARD ROCK station! Unless you're a glutton for your own stupidity, and no business minded person is that idiotic.
That kind of HARD Country has about 2,200 Main Line Broadcasters in full-time, NONE of which you can afford to ignore. Factor in the additional Outlet Buyers and Foreign and Domestic Licensers - since there are more of those too - and you begin to get an idea of how to compute an Initial Promotion Budget. But let's add a little fun to the game ...
What if Cut #3 has a bit of a jitterbug drive that MIGHT work in Southern Rock? Do you suppose that sound business principals would permit you to IGNORE that additional 800-Plus stations? Not unless stupidity has outrun your pocket book! And THERE is the problem fixing a budget!
If you DON'T add that 800-Plus broadcasters, you're UNDER promoting and UNDER exploiting the product! That Cut #3 may very well be the ONLY song that really does anything. And sound business principals dictate that you CANNOT afford to ignore that potential, even though it is going to INCREASE the Initial Promotion Budget.
SOUND BUSINESS is also the PRICE of doing business!
Take a look at the following SAMPLE breakdown, and note it contains some very RELEVANT factors: 1. through 7., for starters.
NEW ARTIST - SINGLE FIELD, MAIN STREAM, NO CROSSOVER
Specialty Product: Gospel, Blue Grass, Progressive Jazz, et cetera,
will be less, as stated above.
1. You will OWN YOUR MASTERS!
2. You will OWN YOUR CAREER!
3. You will OWN YOUR IMAGE!
4. You will OWN YOUR COMPOSITION RIGHTS!
5. You will OWN YOUR MANAGEMENT!
6. You CAN own your PUBLISHING!
7. You CAN own your LABEL RIGHTS!
The COST to get YOUR-MUSIC-DONE-YOUR-WAY into the Field of Hard Competition covers everything on this end except: (1) The initial production/recording and such related costs; and (2) In-Advance-Of-Orders copies into the stores which we advise against unless you're willing to assume all the costs of product return. More about that later. Below is a SAMPLE project breakdown:
It covers: upload of the ENTIRE 10-song album into the PromoLibraries toward world wide airplay.
It covers: all clearances, UPC codes and initial promotion administrative costs.
It covers: all exclusive anti-counterfeiting Codes and Measures (anti-counterfeiting, not anti-copy!)
It covers: all exclusive artwork in FULL COLOR for label, traycard and cover insert.
It covers: all processing (glass, et cetera) masters, proofs and manufacture.
It covers: all shipping and handling to VMG's promo-delivery facilities.
It covers: all airplay impact (results) analyses and promotion-indicator impact statements.
It covers: all EXCLUSIVE envelopes, printing, packaging, inserting, addressing.
It covers: all Mailing Lists, EXCLUSIVE package inserts, printing, delivery and postage(s).
It covers: submission to all relevant Field of Music US, Canada & Mexico Broadcasters.
It covers: submission to all relevant Field of Music program syndicators.
It covers: submission to all relevant Internet DownLoad Services (paid purchases).
It covers: submission to all relevant Internet Background Music Services (free listens).
It covers: submission to all relevant BackGround (overhead) Music Services.
It covers: submission to all relevant Industry Buyer's Guides and Services.
TOTAL (ExP) COST from your Finished Production Master:
-----------------------------------$25,000.00 (USC)
TOTAL (Label) share of Initial Record Promotion Budget:
--------------------------------------$25,000.00 (USC)
TOTAL (Publisher) share of Initial Record Promotion Budget:
----------------------------------$25,000.00 (USC)
TOTAL (VMG) share of Initial Record Promotion Budget:
--------------------------------------$25,000.00 (USC)
TOTAL Estimated Package Cost:
----------------------------------------------------------------------$100,000.00 (USC)
CROSSOVER can increase these estimates proportionately.
VMG's doors are always open. We are NOT obligated to accept any product we deem inappropriate, or a bad investment. |