refuogee wrote
And then final question and something I have been mulling over trying to flesh out, if a record company offers you a contract (and I'm not talking Sony records but more small DIY labels) does this constitute an employment offer? Can you use this to apply for a working visa? And sure this could also be different per country but my thinking is if you could find a willing label and offer to front the legal costs of them having to organise a visa for you etc that could be kind of a backdoor way of getting a band into a country and then sure you have to step up, work to make cash, be amazing, but my thinking is it wouldn't be much different to most bands lives here.
I should think that depends on the contract. Mostly a label acts to promote and distribute your material. For that to happen you could be working in Timbukutu or Gatsonderwater. If they offered you a position in a studio they own, on in their A&R department or something then that might be different. If the record company is going to guarantee you a salary then that's employment.
Whatever you do, and wherever you go, make sure the paperwork is handled by some competent party. I know of two young cricketers who had offers to play for a club for a season. They had contracts, the club would provide accommodation, the whole tootie. Or so they thought. But some form had not been properly filed (at the UK end) and when they got to Heathrow they were turned away and ended up with a two year ban on entry into the UK because they had tried to gain entry improperly.
Said ban can be overturned (and was in one case) but that takes time and lawyers.
