My band have full financial backing...now what?

[ryanuk87]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do next.
My band have been playing together for years and have what we believe to be a strong and large collection of good songs. We've had a development deal in the past which fell through due to past members not wanting to fully commit but now we have people that believe we are good enough and are willing to invest as much as it takes financially to help us out.

Do we do it all ourselves or is it possible to find the right label and pay them to do the work?

Any advice would be great

Cheers!

[ryanuk87]

Anyone? lol

[narcoman]

it' very difficult to do that; you need emotional buy in from labels & PR companies - I represent a number of commercial artists and attacking PR, for example; despite having the finances one does get rejections!

However there are things you could do if you have backing but do not make the mistake of thinking you can do it without some industry involvement (for example - you can't get the "right" gigs or radio play without some schmoozing or being on the lips of the right figures...) - I can give you a huge list of bands backed by millionaires who are making no headway.

Aside from that - I have PM'ed you some information

[BJG145]

I can give you a huge list of bands backed by millionaires who are making no headway.

I wonder how Hamfatter are getting on...

[narcoman]

I can give you a huge list of bands backed by millionaires who are making no headway.

I wonder how Hamfatter are getting on...

exactly!!

You can't buy your way in! BUT you can use your assets (including finances) to maximise your chances.

[Scramble]

willing to invest as much as it takes financially to help us out.

That's a bit vague. Are we talking tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions? Labels often spend at least a million trying to break a new artist, often with no success.

[OneWorld]

I can give you a huge list of bands backed by millionaires who are making no headway.

I wonder how Hamfatter are getting on...

exactly!!

You can't buy your way in! BUT you can use your assets (including finances) to maximise your chances.

I questioned the wisdom of Peter Jones when he bought into that, it seemed like a "I wanna get down with the kids" scenario, for all the right reasons, but who on earth is going to go and see/follow a band with a moniker like HamFatter - it was doomed from the start, and of course then there was the music, ultra-mundane and notable in its forgetfullness. Whatever happened to them I bet they haven't grown fat off the proceeds of their endeavours!

[OneWorld]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do next.
My band have been playing together for years and have what we believe to be a strong and large collection of good songs. We've had a development deal in the past which fell through due to past members not wanting to fully commit but now we have people that believe we are good enough and are willing to invest as much as it takes financially to help us out.

Do we do it all ourselves or is it possible to find the right label and pay them to do the work?

Any advice would be great

Cheers!

When you say 'financial backing' is that from someone with music industry knowledge, experience and of course the most important thing in the mix - contacts? The industry is littered with the corpses of those indulging in vanity projects. It seems music is like premiership football, you can't just buy your way to the top of the league, can you Mr Abramovich?

'Full' financial backing, that's going to cost, to quote Miles Davis when asked "How do you make a million out of Jazz?" answer "Start with 5 million"

But now at risk of having peed on your parade, best of luck, you might just buck the trend, and if yo have a nice booty, can cut a rug and are very photogenic, yo could be in with a shout - oh and learn to sing/play, that comes in handy sometimes when the Autotune conks out lol

Sorry am just making a point, am sure you are quite accomplished musicians and deserve a break.

I remember once having a conversation with a chap who went under the name of Mister Zero (Martin Hamnet) linked with the Hacienda etc, and he was talking about young wet behind the ears bands, and he said "Beware, everyone in the music industry is a f*cking shark"

What does that make you then?" I asked "A f*cking Killer Whale on steroids" he answered lol

[ryanuk87]

That's a bit vague. Are we talking tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions? Labels often spend at least a million trying to break a new artist, often with no success.

I read somewhere £650k is a good start but it could be more if needed. I know it all depends on the general public at the end of the day if they liked us or not etc.

[ryanuk87]

But now at risk of having peed on your parade, best of luck, you might just buck the trend, and if yo have a nice booty, can cut a rug and are very photogenic, yo could be in with a shout - oh and learn to sing/play, that comes in handy sometimes when the Autotune conks out lol

Haha yeah. I know what you're saying. I've been in bands myself since 2002 (aswel as 2 of the others) and I've always written music. This guy I know isn't in the industry but thinks we have good enough songs and knows that we previously had a development deal in 2010 which fell apart after a couple of past members couldn't hack the commitment.

This time however his son is joining as the bass player so he is willing to invest as much as it takes to help out.

[narcoman]

commitment. Yes that big issue!! Had a jazz singer recently working here. Got a year through development and she had a flipping hissy fit and quit. Right royal pain in the arse!!!hahaha

[Scramble]

>I read somewhere £650k is a good start but it could be more if needed

Do you mean that you may have access to more than £650k if required? Okay, but as has been said here, unless you also have people with industry experience and nous on your side that money will probably just end up going down the plughole. And I'm guessing -- based on the fact that you're asking for advice about this matter on what is essentially a home recording forum -- that you don't have anyone like that on your team. So I would... well, actually, who cares what I think about this matter? I'm not a 'player'. Listen to those who are, like Narcoman.

