Vol 4, Issue 2: Put Up Your Dukes, Let’s Get Down to It!

Like any aspiring artist, my work has been subjected both to critical review and praise. While I’ve had listeners assert that my lyrics and music espouse “universal truths” inspired by an honest “broken-hearted aesthetic”, I’ve equally been labelled “cliché” and “unoriginal”. Suffice it to say, I came to the conclusion rather quickly that it’s impossible for me (or anyone else who dares to pursue their passions in life) to please everybody.

Let it be known, I’m TOTALLY fine with this - what I’m NOT fine with, however, is the corruption involved in this process, nor the increasingly apparent decline in some sort of “standard.” Allow me to explain:

One of the more memorable moments review-wise I’ve endured in my career, was undoubtedly when I had a “journalist” (and I use that term loosely) employed by a highly regarded Canadian music magazine rip unrelentingly on my former band’s album, only to months later commend us for our “catchy” radio-worthy tracks and “edgy attitude” after being privy to one of our live performances…perhaps she had a short-term memory problem. She got paid either way though, and isn’t that what really matters? Note the sarcasm.

Beyond this, interestingly, I’ve also been educated in regard to my own biography from reading critiques of my work: apparently my “Ode to Tofu” is a sensational hit overseas, my primary musical instrument is the drums, and Alicia Keys is a huge influence of mine.


Out of these experiences I’ve learned two valuable lessons I’d like to impart onto my fellow artistic types:

1) Take ALL reviews with a grain of salt (moreover, with any insult that is hurled in one’s general direction, one should always “consider the source”).

2) DON’T submit material for review consideration. Opt for interviews instead, so at least you’ll have the opportunity to explain your work in your own words.


The aforementioned second piece of advice seemed to be working out for me just fine until I encountered the worse of them: a woman named Lisa Shea, her bevy of voluntary writers, and a website entitled, BellaOnline.

Now in my experience, those “employed” in unpaid positions typically exert less effort and said positions have high turnover rates as a consequence. Considering my experience with the well-paid “journalist” from the highly regarded Canadian publication, I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this.

While I’d rather not even honour Ms. Shea to the extent of providing full lipservice in regard to what unraveled between her/her website and my management, I will state the following:

First off, one wonders why an interview was even conducted (mind you at my management’s long distance expense) if I was going to be so terribly misquoted and misrepresented. Two, I highly recommend to her and her writers a formal review of the term “retraction”; a perusal of the ethics established by the profession of journalism couldn’t hurt either. Three, Ms. Shea could truly benefit from absorbing the full meaning of the expression, “actions speak louder than words”: while it’s all well and good to have the “About” section on your website sing to the highest hillsides of one’s commitment to objectivity and professionalism, when one refuses to remove an article that has PROVEN to contain inaccuracies (both about its subject matter and the greater subject at hand, that being music), continues to maintain SUPPORT for a writer who willingly allowed his significant other to blaspheme the subject of his piece in the public domain, and then finally, when pried, merely REPLACED the piece with another written by herself that one can fairly safely presumed was influenced by the emotion of the whole situation (the disclaimer is most telling) and CONTINUES to contain inaccuracies, it’s hard to take such claims seriously. Finally, working least in her favour, Ms. Shea made short work of relieving her writer of his position, indicating to me that clearly there must be some admission of fault on her end…and yet the review remains. But let’s get to the real topic of today’s discussion:


In this industry, as much as I hate to admit it, you will frequently encounter sketchy situations about which you’re forced to bite your tongue – not because you’re in the wrong in any regard, but because unfortunately, artists, generally speaking, have a lot LESS capital to use to hire attorneys to defend themselves should they be accused of making “slanderous” or “libelous” remarks. Though, as noted by the Canadian Bar Association, one is ONLY liable of being charged for “defamation of character/reputation” (of which slander and libel are subcategories) should their statements prove to be FALSE and deliberately MALICIOUS, when it comes to the music biz (much like any other corporately-structured industry anymore), “money talks.” Further, this entire biz is based on “appearances” and who you know. With this said, you need to know how to “pick your battles” if you wish to be able to pursue your aspirations.

In this case, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve worked too damn hard to allow any “random joe” who thinks they can run a website to insult not only me and my work, but further to misrepresent me to such an extent that it could prevent music listeners from potentially giving me a chance.

In conclusion, while the internet has demonstrated itself to be an effective tool for indies in regard to having the potential opportunity to promote one’s material to a worldwide audience (for a nominal cost, too), beyond the whole illegal downloading fiasco, it clearly has many fallacies; scam artist promoters barely scratch the surface. Suffice it to say, I can now state with absolutely certainty that I fully understand exactly what my girlfriend/fellow artist Ash Keenan meant when she said that her reason for refusing to write any further music reviews was because she felt she had become “part of the problem.”


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For those interested, here’s what Ms. Shea missed by failing to conduct the interview as per the initial agreement between her writer and my management:

1) Ms. Shea’s biggest criticism of my work revolves around its lyrical content. In her view, it is cliché and underdeveloped for someone of my experience. I’d like to point out two facts one may wish to mull over when considering the validity of her argument: a) according to her biography, her background is in website/database design. Although she seems to dabble in writing, there was NO mention of her being accredited in English, Literature or Linguistics. I, other hand, minored in all three at an Ivy League university. My favourite writer is Shakespeare, and if I felt so inclined I could whip out some iambic pentameter with the best of them, but I choose NOT to with my lyrics DELIBERATELY.

Why you ask? Well, quite simply, I’m influenced by a similar notion upheld by the 60/70s pop artists when it comes to songwriting; that being to "make my art accessible to all". I intentionally keep things simplistic so that people will understand exactly what I mean. Seeing as my three main objectives as an artist are to provoke thought, be relatable, and inspire others, it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to write in a style that could only be appreciated by a select elite class.

Given what I’ve just said (ie: that my usage of simplistic phrasing and imagery is intentional), it’s interesting to note that Ms. Shea still managed to completely misinterpret the meaning behind several of my lyrics.

2) As per Ms. Shea’s interpretation of the following phrase from my single “Mad World” (ie: the world seems like it’s ended…when fathers subjected kids to their abuse), I’d like to clarify here that FIRST OFF this is a direct MISQUOTATION the lyric is actually "Our RELIGION has crushed down upon us when fathers subjected kids to their abuse”.

Contrary to her conclusion that this sentence is a commentary on familial relations, it is rather a discussion of the consequences that arise from certain religions, such as Catholicism, continuing to try and uphold outdated archaic practices in contemporary society (ie: disallowance of women being able to enter the priesthood, the inability of priests to marry…don’t even get me started on abortion or gay rights etc.).

To read the lyric literally without prying into said aforementioned deeper meaning, it simply can be taken as a reference to the countless cases of fathers (aka priests) subjecting children to sexual abuse and the church’s continuous attempts to cover up said scandals.

3) A similar misunderstanding revolves around the following line in the same song ("The world seems like it's ended when whores earn more than an honest day's work") While one could interpret this as a direct reference to the prostitution industry, it’s actually meant to be taken again as SOCIAL commentary on the fact that it is far more difficult to get ahead financially in contemporary society by pursuing one’s career from an honest, moral and virtuous stance – something particularly evident in the music industry.

4) I actually got my start in music when I was four. I’m a classically trained vocalist and I began writing songs when I was seven NOT in 2001 as Ms. Shea has suggested. Though HER was my first professional rock project, I’ve been involved in music in some capacity throughout my entire life.

5) In terms of the whole “homage/rip-off” debate, not only is it listed prominently on my myspace that EVERY single one of my homages on my album is DELIBERATE, but further, one with a truly well-trained musical ear and knowledge of a wide variety of genres would have been able to easily pick up on the fact that there are between one and five homages on EACH track on the album, NOT just on my song, “Don’t”.

Secondly, to compare what I did (ie: attempt to give CREDIT/RECOGNITION to all of my major artistic influences with my debut solo album by RE-CREATING in my own version ASPECTS of their melodies/lyrics) VERSUS trying to blatantly rip off the work of other artists in an attempt to pass it off as my own is simply NOT a valid argument.

