Confessions Of A Record Producer

by Moses Avalon

(Book). This fully updated and expanded book is not about how the music business should work, but how it does work. Industry insider Moses Avalon tells it like it is how producers dip into budgets, artists steal songs, lawyers write contracts in code and shows you how to survive these and other career-stifling situations. Deconstructing actual major and indie-label record deals, this book dissects each party's involvement and offers perspective on their actual roles, how much they get paid, and what their agendas really are. Engineers, managers, producers, artists, labels and lawyers each take their turn in the hot seat. It also outlines realistic alternatives for newcomers, such as "baby" production deals and vanity labels. This third edition includes: an entire chapter comparing ASCAP and BMI a publishing first * new insights for indie artists, including the lowdown on digital-distribution scams and independent A&R * information on new legislation and its impact on sampling and other legal matters * new music-industry "family trees" that reflect recent consolidation and reorganization * 80 pages of new material * and much more.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

1 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Joalby Phoenix]

This book was added to the coursework and our entire final was based off of it in my Entertainment Law course. Great book. If nothing else it will help you analyze contracts and that helped me a great deal in my career in music.
Anyone whether an artist, songwriter, producer should read this book. Especially I would reccomend this to any artist starting out and DEFINITELY to any indie or unsigned artist.
Any uneducated artist will run to an opportunity rather than get educated first. The Music Industry is 95% business and only 5% music. People get sidetracked by the music side and do not realize that it is a business.
And in a business the educated will prosper. This book will help any artist have a better understanding at how the business works from the contract side of things right down to how to spot individuals who may potentially be out to harm you in your career.
If anything I learned from this book, I learned how to negotiate my own contracts.

[Sara Goldenberg]

I read it for fun but I think it's more geared for people in The Biz, not laypeople.

[Ella West]

skipped around a bit. useful information but also outdated

[Curtis]

Great reference for anyone who is interested in being in the music industry. Huge eye opener for anyone who isn't familiar with the shadiness of the major labels. This book will make you hate them even more. It always make me feel better when I read about how many ways they screw people over and are now beginning to go down the drain.

[Robert]

This is a very interesting book on the music industry. I have not found this information elsewhere. After reading this book I feel much better about my decision to leave the music industry.

[Andre]

Take everything you read here with a huge grain of salt. Nonetheless, it is a book worth reading if you're active in "the biz" (or plan to be).

[G. Tramaine Peoples]

Must read for any aspiring artists..

[Jaden]

This is just a ''must have'' if you wish to know what the music industry is all about.

[Motez Bishara]

Unfortunatly, I got a used copy which was the original edit from 1998. Needless to say, a lot has changed in the music business then so it wasn't terribly useful. More my fault than anything.

[Alex Gordon]

better than most "music business" books by someone who is doing it