F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked questions? And answers to if a record label is something you may need.
First off, here are the questions and answers to the standard questions we receive.
1. Can Dyskfunctional Records put my bands music in physical stores?
a. Yes Dyskfunctional Records can put music in a store physical or digital, but.. In order to have music put in stores people have to want to hear it. This means, your cd or music has acquired a large number of digital sales. No physical store will put your music on the shelf unless you have a large number of sales stats to prove it. The lowest number we’ve heard from any outlet store was 100,000 units sold over any 90 day period with continued stats that keep within this region. This does not mean you can sales 100,000 cd’s at a shows and it count. It means you have to have that many sales scans.
b. Part two to this answer. If you were a band signed to a label, or signed to Dyskfunctional Records. You do have the option to have your music put directly in stores. If you chose to do this, the label sets up a date for the release, and it goes to some outlets to test the sales status with those stores such as Best Buy, Target and others. But if you release an album with Dyskfunctional Records and say you’re not worried about physical for a specific album, then simply don’t expect it to be sent. Also how many stores it goes in and if it stays, are based on sales. If you are in a band you should know that you nor the label, nor the stores make any money if your music doesn’t sale. It only cost the label and the stores to manufacture it, on a large scale for someone to put it in a store closet until it is sent back.
2. Once my band is on a label what happens next?
a. When a band gets on a label, most bands think wow!! I’m famous! This is completely not true. When getting on a label that’s when you work the hardest in your career. It’s when you prove to the label they didn’t make a bad mistake. Your music must be selling digitally; you must be performing shows whenever you can. And not passing up opportunities when given to you. Most bands when they get on a label the first year or two the band is working on their music, as the label works to get the band’s name out in the worlds eye. Getting your band name out in the world’s eye isn’t a small task. It takes a lot of man power and money to do this. We are not talking about posting bullshit on facebook, or myspace. We are talking physically meeting people regarding your music. If you’re a band which thinks that promotions revolve around the internet or that because you have 1 million friends on myspace that you are huge, then you are not a band a label wants, nor will be considered for a real label to take any time with you. So just stop reading.
b. After releasing a new works of music with the label. Before the product is shipped to stores it begins marketing it. Sending the material out for reviews, sending it to radios and more. Again this is before it gets released! Once the reviews are back, is when you r music starts to get the release date for in stores and digital dates, so that it may be shipped out. While awaiting its release date, the reviews on the album along with all proper press information about your music is shipped out to venues to set up as many shows for a release tour. Then the outcome of these dates rely on what the venues think of your music, and what the reviews say about your music, to say how many shows dates you would have. Now… everything depends on what was thought about your music, and your band. Not if the label likes it or not. So if you get a bad response you can’t simply blame the label that worked hard to get you somewhere. If your music, and band have got what it takes. Then after this process has taken place in the order above, then your band will be touring in support of this cd release. If these steps are not taken, in this order, or you opted out of any of these items. Don’t put blame on anyone but yourself. If your album gets bad reviews or clubs don’t want to book you, it is not the labels fault. It is simply people don’t want it.
3. How do I know if my band should be on a label, or has what it takes?
a. Here are some things you need to know. If your band has a following, you’re on the right track. A following means when your band plays a show, at least 50 people per every show you play no matter where it is comes to see your band.
i. This section is somewhat difficult to say in text, but will do the best we can. For example: If you are the band that plays every show they can, but brings no one to the show to see you, our answer is: then stop playing.
ii. If you are the band that can’t sale tickets to their own show or refuses to sale tickets, then you are definitely not ready.
iii. If you are the band that shows up late, causing the show to delay in hopes to have more people see, or hear you; our answer is to find a new career.
iv. If you are the band that has to generate fake stats online for your plays and visits to your internet community site, then find a new career.
v. If you are a band that wants to tour, but can’t get ten people to see you on any given day in your home town then find a new career.
vi. If you are a band or have a member in your band that thinks their shit doesn’t stink that disrespects other bands, venues, fans, staff etc. Our answer is give up now, once one person sees it, it’s over with.
vii. If you are in a band that seeks good shows to perform, and someone goes out of the way to get it for you, and your response is I’m too busy; then our response is music isn’t for you.
viii. If you are a band that busts your asses, and do the best you can to make every show the best it possibly could be for the fans, venue, and other bands. Then you are on the right track.
ix. If you are good to your fans, and thankful for every chance you get to make your music your career then you are off to a good start.
x. If you think once you’re signed that you can sit on your ass and ask for everything to be given to you. Our simple response is for you to get a new career.