My album liner notes contain the names of ALL the artists whose work I drew upon; moreover, I’ve welcomed every single one of those artists to listen to my tracks and have received POSITIVE feedback from THEM DIRECTLY regarding this idea.

6) As for the production quality of my recording, again I’d like to call upon Ms. Shea’s credentials, which to my knowledge, do NOT consist of any background in audio recording technology. Had an interview been completed as promised, I would have been able to explain the intention of making my album come across as organic as possible.

ALL of the tracks were played live (vocals/guitar simultaneously) and the occasional vocal crack, or flubbed note was again INTENTIONALLY left in the mix as in my view, no artist should ever aspire to achieve perfection, but rather something genuinely imperfect that reflects them in their raw inspired emotional state.

7) Finally, the aspect I find most disturbing about this review is the fact that it seems as though Ms. Shea has fairly established views of what specific genres should and should not sound like and should and should not do. If I can’t be creative and challenge myself along with convention through an artform, where the hell can I? I rest my case.

Vol 3, The Grand Finale: A Few Parting Words & Pieces of Advice

Well my friends, it has come to that time of year again when we are forced to say goodbye, but unlike previous years, we will NOT be reacquainted come September. After three years of providing you all with advice and insight based on my experiences in the music biz, along, of course, with the occasional rant, I’ve come to the decision that, like so many great artists of the past, it is “better to burn out than fade away.” With that said however, there’s no need to despair, as I promise you that all of my articles will remain accessible (in full) online (right here under your pretty little nose!), and anytime you wish to field questions my way via email, I’ll be more than happy to respond.

In what seems like a short time together, we’ve covered everything from finding the right bandmates, to booking your first gig, to generating press coverage, to music piracy, to album sales certification, to Canada’s grant associations, and even drug use and sexism in the music biz. I’ve done my best to answer all of the questions that I once had when I first began my musical journey as a wide-eyed naïve 15 year old with rockstar aspirations. It only seems appropriate, as I lay my column down to rest, to revisit some of the initial pieces of advice that I offered in “So You Wanna be in a Rock Band?’s” very first issue. I feel these words hold just as much, if not more, truth today than they did when I initially wrote them. So, if you truly wanna be in a rock band, I suggest that you take them to heart.

In the words of one highly respected industry expert with whom I had the pleasure of speaking earlier this year, “the world doesn’t owe you anything, and being a musician is supposed to be hard. If your stuff isn't good enough, or if the public chooses not to like it, there's nothing you can do about it,” (Alan Cross).

1) There is no such thing as an educational program that can ever prepare you for the harsh reality of how the music industry actually functions.

2) You may be the greatest innovator and songwriter since John Lennon, but if you can't sell 10,000 CDs without label support, good luck and God-speed.

3) If you want to be successful on any level in the music biz, the first thing you need to realize is that NO ONE, and I mean no one, will work harder than you on promoting your music and/or band. So, if you don't have much of a work ethic, I suggest you pursue other interests.

4) One of the biggest misconceptions about the music industry is that once you are signed, your work ends. Wrong....it only gets harder, because now you are competing in the big leagues with bands who are not only signed, but have full time publicists and booking agents working around the clock to get their name out there. Oh wait... I'm sure you thought that a label would provide you with a booking agent and publicist once you signed a contract with them right? Wrong again!

5) If you think that being a musician will lead to immediate gratification and financial remuneration, you couldn't be more off, especially if you are an original act. Believe it or not, in general, cover and tribute acts (without representation) are compensated about 10 times that of an original act for a single show.

6) Further on the subject of making money…in order to attain a position of financial and career stability (of course, it can never be entirely stable), musicians often work for 10 - 15 years and then finally, just when they think they've had enough, they break. In other words, there is NO such thing as an “overnight success”.

7) There is always the risk of becoming a one- hit-wonder. Labels, plain and simply, just want to make money, and musicians are a dime-a -dozen. Don't think for a second that they care about your integrity, dignity, or the longevity of your career. If a label can make the most profit off of one single, than that is the route they will take.

8) The word "fair" does not exist in this industry, nor does "honesty." Promises are broken everyday, and as I said before, I cannot stress enough how important it is to realize that the music industry functions as any big business.

9) If you are not marketable, you will not be successful. Music industry execs don't want to take risks with something that may or may not sell. Hence, the reason why you see trends constantly regurgitated, and why next to every band on the radio sounds the same.

And finally… and MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!!

10) Please, if you wanna be in a rock band, do it for the right reasons: a love of music, because you want to inspire others, or so that you can act as a positive rolemodel for future generations.

I wish you all the best of luck in your musical journeys, and remember, music saves lives.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the former frontwoman of Canadian hard rock bands ANTI-HERO & HER, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services for female rock musicians.

Her bands toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest, and achieved label status.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, ANTI-HERO's critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase. Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.

Vol 3, Issue 9: Sexism in Music Pt II: Dissecting Discrimination Toward Women Rockers in Its Many Forms

As revealed last week, despite serious efforts made by both artists and industry professionals alike, unequal treatment, offensive stereotyping, and degrading presuppositions regarding their musical abilities remain current challenges confronting women who venture into the male-dominated ranks of rock’n’roll. Not only are fem artists faced with a lack of acceptance from many of their male counterparts who are intent on maintaining their exclusive hegemony over hard-hitting musical genres, but as well, record execs, in general, have a fairly singular version of how to market women in rock bands which usually consists of an unruly amount of emphasis placed solely on their sex appeal. While Chad Kruger, frontman of Canada’s Nickelback, can get away with being voted, “The Ugliest Rockstar” by several publications and still achieve album sales in the millions, the same cannot be said for any women rocker of similar calibre.

Some “chickrawkers”, in an effort to battle these issues head-on, advocate playing down their difference in order to achieve admission into the all boys club of rock, while others have taken a stand, embracing their femininity as a source of strength. Both positions, in my opinion, are equally justified, but clearly, as this problem persists, neither offers the complete solution.

To elaborate on why sexism in the music biz seems to have such staying power, I’ve invited fellow rocker, former music critic, and my dear friend with whom I’ve shared the stage many times, Ash Keenan, frontwoman of Toronto’s hardcore punk project Warbride (formerly Bukkake Katholik), to share her thoughts. Here is what she had to say:


Aspect One: Gear & Technical
One of the fastest ways for a female band member to get dismissed as vacuous eye-candy is to not know her gear. And truly, from experience, that know-how doesn’t come as readily to the ladies. Speakers, wattage, Ohms, DI’s, mixers – it feels like a foreign language. When I hear the menfolk talk, it’s as if they went to a secret rock band camp. In fact, I have a theory that this fantasy isn’t far from truth.

Consider this: there aren’t a lot of moms out there with music tech experience but there are a whole lot of dads, and while, girls, as teenagers, are looking to get laid and doing so successfully with older guys, the awkward, sexually-repressed, pizza-faced boys have cloistered themselves in the ‘cool’ parents’ basement where they form bands and talk shop. It’s no wonder that by the time rock boys and rock girls are getting serious about forming and succeeding in a bitchin’ rock outfit that there is a very distinct and divisive difference in technical knowledge. And since it’s both easier and more advantageous to exchange knowledge than to teach it, the dudes continue to talk amongst themselves, unknowingly but effectively ostracizing the dude-ettes. And by that point, why shouldn’t they? It’s obvious they’re not interested in that stuff anyway. A very wise and worldly soundguy I know sums up the male attitude thusly: “teach a woman to fish and she’ll go buy shoes.”


