I hate to point out the flaming obvious, but if you are going to claim I am taking a stance, at least get the facts right.

I said this
I don`t know many labels these days in techno that can actually afford to pay anyone.
Vinyl is an expensive business card these days.
Now unless I have suddenly been struck down with blindness, nowhere did I say I think it`s ok not to pay artists. But lets not let facts get in the way of a good rant ey?

Everyone who released on my label back when I was pressing vinyl, got paid, in advance actually, out of my own, rather empty pockets, just for the record.

I have been both paid for, and unpaid for releases on other peoples labels also. Now I make my money from mastering, it no longer bothers me.

I don`t think it`s right not getting paid for releases, but in this day and age, when vinyl makes shit all money, I can understand it. Vinyl has become pretty much purely a gigging DJ`s tool, and die hard collectors luxury, particularly in the harder end of techno.

Most of the harder techno is barely selling 500 copies these days.
So you aren`t looking at a run away and buy a new car profit.
I think under current manufacturing costs you are looking like walking away with maybe 200 jib if you are very lucky, although it has been a while since I checked manufacturing costs.

Last time I pressed up it cost around £720 to cut and press 500 2 colour vinyls.
Mailing out whites to the promo list added another £50 or £60

Sales on 500 come back at £2 a pop so you are looking at a £1000 in return.

Distrib normally charge carriage fees for moving the vinyl, or you have to pay to get it to their warehouse yourself, so add another £40 in courier fees.

1000-820= 180, so if you sell out then yes there is enough to throw £100 to the artists. IF you self press.

With a P&D I believe a management fee is also taken out of this.
My figures are a couple of years old here.

So we aren`t looking at go out and buy a house money for anyone but the distrib really.

Yes the artist should still be paid, and the monies, whatever they are should be split 50/50 really, or maybe slightly more in favour of the laebl owner as they are risking their money, but all this should be negotiated before you do the deed.


This is all by the by, your reason for this thread is basically to bitch rather than make any major statement.

Now if Hardsignal IS one of the bigest hard techno labels out there, then the artists should have got paid, as there should have been more sales than 500 if it IS the biggest.
But surely this is for the artists to discuss with Frank no?