Confessions of a Record Producer,2 Ed: How to Survive the Scams and Shams of the Music Business

From Booklist
Confession is good for the soul! Over the years, among many other like-minded authors, a stockbroker, a "dirty" ballplayer, a "lapsed" librarian, a corporate headhunter, and an advertising man have all felt the need to atone in print either for their own misdeeds or for those of their profession. Here Avalon pseudonymously exposes the ways the recording industry can take advantage of budding artists. Avalon started in the business 15 years ago as a studio engineer and went on to produce records. He has also composed soundtracks for several independent films and now consults for artist managers, record labels, and investors. Avalon examines the various stages of the record deal. He explains the role of each person involved and suggests what that person's self-interest is. He also contrasts the differences among deals at the major labels, independents, and vanity labels, and he discusses "baby" deals between artists and production companies. Avalon's final cut is a medley of stories, rumors, and myths about ways people can be or have been "ripped-off." Though sometimes too blunt, Avalon provides a caveat that novices could miss out on elsewhere. David Rouse


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Avalon (the pseudonym of a record producer who has worked for BMG and Warner Brothers) dissects the music business, explaining who's in it for what, and the tricks that are used to cheat artists, writers, producers, and managers in this notoriously greed infested industry. After explaining who the various players and what their agendas are, he discusses the legal aspects of the major and indie label deals, the language of contracts, and issues such as copyright protection, master fraud, and marketing ploys. Avalon's sympathy is obviously with the small-time artists, engineers, and producers, as he explains the scams that record companies and other players use to routinely rip each other off (of course the record companies usually come out on top). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)


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