Aspect Two: Composition
Compared to other aspects of the industry, writing is probably the area where men and women are on the most level playing field. However people still associate female songwriters with the more accessible, laid-back, love (or hate) obsessed ‘feminine’ singer/songwriter. A handful of times I have walked in on a conversation where a guy is complimenting one of my band members on his songwriting. When said band member explains that I’m the one he should be complimenting, it’s always been the same weird reaction: the compliment flees the conversation, replaced by a facial expression somewhere between confusion and contempt. It’s so strange. I mean guys, let’s keep in mind that rock ‘n’ roll evolved from the music of slaves, and if, to quote John Lennon, “woman is the slave of the slaves,” shouldn’t women be quite capable of rock composition? Is it that hard to conceive that the fairer sex can express the gravitas of the human condition in the aggressive manner it deserves? Hey, by that logic, aren’t white males the least likely to be able to truly rock? But enough of semantics; let’s move on to the third, and possibly most difficult category.


Aspect Three: Performance
A female performer must be significantly better than a male counterpart to garner the same amount of praise – believe it, it’s true. Like with the other areas discussed, there is an audience assumption that the woman just isn’t gonna cut it. When a guy onstage is impressive it’s par for the course; applause & shouting, some throwing of the goat, a post-gig pat on the back. When a woman kicks ass, there’s a required suspension of disbelief. When people are not willing to do that, well, they just don’t believe it. Often they’ll find any reason to defend their position: “yeah that band is okay, but it’s only getting attention because of the hot chick lead singer (or the like)” is a favourite rock-crowd sound bite. The worst part is that often this petty logic is actually true.
There aren’t enough women in rock bands to get a true percentage, but from what I’ve seen and heard I can formulate with some confidence that the greater the amount of tit-shaking, the lesser the quality of music. Why this is, I can’t really say. It’s as if the endowed band member realized that the band sucks, but if she takes the twins out for a stroll, the audience will still react as if they are decent musically. I know I’m pretty spellbound by the heaving, undulating onstage cleavage. I mean who knows when you might catch some nipple. All hail rock’n’roll becomes hooray for boobies.

If you pit a great song against a nice pair of jugs in a predominantly male audience, put your money on the jugs. It’s not that a woman shouldn’t have the right to dress like a five-dollar crackwhore whenever she pleases, but we’re talking about music here, arguably the greatest thing on earth. When it’s great it requires no distraction and should be treated with the utmost reverence.


The fact that an article on sexism in the music biz ends with a discussion on tits may indicate how far we haven’t come. But all in all I hope, like so many other professions, it is getting better. Even if women still have to press their ear to the door of the boys’ club, maybe one day they’ll have a key that they can pass down to their daughters. Imagine, a mere few decades from now, a rock’n’roll culture where gender is equally represented - a sea of sleazy female tech dudes, a bunch of skirts grab-assing in the dressing room, perhaps even a phenomenon of hot male groupies. Ah, that’s a world I want to be a part of.

To that I say, Ash darling, I couldn’t agree more.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase. Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.

For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 3, Issue 1: Let's Begin with the Facts

In the modern world, “the musician” is undoubtedly one of, if not the most, disrespected occupation in society. Consumers and clubowners feel no need to pay us well (or at all really), record labels make it their personal mission to exploit and commodify us in every which way they can, technology allows even the most talentless people imaginable (ah hem Paris Hilton) to pawn themselves off as “artists”, there are innumerable scams lurking around every corner just waiting to steal what little resources we have, often the only way we can attain mainstream success is by abandoning our principles and deeply held values, but most brutally, if we are to survive all of these hardships and merit for ourselves just the slightest bit of celebrity, the fans who once respected us as being “underground” and “indie” will degrade our newly found popularity by claiming that we are “sellouts” - that we’ve gone mainstream - failing to appreciate that just like every other professional, we deserve to be paid for our work. But that’s just it about musicians - for some reason, far beyond my comprehension, we’re supposed to be satisfied with offering the world our art - a piece of our very souls (at mighty hefty production costs I might add) -expecting nothing in return, not even the slightest seal of approval.

As if the transience of fame wasn’t enough to contend with, the criticisms with which musicians have to bear are well beyond the realm of “constructive” or “insightful”. Instead, they are laden with downright personal attacks, dehumanizing irreverence, and unfortunately, more often than not are poorly researched and written from a place of sheer ignorance (yet that doesn’t impede their impact on consumer purchases). All of this, of course, brings to mind the question: then why the hell do we do what we do? Simply put, musicians are a breed of their own, one that wider society rarely understands, yet is so quick to judge.

Being a musician is NOT simply a decision - something that can be switched on/off on a whim - it is a calling, a central piece to our identity, something we live with every day, and something we take with us to the grave. And though it may not make sense to the rest of the world, we refuse to go down without a good fight - if only the sides weren’t stacked so unfairly against us, maybe we’d have a chance. But my friends, I hope you’ve been paying attention, because if you have, you’ll have noticed that change is on the horizon as the industry has proven that its current infrastructure is in need of a radical overhaul, if it is to survive. And you know what? This overhaul may prove to be the very remedy that musicians have been seeking for years - a means to take back what rightfully belongs to us: our industry, our music, our art. So then, why the grim introduction?

Well, as you’ll learn over our year together, I’ve never been one for sugarcoating the truth, and in my humble opinion, there are enough music rags out there that gloss over these pertinent details, and instead continue to perpetuate the long-standing myth that artists can be overnight successes. To break it down more simply, I don’t believe in bullshitting, and feel that you, my fellow rockers, and greater society deserves more, and I intend on fulfilling that void in the best way that I know how. But enough with the prelude already, I’m sure you’re wondering who exactly am I and what makes me so credible?

I was once just like you - young, naive, idealistic, living and breathing the rockstar dream to a rather successful plateau I might add. After years of being signed to a major label, touring incessantly, selling out concerts, and being graced with multiple prestigious awards in the indie music community, yet still struggling to make ends meet, it occurred to me, after a fan of my band’s snarkily remarked at us that we should be buying him and all of his friends Jaguars, that the average person, moreover, the average musician doesn’t have a clue as to how the music industry actually works! After my own experiences, I can honestly say that I’m not surprised in the least why so many artists end up embittered and strung out on drugs, because let’s face the facts straight-up: it’s set up for you to fail, and if you are successful, you often lose your soul in the process.

But I’m not here to bitch and moan about all that I think is f--ked up about the industry, rather as an advice and insight columnist, I’m here to not only try to help you avoid making the same mistakes that I did, but as well, I hope to try and inspire change - not just within the music community, but overall, I hope to bring to light the truth about the lives of musicians to anyone who is willing to listen. So if you’ve got a story to share, please do, I’d be honoured to act as your voice - to share the blood, sweat, and tears that you, just as I have, exuded for your craft.

Many philosophers have said, over the years, that the first step to progress is education, and I really think that they are onto something. What I’m about to share with you, over the next few months, will not be found in any textbook, lecture, or popular music magazine. Though I value all that the educational system has to offer, there are some things that only real life experience can teach you. So, consider this your first step towards a real musical educational - if you really wanna be in a rock band, I hope you’re paying attention. And just as I’ve said every year previous, if you have any ideas for topics you’d like me to cover over our year together, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.

For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Conclusion: Counting Down the Top 20 Sins Committed Against Musicians By the Music Biz

First off, I’d like to thank all of you for sticking with me for another year. I hope that reading my column proved to be an educational and insightful experience. Although I bitch a great deal about the music industry, there are a lot of amazing people out there working on all aspects of the business to make it more artist-friendly. I urge you to follow your dreams if it’s music that is truly in your heart, I simply hope that my column has been able to provide you with a more realistic perspective in terms of what you will encounter. As you follow your path, and begin to gain success, you’ll learn soon that it’s really a love/hate relationship, and it’s definitely not as glamourous as the media would like you to believe. Irrespective of this, there’s something about rocking out on stage to a sea of thousands of people that is untouchable in terms of the euphoria it produces.

To help you along your journey, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be returning “back in black” to charm you all a third time come September, and “So You Wanna be a Rockstar?” is promised to be bigger, and better than ever.

Last week, courtesy of Henry Rollins, you caught a sneak peak of what is to come with my new monthly featurette interview series, “Hear it From the Pros”. To further help me cater my topic selection to areas about which you’d like to learn and/or if you have suggestions for potential interviewees from whom you’d like to hear, please visit my myspace page (www.myspace.com/soyouwannabeinarockband) and fill out the readership survey. I would love to hear from you!

