Welcome back

[jayne]

I assumed it was talking about his Sony BMG days rather then the current business. I can't find out much about it though.

Jayne

[li]

There is very little on the website. They're in the B2B industry and a website is less a "must" than if you're B2C.
The german TV Channels are not the main ones, it's mostly the smaller ones that operate out of Munich. Both owners have a track record as marketing manager of DSF (German Sport TV), which is relatively small. One of the clients that they list is a company we had shares in, so I might be able to ask one of my former colleagues if he knows Make Music ...
Although in the end it all doesn't matter. They can proof their expertise with SAB and hopefully will use whatever connections they have to leverage the music.

[mawa]

Pieps birthday, Sellaband goes bust, SellaBand gets 'rescued', hah....

Well, so far, it seems only, that someone tries to throw good money after bad money, but as always, we will see.

For the record, I am indeed currently living in Hamburg and it is not the case - as some have suggested -- that I have bougth SAB in order to let my buddy Johan keep his job

I don't think its a time or occasion for another 'told you so', guess we are beyond that, but some of the brain dead people, who think, that an insolvency is a good move for whatever reason or gives hope for something, probably should consult a shrink, especially as this here now sounds a lot like 'two blacks don't make a white'

Ah well, if this human comedy is good now for some more fun, I am all for it

[missy]

Hi all,

Just a quick message to say that I hugely appreciate this place, and that I enjoyed da newzzz posted here! As most of you, I'm also curious about what the new HQ of Sellaband will come up with. But I also agree that there is serious damage done to the brand Sellaband, because of all the publicity about the bankrupty. Let's see what the next episode in this intruiging story will bring us..

Anyway, TalentCast will continue to promote independent artists. For this week I changed all the links on the playlist to MySpace accounts, so that visitors can at least find some back ground info about the tracks. When Sellaband is up and running, we will use these links again.

Best!

[WalterM]

Africa unsigned and SellaBand use the same payment provider (from the company of the VC that jumped in 2008) and maybe they used the same design team
They share business addres: Joan Muyskenweg 22
The organisation exploiting Africa Unsigned is the "Wisdom of crowds foundation"
So no worries it has gone bust to lol

[philtweed]

Hi Everyone

just read everyone's posts. Lotsa fun and games it appears.

My thoughts

As a producer/A&R: I sincerely hope that Tiffany's album will be released very shortly, and this change of ownership will not have a bearing on the commitments and investments that so many people have made. To let you know, Tiffany's album had to be put on hold because SAB took over three months to pay an invoice for production, mixing, mastering, artwork, editing, etc. When the payment was finally received, we then had to go about rebooking the work, which was significantly delayed. There is still an outstanding amound due to be paid to Peter Stevenson, her producer who has done an amazing job in getting her album completed.

As an artist: My account has stalled at $5800. It's been sitting there for months without any sign of progress. I've got nothing to lose by continuing to have the account open, and I continue to hope that my music will get noticed by new groups of people who decide to invest. I'm still considering my options in regards to reducing the target, and what I am able to achieve with a smaller amount of money.

So - for the record, I'm still here, and still hopeful. I hope Michael (the new CEO) will be able to pull things together.

Phil

[WalterM]

phil: sorry but I really think business dealings with SAB should be kept between the parties involved and not shared here as it doesn't concern us.

Good news to hear SellaBand's assets have been taken over but I have mixed feelings about it all and we'll have to see what the future will bring.

It's a sad period for SellaBand's management and employees and I wish them all the luck they need the coming period.

[xahmol]

Feb 25, 2010 5:26:18 GMT WalterM said:

phil: sorry but I really think business dealings with SAB should be kept between the parties involved and not shared here as it doesn't concern us.

Actually, I think it does concern us. It all gives evidence on the trustworthiness of SAB which new management will find very hard to improve.

And from what I see of the new owner I am very very sceptic. No big name, no big reputation, basically a complete unknown to the general public. They buy a name in which all trust has lost.

Do not see this working, but sincerely hope for those artists in the recording phase that I am wrong.

Oh, and also strength and best wishes of course to SAB staff not being management. They are not at fault, but now jobless nonetheless. And for example Boudewijn really was doing his utmost best to help.

Looking forward to the book and the movie on the Sellaband soap which probably will come someday.

[thor]

Feb 25, 2010 3:05:47 GMT philtweed said:

To let you know, Tiffany's album had to be put on hold because SAB took over three months to pay an invoice for production, mixing, mastering, artwork, editing, etc. When the payment was finally received, we then had to go about rebooking the work, which was significantly delayed.

