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by jonahTraktor7_Archive
I wrote that essay/article in response to friends that were asking what happened with Miltown and Warner Brothers.
It was not intended to convey any single message, but it was intended to express what had happened over many years, to explain why I made some of the mistakes that I made at the time, and hopefully to educate some in what NOT to do.
As I stated initially, we made mistakes with OLW, which couldn't be undone (mostly signing away the publishing rights) without a buyout, as a lawsuit would not have been worth anyone's time,. and I wanted to continue making and releasing music, without the restraints of Century Media.
A major label offered the money for a buyout, it worked, and then a new set of problems were revealed, despite the best intentions of anyone involved. Our lawyer worked for a huge firm in LA, but as with most lawyers, he felt that he had to protect his relationships with the label (and their revenue stream) more than he could watch out for the interests of our, or any band, no matter what he initially negotiated.
And the main problem that we had in Miltown was not actually a poor contract, but a simple matter of many varying viewpoints and experience within the band. We each made mistakes, based on assumptions, based on trust, and based on a belief in democracy within a band. None of those things worked out for us in the end.
I now run a very small label, don't sign contracts unless a band asks for one, and then it's just a single page.
It's worked very well for all involved, and it's still enjoyable after many years.
Thoughout my time making music, I've always kept a full time day job, mostly in academic libraries, except for those 3 months that I mentioned in the article.
-jonah jenkins