has anyone had any experience with Taxi.com?

Dr Herb will see you now..

I had a good experience with THIS TAXI
(made me laugh to beat the band)

Dr. Herb will fill you in. Just as soon as he arrives.

Um, where did my reply disappear to?  Hmm...

I'd like to share my full experience if I may? I speak for myself only with what I'm about to say while knowing that Herb has had good results with this company. Anyone else that has had good results, my apologies if my comments here bother you...but I really think that all forms of experience can be beneficial to those that are curious about this company. By all means try it for yourself...but for what it's worth, here is my experience in full that I have shared on various forums past and present. It may be a bit of a long read, but hey...that's me. :)

Taxi has does nothing for anyone in my neck of the woods (including myself) who has used them. We ALL feel Michael Laskow and his team of "fomerly's" are the biggest scam in the music industry. There is no label that expects you to be perfect while shopping material to them other than indy labels that want you to do the work for them. Don't even thnk for a second that you need to have "record deal ready" material to actually get a deal. Though this is excellent practice for people as you should always deliver the best product possible, it's not something that will or will not get you a deal. Trust me on this. You'd be surprised at how it deters people away from even submitting thinking they aren't good enough and their quality is not good enough.

Remember, A REAL label can tell talent when they hear it. You think they want to use your crappy little recordings to release world wide? LOL!!! I got news for ya....I got pretty GOOD crappy little recordings and they still wouldn't use mine. They lock you in with a producer, they re-record your songs to their specs using their engineers and they make you sound like a million bucks. So don't ever think for a second you need to send perfect demo's to get attention. It can help paint a better picture, but as I said, these labels can hear talent even if its on a micro-cassette recorder. Just look at some of the sub par quality Youtube vids out there. The quality is bad, but the performance and quality of the artist may be stellar. A label wouldn't walk away from a star because they aren't production savvy.

I was with Taxi for 3 years. I submitted loads of tunes with good quality monthly. One day I was invited to take part in a compilation to which I declined. I shopped my stuff to 4 labels in Europe on my own using this same material that Taxi didn't do a thing with. I signed a record deal with it and it has helped me to survive quite well and I've made an incredible living doing music full time from the connections I've made from it all. What made the material I gave to Taxi less appealing to them? Why did 4 labels in Europe square off to try and offer me the best deal with the best advance? Easy answer...Taxi pocketed my membership fee as well as my song submission fees whilst throwing my stuff in the trash can. They never even listened to it let alone shopped it. I beg someone to prove me wrong and literally show me the proof.

When you go to the Taxi seminars where they tell you all about the insdustry and how to do this and that, each member of their panel is "formerly of" some label or some position. Why are they all "formerly"? Quite simple...they were probably fired and can't work in the REAL record company world any longer. Could Laskow really offer them more money to work for him than a major label would? Hmm thinking about it now, he probably could if the other million members are being scammed the same as me and my friends. Check out his roster of fine formerly's...you'll see what I mean.

Every person on his staff is "formerly" from somewhere. Also, is there one major signed act or artist that openly mentions Taxi as his/her vehicle to stardom other than the crap taxi puts on their page mentioning people you/I've never heard of? I'd like someone to find me one major star that attributes Taxi as the reason they got their deal, and it has to be written on the artist's page BY that artist as well....not just Taxi's. Again I say...I sincerely believe this is the biggest scam in the music industry in my opinion and I say this from real experience as well as several of my peers experiencing the exact same outcome as me.

The kicker with Taxi for me was, for 3 years I was with them, submitting to just MY genre...which in my opinion, I feel I do pretty well, I never gained any interest. Yet, a little while after I decided not to re-up with Taxi, I was offered 4 record deals from Z Records, Now and Then/Frontiers, Escape and MTM music. All 4 have/had some pretty big hitters on them....so, how come Taxi and those that reviewed my material didn't feel the same way? The same songs I submitted to Taxi were submitted to the aforementioned labels. Wouldn't that make a person smell poo? That was all the proof I needed. I don't claim to be the best writer or player, but man, when "extreme guitar music for video games" or "melodic 80's rock/metal needed" or "pop rock with infectious hooks wanted" pops up, I think I have a very good chance. I still have a hard time believing that Taxi passed on close to 80 submissions from me of this nature to where only one was considered on a lame compilation CD.

