An Open Letter to The Industry: Fake Record Pools, Sooner Or Later Youll Pay The Price Too! By Dannie Fut James of Impact Record Pool, Inc. With the influx of superstar-mixtape and mixshow DJs, legitimate record pools are in the fight of their lives for promo vinyl. The flow of promo vinyl into member bins that was abundant just a few years ago is fading fast. You say legitimate record pools? Fut, what do you mean legitimate record pools? We only service legitimate pools. Sit down, let me talk to you for a minute. Where do you stand on legitimate record pools? Do you service legitimate record pools or does your promo vinyl disappear into the black hole of fake record pools? You know the black hole of empty promises. The black hole of industry politics and muscle where promo vinyl is exchanged for favors, a la detections/spins. Yes and therein lies the problem. Legitimate pools are being short serviced or not at all because of fake record pools and their perceived political muscle. Whos faking you out for service? A closer look reveals certain mixshow, superstar, street and/or mixtape DJs. Most are legends in their own minds flexing their perceived political muscle by requesting or in some cases demanding a quantity of promo vinyl in exchange for an empty or perceived promise of product exposure via detections/spins. End of story? No way, most if not all of that promo vinyl finds its way to local and/or international retail bins for sale. Who takes the blame. Legitimate record pools take the blame. Why should we? Recently on a major label record pool conference call I asked the following, What percentage of promo vinyl do you service pools? The answer, 20%. My response, What happens to the other 80% and why should legitimate record pools take 100% of the blame for promo vinyl showing up at retail? Face it, promo vinyl supplies are being sucked dry by fake record pools. Who suffers? Who pays the price? At first glance legitimate record pools but dont worry, sooner or later youll pay too. Whats the price you say? Your job! Sharpen your fake record pool radar? Heres how!!! 1. They boast of a pool roster filled from top to bottom with so-called Superstar DJs. 2. Listed phone number is a pager or voice mail system. 3. Who/what is the response when the pool inquired about to other labels? 4. Shipping address and/or business changes with the weather. 5. Non-existent pool meetings and/or pool sponsored events. 6. Industry veterans & Sr. Vice Presidents on down who have no knowledge of or business ties with the pool director or pool.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Jul 2014 10:37:21 +0000