What does Napalm Records Handels GmbH mean? Who is in charge?
Napalm Records Handels GmbH is a type of corporation (a limited liability company) based out of Austria. Our CEO/Business Manager is Markus Riedler and operates out of our main headquarters in Austria. Martti Payne is an employee of Napalm Records Handels GmbH and runs the Napalm Records America office out of Austin, Texas. Can I submit a demo?
Napalm Records does accept submissions, but has guidelines, which we ask you to follow. Are you hiring?
Napalm Records Handels GmbH advertises available positions on this Site as they become available. How can I receive promotional materials from Napalm Records for my zine, radio show, Web Site?
Please send a recent issue of your publication or the outlet(s) that you contribute to for consideration. We do advise that we have a long waiting list and therefore cannot guarantee that you will be added to our roster. North and South American requests should be sent to: Napalm America, Attn: Promo Request, P.O. Box 153220, Austin, TX, USA All others should be sent to Napalm Records, Attn: Promo Request, Hammerplatz 2, A-8790 Eisenerz. I am a big fan of metal, but are not familiar with some of your bands and don't know if I will like them. Why won't you send me promotional cds?
We regret that our promotional materials (promo cds, etc.) are a limited resource and must be dispersed to reputable magazines, distribution companies, retail stores, etc. As you will certainly understand, the music business is a business like any other and requires us to account for our expenditures. While we would love to oblige fans of the genre, we are unable to logistically or financially accommodate the myriad fan requests we receive for free material. We do, however, from time to time offer a Napalm Records CD sampler free to our mailorder/online store customers. The sampler includes a preview of some of the bands on our label, which includes gothic metal, metal, darkwave, and black metal. Likewise we make mp3 files available through our Web Site, as well as other promotional information and graphic material. Should this not be a viable solution to your problem, we recommend you visit your favorite retail outlet. Most stores allow their customers to preview a CD before they make their purchase. Where can I find mp3s and the other promotional information?
Our MP3 samples are found in the artist section of our Web Site. In the future, we hope to make more samples available within the confines of our online store. Promotional materials (bio, high-resolution photos) can be found in the A&R section of our Web Site for use in print media, fan pages, and any other forms of promotional activity benefiting NAPALM RECORDS and its artists. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium is permitted for promotional use only. Copyright remains sole property of NAPALM RECORDS Handels GmbH. All rights reserved worlwide. What is your position on the MP3 format and their availability on the Net?
While Napalm Records Handels GmbH recognizes the potential of this media and the Internet in helping a band achieve notoriety, they have also realized its very negative side. Please keep in mind that artists live off of band royalties, which account for a small percentage of the retail cost of each CD (production/marketing costs and middlemen combined take the larger percentage). They also have to meet certain sales requirements to continue their business relationship with their record label. Every time a fan downloads the album from the Net, they are doing the band and themselves a huge disfavor. Not only is the quality of the product compromised (not to mention that you are infringing on the artist's and label's copyright, an illegal activity which makes you a thief), but also the artist does not receive royalties, nor do they get credit for an album sale. Such repeated abuses could eventually cause a record label to drop the artist from their roster for insufficient sales. Should this happen, the artist will no longer be able to make their music so easily available, and the fans will no longer be able to obtain it...not even for free. If you have downloaded an artist's CD from the Internet and have not bought the product as a result because it just wasn't your thing, please consider deleting the files. Please do not redistribute them. If you loved the material, but didn't buy it anyway, please consider a purchase. I am starting a Web Site dedicated to metal. Can I use your mp3s and other information from your site on my site?
You may indeed make use of the mp3s offered on the napalm records site under two strict conditions. DO NOT link directly to them. You may download them to your computer and upload them onto your server, as long as you give us visible credit for the use of the files or text and provide a link (please target a new window) to our site: www.napalmrecords.com. You may not rip the CD yourself and make the files available on your site. If you do this, you are committing copyright infringement and could be prosecuted. If you are a fan of one of our bands and want to let the world know, there are better ways to do this than making yourself a criminal. Why can't I just link the files directly?
The reason we do not condone directly linking is most importantly related to bandwidth issues, but also because the mp3s we offer are constantly changing. What do you mean bandwidth issues?
Bandwidth refers to the amount of data transferred from a website to a user's computer. When you view a webpage, you are using a part of that site's data transfer quota to display the files. Since web hosts charge based on the amount of data transferred, bandwidth is an issue. If a site is over it's monthly bandwidth quota, it's billed for the extra transferring of data or taken offline. Bandwidth theft or "hotlinking", as it is also known, is directly linking to a website's files (images, mp3s, video, etc.). To put it simply, imagine your neighbor plugging into your electrical outlets to use your electricity without your consent. Now imagine receiving the bill! How come I can't find your albums in stores?
Each store determines on its own what it stocks. Napalm Records has good, quality distribution, so if you do not see the desired title in your local record store, ask them to stock it or order it for you. Why was the show for my favorite Napalm Records band canceled in my area?
Shows may be cancelled for a variety of reasons, none of which have to do with Napalm Records. These reasons may included, but are not limited to: Problems with the venue; Illness within the band; Problems with the promoter. Why is the show in my area 21 and over?
This problem is particular to US shows. Napalm Records has no control over the age limit set by the venues, or any other stipulations. Logistical decisions affecting live performances are made by the venue and/or the tour promoter. Where can I write to my favorite Napalm Records bands?
Band contact addresses may usually found in the booklets of their releases or on their official Web Sites. We provide a listing of our bands' official sites in our backstage section. |
