Hi folks !
I was just passing by this thread but the first post and the replies caught my eyes. Though I could still leave it right here and move ahead but it would be a shame if I don't add something here cuz I have a personal experience with GPLK.Inc.
At first, let me tell you guyz that I always love to meet and interect with other musicians whether they are into Hip Hop , Rock or Classical. I believe that music is a great expression of one's feeling, thoughts and imaginations and a great fun, whther it is played in any style.. Certainly one of the best forms of art one has ever found and that's the reason I listen to everyone and every type of music.
It's been a decade since I'm playing music for others and it's just been two years I've started appearing on different forums and websites to promote my own stuff.
Now reading the posts above, I realized that many of you have declared this e-mail a spam and perhaps Arfique has decided, not to send his demoes to the company...
Well folks ! The company is not a fake or scam. They have just released their Hip Hop and Rock Festival Compilation Albums which some of you might have found at their site and my own track is added in the Rock Festival Compilation 2004 album.
It's track no. 15 known as "United we Stand" and the band name is "Musicarian".
I'd earlier recevied a similer e-mail from Mr. Derek Sprinter who's a member of the A&R Team of this company GPLK.Inc. Ofcourse ! It was a good news for me too but on the other hand, I was thinking the same as you guyz mentioned your doubts above.
But then I thought that I should go ahead and ask them each and everything openly and in detail. I sent them a reply and received all the detailed answers from Mr. Derek Sprinter. Still I had few about the copyrights, about that Non-exclusive license and all which anyone could think after receiving this kinda offer... It took me few days and then I decided to take a chance.
Finaly my track is released with the GPLK Rock Festival Compilation 2004 and I also have gone through the same process you guyz have discussed above.
Now, being on this stage, I learnt a lot of things which you've mentioned above and I think I should write this so this might clear your doubts as well.
Why being on a Compilation CD after paying them an artist fee ?
You see ? There are thousance of unsigned artists in every genre who are using free homepage services at soundclick, iuma and hundreds of websites. Now whether we'll have to wait for a miracle or we'll have to try ourselves to promote our music or to bring our names into the limelight.
For this, we need to be prominent among all others who are the free members and have the same promotional page like we have on any music website. Being on a compilation CD and promoting it would be easier. Secondly these CDs are the proper releases with a brand name.
These are also sent to the promotional Radio stations and record labels for free. When the receive the free CDs, their A & R Teams ofcourse listen to these CDs and thus our music is atleast heard by professional of the industry. This is a great advantage I think..
Someone made a very good point that Record Executives don't have time to listen to these CDs.. Yes! I used to think like this.. But now I've learnt that the executives don't listen to these promotional CDs but each and every record label and music promotional companies have a hired A&R Team whom they pay to listen to the musicians and select the best of them. The criteria is of selection is different but most of them see, whether the track has the marketting capability and strength that more people would buy it or not.. Ofcourse the record labels release it after spending a lot of money and thus their first priority is a good sale to recover the costs and earn profits.. Record Company does business and they earn moeny by selling music. They are not there for the hobby or just to enjoy listening to the music..
So, the A&R Teams consist of the experienced musicians as well as people who understand the market requirments and all these members are paid to listen to the music of unsigned artists and then select the bst of them. These compilations are very usefull here..
Another point was there, in fact most of you posted about the copyrights.
Let me tell you folks.. I received an offer from an American Independent record company right after signing the GPLK's contract and I was afraid to ask this question to the record label that I've already given a non-exclusive license to a company known as GPLK.Inc but then I again took a chance and asked I told them about this and they simply said, that it's no problem for them.
So then I leanrt more about this non-exclusive license thing.. It's just like you're authorizing GPLK.Inc to release your track particularly with this release. Any releasing company would always ask for such licensing so that they wouldn't be blamed for any unauthorized release.
I singed a similer contract with my record company too. Still my album will take few months to be released but after singing two different contract I can assure you that this is just a non-exclusive liscense by which you allow the company to release your track in this particular CD.
Besides all this, the company is promoting you, so why they would cheat you or they would put themselves into a trouble of facing court or any other thing when they are simply doing a straight business of promoting unsigned artists and earning money by selling your tracks at their website.. ?
This doesn't make any sense.
They are selling your music and earning money..So simple.. For you, it's a tool to promote yourself and coming into the limelight at this early stage where none knows you except few friends or fans.
There's another point that the company doesn't let the Record Companies or fans to directly contact you.
Have you guyz seen the audio clips page of GPLK's website where they have added the clips of the tracks appread in these CDs..?
By the way.. the artist names infront of the track clips are the links which would directly take you to the artist's website or homepages...
Then comes the point about rip off beats..
My friends ! if the company could spend a lot of money on hiring a full A&R Team and spending money on remastering, releasing then how much it takes to hire any of the talented musicians for making beats for the company.. They could certainly hire few cheap musicians and ask them to compose or create beats which the company would sell on CDs..
Now I have to go, since I'm feeling sleepy now.. but one thing I'd like to mention here that the company is a reputable unsigned artists promotional company and the staff is truely caring since they have always been answering all my questions in detail and the really have been giving me favours which I was never expecting from a promotional company.
Trust me on this. Trust yourself and have a trust in your work.. You'll be very successful in future.
I wish you all a very good luck in your future and I'll surely gonna check some of your musical stuff too..
Do check out my stuff at
www.soundclick.com/musicarian
Also see the news section where I've just added the news of the GPLK Rock Festival Compilation 2004. It's true and if you need to be successful in your music career then you'll have to spend something on it. It's doesn't happen everyday that a record label walks in and asks you to please give them your album for releasing. You'll have to come into the limelight yourself, otherwise there are more the 400000 musicians waiting for the Record Labels to hear them and release them.
The first record deal of your life is always bitter while one gets better and better as he/she in known to the market and people..
If this makes sense, send your demoes to such companies who are offering you atleast something which everyone's not getting. Even the opportunities don't knock at your door everytime.
Apologies if I said something wrong but I seriously tried to write you all I know about this cuz I've gone through this situation few months ago and it would not be my sincerity with music if I don't help other musicians like me to know the facts of this industry.
Take care and my best regards to all of ya !
Keep on doing good music and never let the spirit down !
http://www.soundclick.com/musicarian
