12" Distribution for Small Labels

[sam i am]

Hi all. First post for me

did a search but nothing showed up.. well, nothing specific to small labels...

I'm part of a small Australian label thinking of putting out a 12"

for the sake of this discussion, we can consider it to be our first release

kinda hard to know who will pick up a small label for distribution from here

(being all the way over on the other side of the world & all that)

can anybody recommend me some distribution services in North America & Europe that are friendly to new labels?

thanks in advance

[patrick bateman]

Here's how it normally works when trying to get into a distribution company with your new label:

1. Prepare the first 3-4 releases (on CD)
2. Do the artwork for the label
3. Write a little about why, when, who, what about the label, the idea, the people behind, the future and such.
4. Find out who and how to approach the distributors you would like to contact
5. Put it all in an envelope
6. Go to the postoffice
7. Pay the money
8. Let the postlady/man send the stuff off to your forthcoming distributor
9. Go home and wait.
10. After 1-2 weeks, email/phone the contact person at the distributor and make sure they got the stuff.


Good luck.

[PsyTox]

it's not easy getting a (proper) distribution contract these days. We contacted about a dozen before we found one that was willing (and capable, let's not forget that).

Our best contacts were with the dudes we signed with (obviously): Dance All Day in Germany ( www.vinyl-distribution.com ) but we also had great contacts with Neuton (Germany) and their partner Triple Vision (Netherlands).

Just a small thought: if you can, snatch a more "local" distributor, because you still have to send your vinyl to the distributor and if you have to send 300kg of vinyl to the far side of the world, that can get extremely costly. You can of course have the vinyls made in Europe as well.

Anyway, good luck with your hunt.

[Red Kite]

Very difficult today indeed. Many distributers don't except new labels at all, since there are already so much new and fresh labels around, unless you have really, really good contacts to certain distributors.

Considering this I find it rather a shame that really any label that "did it" now has to create at least one limited/noir/blabla sublabel eating up all the space for new labels, and then using it for exactly the same music they already put out on their mother/sister/great-uncle label. Completely ridiculous!

[sam i am]

it's not easy getting a (proper) distribution contract these days. We contacted about a dozen before we found one that was willing (and capable, let's not forget that).

Our best contacts were with the dudes we signed with (obviously): Dance All Day in Germany ( www.vinyl-distribution.com ) but we also had great contacts with Neuton (Germany) and their partner Triple Vision (Netherlands).

Just a small thought: if you can, snatch a more "local" distributor, because you still have to send your vinyl to the distributor and if you have to send 300kg of vinyl to the far side of the world, that can get extremely costly. You can of course have the vinyls made in Europe as well.

Anyway, good luck with your hunt.

awesome. Thanks. Exactly the kind of info I'm looking for. I intend on getting the pressing done over there by the way

[Thomas D and Jack Thomas]

I'd say go big or go home in reference to distributors. Why waste your time, energy, and passion on label project that a small distributor may not take seriously or can't cover a good amount of territory?

I don't agree with Red Kite either. Look at all the new releases these days, 90% of the labels don't even have 5 releases out so far. It's all new labels. Yes, contacts and knowing people certainly does help, but distributors will also take on new labels if they truly feel they can sell the music.

The part about sublabels is also bullshit in my opinion. Just because a label puts out some limited edition releases doesn't take away opportunities for other labels. A distributor can handle pushing ltd releases along with newbie labels.

I sense you don't know much about how distribution companies really work, or maybe you do, maybe failed, and are jaded now.

Sam I AM:
Check out the following distribution companies. Follow up with them like Patrick said earlier, and maybe something will come up. I know for a fact that companies like Triple Vision, Complete, and more are still actively looking for labels. If they don't think they can push the music, they won't sign it. If they can't push the music enough to break even, then maybe it's a sign to refine the music or just go digital.

Complete USA - www.complete-usa.com
Triple Vision Holland - www.triplevision.nl
Neuton Germany - www.neuton.de


Lastly, I would recommend that you handle all of your production business in Europe so you cut down on s/h costs.

[patrick bateman]

I'd say go big or go home in reference to distributors. Why waste your time, energy, and passion on label project that a small distributor may not take seriously or can't cover a good amount of territory?

I don't agree with Red Kite either. Look at all the new releases these days, 90% of the labels don't even have 5 releases out so far. It's all new labels. Yes, contacts and knowing people certainly does help, but distributors will also take on new labels if they truly feel they can sell the music.

The part about sublabels is also bullshit in my opinion. Just because a label puts out some limited edition releases doesn't take away opportunities for other labels. A distributor can handle pushing ltd releases along with newbie labels.

I sense you don't know much about how distribution companies really work, or maybe you do, maybe failed, and are jaded now.

Sam I AM:
Check out the following distribution companies. Follow up with them like Patrick said earlier, and maybe something will come up. I know for a fact that companies like Triple Vision, Complete, and more are still actively looking for labels. If they don't think they can push the music, they won't sign it. If they can't push the music enough to break even, then maybe it's a sign to refine the music or just go digital.

Complete USA - www.complete-usa.com
Triple Vision Holland - www.triplevision.nl
Neuton Germany - www.neuton.de


Lastly, I would recommend that you handle all of your production business in Europe so you cut down on s/h costs.

Agreed on this one.

[sam i am]

I'd say go big or go home in reference to distributors. Why waste your time, energy, and passion on label project that a small distributor may not take seriously or can't cover a good amount of territory?

I don't agree with Red Kite either. Look at all the new releases these days, 90% of the labels don't even have 5 releases out so far. It's all new labels. Yes, contacts and knowing people certainly does help, but distributors will also take on new labels if they truly feel they can sell the music.

The part about sublabels is also bullshit in my opinion. Just because a label puts out some limited edition releases doesn't take away opportunities for other labels. A distributor can handle pushing ltd releases along with newbie labels.

I sense you don't know much about how distribution companies really work, or maybe you do, maybe failed, and are jaded now.

Sam I AM:
Check out the following distribution companies. Follow up with them like Patrick said earlier, and maybe something will come up. I know for a fact that companies like Triple Vision, Complete, and more are still actively looking for labels. If they don't think they can push the music, they won't sign it. If they can't push the music enough to break even, then maybe it's a sign to refine the music or just go digital.

Complete USA - www.complete-usa.com
Triple Vision Holland - www.triplevision.nl
Neuton Germany - www.neuton.de


Lastly, I would recommend that you handle all of your production business in Europe so you cut down on s/h costs.

again, awesome wooo! A forum where the initial responses to a serious, honest question aren't met with elitist, know-it-all responses

when you say go big though, is there a "too big"? For example, I contacted Kompakt they got back to me, but I don't know whether it's worth getting them to look at the label at this point or maybe wait until we have a few releases under our belt that will appeal to them...

as for the production thing, I've found a company that has plants in London & Sydney who will split the pressing between the two. Just have to find out what the extra cost is that's associated with that...

thanks for your help