I'll never believe in them unless someone with the star status of Lady Gaga admits that "without Taxi, I'd not be here today". I still hold true to my original statement....Laskow and his team of "formerly's" will never do anything for anyone but themselves. I'll gladly apologize if this one day is not the case...but until that time, 3 years was enough of a waste for me...and as I said, several of my friends have also had the same results, all of which are great writers and players. All any of us ever got was a goose egg....and that's not because we aren't good enough...it's because they took our money and our material was never reviewed...it was sent to the circular file...which is the trash can.

The feedback "I" received from Taxi was 0. Not a letter, not a call, nothing other than "sign this document because we want to use one of your songs on a compilation we'll be releasing. You won't see any money from it, but we'll put your song on there with your permission".

Maybe they have changed all this now and give you feedback, but there was a disclaimer that mentioned "upon submitting your material, you may not get a response unless there is interest. Don't take it personal if you don't hear from us" or something to that effect. I never even knew if my submissions got to the right people. Each month that went by, another stack of songs for $5 per submission wasted. It was horrible and so were their seminars where they promised the big wigs that attended would listen to your material on the spot. Not to mention these seminars were pricey as heck! I never felt so high yet so low because of a company in my life. They nearly made me want to quit due to playing with my emotions and me allowing it to happen. Try it for yourself if you feel it's worth it and listen to Herb's success story then make up your mind. Whatever you decide, good luck and if you try it, I hope it works for you and others.

-Danny
 
*edited for grammar and spelling*

Not a problem Daryl. Herb's stories will be more inspirational. I wish I could have had the same results, but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me and I sincerely tried to the best of my ability in all areas.

-Danny

OK... here I is.... I have been trying to stay off the computer more recently.... its such a time waster. But I'm here now......so..... 

I have read Danny's POV and I do agree with much of what he says.... he makes good points, especially about "formerly with......"  why did they leave where they were at if it was so good or they were making such good money?    Many of the rally folks ( the session teachers) do meet that criteria. Famous has-beens.    But then again.. I believe that holds true across the industry for just about every songwriter organization that is out there. they started the organizations because they could not make it in the biz of songwriting, or tired of the competition and the dog eat dog day to day aspect of it..... 

Sure they had one or two songs on the charts maybe even a lucky number one hit... but since then, fifteen or twenty years ago, nothing even close to a chartable song. Yet these are the very folks, who, due to their one lucky mistake, get to sit in judgement of your writing efforts..... guardians of the gates if you will.  They have discovered there is more money to be made elsewhere in the music business. The only ones I really consider listening to are the writers who have 10 or more charted songs with several of them hitting #1 in their genre's.  And TAXI does get some of these folk to come and speak in their rallies.  In 2009 Jeffery Steel was the key note speaker and with 24 charted and  #1 country hits and one even on the charts at the time of the rally, he was worth hearing because he was still out there doing it. 

Michael Laskow, president of TAXI was a studio engineer with many famous artists.... for what that is worth to you as a songwriter. He tells some pretty cool studio stories on the artists he has worked with.  And of course, he now runs TAXI.

OK... my take on TAXI. 

I have been a member with them since 2009. I signed up and went to the rally in LA that first year and got to meet a bunch of the "Taxi Stars" including Matt Hirt, Dave Walston, Big Blue Barry, and a ton of other who are all making money with their songs to one degree or another. Some live on the income, however, most do not. I also met some top industry hit songwriters and had personal song reviews done, and I met the president of TAXI,  Michael Laskow as well,  and talked with him for a few minutes. 

TAXI can be a good opportunity, but it isn't for everyone. I will say this.... I do believe that the listings and opportunities are legitimate. However, getting songs past the screeners is at times an exercise in frustration. I have read, and re-read the listings, sat down and composed a song which I thought was perfect only to get a return..... many, many times.  I have also submitted tunes that I thought might not make it....and lo and behold, they get forwarded..... and signed.

