Independent Recording Artist Lawyer

Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson

California Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson has over 40 years of combined experience in California and London as an attorney. He has been ranked as “Superb” (their highest rating) by Avvo which rates attorneys across the country and has been called “Brilliant” and “A Legend.”

Most recently, Sebastian Gibson has been named a 2022 Top Lawyer for the 12th year in a row by the prestigious Palm Springs Life Magazine. With law degrees in both the U.K. and California and years as a performing musician both in California and internationally before obtaining law degrees in California and in the U.K., Sebastian Gibson is the independent recording artist lawyer to turn to when an independent recording artist desires to have full control of their masters and a greater share of their royalties than recording artists have been offered in the past.

A former music and lyrics writer, Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson also wrote a musical on the life of Shakespeare which he recorded in London. He is also a published author and represents authors, models, film and television producers, influencers, talent agents and artists in a wide variety of aspects in the entertainment industry.

Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson, The Clear Choice

Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson not only specializes in a wide variety of segments of the entertainment industry. In addition to representing models and writers around the world, Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson also specializes in streaming platforms, new streaming technology, live and virtual entertainment events, and trademark law.

Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson, The First Choice

Today, Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson also reviews, negotiates and drafts a wide variety of contracts in the entertainment industry including personal management agreements, talent agency contract, influencer contracts, model management agreements, film and television producer agreements, publishing agreements, book options for motion pictures, songwriter agreements, event contracts and recording contracts.

Obtaining Better Terms for Independent Recording Artists Than Record Companies Have Been Willing To Offer In The Past

Independent Recording Artists today can and are today, without being signed to a record label, able to have their music to streaming platforms and retailers by just using distribution services now popping up all over the place.

These independent recording artists are now the fastest-growing segment of the global music recording business. With the advances of streaming, companies today are willing to provide independent artists with deals that either take a 20 to 25 percent cut of earnings or charge a flat fee to distribute and promote the music of independent recording artists. And best of all, these recording artists can then retain full control of their masters.

Artists Who Have Had to Sell Their Souls to Labels In the Past

Without control of their masters, music recording artists in the past have had little to no control over where and when their music is played and have been left only with their touring income, merchandise income and a small 20% of their royalties.

In the past, and even still today, many artists have had little choice but to sign away their master rights to labels and to music publishers, in exchange for advances just to be able to live without working second and third jobs, and to pay such necessities as food and rent to allow them to be in a frame of mind that would allow them to create music. In return for giving up full control of their masters and publishing, they have been provided promotion and distribution services without which they could not in the past have broken through to become recognized by the listening public.

Making A Good Living In A Covid-19 World

Even without touring in these days of Covid-19, thanks to streaming and these new distribution companies, independent recording artists are able to obtain enough income to survive, create and record new music, while not living glamorously. The biggest advantage to taking this route in the music industry – they own their own music.

Changes in the Global Recording Industry

With streaming and the advent of this new and growing segment of the global recording music industry (non-label distribution service companies), record labels are starting to see the light and today, at least some of them, are offering much better deals to independent recording artists, including allowing recording artists to maintain ownership of their masters, realizing if they don’t do so, they may not be around in the future, or at the very least, will have far fewer recording artists signed to their labels.

What Will Happen to Independent Recording Artist Touring Post Covid-19?

Even before Covid-19, independent recording artists were filling 4000 seat and higher venues and were fast becoming a huge segment of the live performance aspect of the music industry.

Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson expects this to continue and to reach an ever increasing percentage of live performance revenue as independent recording artists achieve recognition and fans through streaming and distribution and promotion through these new service companies for a flat fee or a percentage of their royalty income.

Other companies and agents have also entered the marketplace just offering promotion of independent recording artists for a flat fee or a percentage of the artist’s income. Such contracts, however, must be carefully scrutinized before an independent recording artist signs away a portion of their income or pays a flat fee for what could be ineffective promotion efforts.

California Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson, The Right Choice

If you’re an independent recording artist with a following and are looking to avoid losing control of your masters by signing with a service company offering distribution and publicity in return for a smaller percentage of your royalties or have been offered any type of recording, distribution, publishing, or promotion contract and need an Independent Recording Artist attorney, call or email Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson.

Don’t allow your career as an independent recording artist hit a dead end before it’s ever started by allowing yourself to give away too many pieces of the income pie leaving you only with crumbs in return for possible fame and some hopeful touring income in a post Covid-19 world when touring resumes and merchandise can once again become lucrative.

Independent Recording Artist Lawyer Sebastian Gibson has over 40 years of experience in London and in California as an attorney and is one of the most acclaimed attorneys in the Palm Springs area where major music festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach occur, or at least previously occurred yearly prior to Covid-19, and where AEG will be opening a new venue in Palm Desert in 2023.