It's as obvious as it is ingenious: let music fans invest directly in artists
they believe in, taking a stake in the band's future profits. As part of the
process, the artist earns the financial backing needed to record and promote
a serious album. Welcome to SellaBand. Indie-Music recently spoke with Adam
Sieff, Director of A&R, to find out how SellaBand started and where
it's going from here.
By Suzanne Glass
Indie-Music: Who founded SellaBand, and when?
SellaBand: SellaBand was founded by Pim Betist, Johan Vosmeijer, and
Dagmar Heijmans in April 2006, and the platform went live on August 15, 2006.
Indie-Music: What was the founders' background in the music business?
Adam Sieff, SellaBand: Both Johan and Dagmar have extensive music business
backgrounds. Johan has been a music journalist, a rock radio producer, and more
recently ran Sony Music Holland. Dagmar started out as Press Officer for EMI
Holland, and then linked up with Johan at Sony Music, where he was Marketing
Manager. Pim had no music business experience at all, but it was his brainwave
that sparked off the whole thing.
Indie-Music: How did you feel you could help songwriters and musicians by
founding SellaBand?
SellaBand: Pim's concept of an online platform for fan-funded music
just seemed like such an obvious idea, especially at a time when the old models
were showing their age and the proliferation of broadband was finally making
the internet far more user friendly for music distribution.
We are still really excited about creating a level playing field, where bands,
artists and music lovers from all over the world can come together in a community
to make music and take the next step in their careers.
Indie-Music: Give us a quick run-down on how the entire SellaBand process
works, and how it differs from the traditional music business and other online
models?
SellaBand: Bands sign up for free, then upload their music, video and
photos. The next step is to get ready to find people to invest in them (we use
the term "believers"). They raise their $50,000 recording budget by
selling 5000 x $10 "parts", and when they reach this target they go
to the studio to record their SellaBand album. We help them prepare and budget
for the studio and find the best producers, engineers, and studios to help them
make exactly the record they want to make - it's their music and their choice.
Then the finished album is distributed worldwide and the artists and their believers
share in the revenue.
It's different from traditional models as there's no A&R interference or
cherry picking - it's a love-all, serve-all platform, where the fans and the
worldwide public decide who gets to make an album.
And we're different from other online models as 1) we're global, and 2) believers
can have their money refunded or move it to another artist at any time before
the $50,000 target is reached.
Indie-Music: Are all artists eligible to join the SellaBand program?
SellaBand: Any unsigned artists over 18 who write their own songs are
eligible to join SellaBand. It's totally free and it's as easy as setting up
their MySpace page!
Indie-Music: So once signed up, artists need to get "believers"
to purchase "parts" in their next album and career advancement. So
the believer is making an investment in the artist. How does a believer benefit
once an album is recorded?
SellaBand: The first thing that happens is all believers will receive
an individually numbered limited edition CD, which is delivered direct to their
homes. Then they will share 50% - 50% all the artist's music net sales income
for five years. And if they've bought more parts, they benefit from the incentive
scheme, and depending how many parts they've bought can earn publishing income,
discounts, a personalized CD, full VIP package, and even a flight to the studio
while the album is being recorded!
Indie-Music: Artists need to get $50,000 worth of investment from believers
to move forward in the SellaBand process. What happens for the artist once the
$50,000 is reached?
SellaBand: When the magic $50,000 figure is reached, the music team
helps artists put together the best producers, engineers, and studios they need
to make the album they want to make. Our Director of A&R, Adam Sieff, is
very experienced with a background as a studio guitar player, record producer,
and was also Director of Jazz for Sony Music International.
Some of the producers who have already worked on SellaBand albums include Tony
Platt (AC/DC, Bob Marley), Steve Bush (Stereophonics, Corinne Bailey Rae), Peter
Denenberg (Deep Purple, Spin Doctors), Mick Glossop (Van Morrison, The Waterboys),
Malcolm Burn (Emmylou Harris, Patti Smith), and Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers,
Mel C).
The finished album is then distributed worldwide - digitally via The Orchard
and CDs via our partnerships with Amazon and BOL. We encourage the artists to
do all they can to promote their album and to use it to help them take the next
step in their career.
Indie-Music: How does the artist earn money from the SellaBand arrangement?
SellaBand: The artist earns money from all music sales such as CDs,
downloads, and licensing. They also earn from their publishing agreement with
SellaBand, which also runs for five years - the same term as the recording agreement.
Indie-Music: How does SellaBand earn its money?
SellaBand: We take a 10% management commission on the recording budget
and 10% of all music sales income. Plus we earn interest on the escrow account,
and our share of the publishing.
Indie-Music: How many bands have reached the $50,000 goal and recorded
their SellaBand album?
SellaBand: As of June 2009, 31 artists have already reached the $50,000
target, and 22 albums have been released. That equates to over $1,550,000 of
fans' money that has been spent on recording new music.
Indie-Music: How are the sales going for artists who have made SellaBand
albums? What kind of numbers are they moving, and who is your biggest success
so far?
SellaBand: It's still early, but there are some real success stories
already starting to come through. For example:
-
Julia Marcell, a singer songwriter from Poland, has made real headway in
Germany, where her album has been licensed to Groove Attack for the European
market. She's already played Rockpalast, the country's major TV music
show.
-
New Zealand rapper Maitreya is starting to have considerable success in
his home market with a second single and new video shot in Hong Kong about
to be released.
-
UK trip hoppers Second Person went into film soundtracks and wrote and
performed the music for the newly released Danny Dyer movie City Rats.
-
Daniel Ward-Murphy is making headway in the UK and has already picked up
play from BBC Radio 2.
-
Dutch band So What are about to run a major campaign around their new single
and video directed by one of Holland's major film directors.
In all these cases, the SellaBand experience helped open the doors to make
the these next steps in these artists' careers possible.
Indie-Music: Anything else you'd like my readers to know?
SellaBand: For many artists a recording contract isn't the main goal,
being able to make a living by playing music is reason enough. But artists on
SellaBand can make the choice - whether to stay independent and do it themselves,
or to use the opportunity to source a licensee or attract a record label once
they've recorded their album.
The reason SellaBand is working is that it allows the artist total artistic
control and a fair deal by sharing their income with their believers. And for
the believers it's all about the discovery of new music and being part of a
process that makes things happen.
And SellaBand really is for everyone - just as long as they have some support
to build on the music can be anything from heavy metal and klezmer to cool jazz
and acid skiffle!
Website: http://www.SellaBand.com/
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