Positiva had a system aroudn the end of 2003 where all the promo's sent out had a clause on them stating something like "may be recalled at a later date". IMO this was the best system for several reasons...

1) Positiva only send out promo's to DJ's who are worthy (i.e. have proof of residency and will promote the records sufficiently)

2) The recall bit is good as the DJ's cant re-sell the promos afterwards for profit (I.e. ripping the label off)

3) The DJ's will have to go out and buy the records like everyone else afterwards if they want it. i.e. boosting sales! Even though the DJ is promoting the record, he is making a living through playing the labels music, so i think this is fair.

all in all, its a win win system, the DJ's get the records early adn play them out etc, the label may get extra sales and any bogus DJ's cant go reselling at a profit.

labels like incentive in the UK do this aswell. brilliant system.

Same boat as spective

Labels are getting meaner about the promos because of the stupid fucks who burn their shit on to mp3's and they cannot stand it. Most labels understand that I'm not going to do that. Some label promo lists even for journalists and writers are impossible to get on, unless yer mixmag (which I might add gets all the releases on every label or Pete Tong). Some labels are just tightasses with everything they do. Mp3's is valid but the labels hate that and are selective and most labels have gone to cdr's anyway because it's cheaper to produce than vinyl and cheaper to send.

Well how can you get into this if you don't DJ?

If you don't dj or write, it's very, very hard to get them. Only the real big names get all the promos from the big labels or the labels that everyone wants on and they say they don't have time to listen to them all. Judge Jules pays people to listen to records because he just does not have the time. If you look at the Mixmag Writers, they are all deejays as well, so bonus. Put yourself in the shoes of the labels, they want more exposure for their records, so that people will buy their records and giving them to ppl who don't dj or write reviews or articles is normally damn stupid because it gains nothing for them. I'm not quite in spective's boat btw, I write but don't dj (yet). If you look in the ivibes.nu articles, find the article that I wrote about a new uk music service that some labels have signed up for, with their entire back catelogues. I can't remember the name of the service of the top of my head but Norman Cook's label and Darren Emerson's Underwater have signed up their entire back catelogues for mp3's to buy (think it was .99 pence) but still cheaper then hunting down some of the rare stuff that they put out. Some labels have gone to just cd-r's to promote their stuff because it's cheaper and the labels don't have it easy because remember it is a business and their goal is to make profit. Some labels don't even give out promos, some just have the main deejays under them, play out their stuff and they still make money...dunno how. Unless you can prove that you play to a certain amount of people per week or month to most labels, you won't get anything, unless you know the owner or something.

Oh, I did forget to mention one thing. Most labels like tcr and others do put a limited amount of promos out for sale in their store online at certain times. Still you get them before the main release, you just have to watch out for who and where. Certain record shops sell promos at times as well, keep your eye out as well.

i have a question.
I DJ right now (only with cd's though, once i get enough money i'll add on TT's). If i wanted to get on a promo list, do i have to show proof of residency? I do burn music, however i use it only in my sets in basement at home. i haven't done any outside gigs yet because i dont have enough cd's (bought kind), and i don't want to play burned cd's out of the house.

___________________

It has to start somewhere,
It has to start sometime,
What better place then here?
What better time than now?
--Rage Against the Machine

Labels are selective because let's face it, the number of web portals that appear at an alarming rate aren't all worthy of support. Of course the other side of the coin is that if they cant get the label /artist support then how do they grow.

Couple this with the fact most labels have majorly cut their dj / press mailouts (some from 250 to only 30 copies) and you can then realise how hard it is to get promos for free.

Many labels do offer a limited amount of promos (normally 150-200) at the 'Cool Cut' stores. These include 3Beat, Plastic Fantastic, Tune Inn, Massive Records, Global Groove and Release Records to name but a few, but normally the more established buyers / vinyl junkies snap them up as some of the stores offer to those people first.

quote:

Originally posted by Nell labels like incentive in the UK do this aswell. brilliant system.

Really? I bought quite a few Matt Darey promo CDR last year in London

Some cdrs / promos intended for press & djs do find their way to places like Music Exchange too, which is how you see limited promos / cdrs on ebay for crazy prices.