Music Business Made Simple: Start An Independent Record Label (Music Business Made Simple) (Music Business Made Simple) (Paperback)

by J.S. RUDSENSKE (Author), J.P. Denk (Editor) "Do you want to start a record label or make your current label more successful?..." (more)
Key Phrases: promo pack, artist agreement, entertainment attorney, Musician's Atlas, Recording Industry Sourcebook, Benny Bird Company (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The second book in the Music Business Made Simple series, provides the tools needed to start and operate an independent record label. It offers useful, straightforward advice and information that apply to every person who is interested in starting a label, presently running a small label, or curious about how an independent record company operates. Includes chapters on as setting up a label, devising a business plan, preparing recording contracts, calculating royalties, promoting an artist's record, and arranging distribution deals. SELLING POINTS: Offers a no nonsense approach to starting a business and launching a record label. The author appears at many of the top music business seminars and conferences including South By Southwest in Austin, TX.

About the Author
J. S. "Skip" Rudsenske is an attorney who has been practicing entertainment law since 1989. He represents both companies and artists in the music, film, theatrical and television industries. This book is part of RudsenskeÂ’s Music Business Made Simple series. Visit his Web site at MusicContracts.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer Books (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825673100
• ISBN-13: 978-0825673108
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #246,510 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars written by lawyer, not independent label owner, September 10, 2006

By	Artur Nowak - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

this book was written by a lawyer, and what can you expect, the basic message is: hire a lawyer (like the author of this book). The other advice is to go to a website, where you can buy template contracts etc, the books doens't give you a single one for free. It's just an advertisment of this website. All creative aspects of runing independent record label are reduced to minimum, also don't expect to get many practical advices, other than pay more money to other professionals, who will do everything for you. The author says, thay you don't need big money to run a record label, but doesn't give you a single hint how to actuall do it without big money, he is just repeating over and over that spending money on professional services is the thing to do. Well, right, I know that without this book, the problem is - I can't afford it! This book doesn't help you to solve this problem (and I'm sure you don't start with $50 000 for the first release, right?). Overal, this book doesn't give you practival advices, just general advices, which are nice, if you can afford them. And by the way, go to the website recommended by the author (I won't advertise it here, the book is the advertisment in fact) and buy all contracts from them! I love lawyers!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start, August 16, 2006

By	K (NYC) - See all my reviews

"Start an Independent Record Label" contains a series of short chapters on topics including contracts, recording, royalties and promotion. Each chapter ends with a box containing a few concrete actions you can take, as well as suggested reading on many of the topics. This is a good starting point if you want to learn more about the responsibilities of independent labels, whether you are an aspiring label owner or a musician. However, if you are looking for in-depth information, you will need to go elsewhere.

A little bit of the information is label-specific, such as going through the legal steps to set up the label, but ultimately, if you want to start a label, I think that reading books about starting labels won't help you as much as reading books about every individual area of the industry that label owners deal with, including recording, copywrights and publishing, and marketing and promotion.

There were a couple of things about the book that really annoyed me. The main one was that the author occasionally mentioned the importance of the internet in today's music market, but didn't include any sections or information on how to use the internet for promotion and sales. As far as I'm concerned, this is unforgivable considering the current prominence and importance of MySpace, iTunes and a variety of other music sites and blogs. The book was published in 2005, so I don't understand why he mentioned cassettes more than mp3s.

Also, the author is an entertainment lawyer and owner of a website that sells sample music contracts, so be prepared to hear him talk over and over again about the importance of entertainment laywers and how you should get contracts from his website.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is an absolute God-Send for Independent Artists., November 2, 2006

By	Geri Jim "D.FYNIZ" (DA GO) - See all my reviews

I was a bit skeptical at first because there are alot of con artists in the music industry, but I decided to take a risk and I'm glad I did. The author is very knowlegdeable and honest and he gives the best insight as well as a little humor to keep you interested in the book. I recommend that every artist who wants to be paid and secured financially, or wants to break into the business and control the show to purchase and fully read this book chapter to chapter. If you have to read it twice, I guarantee you will find yourself referring back to it. I make sure I reeducate myself from time to time because you never know to much in this industry all be willing to learn more. The more you know the further you will go. BY THE BOOK A.S.A.P. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!!!!!