Dubstep Forum Co-operative Label

[elgato]

Im definately up for going for it and involving myself, but before i were to make any big commitments there are a number of issues which clearly need to be addressed...

We are in agreement that US / EU distribution could be stabilised so as to ensure the same costs in both (presumably by incorporating mass shipping into the outgoings?). There is, however, a difficulty in considering those outside of these areas...how far does the balancing process go?

We need to clarify what the purposes and goals of the label would be. It seems fairly obvious that those who invest their money should get their money back straight up once returns allow, but there seems to be contention as to the 'profit' situation. The aforementioned situation is not for profit (it simply ensures return of the cash), wheras it seems that there is an idea that perhaps the 'investors' might claim a stake in the company (as it were) and therefore begin to take percentage profits were they to come. This is not, for me, what it should necessarily be about. Those who 'invest' might see their investment as a loan, and therefore at a push be wanting to see interest on their loan, once repaid. But that is different to what seems to have been suggested. This issue might seem small, but to me it seems completely central to the nature of the organisation (were it to develop) and the ethos with which it proceeded.

An important issue also seems to be how those who put the time and effort into executing the business should be reimbursed for their time. While to begin with it would seem possible that people might be willing to play their roles for free, in the attempt to get it off the ground, a reasonable idea seems to me that as opposed to taking a stake, if the label started to succeed then they could be paid a wage from the general fund, thus ensuring that while they are compensated for their efforts, the structure remains different from that of a regular label, and thus more democratically and co-operatively orientated.

In terms of licencing tracks, i dont imagine that this would be too much of a problem, so long as it can be demonstrated that the label wouldnt turn out to be a shambles, then it seems a pretty good situation for an artist to go into...they get their tracks out, and get paid for them. More exposure and hassle-free distribution of their music. Maybe im being presumptious, but this is my intuition

[relaks]

I'm loving this idea. I don't have much to offer, apart from cash.... unless people want portraits or trains painted.

I'm willing to do what I could, and am very very interested to see what producers are willing to sign on!

Big up all this thread!

[auralassassin]

We can consider it a loan... any interest on that loan could be in the form of free and cheaper records. I am just really against paying import prices for something I had a lot to do with in the beginning anyway.

[ufo over easy]

I'd be up for helping out anyway I can

[elgato]

While in theory it would be good if the people who invest get their free records or whatever, the difficulty i see is regarding investors of different amounts...if one invests £100 and one £300 and one £75 then how do you go about the calculation of who deserves what for free? This is why i see it to be potentially preferable to keep input and purchasing seperate. The 'interest' paid in monetary terms might well cover the price of several copies, therefore essentially equating to free copies, but without the complication of dealing with indivisible units such as 12"s (rather than the more flexible currency of pennies and cents). Either way carries difficulties, it just seems simpler to me to proceed in that way.

Regarding paying more abroad, if there is enough of a market there, and enough people are contributing from stateside then as already highlighted there are ways to take mass shipping to North America (for example) into account in the financial planning, thereby distributing the cost of shipping between all involved rather than some unfairly bearing the burden, thereby meaning the same is paid whether in UK or US. A difficulty, however, comes in considering other locations, such as Eastern Europe or Australasia... can subsidies be justified for one while excluding the others? This probably depends on demand and input i suppose

[auralassassin]

I know for a fact that if you go and take a look at the Dubstep in Breakbeat Science, for instance... they will have an entire rack one day, and the next day it is picked clean.

That's one day... So what is the inherant risk in more stateside representation... that it might sit on the shelf for... 2-3 days?

We need at least TRIPLE the amount of records we get in the states now. We could buy twice as much as well if we aren't paying import prices... maybe 4-5 times as much is needed in the states as we are currently getting.

If a record gets 2000 pressed and sells out within 2 days, thats a big ego boost to the label. But since this isn't about selling out in 2 days and it's about getting good music out there, it might make some sense to get MORE of it out there. After-all you're really preaching to the converted out there in the UK when you put out dubstep on a UK label, UK distro, UK artist... how is that pushing the sound? Wouldn't people in the UK buy a record that came from the states if it was a good record?

Second of all, if we are already starting to talk about which albums need to be released...

http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3562
8-Bit - Monstaz

Reso - cursedub read about ithere: http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.p ... o+cursedub
hear it here: http://www.myspace.com/corgrimey

Sign that tune NOW.


Lucky Strike - Go Home (Rude. Second drop on there. Kinda formulaec but those drums are like BOOOOOOM. Makes me rewind it a couple times when I play it

8-Bit - Art of Rude Bwoy(I'm sure that everyone here has this one in 192 or whatever... my 320 is showing signs of wear, I play it THAT much )

Moldy - Windmill Dub(never heard if this was coming out, but's it's fucking hot.)

