Music Industry Scams!
Posted on Apr.16, 2010
We’ve all heard about those supposed “Industry A&R Companies” who will “make you famous” … for a fee. There are tons of them out there taking advantage of young unsuspecting singers and songwriters alike. Over the years I have encountered a few myself and I’m sure you have too!
As I have mentioned in previous posts, my main goal with this site is to help educate newcomers to the business of music. I can’t even begin to tell you the stories I hear being fed to ambitious young talented kids wanting nothing more but to become successful.
This is a cut throat industry and everybody is out for their own. If you want to survive you will need to do your research. Be prepared for all of the scams.
In the next few weeks I intend to “spot light” music industry scams to be aware of and to watch out for. I will not post anything that can not be researched. If any of our readers have any companies to add to this list by all means post it in your comments (along with credible links).
This list can be comprised of Any Music Related Businesses Throughout The World That Have Been Tagged As Fraudulent Or Scamers! This Is The SHAME List: The First… “TAXI”
For those of you who are not familiar with TAXI, you may be one of the more lucky ones! I can only tell you stories I’ve heard or read. The links below will give you a good starting point. This company has been pulling scams for quite sometime (according to the research below).
http://www.recordingchannel.com/taxi-musics-site..-worthwhile-80477.html
http://www.thomasmoens.com/taxi.htm
These are just a few of the links I found claiming Taxi to be fraudulent. I do want to be the first to say that there are two sides to every coin.
Tim Smith
September 19th, 2011 on 10:28 pm
Keith Barkley/ Cherith Music Group Scam!
We entered into an agreement with Keith Barkley in which he would record 6 songs a month to complete a project of literally hundreds of songs that we have written. In the beginning he said he LOVED our music and that GOD had TOLD HIM to work with us to record it all. We were to pay him only $360 a month every month until they were all finished. In the agreement we were supposed to APPROVE his work before accepting it as the FINAL MASTER. (He did it this reasonable because he said GOD TOLD HIM TO, only to come back later and complain about what he charged us when we were not happy with our product) This man took 7 months to complete 12 songs and he changed the melody lines of our music, did not do the music correctly, he was THE WORST person we have ever worked with musically EVER! He is ATE up with PRIDE so much that he does not even hear what the client wants he thinks everything he wants to do is “THE GOSPEL”! When we told him about the changes he was making he FORCED the changes on us basically by NEVER doing what we asked him to do, but only lingering it out so long until we got so frustrated that he was NEVER getting done that we had to take what we could get for the money we had given him. We wisened up by the 2nd month to what was happening and backed out of doing any more songs with him but then he even took longer since we were not part of his monthly meal ticket anymore. When I finally demanded he finish the work (7 months later) he put us down, told me that I had demon spirits and put our music down saying it was not good and TACKED GOD ON IT of course! I guess GOD must have changed his mind from the beginning about Keith Loving our music and about it being HIS CALLING to work with our music. This man is a POOR EXCUSE of a Christian and HORRIBLE Business owner! He does NOT care what the client desires, only what he wants to do. He even told my husband that out of all of the years of recording that he has NEVER been wrong about anything! When he finally sent us the project, one song is so bad we can not even use it and he sent one song without any vocals on it at all. Plus after he started getting the monthly payment even though he had not finished the months songs before, he started demanding payment for the next month when he had shoved our project on the back burner as he was taking many more projects to support his “ministry and his family”. So what he is doing is taking tons of work demanding money upfront and not finishing the work in a timely manner and not producing the music in the way it was written. Plus he charges to be on his music label or to be affliated with his Music Group. So anyone that charges for things like that is a Scammer and does not finish the projects in the way that they PROMISE are Scammers plus he was trying to bait us with saying he would help pitch our songs if we went with him. Although I never believed him I realize that he was just baiting us to take our money and produce a crappy product.
He also called me names and when my husband confronted his emails to me he ignored him because he felt so comfortable with ABUSING and BULLYING Me IN THE NAME OF GOD!
October 6th, 2011 on 1:17 am
No doubt about it, Keith Barkley & Cherith Music Group is a scam! I’m sorry to hear that your were taken for such a ride. Hopefully no one else will have to deal with him or his fraudulent company in the future. Unfortunately, there are more crooks where he came from and more and more innocent people are getting ripped off every single day. For what it’s worth, I’m happy that you posted something about it here on our site. If we are lucky, your post will save some other poor soul from falling into the support scam for his “ministry and his family”.
Thanks again for posting your experience and good luck with your future music endeavors!
