She poses as "sonymusicexec" on Myspace. Meet "Andrew."



Teen Using MySpace to Lure Bands to Los Angeles
By Brian Briggs

Los Angeles, CA – A thirteen-year-old girl posing as a record executive on MySpace has lured several bands to Los Angeles with promises of a record contract.

Members of Fonix Cat, a neopunk-country band from Kansas City, were the latest victims. They packed up their gear and headed west hoping for a record contract; instead they left with shattered dreams.

Ashley Morgan, 13, has used her 'sonymusicexec' MySpace profile to lure several bands to her Los Angeles home. Ashley was grounded so she couldn't talk to us on the phone for this report.

Fonix Cat bassist, Davin McLeod said, "Her profile was called 'sonymusicexec', how were we supposed to know it wasn't legit. I guess we should've realized she was a fake when she promised us free studio time and said she loved our music."

On arriving at Ashley's house, band members were lured inside with free pizza and Crystal Light. "How could we resist?" said McLeod. "She locked us in the basement and told us we had to play for her free. It wasn't that bad, so we stuck around for a while. Her mom eventually kicked us out."

Online band predators are such a big concern that the RIAA has created a website warning bands about the problem. The site gives a few warning signals that bands should watch out for:

* If you think the record executive is a "nice person" then you aren't dealing with a real executive. It's common knowledge that all record executives are assholes.
* If the contract you're being offered seems "fair" then you're dealing with an online band predator.

One record executive who wished to remain anonymous said, "I'm not surprised. Most of these bands are as dumb as dirt. They'll fall for anything. Anyway, most record executives I know are posing as thirteen year old girls on MySpace. Ironic don't you think?"

LINK

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Bill
Yamaha PSR2000

[This message has been edited by SemiLiveMusic (edited 11-13-2006).]

They might have faked me out, too. Hmmm, this story might be fake.

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Bill
Yamaha PSR2000

Freakin' funny...... LOL

That's funny. Come to think of it, a few record executives I've met over the years behave like 13 year old girls.

The one that stands out was the head honcho for CBS in London in the sixties who, while visiting a studio located above a shoe shop in Bond Street where we were recording, went into a hissy fit for us to turn down the drums. It was explained to him that drums, being an acoustic instrument, were not fitted with a volume knob, whereupon he fired our A&R guy on the spot and the recording never saw the light of day after that.

The rub was that the song which we received as a rough demo and did the arrangements for was picked up a few weeks later by Los Bravos and Black Is Black became a huge international hit.



[This message has been edited by renig (edited 11-13-2006).]

Bill,

Thanks for exposing that scam. I just hope the airlines will refund our tickets. I sure wouldn't want to be locked in a basement with a 13 year old girl!

Tom

When the girl met me at her door, she took one look and TOLD me it was a scam and to go back home.
DonM