As far as success..... I have had a number of my tunes get forwards to some pretty impressive names in the music and advertising business. I have had several of my tunes signed with a Major East Coast music publishing library which supplies the major TV and advertising companies...... but no checks are in the mail yet to my knowledge. Quite often, the checks show up one day and you find out after 9 months or so after the fact that your song was used in some TV show for 10 seconds. You get a check for $7.48 for 10 seconds usage of the song.  (Seriously!  I have seen some of the PRO statements that those guys had)

If... on the other hand, you happen to land a tune in a notional commercial, you can often make $3k to $20K or more... but those gigs are very very high bar and super competitive and hard to get.  But reading the TAXI news blurbs, it seems that it does occur from time to time. After all, some is supplying the music for Campbell soup and Lexis car commercials....Right? 

I've had music submitted to MTV for a popular show and several other places are well.... direct to producers....  not a peep. 

More recently, I had 5 songs forwarded to the same listing.... 5 out of 5.... that's a freaking record of some sort I'm sure..... but so far, not a peep from the producer of the show. 

The secret they say is to read the listing. the majority of the returns come from the song being "OFF TARGET" for the listing. the song is good, well recorded, but not targeted to the listing close enough.

I wrote Footsteps and Rainy Day specifically for a TAXI listing and submitted them. Both were returned. Comments on Rainy Day said that the song was so close to what they asked for it had to have been written for that listing specifically.... but the style was "ballad rock" not "Indy rock" like they asked for... other than that, it would have been a forward..... they would not budge on the "close but no cigar" style. 

Only you can determine if TAXI is right for you. Obviously, there are other avenues to getting music to the majors...... but they are hard routes to find.  

The music industry has such a high bar these days. Demo quality music will not get it. Submitting to TAXI, the music must be radio ready because what you submit will be the final product in the TV show or commercial. Yes that will be you singing and playing. But.... it is really hard to get that level of quality. 

As a final note on this post... I will tell you that I have generally been satisfied with the service TAXI offers and the number of listings they have is pretty impressive. You can look at the current listings on their web site and sign up to the free emails 2x a month.  As I mentioned, I have been a member since 2009 but recently my subscription was up for renewal...... I opted to let it go this time around. It was a financial decision that had to be made at this time. I have no ill feelings and if money was not the issue I would re-up.  Perhaps I can re-up later this year, but not right now.  I am also a member of NSAI (Nashville songwriters association international) although they are not  in the listings business. Just song writer's education and networking.... (NSAI is 100% membership only for website access) 

there are other song listings companies which offer this same service but without membership, at a slightly higher per song submission..... check around the net and you can easily find them and get on their email list..... but they don't seem to have near the number of opportunities as TAXI seems to have. 

TAXI publishes the listing for free to anyone who wants to see them. They also have a forum where anyone can sign up and post music there. It is not like the songs forum here...it is more songwriter specific and usually one posts the listing the song is written for so people can evaluate it in that light. Also, TAXI has had TAXI TV on monday nights now for well over a year or more now. They have music industry guests as well as live screenings of songs submitted to specific listings, and you get to listen in and comment and ask questions by chat as the song is played and comments are made my Michael and the other screener guests. Those live screening shows are pretty eye opening events.  It shows how easy it is to miss the target zone on a given listing. Taxi TV is also free to everyone who wants to view it live or from the archives. 

OK.... that's enough... maybe you get a picture of what TAXI is about from that. Essentially, it is an opportunity to get music into the TV & advertising end of the music business. Although they do still have a substantial artist listing area as well...... so that is also available.... but in there, you are competing against the best, of the best in the songwriting world in that given genre of music. Top notch writing and production chops are required to even get a forward to an artist. that song has to be stellar. Good writers need not apply.  As Jason Blume told me at the LA rally, "Herb, this is a really good song you have here... both of them actually, but here's your problem.... You are competing against proven hit writers and while you are a good writer, there are 30,000 good song writers in Nashville all wanting the same thing you do and they are living in Nashville, you are not. To compete with them, your songs can not be good or great, they must be freaking stellar, awesome, better then everything else that publisher/manager has heard in the last week to even have the hope of a chance in getting a second listen, let alone get into the short list for the artist's next project." 

Damn.... I guess that is the cold reality of the music business, but so freaking what? I will keep writing and perfecting the craft of songwriting because I love the process and seeing and hearing the results. One day... maybe..... if not, I still had lots of fun on the journey.

So.... keep writing.... keep plugging away..... look for every opportunity that you can find to get your songs out there if that is your goal..... never give up.... and understand that TAXI is but one avenue to getting to the dream. 

