Originally Posted by BeerHunter ➡️

This is sort of what I was saying in an earlier post about "canned" responses. Using your quota of 10 songs per hour means that the A&R guy would only have a couple of minutes to write a critique. I would think that this critique would be along the lines as my daughter's high school report cards where they select from a list of predefined comments as he/she simply wouldn't have enough time to write them from scratch.

I'm not expecting much out of them (TAXI) really. Just trying to get some exposure. But if their critisism is meaningless then it could end up sending us in the wrong direction. If this is the case it would be better not to join.

Originally Posted by zboy2854 ➡️

My .02 on Taxi.

I was once a member, and I know Michael Laskow (the owner) personally. One of the nicest guys you can hope to meet. Several years back when I was in L.A. to get my CD mastered, he met with me, gave me a tour of the offices, listened to my tracks, and liked what he heard enough to pick up the phone right there and then and get me a meeting with two major A&R guys.

So the service is a legitimate service, and their contacts are indeed legitimate as well.

Now, for the reason you still see many of the same ads in the magazines for Taxi. While the service is for real, it is better for certain people, depending on what they're looking to get out of it. If you're a songwriter looking to place songs or tracks, and you have no networking or connections of your own, it can be a valuable service.

If you're an artist or a band looking for a record deal, you'll probably find yourself disappointed. The reason being, the one flaw in the Taxi model is lack of follow up. If you respond to a listing and your stuff is forwarded, there is no way to follow up with the recipient to A) make sure they got it, or B) see if they've listened to it. And one thing that is huge in this business is the followup. In a lot of cases stuff will languish on a person's desk if a fire is not lit under their ass, and that's where Taxi falls short in my opinion.

Combine that with the fact that when it comes to finding and signing actual artists and bands, most A&R guys are looking to hear about the act through buzz, word of mouth, etc. In other words, they only want to sign acts that already have it going on for themselves. Which is a big reason you don't see a lot of major success stories with artists getting their deals through Taxi.

The other reason, in Taxi's defense, is that some of the acts that have gotten deals and been successful as a result of Taxi connections didn't credit Taxi with it. Sixpence None the Richer was an example.

In any case, if you're a songwriter looking for placements, it can be a good service. If you're an artist looking for a deal, you're likely better off getting out there and building a buzz on your own, and the industry will come to you. But then again, even Taxi says that's what you should probably be doing anyway.

Originally Posted by sahiaman ➡️

So is he a publisher or promoter? Or are you self published and just give him a precentage?

Originally Posted by SpiderM69 ➡️

You might want to check your calculator...that actually comes to $3 million, which is not a lot of yearly revenue upon which to run a business.

Originally Posted by RKrizman ➡️

I think if you want to ever have a chance at real success in the arts you better hang onto some of that screw-you attitude that got you into it in the first place...

Originally Posted by quietdrive ➡️

Umm.. dont wanna sound like a jerk, but do you actually know what indie promoters do? I doubt you can afford them, and even need them. Or are you trying to get songs on the radio?

Originally Posted by rcm ➡️

I have a little insight into TAXI as a guy that has been invited to speak at the TAXI Rally a few times (I am not a member) and my manager is also a screener at TAXI.

A couple cool things I can say about TAXI:

A) They do exactly what they say they are going to do, at exactly the price they say they are going to charge you for it. There is no bull shit, no hidden costs, no hidden scams. If TAXI is right or wrong for you is your own decision, but there is no hidden scam, no hidden agendas. They perform a service, charge set fees and that is it. They do not take any percentage of any deals that they help their clients get, and there is no up sell to "premium services", etc.

B) The Road Rally is really fun and its free to TAXI members and a guest. Aside from a conference I go to on the French Riviera, its my favorite conference and if you take a buddy a long, your $300 dollar TAXI membership has just gotten two people into a really cool conference. That is $150 a piece for a 3 day conference, even if you never do anything else with TAXI. Its worth it just for that. I have made quite a few clients, friends and collaborators just by going to the Road Rally.

Some people make the mistake of just joining TAXI and hoping that alone will make them stars, which is not so smart, but it can be valuable for as part of an over all business plan. I personally know several people that have made real money through things at TAXI and I know lots of other that view the feedback and critiques as very valuable. I actually know some people who join TAXI just as a way to get people to check out their music and give them some feed back.

In regards to the screeners, they come from a wide background, and a few I am surprised they work there. Guys and gals who were A&R people for major labels. big publishers and hit songwriters. I am sure that 100% of the screeners may not come from that pedigree, but my manager who works there, before she started her own management company worked for Atlantic, Interscope publishing, and several management companies with major label rosters.

In case any one wants to discover me and make me rich.... http://www.myspace.com/venetowestrecords

Originally Posted by rcm ➡️

I have a little insight into TAXI as a guy that has been invited to speak at the TAXI Rally a few times (I am not a member) and my manager is also a screener at TAXI.

Originally Posted by Tone Obsessed ➡️

That's Jenna Drey in the TAXI ad and she was a fixture in Boston. [clip] She makes a GREAT success story, right? I'd push her in my ads if I were TAXI as well.

Originally Posted by BeerHunter ➡️

Is the Road Rally always in LA? Same dates everyyear? Wouldn't happen to correspond to the NAMM show dates would it?

Originally Posted by zirconst ➡️

Matt Hirt, literally makes his living through Taxi. I believe he said he has made in the millions of dollars to date since he joined Taxi, with the majority of his deals coming through there.

Originally Posted by BeerHunter ➡️

It's always in LA though?

Originally Posted by zirconst ➡️

No deals yet, but other members I speak with regularly say that it can take 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer, to hear back from the companies your music was sent to.

Originally Posted by zirconst ➡️

Another guy, Matt Hirt, literally makes his living through Taxi. I believe he said he has made in the millions of dollars to date since he joined Taxi, with the majority of his deals coming through there. He once said that applauds people w/ the ability to get deals on their own and make contacts, but he personally doesn't want to spend his time doing that, and he needs a 3rd party to help. Taxi is that service and it works great for him.

Originally Posted by burst ➡️

Just adding a 'second' here... it was months after we were forwarded before we got a call from Columbia for our deal.

Originally Posted by 6strings ➡️

Yeah, but that ad is at least two years old, right? You're telling me that with their advertising budget, they don't have any other success stories they could show off? It's gotta make prospective customers wonder...

Originally Posted by Tone Obsessed ➡️

The fact that we're discussing this topic here IS FURTHER PROOF IT WORKS.

Originally Posted by RKrizman ➡️

Yeah, proof that it works for Taxi. LOL