Without further adieu, to end off the year in an must-read obligatory countdown, I’ve compiled a list of the top 20 sins that the music industry has committed against artists over the years. My intention in doing so is to not only inform you of these atrocities, but as well, hopefully compel you to speak out against them.

In the current climate of the music industry, indie musicians have the ability to take back the power, but this can only be achieved if we unite together, and fight for what we deserve: that is, to be treated as professionals. I once read that the first step to change is through enlightenment. I’ve given you the power, so now let’s see you use it.

In order, based on YOUR ratings, starting with the #1 voted most “sinful of the sins”, here goes:

1) The media’s commitment to focusing more on the personal mishaps of celebrities, rather than remembering them for their artistic contributions

2) Allowing lipsynching and advances in technology to make up for a lack of talent

3) The creation of reality TV karoake contests to discover the next popstars

4) The music biz’s emphasis on marketability over talent

5) The government and music industry’s creation of misleading grant programs that fail to fulfill mandates to provide indie artists with necessary funding

6) The lack of governance over bogus battle of the bands contests and "pay to play" scouting events

7) The music industry’s ongoing attempts to maintain a closed network based on who you know, NOT how talented you are

8) The allowance of our standards to drop so low that cliche love songs, and raps full of profanities which fail to inspire and rather encourage degradation, violence, and discrimination receive airplay

9) The lack of implementation of pay equity scales for touring bands

10) The “successful” separation of music from the people

11) The employment of musically uneducated and ill-researched staff to conduct concert and album reviews

12) The creation of double standards for acceptable sexual expression among male and female artists

13) Radio payola scams

14) The commodification of music

15) The perpetuation of the "overnight success" myth

16) CTRC's refusal to implement legislation regarding illegal downloading

17) Allowing "artists" to illegally sample music

18) New artist campaigns that overmarket their artists so excessively that we end up hearing the same song(s) on the radio upwards of five times per hour

19) The music industry’s belief that they (the labels) can dictate to the public what music is worth listening to by throwing money at it

and finally...

20) The ridiculous amount of legal battles that exist between bands trying to earn a decent buck for their talents, and record labels trying to rape them for everything they’re worth

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 10: Alternative Sources of Revenue Pt I: Music Instruction & Party Performance

Although in these past few weeks, I’ve demonstrated many of the horrors that take place in the music industry through my examination of popular scams, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For every rip off artist out there, there is also an opportunity upon which aspiring professional musicians can capitalize.

Many moons ago, musicians, well any artists really, were able to generate profits from solely performing and marketing their original material, but unfortunately, a lot has changed, and even some of the top grossing artists of our day are so far in debt to their record labels that they are struggling to make ends meet. But, this doesn’t mean that success isn’t possible, it just means that in today’s day and age, we, as musicians, cannot afford to wait for our big break. Instead, if music is truly in your soul, I suggest that you rock til your heart’s content, but in order to satisfy creditors, treat your craft as more of a part-time gig while pursuing other more stable employment.

Now, don’t get your panties in a bunch yet... I’m not suggesting that you pack up your guitar, and go work for corporate America. Quite the contrary, actually. Rather, I recommend that you take full advantage of all of the unconventional musician jobs out there. From licensing one’s music to teaching private lessons to playing in a cover band on the side, there are a multitude of avenues that artists can pursue on a part-time basis in order to supplement their income. Simply put, you can have your cake and eat it too.

And if your moonlighting in one of these alternative musician positions becomes successful, well then, you’ve created an even bigger springboard off of which you can launch your personal material. Think of all the possibilities. To give you a sense of all of the exciting off-beat musician oriented jobs out there, I’ve been conducting interviews with fellow artists who have dabbled in each one of these fields and were willing to share their experiences with you. Listen up, you may just learn a way to utilize your talent that had never occurred to you before, that is...until now.


Teaching Music
Teaching can be a personally enriching and rewarding experience, but the benefits do not just stop there. Scheduling is flexible, it can be quite financially lucrative (average going rate is between $25-$40 per hourly lesson), and you will rarely fall short of finding employment opportunities whether you’re working as a freelancer or as an employee of a music academy.

There are students of all age ranges who want to pick up a new instrument, and unlike other teaching positions, being a music teacher does not necessarily require having formal credentials (though it will help). Often, playing experience, professionalism, and customer service abilities are all that you need. As a bonus, usually the preferred music lesson nights fall on days of the week that don’t produce large turnouts at venues, so it will not interfere with your original act’s touring schedule.

Developing lesson plans is generally fairly simple with the vast amount of resources including theory books, and websites at your disposal. Additionally, by catering your lessons to fit the needs of each student, you may in turn diversify your repertoire, and improve your playing ability. A major advantage to becoming a music teacher is that, unlike several of the other alternative sources of revenue that I will be discussing, it does NOT require a great deal of start-up capital.

Jesse Tomes, a London Ontario based freelance guitar instructor says that getting your first student is as easy as asking around your friends and acquaintances to see if they know of anyone looking to learn your instrument(s) of expertise. If that doesn’t generate any results, there are several discussions boards and/or social networking sites such as the Facebook "marketplace" section in which individuals post want ads for teachers and as well, you can post your own ads (free of charge I might add) advertising your services.

But, if you just don’t have enough time to squeeze in looking for students, as mentioned, getting hired by a music academy is possible as well. Though music academies take a percentage of their teachers’ earnings (varies, between 10-20%), remember, in this scenario, the students will come to you, and thus, there will be less leg work in terms of promoting one’s services.

Some of the more notable music academies in London, Ontario include: The Royal Conservatory of Music, Walters Music School, Noteworthy School of Music, & Yahama Music School.


Special Events Performance
Believe it or not, in the current music marketplace, Adam Sandler’s character in The Wedding Singer , would have had a pretty sweet gig because when it comes to spending money on entertainment for special events, celebrators don’t seem to believe there is such a thing as being too lavish. There have been several occasions throughout the career of my band, ANTI-HERO, in which we’ve been approached to play everything from bar mitzvahs to fashion shows to wedding receptions to birthday parties, and every time there’s always been a tempting sum of money offered in our direction.

Though typically these types of events employ cover acts or DJs, if you’ve worked rigorously at developing a die-hard fanbase, a reputation for being a solid live act, and having a strong online presence, you may just find yourself at the other end of one of these offers. But, as mentioned in a previous edition, I always advise bands not to become immediately swayed by the offer of cold-hard cash, and to inquire about all of the pertinent details relating to the gig (just as though it were any normal show) prior to accepting the invitation, because there is a common overseas party entertainment request scam that has been circulating online for the past year or so.

Although it would be impossible to depend on special event performance offerings as a stable auxiliary income unless your band became a working tribute act or got signed to a party planner talent agency, playing one or two of these shows every few months can set you for quite some time. With usual payments starting at $500 with professional lighting, sound, and stage equipment provided, a band is able to make a killing with very little effort exerted on their behalf.

There are NO promotional concerns as these are private "invite-only" parties, drinks and food may be complementary, and often, to include in goodies bags given out to their attendees, celebrators will purchase mass amounts of your merchandise in advance, leaving you with nothing but straight profit. There is one slight downside for the pure-blooded original act however, often adding cover songs to your setlist is required. Though it’s a small price to pay for the exposure, and financial rewards, some bands are adamant about maintaining their reputation as original songwriters. Additionally, unlike a standard gig, you may be required to play up to three sets in a given night with breaks filled in by a DJ and I can tell you from personal experience, this process can be exhausting, especially when good old granny has had one two many drinks and will not get off the dancefloor, even though it’s pushing 4 am.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 9: Music Industry Scams, Pt II: Getting Screwed in Places You`d Least Expect!