Ahh, now we know the meanining of the words unforseen circumstances in the famous language called Sellabandish

Nice to have a Sellaband forum with buttons for formatting the text, and a preview, and so on...

Let's hope the new Sellaband owners will be more professional and will employ a team that knows how do their job...

[mr10]

Amen Thor!

[kostek]

first of all, Lu - Huge THX for this forum.

I ve read all posts in this topic, almost everything has said.
yesy i feel big discomphort because of SAB falling.
Like JohnC. said... how can I tell new believers now " come on, put your mioney there...."

and it is good to know from Philtweed about delaying.
I had same situation with other site, where I ve been waiting 3 monthes for payment for arrangements and producing job for one artist....


when SAB failed, I had two feelings
one - how can I rebiuld my artist reputation for people who has invested in me....
second-
I am gonna really miss whole the community

second seems to be solved ( thx Lu again)
first...
I am gonna observe new SAB holder and see what happen..... anyway I know for sure now that as an artist I need to rethink my plan - it has to have a security obtion for site bunkrupt case...

anyway it is good to see a lot of people here
let us hope this situation os SAB will transform to something positive
grts for all the company

[Utterly B Groovy]

kostek:
The one good thing to come out of this (assuming it does pan out the way we expect) is the Escrow setup seems to be bulletproof!
Other than 'charges', it would seem to be (will be?) proven that the money is _safe_!

Utt

[xahmol]

Dutch press is now picking up on the side activities of the new owner, not creating trust....

Article (in Dutch):
www.quotenet.nl/biz/sellaband-naar-seksondernemer.php

Translation of title: Sellaband sold to sex entrepeneur

[lindy]

Finally managed to get in here, haha

Xander, there's a lot of giggling going on on the net right now about the lubricant entrepreneur.. Could help though, new slogan "Sellaband - smooth delivery of music"

[li]

- That Sellaband has been bought by a company which has been active in music marketing is in my opinion a good thing.
- That Sellaband’s bankruptcy was just a matter of time was a sad fact
- What the new owners will make of SAB lies in the future and so is their success.

We don’t know the details of the transaction and it is likely that we only will notice when for example the name changes, the direction of the platform shifts, etc. This is all in the future and speculation as to why Make Music wanted to take over Sellaband is not really leading to anything either. As Xander says, the assets on any of the SAB premises are part of the bankruptcy. If the 100K+ an LeCDs has been stored there and will be returned to their rightful owners is up to the new owners or up to the Curator (Trustee).

However, the believers who still have LeCDs on stock can put in a collective claim. The fact that the LeCDs represent an illusionary amount of money might help. Individual claims have very little chance of succeeding.

But before people start to organise claims try to get the LeCDs the regular way once the site is back. Write to ask to have the CDs sent to you and see what happens!


Indeed Make Music isn’t so known in the consumer market, but it has a good reputation as one of the marketeers in the German music industry. As both of the Make Music partners were marketing managers at D:SF, they have been “touched” by the online adult industry. D:SF has soft adult content slots after 11 PM and this content covers a large part of their sports productions/broadcasts.

The same owners of Make Music have another company called Make Health Care, which distributes a lubricant, www.lubexxx.com/en/contact, and who knows that the money that bought SAB came from here ;-). In the end it doesn't really matter. Money has come from worse sources ;-(

I’d love to dream about an ideal crowd sourcing platform for music but the reality is that I’ve lost interest. I was lucky to be able to play with money and I invested in artists that I enjoyed, but with hindsight I really do feel that it didn’t help the artists and worse, they became disillusioned and at times distraught. This kind of crowd sourcing is a luxury. Unknown artists getting 50K to produce 5000 CDs is a luxury. I realized it for myself, but it took a while to really understand that creativity and excelling hardly ever arises from a comfortable, luxury situation, although there have been a few nice exceptions to this rule where SAB artists are concerned!

Sellaband made many mistakes (and quite a few repeatedly) and for this they have paid a price. In the end I think that what hurt them most was that they kept biting the hands that fed them.

What I learned and what I am applying now in my job is that I’m consciously creating scarcity when bringing new ideas to the market. Very limited budgets (although plenty could be available) both in time and money. Up till now it has worked much better than I ever expected. It has facilitated the unleashing of tremendous creativity and fun. When this happens, the foundation is strong and what is more, the people, our customers, sense this aspect of fun. It’s truly a butterfly effect. The most important factor though is respect. Respect for your colleagues, respect for your customers, respect for yourself. No Respect, no lasting Business.