solo4652 Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 (edited) Three of my friends have put together a band, and an associated website. When I looked at the website I was immediately concerned and suspicious: 1. The person singing on the audio files has nothing to do with the band. 2. Of the three people pictured on the website, only one is in the band. I have no idea who the other two are. 3. There are a number of "gigs" being advertised in the form of event posters with the band's name on them. On closer inspection, these are fraudulent - the band's name has been digitally added to the posters in place of a band that is actually booked. Being cautious, I checked with the event organisers and my friends' band has definitely not been booked for the events. I sent a very carefully worded email to my friends accusing them of nothing. I asked who was singing on the audio samples and I pointed out that there seemed to be a mismatch between the posters on the band's website and the events' own posters, adding "I'm not sure what's happened there..." The reply I received confirmed that the audio samples were not of the band and that the posters were false; "Haha - well spotted, Steve! We put the website together in a hurry and the content is temporary - we'll put our own stuff on there as soon as we can". Good, I thought - they now know it's been spotted and they'll do something about it. That was a week ago. Today the the band has advertised themselves on a gig-source portal with the website completely unaltered. Given that I know for certain that it is, at best, misleading and, at worse, fraudulent, what's the best thing to do? Ignore it because it's none of my business? Contact the band again privately and say something like "It might be a good idea to have another think about the website contents in case anybody finds out that the important information is false..."? Report the band and its website as fraudulent to the gig-source portal? Steve Edited April 6, 2013 by solo4652 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Leave it. They'll put their own stuff up when they're ready. What's the worst that could happen anyway; might even lead to some comedy at their expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 [quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1365259612' post='2037342'] ....Given that I know for certain that it is, at best, misleading and, at worse, fraudulent, what's the best thing to do?.... [/quote] What is it to do with you? Are you the internet Police or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 You've done your bit. Sit back & watch what happens. If they get a gig, go to it (it could make a great post on here). I know someone who advertised their cupcake business with pics of someone elses cakes for about a year. Folk saw her cakes & she now only has pics of her cakes (& she did improve). She used pics off of the web as she didn't have any good pics of her cakes (& no, it wasn't my wife ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I wouldn't do anything... there is so much bluff in these sorts of things that all it does it get them gigs that they potentially can't deliver on... This may be tacky but bands live and die by live perforfmances and if you can't cut it, you'll get found out anyway, soon enough. If they are perceived as having people over, then that will cause far more long term damage. People in the business ..what ever level that is...talk, pubs talk to pubs etc etc ....so they will be found out and it is very hard to recover from. Getting a reputation is one thing..but getting a bad one is pretty much terminal...IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1365260741' post='2037363'] What is it to do with you? Are you the internet Police or something? [/quote] Exactly, it's a crime to impersonate an Internet Police Officer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou24d53 Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1365262222' post='2037378'] You've done your bit. Sit back & watch what happens. If they get a gig, go to it [/quote] And video it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Actually , this is a good thread. You must go to their first gig. You've done your bit. Leave it now, like everyone has said. Do a you tube clip, and post it on here;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Post the bands details and the events and get people to email them saying how much they're looking forward to the gig....that'll put them in a predicament Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I used to be in a band with a really good fiddler. He told me the story of how one of his previous bands got loads of gigs on the strength of a demo that had been recorded before he joined the band. When he was played the demo he thought it sounded not only good, but quite familiar. Indeed, Fairport Conventions 1974 "live" album does sound quite good.... He's a good fiddler, but he's no Dave Swarbrick! He left the band shortly afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Yes, leave them alone to fail spectacularly. These guys sound like they`re trying to deliberately deceive, and they`ll get caught out easily. Sit back and snigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 If a band send posters with someone else's faces on, in advance of a show, it's a bit dumb. They should get their own proper content together. As for the sound side of it, they will either get away with it, sail through it, or fall flat on their faces, dependent on if they are as good as any recordings they have put round. Mind you, (off the top of my head) the Bay City Rollers did quite ok out of not exactly being honest about who played on the recordings - not the first and not the last. I wouldn't exactly call what they've done 'fraudulent', just really ill-advised. The people who book them and turn up to the shows based on what they've seen and heard will certainly spot the differences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 (edited) this is one of our posters , it was a special outdoor photoshop gig , I think the only thing in common is that the gig was in our home town . [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16408931@N03/8626365613/"][/url] there is a white bit at the bottom to write the gig details in , my avatar is our Okkams Razor World Tour bus I am sure there is nothing sinister behind a bit of exagerrated promotion [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16408931@N03/8626365613/"]A3 flyer[/url] by [url="http://www.flickr.com/people/16408931@N03/"]kevin.ahern[/url], on Flickr Edited April 7, 2013 by lurksalot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 you already said your bit, now let it be. It's not your concern anymore. I would not be in a band who does that, personally... but hey, if they want to be silly, let them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I think you raise an interesting point. Pictures are easy to get with a bit of thought and a few quid. Depends on the level of professionalism the band is after. Personally at my stage of playing I would be prepared to pay £200 for good pics. Others are happy with their mates taking pics and s bit if amateur photoshopping. But is simple to hire a rehearsal room and get some action shots. No excuse. Demos are different and an entirely different subject on their own. I think there's a move towards YouTube videos, live feed from the mixer with a few cameras mixed together. When I was in a wedding/function band we decided to get some packs from local bands to see what we were up against. The demos where all flawless and professionally recorded with effects etc. Very high studio production values. It's doubtful that any of them could possibly have sounded like that live. Especially as more than one of them had multitracked vocals and guitars. The pulic are swayed by the pics and the demos. Quite a few gigs are taken on the basis of the pack and more people are swayed by the setlist contents than the standard of playing. While people are recommended to see a band play before they book them, quite often they don't. My wide wanted a disco for our wedding and we just went with the hotel resident DJ. After all a band is a band, and a disco is a disco. Our sax player was p.ss.d off when the band she booked for her wedding, and she had been to see them, turned up with only the original singer and guitarist. Mad, everyone knows it's the bass player everyone dances to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Sounds a bit sad and desperate. Like they have no faith in their own ability so are trying to get a lift on the back of others peoples efforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1365342634' post='2038227'] Sounds a bit sad and desperate. Like they have no faith in their own ability so are trying to get a lift on the back of others peoples efforts. [/quote] I think it's just laziness. I found getting the whole band together on a Saturday or Sunday to record video, sound and get pics taken can be a nightmare. Getting everyone onboard, agreeing a look and which tunes to do is another stumbling block. A lot of 'musicians' just want instant fame. Which is odd considering how much effort you have to put in to learn your craft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Can they play? If they turn up for a gig will the venue be horribly disappointed? I know a few corporate bands, up here in Edinburgh, which have a rotating roster of members. They have A, B, and C bands. Any demos or videos of the band on the website will probably not have the musicians turning up to venue playing on them. Which isn't a problem because all of the musicians are of decent standard and customers won't be let down when the band start playing. It's only a problem if your friends can't play for toffee and they're trying to con people who are booking them. But even then there's not much you can do about it, especially if you want to remain friends with them. This isn't them is it? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjeMDvCdrtc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjeMDvCdrtc[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.