Do bands actually need record deals anymore?

by **William Morton** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:26 am

We can record great quality music at home thanks to digital technology and spread it like the plague on the net if we put the time in. Everyone sorts their own gigs and plays for fuck-all. Adverts etc. in (good) magazines are just a matter of £ (providing you're atleast serious with the music). Why do bands need to sign record deals? And whats the deal with distribution? How does it work? Extreme metal bands are never expecting big £ anyway so why have middle men?

...Just trying to demystify the process with your help I guess...

by **MartinC** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:31 am

It's a tough one to call. We've played with our favourite band and recorded with one of the producers we respect the most without having a deal, but we've been held back in the gigging/touring department because we lack the financial backing to do it. It just depends on what you want to achieve, I guess.

by **Lev** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:32 am

I would need a record deal. It's the lazy mans way.

by **MartinC** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:45 am

Yeah, fuck it, I want one too.

...Diggggggbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

by **Immortalicide** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:56 am

MartinC wrote:Yeah, fuck it, I want one too.

...Diggggggbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

LOL

by **Berith** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:09 am

It depends a lot on the deal, I spose...and the contacts of the Label.

Look at what Evile have achieved with their signing to Earache.
What you dont wanna do is sign to some fucking ripoff label that doesnt do its job.

But with a deal youll get worldwide distribution, miles more efficient than sending a "demo" or any music of an unsigned band to mags everywhere. This is done for you, in thousands. Labels often have a "name" worldwide, so just that stamp of there will say much more than some grim immage on a crappy CDr of a band named Iron Satan.

In the studio you will get professional work done. However good you reckon you are at home mixing etc, these people will have the actual know-how to capture what you want exactly how you want, even beyond.
What you could do among the 4-5 of you, they can do a thousand times better. They are a business and if they have any idea what they're doing, theyll get money, and eventually get you money (as limited as metal-income may be)
In the end youre in it to spread your music and play some killer shows.

Thus Defiled have made it nowhere with a no-record deal policy....so I guess its just how serious and how far you want to go.

Then again, theres no point singing to you neighbors label in Norwich

Hmm. Bored. Possibly?

by **Bastard Child** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:09 am

Well if you can plan and book tours around the world with other known bands that will pull crowds, have the money to advertise your band and album in all the proper mediums, finance a good recording (face it, unless your a necro black metal band, few bands can get the full sound they want at home), get the contacts with the right people to distribute your merch worldwide, and finance all this from your own pocket and hold a day job till the point you sell enough that you don't have to...
well then no you don't need a record deal.

by **terrorizer** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 9:56 am

MartinC wrote:but we've been held back in the gigging/touring department because we have short hair. It just depends on what you want to achieve, I guess.

by **Bangover** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 9:58 am

Berith wrote:It depends a lot on the deal, I spose...and the contacts of the Label.

Look at what Evile have achieved with their signing to Earache.
What you dont wanna do is sign to some fucking ripoff label that doesnt do its job.

But with a deal youll get worldwide distribution, miles more efficient than sending a "demo" or any music of an unsigned band to mags everywhere. This is done for you, in thousands. Labels often have a "name" worldwide, so just that stamp of there will say much more than some grim immage on a crappy CDr of a band named Iron Satan.

In the studio you will get professional work done. However good you reckon you are at home mixing etc, these people will have the actual know-how to capture what you want exactly how you want, even beyond.
What you could do among the 4-5 of you, they can do a thousand times better. They are a business and if they have any idea what they're doing, theyll get money, and eventually get you money (as limited as metal-income may be)
In the end youre in it to spread your music and play some killer shows.

Thus Defiled have made it nowhere with a no-record deal policy....so I guess its just how serious and how far you want to go.

Then again, theres no point singing to you neighbors label in Norwich

Hmm. Bored. Possibly?

Well said.

I'd say the main thing a record deal brings is financial support and know-how, which is priceless and probably could shit on what you think you can do on your own

by **MartinC** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:19 am

terrorizer wrote:
MartinC wrote:but we've been held back in the gigging/touring department because we have short hair. It just depends on what you want to achieve, I guess.

You have no idea... :cry:

by **Mazz** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:29 am

Berith wrote: grim immage on a crappy CDr of a band named Iron Satan.

IRON SATAN! AWESOME

by **metaltony** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:10 pm

Iron Satan..lol

by **thrash metal maniac** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:49 pm

Record deals, when the label backs the band properly (ie - full-on promotion, world tours, amazing recording facilities, and worldwide distribution), then it's definately worthwhile for a band...

Then there's actually getting signed... which, obviously, not every band gets the chance at... so for those bands not expecting to get signed, or who just wana record some shit and throw it at everyones faces.. a few grands worth of equipment should suffice, and quite a few people in bands will at least know someone (if you dont have a few grand spare

) who has some recording equipment they can borrow/use... or theres just booking a local studio and paying a few hunderd quid, but then you have to use the studio's engineer... and lets face it - not every small studio has decent people working there!!!

Then there the actual making of the cds.... thats gonna cost you too, a few hundred quid for a decent number of cds... but nowhere near the 1000's produced by major record companies... then theres distro... sure you can just get adverts in zines, but unless its actually a class advert, no-one will probably pay much attention to the band.. I could keep going, but you can all see where I'm headed I expect!!!

It's basically up to the band to decide which would suit them best.. either pour in loads of cash and work your asses off (majorly!) to get signed, or just pour in a bit less cash and be self-financed, who knows you might even get to know some good distros who can release it on a worldwide scale!!!

by **thrash metal maniac** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:50 pm

and yeah... Iron Satan!!!!! :rockdevil:

by **Mazz** on Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:56 pm

“Ladies and Gentlemen! You wanted the best but they couldn’t make it! All the way from HELL I give you IRON SATAN!”

(Band run on Stage)

“Good Evening Detroit! We’re going to blow your fucking faces off….ALRIGHT!”

(The band launch into an insane riff)