Complaint Review: R.A.G. - Recording Artist Guild

Where SAG (Screen Actors Guild) is a federally recognized Union, a non-profit association, RAG is simply a FOR PROFIT company, that has very questionable tactics, value & associations - ALL for the profit of one Byron Booker. Byron was never even an accomplished heavyweight in the industry, just a small time music producer who had an idea to profit from unsuspecting artists trying to make it. RAG misleads them to believe they are 'like SAG', when they are completely opposite. For profit, in conjunction with companies like A&R SELECT who has massive complaints & horrible reputation in the industry, & RAG doesn't offer any sunstantial services. Discounts on health care that anyone can get on their own, 'digital distribution' through third party deals, & 'promotions' by marginal third parties with questionable skills & reputations. We were SHOCKED how faulty the company was & how they constantly hounded us to 'pay more, pay more & pay more' for silly gigs or theit SXSW 'floor show' that they had to pay Sean Combs a QUARTER MILLION Dollars (125k+125k) to come & speak for 10 seconds (that's TWENTYFIVE THOUSAND a second) & then leave PISSED! Spoke to him after & he was LIVID - hated the organization, thought Byron was a JOKE & asked his people 'WHO tha F*** was that?" & to 'never have me associated with them again!'. That's their big 'claim to fame'??

Pathetic excuse to prey on all these artists trying to have REAL TANGIBLE help. Just say 'STAY OFF THE RAG!'

An A&R person from RAG contacted me (Jessica) and told me they love one of my songs. Please contact us to discuss details. When I contacted them I asked which song they were interested in and where they had listened to it. She told me the name of the song and that she heard it on my Reverbnation page earlier that day and felt she could really help me place the song. I told her I would get back to her later that evening. I went to my Reverbnation stat page and had noticed that none of my songs had been played for over a week. I let her know this fact and all of a sudden she was no longer interested in talking to me. Of course in the first conversation she was looking for money to join RAG and promising all kinds of benefits. I later spoke to my many friends from that music site and found out that they recieved the same message claiming that RAG was interested in one of thier songs. A while back I got an email from A&R Select saying the exact same thing about one of my songs and wanting me to give them $699 to make a better recording. Now I see the two companies are some how connected. These made up companies pray on unknowing independent artists and are money making SCAMS!

When you have to 'SELL TICKETS' to an event THAT is 'PAY TO PLAY'. The 'Guild' is a sly way of attempting to present RAG as a 'Nonprofit Association' for altruistic reasons, when it is a FOR PROFIT Company out to benefit Byron Booker. It is misleading those to believe it is similar to SAG or SWG, clearly different types of organizations.

So CINSAY has been there a year, so what, it's still overpriced T-Shirts & merch that pay a small fraction of the cost back to the selling artist. A LOSE-LOSE situation, the fan gets bilked for overpriced items (hoping to support the artist) & the CINSAY & RAG get the LIONSHARE of the fees paid. Nothing better than an artist can do on their own with a TON of companies, & don't need to pay 'membership fees' for that.

He didn't address THE FACTS their main Film/TV placement company A&R SELECT has TONS of complaints of Artists getting RIPPED OFF & mislead, with reams of complaining artists! The FEW placements mentioned is a 'drop in the bucket' of fees artists were charged, a fraction of what they might have 'earned'.

The Whole RAG concept is misleading, artists thinking they have 'joined some union or association' like the MUSICIANS UNION or SCREEN ACTORS GUILD. The minimal services they provided for my steep costs we paid for 'membership' don't equate. we can get SUPERIOR SERVICES for LESS with MORE FLEXIBILITY & don't get charged every month to be a 'member', that really does't mean ANYTHING to the REAL MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY! We say 'GET OFF THE RAG!'

I'd like to first mention a few key points. One is that Cinsay is full a partner with is us for over a year. Here is a press release going over this: 

prweb.com/releases/2012/12/prweb10230111.htm

It is also important to note that we have had absolutely zero negative complaints in all our years in business helping artists.

We successfully booked over 45 artists and bands at this past SXSW and had Sean "Diddy" Combs hosting our event. We will be booking more than that for 2014 SXSW. We already have a venue locked in and have began booking our artists. 

Here is a press release going over Sean "Diddy" Combs hosting our even at this past SXSW: prweb.com/releases/2013/2/prweb10444552.htm

We have also had our artists placed into major motion pictures along with much more in film & TV, and have run plenty of successfull radio campaigns with our artists. 

Here is a company we work with to acheive opportunity for our artists for film & TV placements:

mechanismmedia.com/publishing.html

Although it is sad to see a negative review after working so hard for our artists, these things are bound to happen at least once I suppose.

On one more final note, all members of The Recording Artists Guild can book gigs with us at our showcases, or venues without paying to play. We have never booked any of our artists at showcases, gigs, or SXSW and had them pay to play. As a matter of fact the artists that played at our event at SXSW "Rags 2 Riches" hosted by P-Diddy, got payed. 

I do not know who the person is who posted the negative comment here since they do not state thier name, email, or any contact info. There is no actual proof this person is even a client with us at all. 

We will be very happy to help them of course and get any matter resolved that may exist.

 I look forward to continued success with our aritsts and bands now and in the future.

-Byron