Make a band pre-nup - Felix X Macintosh

Being in a band can be like a good or a bad marriage and high-profile as well as newer bands can face bustups. One million-selling band member has even told us he never works in fours, only in twos or threes to avoid people forming factions! So what can you do to avoid trouble further down the line? We spoke to Felix X Macintosh of Tigersonic Studio in North London, who has some really good tips on making a band agreement and avoiding a “slimeball sell-out”.

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Felix X is the producer/mixer/sound engineer and creative behind Tigersonic Studio and also the BassTronica record label Tigersonic Tracks. She’s worked with artists in genres ranging from Art Rock to Chillstep and Electro Pop, including Mat Fraser recently seen drumming with Coldplay at the Paralympics closing ceremony. Her music has been used in film soundtracks such as Gary Oldman’s Palme d’Or winner Nil by Mouth, and she has worked with tabla don Aref Durvesh for many years, the tabla player for Nitin Sawhney. Next up is a Celtic Dubstep soundtrack for a horror film and a Chillstep track called Candid, with Danelle Harvey. Felix also runs the Smart Women’s Recording Club - recording sessions, workshops and socials that support artists and demystify the studio process. 

She told us why it’s vital you get a band agreement, and what you need to agree.

When you first get together and you join or form a band that really “clicks” - it is the best feeling in the world. But this is also the best time to sort out what happens if things go wrong.

Have a meeting and find out what everyone hopes or wants from the project. It may be that you don’t want the same things - AT ALL!

And what seems like a sensible oportunity for one person could be the worst slimeball sell out for another! See if you can get some general agreements in place.

Hopefully everything willl be brilliant forever, and you will get famous, rich and grow old disgracefully together.

But a band is A LOT OF WORK! So here are my 5 suggestions for a band agreement.

1. How do you split all the work up?

If one person does everything do they get paid more?
Do they have more control?
Who books rehearsals/gigs?
Who does the social media?
Who pays for what?
Who gets paid when a gig/release makes money?

2. Who keeps the name if you split up - or one person leaves?

3. Who gets the writing credits on the songs?

If you make money on the songs how is it divided?
What happens to the songs if the band splits?

4. How does someone leave the band?

How does someone get fired from the band?
What happens if one member goes solo?
What happens if one member joins another band at the same time as being in your band?

5. Are there any real deal breakers for one member?

Like is one member late for every rehearsal and gig?
Is one member always drunk or stoned on stage?
Or never changes their underwear…..

In an ideal world this would transfer onto a piece of paper that everyone agrees and signs.
It doesn’t have to be in “legal talk”. But if you sit down and have this conversation while you all still love each other it could save the band later down the road!