If it is possible idk how far away you are, have a meeting in person. You will know if he is legit. I wouldn't just go sending a stranger stuff, especially stuff you intend on making money on. The whole thing seems a bit shady to me.

You obviously have your doubts punkrocker, or this exchange would not have raised red flags.

Trust your instinct on this one. The only place that "success" comes before "work" is in your dictionary.

Brien

the person wants to do business with you, but can't give you a phone number or actual credentials (other than meaningless references to 'knowing valuable people' blah blah blah).
its likely one of three things:
1) a scam
2)a flake
3)a genuine well meaning person who wants to sell you songs and make you famous and rich for the price of 'remembering' his/her name, whose 'valuable' contacts have not seen fit to do the same for him/her (likely because their songs are not that great, or their 'valuable' friends are neither valuable nor friends).

hmmmmm.

BDM wrote: the person wants to do business with you, but can't give you a phone number or actual credentials (other than meaningless references to 'knowing valuable people' blah blah blah).
its likely one of three things:
1) a scam
2)a flake
3)a genuine well meaning person who wants to sell you songs and make you famous and rich for the price of 'remembering' his/her name, whose 'valuable' contacts have not seen fit to do the same for him/her (likely because their songs are not that great, or their 'valuable' friends are neither valuable nor friends).

hmmmmm.

^Epic Post

Run Luke...Run!!!...oh I'm sorry ....that was an old Star Wars flashback! Run Punkrocker...run!

_If_ you do send him something, make sure it's copyrighted legally and specify the he cannot make any copies of his own for distribution no matter the purpose. That's the bit that seems shady to me...

I personally would want to meet this individual to make sure he's not some grifter. The whole thing does seem shady and I personally wouldn't have a bar of it.

Good luck with whatever you do decide to do, be aware that some people will think you owe them favours even if they don't produce you anything tangible just because they are insane. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

i say do it! but make sure you report back here and let us know what happens

Dude!!!! As my Dear ole' Dad the plumber used to say...."Son if it stinks like sh** ......well you fill in the rest!!! Trust your instincts...they got you here didn't they?

Trust your instincts, and keep it movin'. If he could do what he claims, he would have references to his accomplishments.

If your songs are freely available to be auditioned on Myspace, then he doesn't even need to contact you. He could just send the link to whomever he wants. (if he really wants to help you)
No one send out demo's anymore. It's all on websites.

natural wrote: If your songs are freely available to be auditioned on Myspace, then he doesn't even need to contact you. He could just send the link to whomever he wants. (if he really wants to help you)
No one send out demo's anymore. It's all on websites.

This.

Thanks everyone for all of the replies! Here is what I'm thinking. What if I make a CD but just put on like :30-1:00 clips off the songs instead of the whole things? Would that cover me? Or should I just bag this whole thing?

I think natural is right. I would assume that if a label heard your MySpace, or similar, and were impressed, that would be enough.

I would just refer this person to your page.

I also find it funny that a 'professional' can't use capital letters, where appropriate.

a professional what?

I am a lawyer, although not an entertainment lawyer. You found a flake. Don't send him anything.

Ok so up until this point I was thinking spam all the way. But now this guy has said that I don't have to send him a CD if I don't want to and he'll just use our myspace link. Do I have anything to lose? Conversation:

if that is how you would like to do it that is fine with me. i just think if i had a demo it would look better on your part. but how ever you want to do this is fine with me. and if the opportunity was to present itself would you be interested in traveling out of state to play say for example new orleans or memphis possibly las vegas. but yeah how ever you are interested in going about this is up to you.
----------------- Original Message -----------------
Froif that m: The Medication (208500452)
To: Brad
Date: Mar 6, 2009 11:28 AM
Subject: RE: business offer

Before we do this I have a question. Why can you not just use our myspace link and give that out instead?

Re: Should I take this offer or is it shady? Please help!!!!

The second sentece is the best.

punkrocker wrote: i am not claiming to be anyone famous or anything of that nature. but i am claiming to know some valuable people.

He does't say he knows valuable people. He's says that he is 'claiming to know' valuable people. That's rich.

Space wrote:

"a professional what?"

Scam artist!

There are loads of liars and thieves in the world of music.

Stop for a moment.Think about where this is leading too.

If I were you I'd take the compliment and move on with just the band. Don't put any weight into this, ignore it. Save your energy for better days!
jamm

That isn't a professional scam artist. They[real professionals] used to run advertisements in the major music related rags years ago.

Even the art of scamming is being dumbed down with the Internet!!!!!

Professional or not, its better to play it safe than sorry. Suppose you get all excited over a gig only to find the whole thing a setup to try to take your gear?

It happened to me, although I was by myself. Your much better off with a band.

Indeed, safe is always better then sorry. Once...the local talent agency here close to Exit 4 sent me on a trip, sent, my bad, told me where to go so off to Slidell, La I went.. Anyway, went there with the purpose of setting up my monitoring gear for Dr. Hook & the medicine show. Long story short, I got what the gig payed on return.

Which was 20 bucks, that I never even asked about what the gig payed, because we had all been in the trenches together. That was a 12 hour day, drinking and driving time included.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...

And the Dr. likes his monitors LOUD!

If you give him an official go-ahead, he can absolutely RUIN your professional career before it gets off the ground. Do not authorize him to speak to anyone, not even talk to himself, about your musical career.

Yup, unfortunately compulsive liars do exist. They use flattery to make you feel good, then like a black hole they suck your energy, money and your time right out of you.

Look at the way this guy is writing you. His grammar is bad and he can't tell you who he knows and has worked with.

Take it from someone who paid for it already, your much better off to leave it be.

Yeah I think you guys are right. I think I'll tell him if he wants to hand my link off thats great but I'm not sending a CD.

I don't think you get the full import of what you have been advised.
You are dealing with someone who at best is incompetent and at worst, dishonest.
There is no up side to this. The best thing to do is to ignore him. If you must be cordial, say "Thanks, but no thanks."
Do not give him permission to hand off links, or any type of permission to do anything. It is a slippery slope. Who knows how he will interpret the permission, or what he will do next. Many here thought it was a con. Just stay away.

all right if you guys are so sure ill just bag it.

In a different industry, I have a client who is in negotiations with a government entity for a contract potentially worth tens of thousands of dollars, not counting the intangibles like increased prestige, exposure, etc. This "other guy" who is trying to get in the profession is trying to piggy-back off of his organization. He is a hack who doesn't want to spend the time and money to get the education and certification. He wants a turn-key situation.

My advice was to make sure that the government knows you have nothing more than a professionally courteous relationship with this fool, uh, I mean, gentleman, and his fledgling organization. Two and a half years worth of work could be down the drain after a two minute phone call from this guy to some decision maker if he claimed to be speaking on my client's behalf.

Long story, but it is just to make the point again:

Have nothing to do with this fool, and give him no right to promote you in any way.

Speaking of shady dealings...
Check [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.blackvoi…"]this[/]="http://www.blackvoi…"]this[/] out.