February 27, 2008 10:52 AM PST

Where you can make a record if 5000 people like your band

by Jeff Bakalar
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EPISODE 44

Today we welcome Pim Betist from Sellaband.com. He talks to us about his revolutionary music website that puts bands' success in the hands of the you, the internet. We also talk about Oscar winner Marion Cotillard's questionable past, as well as when exactly the world will end. Plus, we chat about the amazing Gary Busey interview that's floating around the ol' interweb.


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TODAY'S LINKS:
Before covering games and gear for CNET Reviews, Jeff Bakalar dabbled in film and video production. An avid writer, reader, and gamer, Jeff is also an obsessive New Jersey Devils hockey fan. Catch him live every day as the co-host of CNET's infamous podcast, The 404.
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by cpamikie February 27, 2008 12:37 PM PST
You should have included some of the interview with Pim Betist after the show was "officially" over. That was cool!
Reply to this comment
by webkruzer1 February 27, 2008 10:38 PM PST
Is this for real?
What a SCAM !
The only people make money is the 'producers' and everyone in the chain.
If you can raise 50K, you don't need any of them!

My advice: if you really think you have a MARKET for your music, get a domain, do a cool site and spend some money PROMOTING your music.... at the RIGHT places.
Even if you sell your music at $1 per CD and charge $3.00 for shipping and handling, you just made $2 profit.

This has been done many times in the past with $14.95 SH and all that BS.
If you're selling with download.... got to mp3.com or sites like that and make it available there. There are many places you can sell your music.

Bottom line: you don;t need bottom feeders like 'producers' and alike.
Go on your own and do it on the internet.
Put these sharks out of business.
Reply to this comment
by Naarsil February 28, 2008 1:08 PM PST
Webkruzer, you're not alone when, at first glance, this whole thing might seem a scam.
Most people's reactions are identical to yours. However, as a participant on the Sellaband platform (no I'm not employed by them, I just happen to be invested in some artists on there), I wanted to respond to a few of your observations.

---"The only people to make money is the 'producers' and everyone in the chain."
You are partially correct, everyone in the chain *does* indeed make money (including the artist of course)
However it is in no way limited to the 'producers'. Part of the goal for any artist on Sellaband is to GROW that investor "chain" as long and as large as possible, by involving as many fans as possible (for as little money as possible, per-fan).
This is the *opposite* of the mainstream music biz, where typically the label pays for everything on speculation up front, (creating huge debt for the artist) and takes the most revenue when and *if* cash does flow, (the artists gets money only after all production debts are paid off), and the fans get....to pay $15 or more for a CD that has no ability to make them any money whatsoever.

Conversely, in the Sellaband model, Fans that DO get involved (again for just $10) get a percentage of the cashflow from the sale of that album, on TOP of having the CD shipped to their door, s/h included! Imagine buying a CD at your local store knowing it entitled you to a percentage of the sale of that record going forward?

---"If you can raise 50k you dont need any of them!"
You're discounting some huge benefits this platform provides artists.
*Massive, world-wide exposure (the platform has tens of thousands of cash-wielding investors on it and grows daily. Where else can an artist access people who are comfortable speaking with their *wallets* not just some empty "good intentions" comments on myspace?)
*Facilitation and currency conversion. (the site handles the complex task of connecting to literally every geography in the world, processing legitimate, safe monetary transactions for its users via mainstream trusted financial institutions.
*Empowerment in a Global marketplace (do you know of any other way for artists to join forces monetarily with fans on other continents without tripping over the red-tape involved with doing business in other countries?)

---"Bottom line: you don;t need bottom feeders like 'producers' and alike."
Snakes. They're everywhere. (Even on planes!)
but then again, it comes down to your judge of character (and b-movies) doesn't it?
For you to claim that the role of a 'producer' in the recording process is nothing more than an excuse to charge an artist for something they could otherwise provide themselves tells me that you may not have ever worked with a worthy producer. A good producer is a team member, a guiding light through the technical jungle that is the modern recording process. They are a third party, outside the artists box, that keeps a project on track and on point. You could involve a producer in a basement d.i.y recording project or a big-budget epic and the benefit would be the same.