Tim Smith
http://www.thesoundscapestudio.com
November 18th, 2011 on 10:39 pm
Thanks Tim! We appreciate the encouragement. It has been a hurtful time not to mention that this man is trying to defame us online with our personal lives. So sad that people like that can be allowed to tack GOD on all their theiving ways.
March 11th, 2011 on 1:43 pm
Is there a credible online source for music industry contacts? I cam across this site here:
http://www.allmusicindustrycontacts.com
Just wondering if anyone has any feedback on this?
October 26th, 2011 on 4:04 am
Allmusicindsutrycontacts.com is fake. Nothing but the same contacts over and over each year. The site is not even monitored well. I went to this site called getsigned.weebly.com He is rapper T.I.’s former producer. At first I though it was a scam BUT I found out the guy who sells the contacts is really in the music industry unlike a lot of people with websites like this. He has real contacts and makes real moves for people. He charges for his list and demo submissions but who doesn’t these days, cost money to make money.
November 28th, 2010 on 3:42 pm
Yo the reason the higher ups are saying there’s no money in music, is because they are making so much from digital music and tours revenues, they fear people hating them for taking everything. The reason independents are not getting paid for digital sales is its being sucked up by majors-independent sales are a threat to them, and if artists can collect and generate their own money-they will really be out of business.
Do you know what the overhead is for a digital release compared to a cd? Think about it, a CD costs alot alot in manufacturing, physical sales, shipping. With digital sales it costs pennies to send files online. No trucks are needed, cases to package, retail merchants to pay- a cd costs about $5 for each to make and distribute a digital copy maybe penny. The overhead alone is gone. Major labels fired staff, downsized, closed the doors to independents, found new artists to use which could perform anything they design, and kept some old faces- they washed out Myspace by slighting the independents and turning into a file sharing site. BMI does not pay royalties unless your in heavy commercial radio rotation and only major artists get that payment and play. They are lying and Harry Fox will not collect on behalf of many-they work with majors-a major label is not a small business, small businesses comprise 70% of all American businesses-the fact the music industry has little regulation, policing and places to report and end problems is serious. Its a cover up- they are downplaying their assets and lying because they hit bank and want everything on hold to gain control. Its a serious scam. America is not a free country-it is run by corporate businesses that capitalize on others.
January 14th, 2011 on 6:44 pm
Thats a good point! A lot of the industry execs are way over paid, kid of like the auto and sports industry!
May 9th, 2010 on 9:17 pm
Great advice eMpyre! I agree that “background checks” are, or should be, a top priority when dealing with a new business (of any kind for that matter). Sadly enough there are sharks in the fine industry of music, waiting and hunting for new artist.
This brings a local story to mind. A few short years ago, there was gentleman posing as a major label rep (I think Sony BMG) working the Metro Detroit area. I do remember his name, although I will spare him the additional agony. He began his scam by hosting so called “Sony Showcases” at neighborhood venues claiming “the BIG bosses” were coming out to see what’s hot in Detroit, and looking to sign up new acts! Meanwhile he was raping the bank accounts of unsuspecting “inexperienced” bands and musicians (hungry for success). This unfortunately went on far too long before “Problem Solvers” were contacted to look into him. Turned out, he was never employed with ANY record company, let alone Sony. And was found to be a fraud all the way around!
How do I know about this? Let’s just say I was this close to reaching for my pocket book too!
The Moral is: We need to spread the word about this type of stuff going on in the Music Industry. It’s happening every day.
Tim Smith
The Soundscape Recording Studio
May 9th, 2010 on 5:36 pm
I have heard that Taxi was fraudulent. . .but was not really sure. I’ve heard of a lot of scams. . .
So far I haven’t had the displeasure of working with anyone who scammed me. I’ve had less than favorable dealings with people – but that is just how the business goes. Reputation does go a long way. My 2 or 23 cents is to build your reputation as much as your name(s). If you say it – do it.
I agree – almost every time a situation appears to be too good to be true. . . its not true. My rule of thumb is research. References. Do some background digging. If you do a search for anyone wanting to do business with you – go to Google or Bing or whatever and type in their business name followed by the word scam.
i.e. Taxi music scam. If its a scam – you’ll see lots of evidence.
If they have a list of clients – contact those clients. . . or at least their management. If they had good dealings with the business in question – the manager will be happy to toot their horn.
If its radio – contact some program directors or music directors that they say they deal with. If its PR contact some editors. . . etc.
Almost everyone who’s legit has some way for me to check them out. I’ve had a number of people give me some free service as proof. Kind of like a drug dealer who gives you the first hits for free.
Till next time
(from the fortress of solitude)
~eMpyre ramireX
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