Herb, the cynic in me says that if someone as industrious and dogged as you can get nothing out of it after 3 years, it ain't worth the bother or the fees.

Back in the late 80's and early 90s I attended a weekly function called Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase.

You paid $5 (IIRC) to submit a cued cassette and lyric sheet of your song for the genre(s) for the night. Usually two "B" level producers looking for a song for their "B" level artists. Which could mean up to $10 for the night if you felt you had songs that qualified for both genres.

They typically listened to < 1 minute of the song. They made comments (good and bad, kinda like the songs forum) and either passed on the song or took your tape for further evaluation. I had three songs over the few years I went there (not necessarily every week) "picked up". Only one producer ever called me in to talk. My song was being considered for inclusion in a movie. It was to replace a song that the writer refused to change lyric at the request of the director. I held my breath for a week and was told the writer caved in (smart move for her).

L.A.S.S. claims Lindsey Buckingham & Stevei Nicks as past submitters of songs. No one ever claimed that their connection to L.A.S.S. got them in Fleetwood Mac. I'm sure it was their talent, not L.A.S.S.

I will say that based upon the critiques I received on my 10-15 songs I submitted over the years (many of which were rewritten based on critiques) I learned a bit about songwriting and how you can say the same thing in more than pone way (lyrically speaking).

fairy nuff folks - thanks for the input peeps

So don't ever think for a second you need to send perfect demo's to get attention. It can help paint a better picture, but as I said, these labels can hear talent even if its on a micro-cassette recorder.

 
I agree Danny. Your statement here immediately reminded me of Rich Mullins last album. It was released after his death. He was killed in an auto accident nine days after doing demos of the songs on a cheapo cassette recorder. He played an old piano in an old abandoned church. The Ragamuffin Band produced and recorded the record from the demos. It is titled The Jesus Record and it is really good but what is also really good is that it is a double CD. CD1 is a copy of the demos (I thought that was really cool), CD2 is the studio recording with the band and guests.
 
I have always thought that a demo really should be simple (the KISS principle). It makes sense to me to leave room for an artist who may want to record your song to hear not only a good song to be attracted to the song by what they can add to it... if that makes sense. Besides if I have to compete with Nashville production, I may as well quit now because 1: I'm not interested in that sort of stress and 2: I can't do it. 
  
I'm happy being a happy hobbiest. I wouldn't mind selling a song... but not at the expense of fun and piece of mind. I am old enough now to know I am not going to be the next "big thing", lol. I really should post a song, I know I have little chance of selling one but I have zero chance if I don't put some out there, huh?
I get emails from Taxi, I am glad you let us know your opinion. Hreb too.
 
J

I wonder what L.A.S.S. or Taxi would have to say today about the lyrics to Light My Fire by the Doors if it were just submitted...

Nothing less than master quality is required even for artist song demos.

 
That is sobering. Things have changed... The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know. I am not stupid but I really am ignorant about some things... living in the past. I appreciate folk here who share so much, so well. This is a good thread, a helpful one.
 
J

What kills me is that right now the trend in advertising music is lo-fi off key singing...just listen to the TV for a few hours and you'll see exactly what I mean.......... and still the screeners are shouting BROADCAST QUALITY.... 

Guitarhacker

Danny Danzi


For what it's worth Herb, I've always felt your production and words etc...were top notch at all times. Other than some of the drum compression which we've talked about being a bit intense, that's the only major thing I've ever found to be somewhat subjective in your stuff...which you have agreed with me on when I've brought it up. Even at that...I'd be willing to bet loads of people would kill to get the quality you get. . It's definitely good enough quality to gain interest and heck...even for commercials or film. I've heard some really bad stuff that's made me cringe yet it still made it. You can barely hear that stuff anyway other than when it's in a major part of a film like say Eye of the Tiger was in Rocky or the end credits where a tune needs to sound super pro.

But most times during the film...it's a song on in a bar coming out of the juke box, on the car radio in a scene that may sound all AM and mono then it may go to stereo and full blown production for 10-15 seconds...dude, you have more than enough quality in what I've heard to be accepted there. So don't ever get discouraged man. You're one person in my opinion that should never NOT get a gig based on performance or quality. You deliver the goods every time. :)

-Danny

Thanks... you're making me blush.... 

Heck, I'd make a copy of that and put it on your musical resume Herb!  Hehe...