a question about band politics...for anywho has been in a band or know about the...

[RAMBO]

...business? hi guys would really love some help here,

i started a band a while a go and were are about to have our first meeting regarding politics. this being money, royalties direction ect.

i personally think that , for example, who ever has written a song should have the first say on its arrangement and generall sound.of course every band should be a democracy though.

i've written some songs and im pretty sure on the overall sound, and i've written all the lyrics. I know i sound pretty big headed and selfish but im really not like that, i just want to get this bit sorted out. what are you views royalties wise?

 

[THE BNP ARE LIARS]

It's up to your band to be honest. Some bands divide it equally, some divide it proportionally. A legally binding band agreement is important though, and there's lots of things you have to think about if you're planning on getting big.

For example. Say you divide the money up based on how much influence someone has had on writing a song, what happens if say you write the majority of the songs and then leave? Do you take the songs with you or do they stay with the band? If they go with you, can the band continue performing them in gigs? If no, will you compensate them?

This is more complicated, but say you're about to release an album, have spent £500,000 on publicity and then someone decides to leave? Events like this can damage a band forever because it damages the tour bands usually go on after the PR section of the campaign (interviews, signings etc) and can lead to escalation in rumours about the bands stability, which can give you media attention, but can also be damaging. Will there be clauses on when members can and can't leave? If they leave when they agreed not to, how will the band be compensated?

Also, bands rarely make profit from gigging (even when they get huge) because of the sheer cost in touring, so if someone in the band writes 95% of the material, they'll be receiving loads of money and the other 5% will be divided between the other members. Won't be good on moral, will it?

There's things you have to think about now. Who owns things bought exclusively for the band? If only the person who bought it owns it, what happens if they leave?

Of course, a lot of these problems can be settled by having a blanket 'equality' policy a little like Coldplay have, where all the members are credited for writing the music and all receive exactly 25% of the cash made. But then, what happens if only one or two of the band members are artistic? They'll be getting 50% between them for doing almost 100% of the work.

I know that's a lot and there is MUCH more to consider (legal ownership of your name, logo's, who does the media work withing the band and more) so I suggest writing a basic agreement for now and if you reach the stage when all the above is warranted, then you'll have a manager or lawyer, who will help you sort it all out.

Bets of luck.