I get the occaisional small cheque from the publishing side of my spec 'operations'.
I offer very selected bands record for publishing equity deals...
Less & less takers...
I blame it mostly on lawyers who would be embarrased to have agreed to such an arangement, even if the tracks CAN carry a band forward in the industry.. They would rather the band rot in their bottom drawer with a stale chewing gum, some staples and a few rubber bands...
But I had a good PR piece in Music Week (the UK's 'Bilboard') back when I started the publishing co. That was cool...Honestly, within the industry what I ask for is regarded as - 'fair enough'... But the lawyers......
Dey DON like!
I was chasing The Strokes & The Darkness - pre deals - pre management.. with this kind of offer.. (both rejected)
Here is a thread about a project I had high hopes for.. but didn't come to much in the end..
http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php3?t=2691&page=1 &pp=40
I will keep it up.. see where it leads...
The one project a year post above rings true...
There is an uber hip label in the UK that launches ALL the cool gtr bands.. a junior A&R scout from it was at my studio earlier this year, we discussed a band we were BOTH interested in (I had offered them a spec deal) the hip lable were hoping to use that band to get MAJOR finance from a big label!!!.. So.......I am frequently "on target", I just gotta catch the right wave...
I STRONGLY belive in folks with studio equipment acting as and BEING the NEW A&R departments of the future.
Go find bands - bring em forward & make some damn money doing it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!