(Alternatively, I can join your team at the modest rate of £50/hour!)

[Scramble]

>This time however his son is joining as the bass player so he is willing to invest as much as it takes to help out.

Oh. That's basically code for 'It will be a disaster and end in tears'. Enjoy it while you can.

Edit: Better add a smiley in case you think I'm being too serious about this:

[ryanuk87]

>
Oh. That's basically code for 'It will be a disaster and end in tears'. Enjoy it while you can.

Haha, it's not as bad as it sounded. I've been mates with his son for years and we run a car sales business together and have played in bands previous to this already.

[Scramble]

Here's another relevant question: does the backer want to get his money back and some more in a few years (ie. is it a serious investment)? Or does he at least want to see some money coming back to him every year for a dozen-odd years, but isn't fussed if this amount is only like a half or a third of what he shells out? Or is he happy for the money to be used to set up and eventually sustain a career for you all without any of it coming back to him (so it's like an advance-on-his-son's-inheritance sort of thing)?

[ryanuk87]

He's not worried about getting anything back. I think he's worried about what his son is going to end up doing as he has a type of autism that makes it impossible to work in 'normal' places. He often rubs people up the wrong way as he says the most random things even though he is totally harmless. He is very good at playing computer games and musical instruments though. Has no fear of being on stage etc.

[narcoman]

yes - be careful with money. I've just watched a band spend $700k in two years and be no further along than when they started. Budgets are great - but spending even less in the right way is key. Keep the money, develop and look at spending at most a 20th of that to get moving. Do not go and find the biggest PR agent; as an unknown as it'll destroy you!! Been there!! hahaha ... a tricky game.

[Wease]

Sounds to me like somesort of deal with narcoman would be a good first move.

(Damn, that was my 1980 post....was going to rant about Thatcherism in music, the post punk 'New wave' or some such .....wot a waste! )

I hope the band does splendidly, i already quite like them/you......where can we listen?

[Zukan]

Well, first off, you need to buy a 458 Italia. You then need a seriously good Aremnian ethnic sound designer/producer who lives in the Uk and posts in these forums. This is so he can drive the Italia.

After that, I dunno, some gear, a few choice hookers and maybe a small rabbit.

Actually, what the others said.

[CS70]

but who on earth is going to go and see/follow a band with a moniker like HamFatter

Uh? I have no idea who these Hamsomething people are and never heard them, but if limp bizkit and smashing pumpkins made it, names shouldn't be a limit..

[Exalted Wombat]

He's not worried about getting anything back. I think he's worried about what his son is going to end up doing as he has a type of autism that makes it impossible to work in 'normal' places. He often rubs people up the wrong way as he says the most random things even though he is totally harmless. He is very good at playing computer games and musical instruments though. Has no fear of being on stage etc.

He's trying to buy this kid a career in a band?

[OneWorld]

but who on earth is going to go and see/follow a band with a moniker like HamFatter

Uh? I have no idea who these Hamsomething people are and never heard them, but if limp bizkit and smashing pumpkins made it, names shouldn't be a limit..

Never heard of them? well that speaks volumes, but anyway, there are subtle differences making one name acceptable and the other naff. The word 'Ham' has too close an association to HamShank!

[OneWorld]

He's not worried about getting anything back. I think he's worried about what his son is going to end up doing as he has a type of autism that makes it impossible to work in 'normal' places. He often rubs people up the wrong way as he says the most random things even though he is totally harmless. He is very good at playing computer games and musical instruments though. Has no fear of being on stage etc.

He's trying to buy this kid a career in a band?

Well I suppose seeing as he's autistic, or whatever, they are (the rest of the band) performing some sort of care in the community role?

[Exalted Wombat]

He's not worried about getting anything back. I think he's worried about what his son is going to end up doing as he has a type of autism that makes it impossible to work in 'normal' places. He often rubs people up the wrong way as he says the most random things even though he is totally harmless. He is very good at playing computer games and musical instruments though. Has no fear of being on stage etc.

He's trying to buy this kid a career in a band?

Well I suppose seeing as he's autistic, or whatever, they are (the rest of the band) performing some sort of care in the community role?

Which they want to make their long-term career? I hope this kid is ultra-talented! I guess it worked for Michael Jackson

[Frisonic]

but who on earth is going to go and see/follow a band with a moniker like HamFatter

Uh? I have no idea who these Hamsomething people are and never heard them, but if limp bizkit and smashing pumpkins made it, names shouldn't be a limit..

Not to mention Vanilla Fudge...