Matty G - Amen(talk with Nick Argon about this... they seem to think it's not release quality. that subbass make my brain vibrate. so sick!)

to name a very few just from this forum. That's not to slight anyone who is making tracks here at all. Kion would be a good choice... Luke Envoy would also be a good choice... so many talented producers here. Maybe you could get someone to produce a track specifically FOR the label as well... I definately think that if we do a release that it should be 2 sides, and if there I definately think that we should make it a POINT to include a producer from this forum on the release... most of the good dubstep producers I've heard post here regularly or time to time...

In fact, for at least the first release, this would be a deal breaker for me to be involved--I'm all for getting good music out there, but to me it's at LEAST as important to get good new producers out there as well.

I love Skream to death, but I'm tired of looking at a mix and seeing 8 tunes by the same producer, 4 of them in a row... all on the same label. It gets played out really fast like that, and it's to the point when someone plays something "classic" it's almost like a new track to me, because it hasn't been played the hell out in a few years.

[nozl]

I think this is a good idea if it can be carried out effectively. I think it shows how positive this board is about the music as a collective group community (I'm thinking of the forum mix by n-type as the other positive step.) How we would go about doing this will take time so keep the discussion going.

[ramadanman]

i guess the aim of the label would be to get music out on vinyl that otherwise would not be able to be released in this manner

we've gotta utilise all connections that everyone has on this board. im sure there are people here who know distributors, other label owners, pressing plants, graphic designers, shop owners...the list goes on

[auralassassin]

lol there are people here who ARE those people

[dubway]

you can count on my support, if you need it.

communication issue can be easily solved through this forum (hidden subforum for label members...)

what about digital (internet mp3) label"? (seems suitable for forum label.. for many reasons..)

[auralassassin]

Add Forensix to the list of people who KICK ALL ASS with the productions. Forgot all about him. Recently went back to his myspace page and got re-introduced... Forensix for sure.

[ramadanman]

i'm not sure mp3 label is a good idea - doesn't seem much point to that

putting stuff on vinyl is more fun

[forensix (mcr)]

Add Forensix to the list of people who KICK ALL ASS with the productions. Forgot all about him. Recently went back to his myspace page and got re-introduced... Forensix for sure.

thanks

[drewdrops]

Co-op = cheap shop to get food thats ok, gets the job done

sounds like an excuse to put out uninspiring music, baa humbug

[elgato]

Co-op = cheap shop to get food thats ok, gets the job done

sounds like an excuse to put out uninspiring music, baa humbug

ha jokes you should do some homework on what the co-op we know in the UK used to be and represent to the people. And also worth remembering is that the co-op have been pioneering recently in taking a stand against high salt content and artificial additives and preservatives in shop food...come again when the nation faces an unprecedented rise in heart disease and related health issues

dont see why the music is uninspiring of necessity, content hasnt even begun to be discussed in a meaningful way. Its worth noting that while obviously no more than an idea, the idea began with discussion of how Intergalactic Dub by Digital Mystikz was going to get out...

[cede]

Well, some good progress on the talks since I have been asleep.

Dubway - maybe alloting some space for this on the site is a good idea. A separate members only section of the forum, at least for the development phase.

[cede]

You know - here is a thought. I know this whole sound is worldwide. But the main debate tends to be between costs and importing between the UK and US.

What we could possibly do is this - set up some sort of online shop for the label. everyone can access it world wide, but we have two shipping centers.

One in the US and one in the UK.

This would mean that when a run is initially pressed the units are split between the US and UK. We would need a designated shipper in each country.

[8bitwonder]

Add Forensix to the list of people who KICK ALL ASS with the productions. Forgot all about him. Recently went back to his myspace page and got re-introduced... Forensix for sure.

thanks

safe up mcr crew-crush is big

[elgato]

What we could possibly do is this - set up some sort of online shop for the label. everyone can access it world wide, but we have two shipping centers.

One in the US and one in the UK.

Definately man, I think there are certainly ways to avoid this problem about shipping charges. Were you thinking in terms of pressing all in one then a bulk shipment to the other (cost of which would be incorporated into original budget, so as to avoid overpricing to one set of customers) or two seperate pressings? Would this be feasible or would it bump up the price just as much due to the second test-pressing and mastering charges?

[forensix (mcr)]

safe up mcr crew-crush is big

yeah big up leeds crew

gonna try and make dmz