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Post by Lucretia on Feb 23, 2010 14:08:51 GMT
Welcome back folks. Given the news, I suspect many of you are looking for a place to come
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xahmol
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 34
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Post by xahmol on Feb 23, 2010 14:21:49 GMT
Nice to have a place to discuss ;-) By the way, the 'curator' of Sellaband did confirm the bankruptcy in the Dutch press, but also stated they are working hard on a relaunch. Very curious what that will mean to all of us.l Link to this news in Dutch: www.nu.nl/internet/2191372/sellaband-failliet.html
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whaley
Somewhat Sellaband addicted
Posts: 265
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Post by whaley on Feb 23, 2010 14:30:40 GMT
Hi. I've mailed Cubworld and sent a message to Pim Betist (Sellaband founder and former employee, now in Africa Unsigned). News seems to spread via regular (Internet) channels as well. VPRO 3voor12 website has an article (no interesting news there yet): 3voor12.vpro.nl/artikelen/artikel/43137497
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xahmol
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 34
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Post by xahmol on Feb 23, 2010 14:50:22 GMT
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martin
Sellaband addict in waiting
Vixen Rock
Posts: 82
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Post by martin on Feb 23, 2010 14:58:39 GMT
Thanks for re-opening the forum Luc
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triff
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 3
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Post by triff on Feb 23, 2010 15:44:54 GMT
I wonder what that will mean for the artists who are still to records such as Katie Thompson and those who have just finished recording Tiffany Gow?
At this point in time it is all speculation but that is what we always do.
Hope it does not hit Ellie Williams as she prepares to tour.
But at least Pieps will be happy!
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danny
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 42
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Post by danny on Feb 23, 2010 15:53:13 GMT
Thanks Lu
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xahmol
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 34
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Post by xahmol on Feb 23, 2010 16:00:16 GMT
The above posted article from Het Financiële Dagblad now adds Pim Betist's analysis what went wrong.
Don't have the time to translate, but it comes down that according to Pim SAB made three mistakes: - a too low fee for SAB HQ while manufacturing and shipping the CDs cost to much; - coming from point one: too little money for promotion; - no filter on quality. As he says: 'believers were males above 40, so every good looking girl with an average voice succeeded in raising the target'.
Pim also says that of course his new project is MUCH better.
Personally I can think of some other mistakes, like a textbook example of what not to do in corporate communications, alianating believers and completely refusing to leverage on the community (even frustrating it).
Text in Dutch: Volgens Betist maakte Sellaband drie fouten. 'Allereerst was de vergoeding voor Sellaband te gering. Het grootste deel van de marge werd opgeslokt door de productie en verzending van de cd’s. Daardoor bleef er, en dat is punt twee, te weinig geld over om de muziek te promoten.'
'Het derde punt is dat de kwaliteitsnormen veel te laag waren. Er zat geen filter op. Dus elke meisje dat er goed uitziet maar matig zingt, slaagde erin om geld voor een cd op te halen. De meeste potentiële aandeelhouders zijn namelijk mannen van bovende 40. Ik zag vorig jaar dat het de verkeerde kant opging nadat een venture capitalist aan boord was gekomen en ik de controle kwijt raakte.'
Sellaband, dat in 2006 was opgericht, bracht in zijn vierjarig bestaan cd's uit van 30 bands, maar geen van hen wist echt naam te maken. Iedere artiest die via Sellaband $50.000 wist op te halen bij zogenaamde 'believers' kon een plaat laten maken. Het was een revolutionair concept dat veel lof oogste en waarmee de onderneming ook enkele prijzen behaalde.
Uit onvrede met het gevoerde beleid stapte Betist op als bestuurder van Sellaband en begon hij eind vorig jaar met een nieuw bedrijf: AfricaUnsigned.com. 'Eigenlijk met de bedoeling om alles goed te doen wat bij Sellaband fout ging. Dus geen cd's produceren, maar alles digitaal verkopen. Zo blijft er geld voor promotie over. Bovendien heb ik een muziekpanel, waarin onder meer Damon Albarn van Blur, dat alleen de beste artiesten toelaat.'
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danny
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 42
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Post by danny on Feb 23, 2010 16:41:05 GMT
So.... Did anyone else notice it is Pieps' birthday today?
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cat
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 10
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Post by cat on Feb 23, 2010 16:51:22 GMT
Danny: just got my account here to write exactly that! What a present it must have been. TalentCast www.talentcast.nl will post updates on the situation as soon as there is more news.
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Post by noldi on Feb 23, 2010 16:55:51 GMT
should have seen it comming...
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xahmol
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 34
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Post by xahmol on Feb 23, 2010 17:04:48 GMT
Indeed was not THAT surprising after the disasters last year.
They seemed to be picking up last months of 2009, but december and january the first premium artists started failing, PE loosing money...
And I never understood how SAB could pay even the staff salaries from the 10% fee only.
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Utterly B Groovy
Somewhat Sellaband addicted
He Moves And He Grooves But He Don't Got Hooves
Posts: 468
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Post by Utterly B Groovy on Feb 23, 2010 17:14:50 GMT
... and I can just log back here! Sweet! Nice one Lu ...
Well, I guess this puts a different perspective on the 'silence' from SAB-HQ over the last month or two eh? Furiously bailing out and I can only assume looking for some saviour to either buy or throw in cash?
I know I always would hope I could suitably inform employees, customers, etc before they read it on the tinternet if ever I'm in this sort of situation but when yer down to the furious bailing trying to save a company it's not always possible, and probably even less often prudent, to go spreading the bad news early. That doesn't take away any of the pain for people with sufficient sums of money tied up in it all of course, and this is where we find out how good a job of the Escrow they made! In theory we should get any monies in Escrow paid back to us, though without the website I'm not sure how they'd be able to match money to Believers. It ought to be an easier job for post $50K Artists, who I guess should be able to get at their $$$$'s, though organising to ship leCDs without the DB's of (email) addresses might be a tad problematical too ...
leCDs in 'storage' at SAB-HQ are an interesting question! If they belong to us (which I'd say they do) and SAB are just storing them for us then I guess we can expect to be charged for their repatriation?
Interesting Times
Utt
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xahmol
Sellaband addict in waiting
Posts: 34
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Post by xahmol on Feb 23, 2010 17:19:54 GMT
. leCDs in 'storage' at SAB-HQ are an interesting question! If they belong to us (which I'd say they do) and SAB are just storing them for us then I guess we can expect to be charged for their repatriation? Consider them lost. As far as I know in Holland everything on the premises of a bankrupt company is used to pay of the bankruptcy debts. Also the goods that do not belong to the company that actually went bankrupt. Enough cases of people who brought in PCs for repairs at a company that went bankrupt or even cars to a bankrupt car dealer that act as example here. Of course with this you do become one of the creditors of the bankruptcy, but I doubt there is much left to repay. Escrow is a different story, let's see how good that system will prove to be.
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whaley
Somewhat Sellaband addicted
Posts: 265
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Post by whaley on Feb 23, 2010 17:24:32 GMT
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