Anyway, I certainly respect your opinion, but wanted to clarify, from the perspective on an investor, what this is *really* like.
Sellaband is indeed "For Real".
by Digilante February 28, 2008 12:57 AM PST
So... can somebody spell the name of that band that was played for a few minutes? I'd like to check them out, but whenever I search for "Nemisee" all I get websites in German that have something to do with lakes.
Reply to this comment
by Digilante February 28, 2008 1:00 AM PST
Never mind, I found it; search for "Nemesea."
by Smartworks February 28, 2008 1:08 AM PST
The name of the band they played is Nemesea. You can check out all the bands at sellaband.com
by bmc71 February 28, 2008 6:52 AM PST
Just search on Sellaband dot com and you will find NEMESEA
Reply to this comment
by Naarsil February 28, 2008 1:09 PM PST
Webkruzer, you're not alone when, at first glance, this whole thing might seem a scam.
Most people's reactions are identical to yours. However, as a participant on the Sellaband platform (no I'm not employed by them, I just happen to be invested in some artists on there), I wanted to respond to a few of your observations.

---"The only people make money is the 'producers' and everyone in the chain."
You are partially correct, everyone in the chain *does* indeed make money (including the artist of course)
However it is in no way limited to the 'producers'. Part of the goal for any artist on Sellaband is to GROW that investor "chain" as long and as large as possible, by involving as many fans as possible. (for as little money as possible, per-fan)
This is the *opposite* of the mainstream music biz, where typically the label pays for everything on speculation up front, (creating huge debt for the artist) and takes the most revenue when and *if* cash does flow, (the artists gets money only after all production debts are paid off), and the fans get....to pay $15 or more for a CD that has no ability to make them any money whatsoever.

Conversely, in the Sellaband model, Fans that DO get involved (again for just $10) get a percentage of the cashflow from the sale of that album, on TOP of having the CD shipped to their door, s/h included! Imagine buying a CD at your local store knowing it entitled you to a percentage of the sale of that record going forward?

---"If you can raise 50k you dont need any of them!"
You're discounting some huge benefits this platform provides artists.
*Massive, world-wide exposure (the platform has tens of thousands of cash-wielding investors on it and grows daily. Where else can an artist access people who are comfortable speaking with their *wallets* not just some bullsh1t "good intentions" comments on myspace?)
*Facilitation and currency conversion. (the site handles the complex task of connecting to literally every geography in the world, processing legitimate, safe monetary transactions for its users via mainstream trusted financial institutions.
*Empowerment in a Global marketplace (do you know of any other way for artists to join forces monetarily with fans on other continents without tripping over the red-tape involved with doing business in other countries?)

---"Bottom line: you don;t need bottom feeders like 'producers' and alike."
Snakes. They're everywhere. (Even on planes!)
but then again, it comes down to your judge of character (and b-movies) doesn't it?
For you to claim that the role of a 'producer' in the recording process is nothing more than an excuse to charge an artist for something they could otherwise provide themselves tells me that you may not have ever worked with a worthy producer. A good producer is a team member, a guiding light through the technical jungle that is the modern recording process. They are a third party, outside the artists box, that keeps a project on track and on point. You could involve a producer in a basement d.i.y recording project or a big-budget epic and the benefit would be the same.

Anyway, I certainly respect your opinion, but wanted to clarify, from the perspective on an investor, what this is *really* like.
Sellaband is indeed "For Real".
Reply to this comment
by x_hobbes February 29, 2008 6:48 PM PST
The sellaband.com site has the WORST performance I have ever seen!!! I can't get it to load most pages past the stupid ad banner at the top. Graphics are poorly done too. I'm frustrated by it and not returning.
Reply to this comment
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A pop-cult fix for a generation that grew up playing Nintendo and watching Saturday morning cartoons, the 404 podcast, with hosts Jeff Bakalar, Wilson Tang, and Justin Yu, gives you the latest news in gadgets, social media, video games, and movies with snarky commentary and the occasional tasteless joke.

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Wilson G. Tang Wilson Tang is an associate producer for CNET TV. He's a part-time artist and filmmaker and has written and directed several films. He likes long walks on the beach and girls.
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