I was checking out Interscope Records website and clicked on the shop link.  They have webstores for some artists who no one really knows or cares about because they all suck. The pussy cat Dolls store has like 1000 items to choose from which is WEAK!!!!!!!! They should add at least 500 more and add more size selections, at least 10 different sizes of each item….and a bigger warehouse to keep all this inventory in.

BTW: Didnt Bandmerch used to do the Pussycat Dolls???

I’ve heard that major labels are retarded in regards to their own business but they are really retarded when it comes to merchandise. They think that just because they sign Soulja Boy (??) or Prima J (wtf??) to a 360 deal that they actually SHOULD go forward and produce the merch.  Their mentality is that well we have 1000 artists wrapped up in 360 deals so we will produce merch for all 1000 artists.  You gotta love it! One day, after labels realize that not all artists are “merch worthy” (i.e not worth the time), even if they sell a million CD;s, i mean downloads.  First off, rappers dont sell merch. Even 50 cent barely sells merch at concerts. Thats why they have their own clothing lines. So having a Soulja Boy webstore is a complete waste of time, and probably so are those other stores.

Question: If a record label signs a bands merchandise rights,  can the label then arbitrarily decide whether or not to go forward and produce merch for them? Bands will start getting emails that say: We are sorry to inform you that your record got shelved and your merch got closeted.

I’m sure all of you receieved that spam yesterday that Bandmerch was moving their empire to Encino to be in the trendy cool part of the valley, but mainly to be closer to all their clients.  If they wanted to be closer to their client they would have moved into their son from Linkin Parks house.

I heard the website Pickrset.com got an offer to be bought by Live NAtion for $1 million. Pickrset.com is a cool site that makes no $$ but possibly could with the right investment as they have a cool niche. It would be a good purchase for Live Nation to help expand into certain markets and other niches but apparently they want to buy it solely to shut it down.  They are scared of a little site. Go figure. Instead of buying them to help blow it up and put a spotlight on the cool idea and technology they just bought, they would rather just push it under the rug.

Smartpunk is for sale. Asking price $750,000. $150,000 in debt.  They have a good brand and the site looks great. Not sure how profitable it is though.

Merch now sold to Sony/Columbia. From what I hear they sold the record label as well which was probably the lions share of the value of that company. Merch now is basically just like any old average screen printer that you would find in almost any city in the country so beyond a couple of screen printing presses and a few tubs of ink there is no value there. I would say Sony probably made a bad deal. But hey, at least now when they sign a band to a 360 deal they can say they also own a couple printing machines and some jugs of ink. Classic, my 14 year old cousin just started a printshop in his parents garage. Maybe I should see if Sony/Columbia would be interested in buying his printshop?

Looks like Paramore is fuming mad about now having any zip Hoodies for their headlining appearance at Bamboozle in NJ last weekend. I would be too since weather reports were showing it would be cold and raining 10 days in advance of that show.  When other bands were selling over 200 hoodies, they sold 0.  They should call their merch company Warner Bros Records, wait no, thats a record label. Actually Atlantic does their merch, wait theyre a record label too but they own Fueled by Ramen which is also a record label that does merch too. The band ended up saying Fuck It because when they called Warner Bros Records, no one there knew anything about zip hoodies and apparently someone responded with “Honey, we have alot bigger problems goin on right now than having to worry about your little jackets…”.

Manhead Merch which is rumored to be in talks with Bravado about doing a deal. Lord knows how that would help the merch industry but Bravado has their checkbook open and is throwing money around at anything that moves.

Cinderblock is still looking for someone to buy their declining business.

Bandmerch has taken a huge hit since the departure of Matt Young. All of his bands left when he did. That goes to show you that there is still some loyalty in the business.  If Bandmerch can hire some experienced employees there they may be able to not fall apart. Their employee turnover rate is ridiculously high and apparently the working enviornment is extremely chaotic.

Manager:  knock knock…

Me:who’s there?

Manager: my band

Me:  my band who?

Manager:  my band looking for their online store! You said it would only take 2 days to build it out. What you got for me?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

my email reply the next day after sending the webstore link to approve……….

Me: Knock Knock

Manager: Who’s There?

Me: When are you gonna approve the webstore?  I sent it over yesterday.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Got this response the next day….
Dude I need a few days to go over this. I will hit you with some changes soon.

Still Waiting…………………….

How many of these types of conversations will I have in my career?  Read below. Names have been altered.

Manager of a band:

are you in ny?
Me: san fran
Manager of a band: now my band said your girl has messed up stuff, i dont know what the fuck is going on, apparently they are going to have ”some surf/skate” company print, we’ll see, you should’ve stayed on that shit
Me: whatever
Manager of a band: xactly
Me: i dont care about them
Me: or your other band
Me: take them to some “surf/skate” company
Manager of a band: it shows
Manager of a band: you are getting too big !
Me: nah you are just retarded and no one knows whats going on
Me: ok so I will stop selling to Hot Topic too
Me: and we’re stopping printing for this tour as well
Me: they can figure it out themselves
Manager of a band: u serios?
Me: until you guys can figure out what this band is doing and get a handle on them it will always be a nightmare no matter who is printing thier shit
Manager of a band: i agree
Me: I telling you from experience thats the path they are on
Me: I’ve seen it. it aint workin
Me: Rita works her ass off on SAID BAND, weekend phone calls at 10pm from the road guy saying they ran out of shit 3 days ago. its fucking retarded
Me: same with Donald. It wasnt him
Manager of a band: i got it
Me: its like the person who always blames someone else and never themselves
Manager of a band: i will tell Rudy
Manager of a band: so no reports?
Manager of a band: yup
Me: every 10 days or so
Manager of a band: ill tell him
Me: he never calls me
Me: no one does
Manager of a band: haha
Me: not cool. cuz I saw that email from Debbie who obviously heard stuff from Ronald sayin shit about us
Manager of a band: right
Manager of a band: ill set him straight
Me: let me know if you want me to continue working this tour or not
Me: or if you want a surf /skate company to do it
Me: soo retarded
Me: I’m posting this conversation on my Blog
Me: I will hide your screenname

But they were wrong.

Way off.