WHY DO WE USE TAXI?!!!

[nosal]

Are there better alternatives? Why should we be expected to pay $300.00 a year for a Taxi Membership and $50.00 for a BroadJam Account. I've been reading plenty of stories latley of people who found just as much success on MySpace with a FREE MySpace Music account. So I don't see why it's worth all the hassle of using Taxi and waiting for listings to end and waiting months. These people, granted their stuff is good enough. Have gotten Major A&R offers in as little as a matter of weeks. So before you sign up for Taxi, I suggest you read this:http://www.news.com.au/sundayheraldsun/s....your browser:)]- "Her career started at MySpace, the web's networking powerhouse. Last year, Allen posted three tracks to MySpace and soon had 1.5 million people streaming her tunes and 30,000 registered as friends."http://computer.howstuffworks.com/myspace3.htm ]- "My Chemical Romance and Arctic Monkeys have developed huge followings and garnered record-label attention via the Internet and MySpace in particular. Through Web-based "guerilla marketing" techniques, the Arctic Monkeys released a single that landed at No. 1 on the UK Music Chart before the band's debut album even hit the shelves. My Chemical Romance has sold more than 1 million copies of its 2004 debut CD, and Hawthorne Heights has sold more than a half-million copies of its debut CD released the same year. All of these bands are now signed with record labels, but they'd built a tremendous fanbase on the Internet (and sold a lot of CDs) before they negotiated contracts, giving them significantly more leverage than an artist with a small local following who's discovered by an A&R rep at a gig."http://weblogs.jupiterresearch.com/anal ... 14798.html - "The gigs were webcast live and a first night audience of 60 peaked a few days later with a international audience of 162,000. Before she knew it she was getting sent free guitars from would be sponsors and ultimately landed a deal with Sony BMG’s RCA."COST OF THESE METHODS: FREE OF CHARGE!This is one of many success stories you can find via Google about who free sevices such as MySpace have gotten people free record deals free of the hassles and waiting periods of Taxi.Honestly Taxi seems like an honest cause whose primary interest is to provide optimal service and with that make optimal profit. For example, why does their 'Discouragment Fee' as Michael likes to call it have to be $5.00 a song. Why not just $5.00 a listing? or even $1.00 or $2.00 a song. Moreover, on top of that your expected to pay $300.00 for a service and $50.00 for a BroadJam Accout which is just not fair to the average person. And then there's all the other wonderful fees for any other little service you want I.E they shield certain listings from you unless you pay an additional $150.00 a month? (TAXI Dispatch) So I encourage you all to look and see that there are other means inspire you that don't drain your wallet just so Michael and Taxi can fill theirs. I like you am just an average person, and just don't want to see people taken advantage of because I find Taxi's taxing for every seperate service unfair. Don't feel like their your only option the internet is a massive base of people. And you shouldn't feel at all restricted to paying a dime.

[davewalton]

Quote:Are there better alternatives? Why should we be expected to pay $300.00 a year for a Taxi Membership and $50.00 for a BroadJam Account. I've been reading plenty of stories latley of people who found just as much success on MySpace with a FREE MySpace Music account. So I don't see why it's worth all the hassle of using Taxi and waiting for listings to end and waiting months. These people, granted their stuff is good enough. The great thing about it is that no one is EXPECTED to join Taxi. It's a personal choice based on that person's situation, budget, goals, etc. Since the cost, etc, is clearly stated and there are no hidden fees, the decision to join or not join Taxi is generally a fairly easy one to make. I'll have to admit that I never understand the posts from people who aren't Taxi members and have no experience with Taxi first hand, yet know that not only is it not for them, it's not for anyone else either. Quote:And then there's all the other wonderful fees for any other little service you want I.E they shield certain listings from you unless you pay an additional $150.00 a month? (TAXI Dispatch) Where in the world did you come up with the idea that "Dispatch" is a $150/mo service to avoid being shielded from certain listings? I can't tell you how far off you are in terms of your "facts". Quote:So I encourage you all to look and see that there are other means inspire you that don't drain your wallet just so Michael and Taxi can fill theirs. I like you am just an average person, and just don't want to see people taken advantage of because I find Taxi's taxing for every seperate service unfair. Well, thanks for trying to save us all but if I had listened to you when I started I would have missed out on having my music placed into both network and cable television as a direct result of Taxi. By the way, Taxi ISN'T for everyone. Duh! A friend of mine, Tim Reynolds, has made a great career not only as a solo guitar performer but also as a performer with Dave Matthews (he's on at least five Dave Matthews albums as well as about a dozen of his own and has done extensive Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds tours). He does his own thing and made his own success - he probably doesn't even know that Taxi exists. I certainly don't have anything discouraging to say about the avenues he chose to pursue his ultimate success.So what's the beef to you if some of us have had good success through Taxi? Dave

[matto]

Quote:Moreover, on top of that your expected to pay $300.00 for a service and $50.00 for a BroadJam Accout which is just not fair to the average person.Just wanted to point out you don't need to submit your music via broadjam, you can use the mail instead. In fact, you don't need a computer at all to become a Taxi member, you can get the listings mailed to you. On the other hand, in order to open and maintain your fabulous star-making MySpace music account, you'll need a computer...now what's "fair" about that?!!

[nosal]

It's not really that I have a beef against Taxi. I am a former member and I have had moderate success with them but I feel like they horribly overcharge people for the services I guess it just frusturates me to see them charge a membership fee and then all these other fees each time you wish to make any use of their actual services (excluding Road Rally) but that too is paid for at your expense unless you live in the area. I feel like they charge people far more than they need to and despite offering fantastic service that they are ripping people off financially.

[matto]

Quote:It's not really that I have a beef against Taxi. I am a former member and I have had moderate success with them but I feel like they horribly overcharge people for the services I guess it just frusturates me to see them charge a membership fee and then all these other fees each time you wish to make any use of their actual services (excluding Road Rally) but that too is paid for at your expense unless you live in the area. I feel like they charge people far more than they need to and despite offering fantastic service that they are ripping people off financially.Have you ever actually been to Taxi's offices and seen what goes on there? Do you know how much it costs to hire screeners that are top music business pros? Do you know the size of Taxi's staff? Do you have any idea how much money it costs to put together the Road Rally?Taxi has been in business for over ten years and has not raised the membership or submission fees once. Do you know of any other goods or services that still cost the same they did 10 years ago?You call Taxi a "fantastic service", but also a "rip off" in the same sentence. Well...it's either one or the other. You can't compare Taxi to MySpace. MySpace does not provide any services to musicians other than webspace. If you wanna compare Taxi's membership and other fees, please compare them to competing services such as professional tipsheets. You'll find they are generally as much money as Taxi, but provide a lot less in terms of service.matto