Just sent off the master audio, and the artwork for my band's CD
in a couple of weeks 500 CDs will arrive.

Quite exciting!

What is particularly good is that the gigs last friday and this friday will have pretty much paid for them.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 9:45, 45 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Does the front cover feature you and a croissant?

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:01, Reply)

no, it features our singers head with the top hinged open
and the rest of us stood inside.

it's quite silly, but then, so are we.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:04, Reply)

What's your band name?
Smugly Furry Animals,
Smug 7
Smugon and Garfunkle
(PsychoChomp, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:04, Reply)

*slow claps*
I can see the smug smile across your face having written that
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:05, Reply)

Cliff Richard and the Smugos.

(PsychoChomp, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:06, Reply)

David Smugie and Queen

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:07, Reply)

Mettallismug

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:07, Reply)

Smugness
features smuggs on lead vocals.
(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:07, Reply)

Take Smug,
Smugzone
The Smug Girls
(PsychoChomp, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:09, Reply)

SmugLife.

(PsychoChomp, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:09, Reply)

The smugababes

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:10, Reply)

haha
Smugs allowed.
(PsychoChomp, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:10, Reply)

The Smughound Gang

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:12, Reply)

AC:Smugly.

(PsychoChomp, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:13, Reply)

The Self-Righteous Brothers

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:15, Reply)

too harry enfield

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:19, Reply)

Suits you.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:20, Reply)

hmm, that one's good too

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:11, Reply)

this is the winner

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:09, Reply)

Sheep on Smugs

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:09, Reply)

The Smuggles

(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:13, Reply)

To answer your question
we're called Dumber than the average bear
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:21, Reply)

Just reading your post again
That's good business you've done there, eh?

Are you going to send a load of them out chasing a deal, or sell them yourself via gigs, independent shops etc?

In this day and age I think you might do best doing the latter, but if it's the former you're doing, I have ears and contacts at a number of labels and will happily 'introduce' your stuff to them if you like.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:21, Reply)

we're going with selling them at gigs and such
the trouble is, because most of us have mortgages and stuff, that if we were to make a career from it then it'd have to happen really fucking fast, otherwise we couldn't really give up our jobs.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:23, Reply)

I can't think of one single band that went from well paying jobs to well paid group status and fame.
Surely there has to be an interim period of struggling before you hit the big time?
( girlinthehole, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:27, Reply)

If I struggle will you hit me big time?

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:28, Reply)

No, I prefer it when you play dead.

( girlinthehole, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:32, Reply)

yeah, but they generally weren't 28, 34 and 37
with well paying jobs, and large mortgages
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:29, Reply)

But they weren't usually smug ninjas either.

(Bazongaloid, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:31, Reply)

this is true
they also weren't lazy stoners
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:36, Reply)

In the immortal words of Creme Brulee
'It's a shit business.'

It really, really is - and shitter than it's ever been, too, for artists and label folks alike.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:30, Reply)

^this
which is why we are doing it for enjoyment, rather than making money, or for fame
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:31, Reply)

I cannot recommend your approach highly enough
Even if you do quite well, 'the machine' is fucking horrible and is very likely to sap any enjoyment you get from it very quickly.

There was a time when I could have gone pro with DJing and I decided I didn't want to and I am very glad I didn't. I have many friends throughout the music industry and pretty much all of them have lost their youthful fire for music itself through the business.

I cannot imagine a more depressing prospect than finding music a chore

*shudders*
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:37, Reply)

that's my attitude as well
it's rare that bands will make a great deal of money anyway. we're not exactly mainstream and are never going to have a crazy following with our type of music, so why bust a gut and spoil it for ourselves by chasing success when it might just ruin the whole thing for us.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 10:42, Reply)

It's incredibly rare
that bands make any money - for anyone.

Most record deals are a waste of label money and never recoup. Which serves them right for being utter, utter cunts almost to a man.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 11:05, Reply)

further encouragement not to get into it
as it stands, I'm a civil engineer, our drummer is purchasing manager for a VERY large international company, bass player is a graphic designer for an enormous charity, and singer is an estate agent, but not a typical one, so people like him.

we're doing reasonably well for ourselves, better than we could from the music!

have you read this: www.amazon.co.uk/Kill-Your-Friends-John-Niven/dp/043401799X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254219146&sr=8-2
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 11:12, Reply)

I've not
Looks funny - do you recommend it?
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 11:35, Reply)

absolutely
it's a great read. I think you'll particularly like it because you are familiar with the industry.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 11:41, Reply)

500 CD's eh?
Guess you'll never be short of an ashtray ;)
( Peej, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 12:39, Reply)

500 was only ever so slightly more than 250, so thought we may as well
means they get replicated from a glass master rather than just copied, so seemed worthwhile. money has all come from band profits, and we only need sell 120 at a fiver to recoup.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 12:52, Reply)

I was only kidding :P
Profits eh? I've been in bands for 14 years so far and have never met one that profited. I reckon I've spent more on guitars and strings than I've ever made. Well done you!
( Peej, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 13:11, Reply)

well, when I say profit....
I meant to add something on there about knowing you were kidding, but obviously forgot!

we've been paid reasonably well, given that we'd probably have done most of our gigs for free, but so far it's bought: my nice little fender valve amp, distortion pedal, a fender telecoustic, a very nice crash cymbal, a backdrop, a decent PA, a lot of strings, a load of leads, mixing and mastering of our CD and the manufacture, and we still have about £800 knocking around.

it's self-sufficient at least.

however, I did buy almost a grand's worth of Strat because "I needed it for the band"
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 13:21, Reply)

Did you buy a
Croissant?
( Peej, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 13:36, Reply)

I was already fully stocked

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 13:39, Reply)

x

( Peej, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 15:37, Reply)