Thursday, May 14, 2009

There's No Turning Back Now


Hey 'Spillers! 
I thought it was time to explain the wee widgety thing thats suddenly appeared in the 'Spill sidebar. 
Basically, it's a widget that collects donations for our almost-named record label. 
By clicking on it, you get directed to PayPal, where you can make donations. 
Unfortunately it's in dollars - now, I've looked around and can't find a sterling version. 
So, if you are game, the best thing to do is, decide how much you want to go in for in ££s, then find a currency converter, and turn it into $$$s. Or if you're lazy like me, think of a number of pounds and times it by two! 
The money then gets submitted to the 'Spill label account, where it will sit - untouched - until we need it. 
If we don't raise enough cash, then the money will be returned. 
Donations won't appear in the widget straight away, because they have to be "accepted" by the Paypal account, so don't worry if you've donated and it hasn't shown straight away. You'll get an email notification once it's all final. 

You can donate as much or as little as you wish, as I've said before, contribution in kind will always be more important than cash (but we still do need some of that). 

Everyone who donates will be an equal shareholder in the label, and have an equal say in things. 

Please bear in mind that I haven't done this sort of thing before, and don't have a map. 

With that said (and I hate talking about money) it's time to establish a manifesto for our label, to make sure we are pure and lovely and to get some debate going about the direction of the label. 

I'll start off with an idea:

1. Our record label is not for profit, and any funds made are to be invested back into future releases. 

Over to you guys....(and I don't just mean the current four FIVE SEVEN! EIGHT!!!TEN!!!!! official shareholders either! I mean all of you!!) 

19 comments:

Abahachi said...

Not a manifesto point, yet, but the basis for one; I imagine we can agree that decision-making should be democratic, with each shareholder having an equal vote regardless of size of contribution. However, I think we do need to think about the voting system, given the, erm, interesting convolutions of deciding the name. Can I suggest, rather than simple majority voting, some form of STV? i.e. once we've had an initial round of voting, as for the label name, rather than just taking the one that gets the most votes (which may be only marginally more than the second-placed one), we go to a second round where we decide between just two options? So, for the name (going by current votes), those who've gone for Dondle & Spill or Spillcat then get to decide between Spilltone and Spillharmonic, and when we come to decide which of twenty artists we should record, the choice doesn't go to the one who got three votes when everyone else got one or two but to the artist who gets the most votes after the number of options has been slimmed down.

Or we should just draw lots for everything.

barbryn said...

Blimey, I don't check the 'Spill for a few days...

It's a wonderful, world-changing idea. I'll check my finances again after next pay day.

Anyway, let me know who's head of A&R. I'd like to send in a demo...

tincanman said...

Sounds pretty complicated, but I do see what you are getting at.

With a simple majority, the 'winner' could be one that got 6 votes while 5+4+4+5=18 people could have preferred something else.

---
I agree with the non-profit part. Can we add something about we will not undertake liabilities until the money has been raised? I'd rather not learn one day that my 'share' is a share of some debt.

-----
We might also say, picking up on Abahachi's point, that the manifesto is changeable only by a 65% majority or something like that.

Actually, maybe thats the way to go. Decisions by consensus preferably, simple majority of needed, and 65% (or whatever%) majority on decisions involving direction, money, who we record, etc.

Just typing off the top of my head

snadfrod said...

Well, it's certainly bumped up the contributions...

First of all, Blimpy, good luck. Its a brave move and one that is to be greatly admired.

Like you say, now there is no turning back (but if it does come to nothing, I'm with whoever it was that said the funds should just go toward a 'spill social...) and that might just be the best way.

As regards a manifesto, I don't know what I can contribute. Yes it should be not for profit, and yes it should be democratic. Absolutely. But it should also be realistic. Maybe, then, principle number three could be this:

Our record label is what we make of it.

Too waffy?

ToffeeBoy said...

@ snadfrod. Yes? What? Oh, sorry, I thought you were talking to me ...

Blimpharmonic said...

Good points ^^^^

I'm of the opinion that the artists we decide to release, should be those we can help to bigger and better things. i.e a band or singer we think is fab who isn't getting the deserved attention, and who would benefit from having a release behind them (it would also help if they're actively gigging, so they have a record they can sell at shows)

tincanman said...

I like the active gigging part.
If they're not putting out the effort, why should we?

Blimpy said...

I'm also thinking a split 7" would be good, then we only have to shift half as much vinyl for each act - as well as doubling the amount of artists we release, increasing value for money for those buying it, and halving the final argument of who to release

debbym said...

I really like the idea of actively giggling bands (but might that not detract from the music?)

tincanman said...

@ Blimpey
Or if we don't get enough £££ for a 7'' we could just do a 3 1/2'' for the first one.

Blimpy said...

@tinny - good idea!

@abahachi - the label name poll has nearly closed - what do we do now?

nilpferd said...

suggest more names.. I just thought of Spilled discs, or Spilldiscs, or did someone mention that already?
And Spillharmonic is sort of classical, don't you think?
Anyway, as far as manifestos go, I'd lift numbers 1-8 directly Herbaliser and Latyrx..

tincanman said...

well done peoples! 10 shareholders already. Love it!

One problem I see with Spillharmonic is it'll end up as Spillha if we can only afford a 3 1/2'' record, and I think spillha is a european unit for measuring flooding.

Blimpy said...

@nilp - top stuff - with that link by the way!

@tinny - i think the abahachi method will force a` showdown between spilltone and spillharmonic, but i might be wrong.

@abahachi -WHAT NOW!?!

tincanman said...

what's the bloody code for strikethrough again?

ToffeeBoy said...

The html tag is either s or strike (enclosed in the < > thingies naturally) but you don't seem to be able to use them on the 'Spill. Unless I'm missing something...

Blimpy said...

you can use strike in posting but not commenting for some reason

Abahachi said...

@Blimpy: yes.

saneshane said...

re: manifesto
I think Airside (think Lemon jelly graphics) had..
'Work hard, be nice to people'


take out the silly 'work hard' bit and you have my philosophy.. although I am not supposed to use the word NICE in any context - except biscuit - so a crap manifesto really.