Legal advice on white labels

[ray parry]

I think you also need to get clearance from the mcps before you can press up vinyl. I know our distro's wont press vinyl untill we have filled out the the AP2/A form.

[John Clees]

there are only two things which can be illegal when you press vinyls

1. you use not cleared-samples, or stuff you dont have the copyright for.

2. you dont pay taxes for the earnings you make.

other than that i dont see anything which can be illegal. also a company in germany cant tell the difference if you are a one man company or a private person, they dont have insight into company laws form every country in europe.

also, it's in your best interest to start a company. here in the U.S. I think you can show a loss on your taxes for 3 years before anything is even questioned. I originally did a D.B.A. - Doing Business As... $45 registration at the county for like 7 years or something.

save your receipts as write offs, throw a party, give away free stuff, have fun and create a buzz...

best wishes..

[patrick bateman]

other than that i dont see anything which can be illegal. also a company in germany cant tell the difference if you are a one man company or a private person, they dont have insight into company laws form every country in europe.

Most distro for sure requite that you have an international VAT number (or nation tax id), so in my best opinion, the above is not true.

[Themis]

yeah i understand what you mean, but for example in austria you get a VAT number when ever you want, it doesnt cost anything.

the distro doesnt want to charge VAT they want to sell without VAT, thats only possible if you have a VAT number.

so a more accurate statement would be, you need a VAT number whatever that entails in your country, rather than you need a company

[patrick bateman]

yeah i understand what you mean, but for example in austria you get a VAT number when ever you want, it doesnt cost anything.

the distro doesnt want to charge VAT they want to sell without VAT, thats only possible if you have a VAT number.

so a more accurate statement would be, you need a VAT number whatever that entails in your country, rather than you need a company

Getting a VAT number means you have a business (at least in Denmark).
I would assume it does the same in Austria? Here you get a VAT number for free also, but using the VAT number also means you have to do accounting and everything towards the tax authorities.

but what ever.

[Themis]

i only wanted to take the fear, from engaging in vinyl pressing, founding a company sounds big.

in reality you get a VAT number and make a simple statement of revenues and expenditures at the end of the year.

so yeah technically thats probably a buisness.

[Cheaper]

1. you use not cleared-samples, or stuff you dont have the copyright for.

2. you dont pay taxes for the earnings you make.

I understand, but i don't use non cleared samples so it's ok

Given that a 300 units pressing with good mastering is around 1000 euros, and that most distributors will by 3/3,5 euros max a piece, can we really talk about earnings ?


I was thinking about founding an association. Here in France it's extremely flexible and it gives you a moral person and VAT number

[Themis]

just do it, if you dont earn much the finance will not care