Considering the phenomenal number of cons in existence, it’s no wonder that you often hear stories about musicians who have been eaten up and spat out by the industry. Irrespective of efforts made on the behalf of industry professionals “in the know” to educate up and comers, artists continue to make easy prey and likely targets for those callous enough to want to feed off of those who truly cannot afford to lose what scarce resources they possess. I say with regret that these problems do not appear to be going away, but rather increasing in number, and the only advice that I can truly offer relating to this matter is to become uber-skeptical, and meticulous when reviewing terms for any opportunity that appears to offer “a chance to make your dreams come true” (This ain’t DisneyWorld kids!) Continuing on from last week’s rant regarding the numerous ways in which musicians are being swindled, here’s an overview of some of the latest emerging scam artist tactics that are even more cleverly disguised that those previously discussed:


The Media & Marketing Hustle
Getting exposure is an absolute must for any rising band, but paying for press (which is always pricey) is counter-productive considering that most media outlets will offer you reviews, interviews, and more for FREE, so long as you have your act together, and a good story to tell. But, for some reason, this seems to be a little known fact. I’m not quite sure who proposed the rather absurd idea that an indie band could only get coverage if they either a) hired a licensed publicist or b) paid news outlets directly, but suffice it to say that it couldn’t be any further from the truth.

I single-handedly managed to obtain feature interviews, cd reviews, and even magazine covers for my band ANTI-HERO without a spat of media training for over three years, and I never paid a cent. News outlets were happy, even excited to provide us with coverage because it gave them something topical that was “underground” and edgy which in turn encouraged readership.

The thing about this scam that I find most discerning is if you are paying a given press outlet to provide you with coverage, how can that outlet maintain an objective stance and if they do not, then essentially, you are paying people to be your fans?! I’d prefer the truth, be it good or bad, but perhaps that’s just me.

Another mutation of this scam usually rears its ugly head through social networking sites like Myspace in which “marketing” companies contact artists offering exciting new ways in which they can increase their webpage visits, plays, and fan requests. Aside from the obvious fact that an artist could perform all of these functions independently with a bit of elbow grease, this is a scam (and a rather scary one at that) for a few reasons. First off, these companies demand payment by credit card, and access to your profile (including your email address, password, and pertinent information), so essentially you’ve just provided them with a means for identity theft. However, if their service legitimately does check out, and isn’t just a means to steal your likeness, I still don’t have good news. At best, these services work as 24 hour spammers sending out mass emails to random strangers who may or may not be interested in your music. Although your plays and visits may increase as a result, you’ll likely piss off more people in the process because let’s face it, everyone HATES being spammed.

And finally, the last variation of the “media” hustle comes in the form of radio or zine requests for free cds. This is a particular tricky one to detect, even to the trained eye, because it plays on the very fact that many warranted radio stations and/or zines commonly request bands to provide complimentary copies of their albums for airplay or cd reviews respectively. So how do you tell the difference? Well, this one requires a bit of detective work.

Although bands commonly become “tickled pink” at the notion that a radio station wants to spin their disc or a zine wants to provide them with free exposure, I cannot emphasis enough that it is absolutely essential to check out some background info on ANY media outlet prior to sending them anything for free. Firstly, you need to ensure that this so-called media outlet actually exists, because commonly in this instance, you are just receiving an email from some guy in the basement of an apartment who's managed to create quite a nice cd collection for himself by duping bands. Check for a website (and no Angelfire accounts do NOT count), call letters (if a radio station) and any business information you can find. Make sure that the name of the person who actually sent the message is listed on all of the company’s promotional materials including their site because it’s also possible that the media outlet in fact is real, but the person emailing you is using a company’s name illegitimately.

Secondly, although this may seem like a no-brainer, check and see which genres and similar bands have been offered airplay/coverage by the outlet in the past, if you recognize none of the acts and/or your act does not seem to fit into the “sound” they are promoting, it’s likely a waste of cash (you’d be surprised how fast postal bills can add up). Aside from squandering your dough on unnecessary mailing fees, your cd may actually end up becoming pirated on a mass scale to unguaranteed internet sites. I’m sure some of you are thinking, well that’s not that bad – it’s still relatively cheap exposure? Perhaps, but consider this, what if they decide (which they likely will) NOT to credit you as an artist, anyone could lay claim to your music, and because it’s being transferred on the “internet blackmarket”, your claim is just as worthless as anyone else’s.

If your name is not attached to what you do (and you’re in it for commercial success), you won’t be attaining much fame, now will you? As a side note, a great way to mitigate unwanted high cost bills relating to sending out press materials is to create an online secret press page (more on this in a later edition).

Warning Signs: Beware of any media outlet or marketing company requesting your material or offering their promotional services if they possesses any of the following characteristics:
1) They request an upfront fee for coverage, and/or even potential consideration for coverage
2) You’ve never heard of past clientele or artists receiving airplay/writeups.
3) Your music does not fit into their genre of focus
4) Any credit card information, account identities and passwords are required for them to work on your behalf.
5) They have no website, corporate information, or company letterhead.
6) They are located at an international location at which you’ve never received any previous promotion
7) The request for materials or offering of services appears to look like a form letter with no direct address to a specified recipient.


Overseas Album Distribution Offers
If you’ve decided to go it alone like many indie bands these days, this opportunity will likely come a-knocking at your door. Because greater cd distribution (in theory) means greater potential for exposure and profit margin, receiving a retail distribution offering from an overseas company seems like an offer you cannot refuse. These scams typically involve the request of a bulk number of discs (sold at a wholesale discounted rate) in exchange for upfront cash. These overseas retailers offer visibility in their small chain of stores, and guarantee sales. Unlike authentic independent retailers who usually take the albums of unsigned acts on consignment, this deal is extra tempting because it has the allure of offering upfront money.

At this point, I hope you’re starting to see the pattern – any kind of business deal (especially in the music industry) in which there is an offering of upfront money should make you run screaming (well, maybe not screaming, but run) in the opposite direction. Regardless of how talented and amazing your act may be, no business (that is worth working with) will ever offer you upfront cash without enforcing some sort of collateral so that the onus for sales/partnership is equally on you.

Embracing the best elements (note the sarcasm) of fellow ploys, this alteration on the 419 scam is not only a money laundering endeavour, but also because no contractual agreement is devised in these offers, your cds (at least some cheap copies) will likely end up again being sold on the streets. Additionally troublesome is the fact that if no sale terms are agreed upon, this retailer could, in theory, charge as much or as little for your disc in his/her shop(s) without entitling you to any royalty share of the sales. By the time you’ve realized that the cheque issued to you was either fraudulent or part of a money laundering scheme, you’ve already sent off your cds, and there is no way you’ll be getting them back. The cash provided to you is completely worthless, and you’ve just lost a whole bunch of inventory that was expensive to manufacture in the first place.

Warning Signs: To avoid finding yourself in this sticky situation, ensure that you
1) NEVER give anyone your music without a contract outlining the terms of sale, length of sale terms, commissions to be paid, and obligations of the involved parties.
2) If payment is to be provided upfront for your goods, request a certified cheque or certified money order (this means that the money physically has to be in the merchant’s account at the time the cheque/money order was processed) and do NOT send any of your product until the cheque/money order has been approved by your financial institution (I recommend waiting at least 1-2 weeks).


Seeking New Talent

Believe it or not, despite all of the scams I’ve outlined, the entertainment biz actually has a number of agencies including The Better Business Bureau, AMIS, and AFM working to protect the needs and rights of talent by legitimizing business ethics and standards that all registered professional entertainment companies are required to adhere to. Irrespective of these agencies “fighting the good fight” on our behalves, entertainment biz scammers, especially bogus record labels and booking agents, continue to prosper by placing calls for new talent in what appear to be legitimate means of advertising like well-respected local newspapers, or industry websites. If you pursue one of these listings further, without offering very detailed information about your act, the record label or booking agency will immediately be intrigued by your band, and want to engage in business negotiations. Usually, no audition is required, and representation can start immediately…well, after a hefty cash deposit which is justified as signifying your commitment to your band.

