Edge, Gritty, Frenetic... a la Beastie Boys?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 12:52 pm
I wrote this song "King of the Forest" for the listing below. Am I on the right track? Edge, Gritty, Frenetic... a la Beastie Boys? Mix suggestions are welcome as well as impressions of the mood, genre, style, or wheelhouse of this song. Thanks!!
https://www.taxi.com/devinwalker
Then click on "King of the Forest"
Here is the listing:
EDGY, GRITTY SONGS with Male Vocals are needed for an (up to) $24,000, NON-Exclusive, Direct-to-Music Supervisor Montage Placement in a TV Series. They’re on a mission to find a Mid-to-Up-Tempo Song that falls within the general stylistic ballpark of the following reference we got from our client:
“Sabotage” by Beastie Boys
NOTE: The Music Supervisor really likes the Beastie Boys' “Sabotage” as an example of what could work in this scene. They're not looking for clones, copies, or soundalikes, but they’d love to find something that captures the vibe, sound, and feel.
Other songs they referenced:
“Gamma Knife” by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
“Superbad” by Flux Pavilion & Doctor P
Quoting the Music Supervisor: "This montage sequence features two skeevy, knucklehead characters who go on a crazy meth binge (Note: Drug use in the sequence) and have a good time doing so. We're looking for high-energy, fun, frenetic songs that capture and enhance that mood."
It's notable that the references don't have a lot in common, so don’t look for a lot of commonality on a musical level. What they DO have in common is that they could all work well in a scene with a couple of meth heads! The first two refs have an undeniable edginess, and Superbad's lyric would be sort of tongue-in-cheek funny when playing while these two boneheads are partying.
They're not looking for great songs in the typical, "this could be a hit" sort of way. Instead, they seem to be hunting for songs that make you feel how sleazy, skeevy, and wired the two meth heads are in the scene. That's what the TAXI screener will be listening for, not how great your chorus is or how well your vocal is performed! If your song would enhance the debauchery portrayed in the scene, the screener may forward it, and hopefully the Music Supervisor will love it when he or she plays it with the video.
NOTE: The screener's feedback will likely NOT be on the order of, "Your chorus isn't big enough." It's more likely to be something like, "This doesn't sound or feel like it would work in this scene." The screener will not be judging the song itself so much as what the song can do for the scene. Please don’t send emails saying, “The screener only said my song didn’t work in the scene.”
Do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe.
NOTE: If your song is selected, they will need a WAV file version of your Song and one of your Instrumental - but not yet! All you need to submit for now is the Full Song with vocals in the TAXI standard MP3 format, but please have a WAV version on hand and ready to send at a moment’s notice if you get a call or email from the Music Supervisor. If you don’t have the ability to get your Song and Instrumental in WAV format and in the Music Supervisor hands within an hour after being contacted, please don’t submit for this!
The sync fee we were quoted is $24,000. However, our experience tells us that the sync fee quoted for this placement is probably based on them licensing a song from a well-known act through a big publisher like Sony or Universal. We think the sync fee will likely be lower for an unknown, independent act. We would “guesstimate” that the range for an unknown artist’s song would be in the $2,500 - $5,000 range. It could go higher.
This a Direct-to-Music Supervisor placement, so you’ll keep 100% ownership of your Master and Composition rights, plus you’ll also get 100% of the sync fee and any applicable performance royalties. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to pitch for this opportunity. Please submit as many Songs as you’d like, online or per CD. All Submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis by a TAXI screener handpicked by the Music Supervisor - Short critiques only. All Submissions must be received no later than 11:59PM (PDT) on Sunday, April 28th, 2019. TAXI #Y190428RR
https://www.taxi.com/devinwalker
Then click on "King of the Forest"
Here is the listing:
EDGY, GRITTY SONGS with Male Vocals are needed for an (up to) $24,000, NON-Exclusive, Direct-to-Music Supervisor Montage Placement in a TV Series. They’re on a mission to find a Mid-to-Up-Tempo Song that falls within the general stylistic ballpark of the following reference we got from our client:
“Sabotage” by Beastie Boys
NOTE: The Music Supervisor really likes the Beastie Boys' “Sabotage” as an example of what could work in this scene. They're not looking for clones, copies, or soundalikes, but they’d love to find something that captures the vibe, sound, and feel.
Other songs they referenced:
“Gamma Knife” by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
“Superbad” by Flux Pavilion & Doctor P
Quoting the Music Supervisor: "This montage sequence features two skeevy, knucklehead characters who go on a crazy meth binge (Note: Drug use in the sequence) and have a good time doing so. We're looking for high-energy, fun, frenetic songs that capture and enhance that mood."
It's notable that the references don't have a lot in common, so don’t look for a lot of commonality on a musical level. What they DO have in common is that they could all work well in a scene with a couple of meth heads! The first two refs have an undeniable edginess, and Superbad's lyric would be sort of tongue-in-cheek funny when playing while these two boneheads are partying.
They're not looking for great songs in the typical, "this could be a hit" sort of way. Instead, they seem to be hunting for songs that make you feel how sleazy, skeevy, and wired the two meth heads are in the scene. That's what the TAXI screener will be listening for, not how great your chorus is or how well your vocal is performed! If your song would enhance the debauchery portrayed in the scene, the screener may forward it, and hopefully the Music Supervisor will love it when he or she plays it with the video.
NOTE: The screener's feedback will likely NOT be on the order of, "Your chorus isn't big enough." It's more likely to be something like, "This doesn't sound or feel like it would work in this scene." The screener will not be judging the song itself so much as what the song can do for the scene. Please don’t send emails saying, “The screener only said my song didn’t work in the scene.”
Do NOT copy the referenced artists or songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe.
NOTE: If your song is selected, they will need a WAV file version of your Song and one of your Instrumental - but not yet! All you need to submit for now is the Full Song with vocals in the TAXI standard MP3 format, but please have a WAV version on hand and ready to send at a moment’s notice if you get a call or email from the Music Supervisor. If you don’t have the ability to get your Song and Instrumental in WAV format and in the Music Supervisor hands within an hour after being contacted, please don’t submit for this!
The sync fee we were quoted is $24,000. However, our experience tells us that the sync fee quoted for this placement is probably based on them licensing a song from a well-known act through a big publisher like Sony or Universal. We think the sync fee will likely be lower for an unknown, independent act. We would “guesstimate” that the range for an unknown artist’s song would be in the $2,500 - $5,000 range. It could go higher.
This a Direct-to-Music Supervisor placement, so you’ll keep 100% ownership of your Master and Composition rights, plus you’ll also get 100% of the sync fee and any applicable performance royalties. You must own or control your Master and Copyright to pitch for this opportunity. Please submit as many Songs as you’d like, online or per CD. All Submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis by a TAXI screener handpicked by the Music Supervisor - Short critiques only. All Submissions must be received no later than 11:59PM (PDT) on Sunday, April 28th, 2019. TAXI #Y190428RR
But, I did a version without the melodic chorus, just in case that might pose as a distraction for the scene. I think the two versions have different flavors because of that aspect being changed. Let me know what you think. I would appreciate any helpful suggestions for mixing etc!! Because after all, it is again after midnight, and I feel much better about the way it sits now, but my ears are tired. I spent all day taking care of the kids, and trying to finish these mixes. I know from experience that every new day I wake up and listen to my stuff, I hear things a bit differently. Thanks again for your feedback. 