Diamondback Records, Glenn Erickson Music/Song Publishing Rip Off Lahaina, Hawaii
I wanted to get my original music heard by a wide audience. I found this guy / company on Reverb Nation and MySpace. it never said anything about sending him money, only that they would put your song on a CD, distribute it worldwide and then I would get comissions and royalties from each CD sold.
I contacted the guy and he said he loved my music and wanted to publish it. I agreed, and THEN he mentioned the fee of $150.00. I sent him the money to some address in Hawaii. He was supposed to put my song put on a CD and put it out there for big names to hear, and send me 2 copies of it; all I ever got was a amateur copy of some home made CD that looked like he made it in his garage. I never got any proof that he ever made a REAL CD or that he ever sent it anywhere. what I did get was more communication from him where he kept asking for more and more money for what he called "Distribution fees", and the amount of money he kept asking for kept getting higher.
I wanted to believe what he said ( he was real convincing in his emails ) and I sent him more money, over $650.00 altogether, and I never got any proof that he ever put my song on any CD and sent it anywhere. All I ever got was some junk CD that sounded like an 11 year old burned it on the computer his bedroom. I never got 1 penny in any royalties either.
Now I am worried about this guy having my songs. What did he do with them? what if he misappropriated my music? all I can say is stay away from this guy and this company. they talk a good game, but its just a scam to get your money.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Chorusgal
Madison,New Jersey,
United States of America
Completely untrue
#2Consumer Comment
Wed, March 07, 2012
Cowboy Tom's alleged "complaint" against Diamondback Records is either a hoax or a mix-up. For one thing,
Glenn Erickson hasn't owned Diamondback Records for more than a few weeks. Not a single CD has been cut yet, because he just bought the company and hasn't even compiled the first set of songs. So--how is it that Cowboy Tom could have sent him hundreds of dollars and waited months--when Glenn Erickson hasn't even had a chance to put his nameplate on the owner's desk yet?
Could "Cowboy Tom" be confused? Perhaps he is thinking of the previous owner, B. Jeff Stone, now deceased. It's true, his CDs were of lesser quality, but I never had any trouble with Diamondback in terms of getting my songs out there. Yet, I think it's a hoax, because if Cowboy Tom really WAS a Diamondback client, he would have known, as the rest of us do, that there has always been a charge for having your song included on a compilation and distributed around the world. Why would any business take a stranger's song, take the time and money to record it on a disc, and pay postage send it around the world-- for free?! It just doesn't make sense.
Also, if Cowboy Tom had been a Diamondback client under the old owner, he have gotten the notice we all did about Stone passing away and the business being sold to Mr. Erickson--less than a month ago! It's impossible that he could have had contact with Mr. Erickson for as long as he claims--the facts simply don't support the case.
Finally, why would a guy who felt he was ripped off with the first $150 keep paying someone more and more money? Cowboy Tom is worried that his music is being misappropriated? If he were actually dealing with Glenn Erickson, he would know that his songs are protected under Cowboy Tom's own copyright and he would have received a comprehensive client information form. Glenn Erickson doesn't just take random songs mailed to him and stick them on a CD to mail around the world for kicks. We clients know there is a whole process that involves more than an email!
I've had a chance to get to know and even occasionally work with Glenn Erickson over the past years and have never known him to be dishonest. I don't want to accuse Cowboy Tom outright of lying, but his story is untrue--hoax or error, I can't say. I'm certainly confident that any songs I've submitted will be treated with complete professionalism!