The company in this situation is able to get off the hook of offering any financial support for your band because remember YOU came to them, meaning that you need them more than they need you and also, because this is a simple money grab, these so-called record labels are not desperate, if you are not willing to hand over the moula, someone else will (they’ll tell you that you obviously aren’t very serious about pursuing your career, and to contact them if you change their mind).

I urge you to especially beware of any overseas booking agencies wanting to initiate a European tour for your band in which all they require to demonstrate your commitment, again is a “little” cash, and of course copies of your passports (sound familiar?)

This scam works on the myth that record deals = salvation, and from my rather dissatisfying experiences with them, I can tell you for a fact that this is anything, BUT the truth.

Warning Signs: To avoid becoming another artist wallowing in debt from this mistake, here are a few things you should know about REAL record deals
1) There will NEVER be an expectation on behalf of the artist to pay upfront money for representation (except in the slight case in which you need to get new cds pressed depicting the label’s logo). If any money exchange is to be had, the record label should be paying YOU!
2) Contracts, paperwork, all of that legal mumbo-jumbo that you hate is a MUST. Get their promises and responsibilities outlined in writing and get it all legally reviewed.
3) Record labels do NOT advertise or openly seek new talent through this means as it would welcome far too many amateurs. If there is a label that you are sincerely interested in (again, please do your research first before contacting anyone), their website will likely have information regarding their demo submission policies. FOLLOW these policies. Sending unsolicited material to companies who do not accept it, will only wind up with your unopened package arriving back in your hands (even if your envelope is really exciting!)
4) Record labels, booking agents, managers etc work on a commission basis wherein if you do not get paid, neither do they. Standard going rate is between 10 – 20% of your sales + payment.
5) Any decent record label, booking agent, or manager prior to signing any act will require an IN-PERSON AUDITION + business meeting (lawyers present) to ensure that you are able to deliver on-stage (they don’t want to put their name behind a band that doesn’t have their shit together), and to make certain that you are all on the same page.

If you happen to find yourself in a situation in which you are randomly approached by a label outside of one of these ads, to smoke out any potential rats, make sure you ask the following questions:
1) Do you have a website?
2) How long have you been in business?
3) Do you have client references?
4) How many people do you represent?
5) What types of opportunities do you offer? What are your commission rates?
6) Are you registered with the Better Business Bureau or any other consumer protection agencies?

*On the other side of things, if you happen to fall victim to one of these shady dealings, (hopefully not after reading this article), both the Artists’ Legal Advice Services (416-367-2527) & Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Business Services (1-800-889-9768) can offer you advice, and even pro-bono court representation to right the wrongs committed against you.*


The Party Favour
Much to my chagrin, I recently discovered that this was in fact a scam through an online forum while doing research for this piece. Admittedly, another one, for which I was almost taken, “the party favour” offers your band what seems, at first, a simple request on the behalf of a devout fan.

Initiating his/her correspondence with abundant flattery, the party favour scammer begins by requesting the services of your act as paid special guest performers at an upcoming large catered affair for his/her significant other as you are their all-time favourite band. So far, so good, but wait, they’re from the UK and you’re stuck here in London, Ontario – you think to yourself, they must have made a mistake. Continuing with correspondence, you offer clarification on your location to ensure that they know you are not, in fact, from London, England.

The scammer responds by stating that (s)he is indeed aware of your international location, but not to worry, (s)he will make all of the necessary arrangements for your (and your equipment’s) safe arrival and departure, accommodations and food will be provided, and you will be sent a cash advance to cover your expenses upon confirmation. Wow, sounds like a pretty sweet deal? You get to travel to another country, free of charge, just to play a quick set at a fan’s birthday bash. I hope you’re thinking at this point that there must be a catch, because there most certainly is.

Not to imply that your band may not be worth all of this trouble, but we’re talking a pretty good chunk of change here, and I’d have to wonder, if the party planner is as wealthy as (s)he appears to be, why wouldn’t (s)he just hire a professional DJ or entertainment troupe from his/her district or for that matter take his/her spouse out to a major concert event and get backstage passes? I know, I know, you’re their FAVOURITE act, but if that’s so, then why is this the FIRST time you’ve ever been contacted by this person – they have no record of previously buying merchandise from you, nor have you ever played or promoted your act in their area. It’s possible that they discovered you online, but to say that you are their favourite act without ever having seen you perform previously, seems a little strange to me – what if, for that matter, you’re a really shitty live act (let’s face it, producers do a lot more than they are given credit for) or worse yet, as there is no previously established relationship, couldn’t you pretty much just take the money from the cash advance and run? Granted people are generally more trustworthy than they should be, but when it comes to cash, I doubt someone would be stupid enough to invest that much money without some sort of guarantee.

So what’s the catch? Well 1) if they are making all of the travel arrangements, they will require copies of all of your band members’ IDs (I hope the identity theft lightbulb just went off in your head) 2) The cash advance that you will be sent will mysteriously be made out for more than your agreed upon fee and the party planner will insist to make it your duty to cash the credit note at your bank (you just gave him your account information unknowingly), and to reimburse the over-drafted amount to another previously unmentioned individual who is taking part in the party preparations (you just completed a money laundering transaction for the party planner, good for you!)

Aside from the fact that you could end up being indicted for participating in a federal offense, you also just gave away your identity. At this point, the party scammer could create a series of fake IDs based on your details and continue to commit criminal acts, or if you really get off the hook, (s)he could proclaim your death! Oh, what fun!

Warning Signs: To avoid ending up crying at someone else’s party, I suggest you avoid any party favour invites that resemble the following:
1) The party planner is from a far-off location and remarkably, all of your expenses are being offered to be paid for upfront.
2) You nor have any of your band mates previously been contacted by this individual. Most devout fans that want you to make special appearances at their personal engagements will speak to you quite regularly, and establish a relationship with your band as a loyal fan.
3) You cannot book any of your own travel arrangements
4) The promised bank note or cheque arrives made out to you in excess of the agreed upon fee for your services. IMMEDIATELY, return this money and do not try to cash it. In the best case scenario of this scam, the bank note is fraudulent and the money doesn’t actually exist. Because it takes banks about a week to process international money orders and because you are already an established regular banker, you will be granted the sum before the pending transaction has been authorized based on your credit. About a week later, the bank will notice that the credit note was denied, and in that case, you will not only be responsible for repaying back all of the money + a fee for the “bounced” transaction, additionally, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do to the local authorities as to why a fraudulent bank note was in your possession.


The Fan Swag Grab
I’m especially fond of this particular tactic (more sarcasm) in which a supposed young child makes a request on behalf of their dying and/or disabled parent for either a free copy of your act’s album or complimentary merchandise because it is the only thing that will apparently ease their parent’s aliment. Don’t get me wrong, I value my band’s fans a great deal, and go to great efforts to ensure that they are happy and satisfied with our products, but at the same time, if I honoured every request for free merchandise, I’d be so far indebt that my band would NO longer be able to produce any new swag, thereby defeating the purpose of having merch at all.

Merch, for bands, is our lifeblood – aside from its obvious promotional value, the profits generated from it are used to provide bands with essentials that they cannot afford to lose including food, travel, and recording money. If bands give everything away for free, they can, as it were, no longer exist.

As I do not feel it is fair to treat one fan more favourably than another (not to mention this will likely result in your act LOSING fans), in this instance, I really must promote an “all or none” mentality.

Regarding the kid, and his/her sick parent - After almost falling for this ploy in which I decided, prior to sending anything, to check out the customs laws pertaining to the destination territory, I discovered that the request (in my case for t-shirts) was actually an illegal dealing in which, if I were to send the merchandise, I could end up implicated in a crime! Now I know this seems a little far fetched, but I advise you, if you ever receive a request for free merch from a supposed fan to research the mailing/custom laws regarding the territory to which they expect you to send the package (this information can easily be obtained through your national post office's website).

If, as it was in my case, the destination address has a long list of items that are NOT legally allowed to be imported into the country through personal mail such as cds, and t-shirts, I would hope at this point the little red flag in your head has come out to slap you in the face.

