That's not generally what happens: you'd almost always sign the copyright in the recordings over to the label in perpetuity as standard. But I figured: if you have 10 years to sell it exclusively, then it's in your interest as a label to really go for it. If it does exceptionally well, then we can renegotiate. If not, then it makes no difference whether you hold those rights or not.
So now the band has the rights to do whatever we want with those recordings, without having to worry about previous labels or releases.
I mean, as it turned out, it's not exactly a Beatles v Jackson situation, admittedly. But, the point stands.
For a different reason this last week, and a slightly less positive one, the rights in one of my books reverted to me after the publisher went bust. Sad times when that happens, and it's tough to see anyone going under.
What it does mean, though, is that one of my favourite books - and one I absolutely put everything into - is now back in my control.
It means that all the times I cursed the fact that I'd signed what for me wasn't the best deal are now moot; that I can update the book (a biography of a very, very famous band) and look to see where I can place it.
Rights are very, very important things. Don't sign them away without really trusting the people who you're going to be working with.
A bad deal is way worse than no deal at all. I'm determined not to undersell myself ever again.
The work is what defines you as a writer, and many months of research, extensive interviews, years of honing my craft, and all the rest of it - that's not something I want to take lightly anymore.
There's no point in putting things out for the sake of it, and I'm not going to let anything with my name on it get treated second-best if I've got anything to do with it.
No comments:
Post a Comment