TAXI.com

I recently received an email from Taxi advertising these Dispatch listings:Quote:ALTERNATIVE RAP/HIP HOP ARTISTS in the range of Mos Def, Outkast, De La Soul, the Beastie Boys, Jurassic 5, the Roots, Common, etc. are wanted by the President of an Independent Publishing Co. He's looking for "eclectic, left-of-center" artists that not only have great material for Film/TV projects [the priority for this listing], but also have what it takes to succeed on the next level as he’s also seeking artists to take to a major/indie labels. Having a completed CD is a bonus, but not necessary. Broadcast quality is preferred, but very good demo quality is OK. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD, include lyrics/photo/bio. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS ONLY - NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXI. For ground submissions, please enclose a S.A.S.E. if you would like a response. As always, we will notify everyone via e-mail, whether your submissions have been Forwarded or Returned. Submissions must be received no later than 2:00 pm, Pacific Standard Time (California time), Friday, Sept. 29, 2006.HARD ROCK/ALTERNATIVE METAL ARTISTS in the range of Rob Zombie, Evanescence, Korn, Ozzy Osbourne, P.O.D., System Of A Down, Linkin Park, etc. are wanted by the President of an Independent Publishing Co. He's looking for "eclectic, left-of-center" artists that not only have great material for Film/TV projects [the priority for this listing], but also have what it takes to succeed on the next level as he's also seeking artists to take to a major/indie labels. Having a completed CD is a bonus, but not necessary. Broadcast quality is preferred, but very good demo quality is OK. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD, include lyrics/photo/bio. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS ONLY - NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXI. For ground submissions, please enclose a S.A.S.E. if you would like a response. As always, we will notify everyone via e-mail, whether your submissions have been Forwarded or Returned. Submissions must be received no later than 2:00 pm, Pacific Standard Time (California time), Friday, Sept. 29, 2006.MAINSTREAM/AMERICAN TRADITIONAL ROCK ARTISTS in the range of the Fray, Tom Petty, Cracker, the Black Crowes, the Wallflowers, Buffalo Tom, etc. are wanted by the President of an Independent Publishing Co. He's looking for "eclectic, left-of-center" artists that not only have great material for Film/TV projects [the priority for this listing], but also have what it takes to succeed on the next level as he's also seeking artists to take to a major/indie labels. Having a completed CD is a bonus, but not necessary. Broadcast quality is preferred, but very good demo quality is OK. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD, include lyrics/photo/bio. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS ONLY - NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXI. For ground submissions, please enclose a S.A.S.E. if you would like a response. As always, we will notify everyone via e-mail, whether your submissions have been Forwarded or Returned. Submissions must be received no later than 2:00 pm, Pacific Standard Time (California time), Friday, Sept. 29, 2006.Why would the listing party be in such a big hurry to find these artists? Gotta lay out next year's PR campaigns in the next 2 days? Andre

He probably just wants to hear stuff "right away". Some of these music business types are a bit impatient...

Quote:He probably just wants to hear stuff "right away". Some of these music business types are a bit impatient... Yeah, except when it comes to getting back to us composers! Do you know if Taxi decides whether to put these listings in Dispatch or in the regular listings, or is that up to the listing party?Thanks,Andre

Do you know if Taxi decides whether to put these listings in Dispatch or in the regular listings, or is that up to the listing party?Matto will correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is, listings go into Dispatch if they cannot be distributed to all Taxi members before the deadline (remembering that Taxi members choose to get email or snail mail listings). Dispatch folks are all on-line for fast response -- i.e. you have fully completed pieces in your cataloque ready to pitch at a moment's notice.H

Quote: -- i.e. you have fully completed pieces in your cataloque ready to pitch at a moment's notice.Not if you play "The Dispatch Challenge"! It's a phrase coined by another Taxi member to describe the process of receiving a Dispatch listing and writing/recording a song from scratch to submit for that listing. You "win" the Dispatch Challenge if your newly written track gets forwarded. Just another little Jedi mind-trick to keep things interesting.

Quote:Quote: -- i.e. you have fully completed pieces in your cataloque ready to pitch at a moment's notice.Not if you play "The Dispatch Challenge"! It's a phrase coined by another Taxi member to describe the process of receiving a Dispatch listing and writing/recording a song from scratch to submit for that listing. You "win" the Dispatch Challenge if your newly written track gets forwarded. Just another little Jedi mind-trick to keep things interesting. Welcome to the real world of TV and Film scoring (as I'm sure you know, Dave...especially in light of your fortuitous and well-earned Oprah gig)! 4 days to submit for a Dispatch listing? That's like an extended vacation compared to the generous 1-day turnaround we're often afforded in the Biz.Well, as that one guy on the Redneck comedy tour always says...git 'er done! Andre

Yeah, so far that's all I've done... "Dispatch Challenge". I think I'm at about 50% forwards to rejects. Oh wait no... the one forward that's turned into a gig was from sending a couple tunes I did in the past... but he was only looking for resume examples anyway.