On the plus side of things, the rationale as to why these importing/exporting laws were developed in the first place was to diminish the amount of illegally mass-produced products being sold on the blackmarket. Remember, all it takes is one copy of your album, and/or t-shirt in their possession to use as a “model”, and then these con artists have the ability to produce as many blackmarket copies as they want depriving you of any potential profits.

The success of this scam is dependent upon the fact that most of us (at least those of us with half a heart) will feel pathos for this child and his/her ill parent, and so, without question, we will send our products for free. I get that – hell – I almost fell for it too! But I urge you to be wary when it comes to peculiar requests such as these, as the likelihood of them being sincere is unfortunately not in your favour.

Warning Signs: If you receive an urgent request for free merchandise from a so-called “loyal” fan, your suspicious should become aroused if you notice any of the following details:
1) You’ve never directly met this person and/or played or received promotion in their territory (How would they have heard of you?)
2) If the letter is not directed personally to either your band’s name, management company, and/or name of your band leader (It’s likely a mass emailed form letter)
3) If the letter contains a sympathy provoking story that explains your merchandise is somehow essential to the success of their “dying” and/or “sick” relative
4) Most obviously, the very fact that a so-called loyal fan is not willing to pay for your merchandise should be a cause of your immediate concern. Would you ever demand free merchandise from one of your favourite artists? I know I wouldn’t – I’m proud to support them!

One Final Note on Scam-Related Incidences
Although the following anecdote outlines a situation which would not be considered a scam, it is still something to which I would like to draw your attention. Most bands, like my own, scour the internet looking for hundreds of various websites on which we can create bandpages and hopefully gain new fans. Usually these websites have terms of service agreements which you are required to read prior to initiating membership. Because these terms of service tend to be lengthy and composed of unintelligible legal jargon, the whole reading process is generally skipped, as we assume there is nothing these websites can really do with any of our personal information or band-related materials. WRONG!

Upon initiation of these memberships, you are legally bound to these terms of service, regardless of whether you’ve read them or not, and unfortunately I am ashamed to disclose a situation in which this came back to bite me in the ass.

Seeing as I have literally signed my band up on hundreds of sites without having any problems in the past, I assumed stupidly that all of these terms of service agreements must be pretty standard and nothing harmful towards my band could occur as the result of any acceptance of membership. Well, early last year, it came to my attention that one of these websites (which is associated with a well-known Canadian newspaper) used my band’s likeness in a large promotional print ad campaign in order to promote their services, WITHOUT our permission and WITHOUT crediting us as the artist depicted or our photographer.

Now yes, this could be considered free promotion, but because our band name was not even listed in the caption, I’m sure many people got the impression that it was just a bought stock photo illustrating a fictional band. We got absolutely nothing out of this ad, while the company had much to gain.

After bringing this matter to the attention of the editor of the website (and newspaper), I was informed that the website’s terms of service agreement detailed that the music and/or likeness of any artist members could be used at the sole discretion of the company for any promotional purposes, at any time, without crediting the original source. I continued to pursue this matter as far as I could, but because I signed the user agreement, it was assumed that I read it, and any resulting consequences that arose due to my lack of reading were my fault entirely. Evidently, there was nothing I could do about it, and this was a situation in which I sadly had to admit defeat - just a little “food for thought” for the next time you sign up on a site like Garageband or Mp3.com.

In conclusion, I hope I have not dampened your spirits too much by relaying the music industry’s unprecedented number of scams, but on the other hand, I hope that I’ve gotten your attention, and have demonstrated just how dirty this business can be. I cannot stress it enough – this is not a place for little fish as you are greatly outnumbered by sharks.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 8: Music Industry Scams, Pt I: Artists Beware!

The entertainment biz has NEVER been at a shortage in regards to talent-directed scams, and despite the wealth of literature out there detailing the typical con-artist approach(s), thousands, if not millions of would-be artists find themselves falling victim to these ploys all the time. Further, with an increasing allotment of the market focusing its attention on internet promotional tactics, sucking artists into the “I’ll make you famous” line has become easier than ever through the concoction of mass spam emails. Unfortunately due to the competitive nature of the music biz and the general naivety of artists, musicians have a tendency to fall into the category of easy and vulnerable prey (myself included), simply because of the wide-eyed rockstar dream that we’ve been hoping to fulfill ever since childhood. But avoiding these shady dealings proves more difficult than one would assume.

Most of us would fail to realize that we are being scammed if the company that approaches us has a professional looking website, corporate office address, and/or snazzy logo, but with advances in technology, came easier and more widespread access to services and/or products that can make these scams seem legit. We no longer can rely on our simple skills of deduction assuming that an email or letter is ONLY a scam if it is full of grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and/or is strangely composed entirely of capital letters much like those of the 419 Nigerian scam series that request the urgent cooperation of an anonymous individual in transferring millions of inheritance dollars through his/her secure bank account. Rather, we must not only turn to resources that can provide us with assistance in these matters (the internet is loaded with them), but increasingly, we must learn to trust our “gut instincts”, and understand that if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is (and that especially goes for the music biz). We, as musicians, tend to ignore these feelings because we want so desperately to be discovered and to have “made it”, however that causes us to walk dangerous ground considering today’s most popular scams work to steal two highly valuable resources from musicians that we cannot afford to lose: our money and/or identities.

The more exposure an artist gains, the higher likelihood that he/she will become a target because his/her contact information will become increasingly easy to obtain. The scariest part about this situation is of course, that if an artist’s popularity is increasing, he/she will likely assume that offers of representation (from labels, bookers, etc) will soon be on their way. And so, as one can imagine, when receiving a faux-offer, it is unlikely that his/her suspicion will become aroused.

To help you avoid descending into scammers’ traps, below I’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular ways in which artists have and continue to be taken advantage of, complete with “warning signs” that should immediately cause your red flags to rise.


The CD Compilation
Discovering new outlets for potential exposure (and new fan generation) is crucial to the career of any musician, but when it is at the cost of your own pocket-money accompanied by unlikely promises, this is a situation of which I’d advise you to steer clear.

Several companies constantly scour the net in search of hopeful musicians who are willing to supply a track for their CD compilation(s) which may or may not ever get produced. For a one-time fee, ranging anywhere from $50, to at times, $500, these companies will assure you that your song will receive priority placement on a comp disc that will be handed out to industry professionals at some of the top music conferences in the world including PopKomm, SXSE, & MIDEM.

What you don’t know of course is that the very same email praising your unique artistic ability (flattery always works to assist in persuasion) in order to gain your confidence in their project has been sent to thousands of other musicians (sorry kids, you weren’t specifically chosen for any particular reason, other than the fact that your email address was accessible and you looked like an easy target).

Additionally, for those of you who are unfamiliar with how music conferences such as PopKomm work, even if these cds really do get created, the ability to get them into the hands of industry professionals is a stretch, to say the least. Usually, upon attending a major music conference, record execs and booking agents have already arranged a schedule in advance of acts that they plan to see perform, and the booths that are set up in the registration areas (where cds and pamphlets are featured) are most often visited by fellow musicians NOT industry pros.

However, track requests are sometimes made on behalf of legitimate cd compilation manufacturers via email as well. So then, how do you tell the difference? Well, for starters, any company that wishes to legitimately feature you as an artist on a CD compilation will more than likely be looking to obtain a profit through its sales and therefore, as a featured artist you are entitled to a cut of these proceeds. If the CD compilation manufacturing company is the “real deal”, a royalty sharing agreement will be enclosed alongside the track request. If a royalty consent form is missing, this is likely another scam in which, once the manufacturer obtains a single copy of your song,(s)he will continue to reproduce it for profit, without compensating you for your work.

Warning Signs: If you receive a track request for a compilation that includes any of the following features, DO NOT issue the manufacturer a copy of your song:
1) a request for upfront money in order to be a featured artist and/or to reserve a desirable track number
2) guaranteed exposure and/or recognition among industry professionals
3) no licensing agreement or consent form is required
4) no royalty fees will be issued to featured artists despite the fact that the cd will be sold for profit
5) the cd will be given away free of charge (The exception to this rule is if the cd is created in conjunction with a charity in order to raise awareness. In this event, the cd will likely be given away for free in honour of a good cause and/or its supporters.)