4. When my band signed a contract to the terms..
a. Every contract is different with the exclusion of what the label’s goal with your band is.
i. Goal number one to point out. We want to put your music in stores. We want to put your band on tour. We want to make your band a success. Now expressing this part. Does your band want to do these things? If they do, you wouldn’t need to read any more of this. The labels objective is to help you reach an audience with your music. Your music and your band are to provide the means for the audience (example: have a product that someone wants to hear, more than 1 person at least). When a label signs you, it’s because they think you have potential. So they make the offer to be able to do services. In return artist and label have a financial development with each other. The label can only sale what the artist is creating. The label can only go as fast as the artist in some points in the equation. For example: If your band needs music reviews. The label has to have music to send for the reviews. Once the label has music to send for the reviews, the people reviewing them have to get time to do the reviews. Then the reviews have to be sent back, before artist can have them.
ii. Another example: Bands that want sponsors! Every band wants to be sponsored. But does a sponsor want your band over the millions that want them. Most sponsors start out with a small named band. And in saying a small named band means you’re selling a few hundred thousand albums this year. So sponsors start off with a little give and take. Artist may get sometimes discounted prices on their gear, and sometimes artist could get free things; everything depends on the specific agreement with artist and sponsor. What does an artist need to have to get sponsored? If you don’t play at least 60 shows a year very minimal, you don’t have a shot at any sponsors. Most sponsors seek more than 100 per year, also before you say you have done this. You need documentations of each of the shows, contact information, sales stats on the shows etc, etc. Also don’t think that because you are or are not signed that a big name will sponsor you. Places like Fender, Ibanez, Korg, Mrshall, etc, have millions of artist in line begging for a sponsorship. So unless you have the proper documentation, credentials, and so on. Don’t seek sponsors out; you are wasting their time, and yours.
5. I’m on a label, and it doesn’t seem like I get a lot of net promotion as the rest of the bands are getting. Why is that?
a. This is what we’d like to call a very stupid or childish question, but we have gotten this before. A new band gets on the label; the label’s focus with the new band is to get PHYSICALLY the band known. Back to the saying if you’re a band and live online, you obviously aren’t a working band. A band is doing shows, writing music, recording, promoting etc. The net is a great tool but believe it or not the net is not the world.
i. Now New band on label and why does it seem the other bands are getting more attention. The answer is the bands are not getting more attention, the bands are working. New bands on the label are being developed. Current bands on the label have learned they have to work, as in play a lot of shows, promoting themselves etc. Yes the label has tons of people helping promote the bands. But, if you are a band on a label and don’t want to promote yourself too, then get off the label and stop wasting everyone’s time.
6. I was dropped from a label or am not happy with my label what should I do to get on another label?
a. If you were dropped from a label, we’re sure there was a reason. I don’t think if you’re dropped you would be able to get on another label. It’s kind of like a bank. If you take a bank loan out, and fault on it, you can’t go to another bank and say “I faulted on this Bank can I get a loan from you”.
b. If you are not happy with your label, you should simply discuss it with your label, find out the solution to bettering the situation or options to find out how to properly get released. Now if you have been released from a label, or dropped from a label in either case, both sides of the story will be looked into by another label before considering you. So make sure your story is correct.
c. We’ve actually had a band come to us saying they are on a label and they aren’t happy can they be on our label. We first asked why. Their response was they have been on the label a few months and they are just now seeing their music in itunes. We’ll #1 if your music is submitted to Itunes it takes several weeks to several months to even show up. We heard the band out, and it was simply they were the band that thought that when they got signed they were Famous. They didn’t want to do anything to better their band. We even had a show with one of our artist and them. The band as a whole is what the word band means. So the asshole in the band that makes them all look like shit, is why their band can’t go any further in their career, which sucks for the other really nice guys. But in future none of our roster will ever allow a show to go on with bands like that. Remember the music industry is smaller than you think. You can’t go burning people and run to someone else. It catches up to you.
7. On the label I’m on I have sells on my music, when do I get the money.
a. If you have sales in digital or physical, that’s good to hear. It’s also great to know. But it doesn’t get the money in your hand right then. People assume because someone bought their song on itunes today that they have money right now. And sorry to use Itunes name so much in this but believe it or not most people only know Itunes and not the hundreds of thousands of other outlets.
i. When a purchase is made on example Itunes. Itunes has to wait for the money to clear to them, then has to generate a sells sheet of what was purchased and when, and by who. Then after 6 weeks to 6 months depending on Itunes and other internet outlets that Itunes has reselling your product, they return a sells sheet to the distributor (aka label). Then Itunes starts the distribution of those monies. With Out a sells sheet, or monies sent from Itunes or other outlets, the label doesn’t know what monies you made yet. So the answer to this is simple. When there is a sells sheet and monies, you will be contacted to say here is your sells stats, and monies.
ii. Can I get an advance on these Monies? The answer is typically NO. We can’t get monies advanced to us for the product sold, so you can’t get it either. Reason is simple. Without proof of the amount of sells we don’t know if you made $0.01 or $1,000,000.00. The label has already inquired the expenses to distribute your music, to market it. To advertise you to all other arrays of the industry. And they keep you up to date as there is something to update you on. These are a cost to the label, so advances are not happening, due to the advances that take place daily to distribute and promote your music.
This concludes the FAQ for now. Sorry it has to be blunt, believe it or not; we’ve had some rather intelligent people that we’ve had the not so much pleasure of knowing.
