Jim Sullivan Quotes

I guess I've learned that there's really no such thing as a bad label, there is only a bad contract.

You sign your life away, basically, when you sign a record deal, and if you have a platinum album, then you go back in and renegotiate.

The band cannot sign to another label or even put out its own material unless they are released from their agreement, which never happens.

The purpose of VEVO is to continue the tradition of corporations preventing artists from making money on their art.

I think, actually, I was the first person to ever sign a simultaneous video and recording deal with a record company.

When people who are songwriters say 'That's my property and if you give it away for free then I'll lose my incentive,' then, well, good riddance.

There's this thing called compulsory licensing law that allows artists through the record companies to take your music at will without your permission.

I'm the only girl songwriter that fights for a lot of things. I fight for songwriting fees, which record labels want you to shut up about.

We'll look at a bunch of deals that are being offered to us, and we decide where to go and continue on I guess. It's not too early to start considering our options with other labels.

Every time I release an album my old record company releases another one.

I wanted out of my record deal with EMI. They wanted me to record one type of album; I wanted to record the type of music I wanted to make.

I was signed to RCA to be a country singer.

I sold my life to Capitol Records; it sucks.

I was initially signed to a German label a few years ago.

Every musician in the known universe has signed a bad piece of paper, myself included. But it's really very simple. You're the artist. It's your picture that's going on the CD cover, nobody else's. Protect yourself. Get a good lawyer. You'll kick yourself later if you don't.

Sometimes you are at the mercy of record companies or publishing companies.

Our first manager really pushed that we not sell our publishing rights, which is one of the earliest things an artist will do: They'll sell in order to get a cash advance.

As long as you have a percentage of a song, that lasts forever. You have to study the business. Don't just be in it for money. You have to understand what you're in it for, then get your money.

It's hard for new artists to keep hold of what they own.

I'd never been paid for the first Roses LP - it was 2002 before we received any royalties.

I'm signed to Atlantic through 300 Entertainment [Lyor Cohen's label]. That is my only contractual relationship.

Once you're signed to a label you compromise.

I am in discussions with a label. We are talking about doing something.

There's definitely some sort of dissent brewing between labels, publishing companies and artists. A lot of it has to do with older licensing schemes.

I don't get involved in record label politics.