The Ever-Popular “Pay to Play” Showcase
Along similar lines to the CD comp scam is the “pay to play” showcase hoax in which a concert promoter offers your band a performance slot at his/her upcoming event held at a large performance hall (commonly places like The Opera House, Toronto or The Knitting Factory, NYC) in which industry professionals are guaranteed to be present scouting new talent. The real effectiveness of these “pay to play” scams is derived from their distorted mimicry of authentic major music industry showcase events.

This scam works because of its tempting double-pronged approach: first off, bands are under the misconception that acts commonly get signed off of a single performance, and that since they are being given the opportunity to play to label scouts, they must be ready to take their career to that next level. Secondly, this con is appealing because bands routinely jump at the opportunity to play at reputable venues that they normally wouldn’t be able to book on their own because it gives them bragging rights. Just as the CD comp invitations are sent out randomly to acts that seem dupable, so too, are these showcase notices – don’t be fooled!

In order to demonstrate their commitment and so-called mass appeal, bands are required, on behalf of the “pay-to-play” promoters, to sell highly overpriced tickets to these events with the rationale being that if a band does not have an established fanbase, they will not be appealing to labels (not entirely true). Each band is given a set number of tickets that they are required to sell in order to reserve their showcase slot, and upon arrival to the venue, the bands are given instructions to provide the promoter with the money from the ticket sales along with any remaining tickets. If a given band does not obtain the set ticket sale rate, their performance privileges are revoked. Of course, this situation should present an immediate concern to bands: If promoters need to rely on the booked acts to sell tickets to their events, are they really skilled promoters? The obvious answer being no, but these promoters especially seem to have a way with words in which they can manipulate acts into believing that it is impossible for them to get signed, unless they bring a bus full of their fans to support them.

The other concern raised by these ticket sales relates to where the money actually goes. Most obviously the concert promoter needs to pay rental fees in order to schedule events at a given venue, however, considering the astronomical selling price of these tickets, there must be something else going on, and in fact, there is. Any band that has played one of these events knows that they do NOT get paid for their performance (regardless of how far they have travelled) as they are told to think of these showcases as opportunities that will be worth it in the long run, but are they really? I have yet to meet a single act that has been granted any kind of deal out of one of these events, and I happen to know, without a doubt, that these promoters are only interested in one kind of business: that being, taking advantage of bands.

“Pay to play” showcases are profitable ventures for shady concert promoters that all too often leave bands in a state of self-doubt regarding their abilities because they did everything “right” according to the promoter, yet they did not compel label interest. These acts indeed did do everything right: they made the promoter lots of quick cash with minimal effort exerted on his/her behalf (thanks to all of the bands selling the tickets for him/her!).

Warning Signs: If you receive an invitation to play at a showcase series that possesses any of the following attributes, you are likely being scammed:
1) the promoter requires you to sell tickets to your performance and bring a large fan base to support you (in reality, a great deal of legit showcases are actually closed to the public or held in international arenas in which this is not possible)
2) performance privileges will be revoked if a set ticket quota is not reached
3) the promoter guarantees that industry reps will be present for your showcase (even professionally organized showcases like CMW or SXSE cannot offer a guarantee of label presence. It is left up to the band to promote their act’s performance in order to generate “buzz”.)
4) the showcase is being hosted at a large concert venue or arena that independent acts usually do not get booked at

It is true that prestigious industry festivals and conferences often do not provide accommodations or performance payment to their selected artists because the opportunity to perform is seen as having potential long-term benefits that outweigh these costs. However an artist will NEVER be expected to pay to play at a real event, nor will they be expected to supply the crowd, especially since the performance application process is open to artists internationally, and no music conference in Toronto, for example, could expect a Finnish band to realistically bring all of their home town fans to their performance.

If you have been invited to perform at what seems like a major music festival and/or showcase, prior to accepting the invitation, I encourage you to see if the festival has any promotional materials and/or a website that you can review. It is important to consider how many years the festival has been running, the average attendance rate, previous performers, scheduled label attendees, and festival sponsors when deciding whether or not it will be worth your time. Remember that, if you are responsible for your own travel and accommodations, it may be an expensive endeavour, and thus, you need to ensure that it will most certainly be worth your money, and time.


Battle of the Bands Competitions & Online Independent Musician Award Contests
Hosted by infamously questionable companies like Supernova, local pubs frequently present battle of the bands competitions which appear, on face value, to offer lucrative prizes and acclaim to their lucky winners. However, what few know is that the entrance fees that bands are required to pay in order to participate are often worth more than the actual prizes!

While these competitions would likely not be considered scams in the traditional sense, I would argue that they do, in fact, fall into this category for two reasons:
1) because participants are often mislead in regards to the actual value of the awards and
2) because several of these events are fraught with speculation of being “fixed”.

I have heard, on more than one occasion, sad stories about bands that “rocked their hardest”, had the entire room up and cheering for them, yet still somehow failed to place among the top ranks, despite the fact that these competitions are openly noted as being fan-driven and placement is supposedly based on crowd rankings.

The customary top prize for a winner in one of these competitions is studio time. While this may seem like a great award, especially if your band has a cash-flow problem, what one needs to ask themselves is: what kind of studio would give away a recording session for free? Through experience I can tell you that the kind of studio that would is NOT the kind of studio that you want producing your album. Further, usually the small allotment of studio time granted only allows an act to record a couple of songs which may or may not include additional mixing and mastering (any band that has previously recorded something professionally knows that a piece is virtually “unreleasable” if it has not been mixed and mastered in order to properly align levels and song dynamics).

Other popular prizes include website design, a free instrument and/or gift certificate to a music shop, free publicity, free merchandise design, and a support slot for a headlining act and/or a performance slot at a festival. Again, although all of these prizes are tempting at first glance, I think it’s important to consider the reputation and current client list of the company that is offering the free services. If you’ve never heard of them, the actual award is likely not as good as it appears to be. In the case of the grand prize being a festival showcase slot or free publicity, I think it would be important to note the battle of the bands’ previous winner(s) to see if the awarded performance slot(s) and/or publicity actually did anything to assist the bands’ career.

On the same page, I also advise you to be skeptical of songwriting and independent music award competitions which seem to be growing in popularity over the internet. As an entertainment columnist, I consider myself fairly in-tune with the industry, and I can say decisively, that to this day, I have yet to recognize a single winner from competitions of this sort, and so I have to wonder how much merit they actually hold among industry professionals? Of course, one of their biggest selling points is that these competitions usually have celebrity music judges, and so it makes indie musicians feel as though they are one step closer to being “discovered”.

The other aspect of these contests that seems rather fishy is their big time cash rewards. Now it makes sense that their entry fees, as a consequence, would be very steep as these contests need to be able to generate their giveaway money in the first place, however what concerns me is: what if they do not get enough entrants to generate that kind of dough? Will the award suddenly drop from one amount to the next? And if these competitions are not relying on the entrance fees in order to generate their grand prize money, then why are the entry fees so steep considering that it’s a well known fact that independent musicians do not have that kind of money to burn? Though this line of questioning may seem like a kind of paranoia, when you are an independent musician trying to establish a career for yourself, every move you make needs to be done in a strategic manner, and at no juncture, can you afford to lose your precious resources.

Warning Signs: If you’ve been invited to play at a Battle of the Bands event and/or to participate in an independent musician award contest, I urge you to request more details, prior to accepting the invitation, if you notice any of the following features regarding either event:
1) pricy entry fees and questionable prizes
2) unknown past winners
3) unknown sponsoring companies with limited client lists
4) studio time as the top prize (how much time is granted, does this include mixing and mastering, is the studio reputable, and who has recorded with them previously?)
5) crowd ranking of the performers
6) unknown so-called “celebrity” judges

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/