This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/entertainment/7512591.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Busking for big bucks on Dragons' Den | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
By Ian Youngs Music reporter, BBC News | By Ian Youngs Music reporter, BBC News |
Businessman Peter Jones (centre) became Hamfatter's biggest fan | Businessman Peter Jones (centre) became Hamfatter's biggest fan |
When British band Hamfatter wanted a shot at the big time, they turned down a record deal. | When British band Hamfatter wanted a shot at the big time, they turned down a record deal. |
Instead, they decided to sell a slice of the band on BBC Two investment show Dragons' Den. | |
It was the most important gig of their careers - but their audience was not made up of music fans or talent scouts. | It was the most important gig of their careers - but their audience was not made up of music fans or talent scouts. |
Hamfatter were playing to five tycoons wearing suits and stern looks, sat in front of stacks of £50 notes. | Hamfatter were playing to five tycoons wearing suits and stern looks, sat in front of stacks of £50 notes. |
Their performance only lasted one minute, but resting on it was a £75,000 windfall and their dreams of rock stardom. | Their performance only lasted one minute, but resting on it was a £75,000 windfall and their dreams of rock stardom. |
After three low-key albums, grassroots success and, bizarrely, a top three hit in Austria, the Cambridge trio had decided they were good enough to shoot for the stars. | After three low-key albums, grassroots success and, bizarrely, a top three hit in Austria, the Cambridge trio had decided they were good enough to shoot for the stars. |
Although almost every act in the charts is backed by an established label, Hamfatter decided to take a radical approach. | Although almost every act in the charts is backed by an established label, Hamfatter decided to take a radical approach. |
The group had been offered a record deal with the subsidiary of a major record label. | The group had been offered a record deal with the subsidiary of a major record label. |
We thought it was far less likely to be successful because it was unusual, but far more likely to look cool Eoin O'MahonyHamfatter singer | We thought it was far less likely to be successful because it was unusual, but far more likely to look cool Eoin O'MahonyHamfatter singer |
"But the deals they offer you are absolutely horrific," says singer Eoin O'Mahony. | "But the deals they offer you are absolutely horrific," says singer Eoin O'Mahony. |
"I don't understand how any band can live. You've got to sell like a million records before you've got any chance of anything. | "I don't understand how any band can live. You've got to sell like a million records before you've got any chance of anything. |
"That was the point where me and Jamie, the manager, said we have to do this a different way. We can't go down this route. | "That was the point where me and Jamie, the manager, said we have to do this a different way. We can't go down this route. |
"That was when he came up with the idea of going on Dragons' Den." | |
The show, which normally attracts garden shed inventors with crackpot gadgets or budding entrepreneurs with dubious business ideas, had never hosted a rock band in its five previous series. | The show, which normally attracts garden shed inventors with crackpot gadgets or budding entrepreneurs with dubious business ideas, had never hosted a rock band in its five previous series. |
But Hamfatter took their chances in front of the Dragons - five of Britain's most successful business figures - asking for £75,000 in return for 20% of their future earnings. | But Hamfatter took their chances in front of the Dragons - five of Britain's most successful business figures - asking for £75,000 in return for 20% of their future earnings. |
"It was clearly unusual and quite exciting because of that," O'Mahony says. | "It was clearly unusual and quite exciting because of that," O'Mahony says. |
The band say signing with Peter Jones is better than being with a record label | The band say signing with Peter Jones is better than being with a record label |
The band were hoping for a bit of exposure, but did not expect to clinch the deal, he says. | The band were hoping for a bit of exposure, but did not expect to clinch the deal, he says. |
"We thought it was far less likely to be successful because it was unusual, but far more likely to look cool." | "We thought it was far less likely to be successful because it was unusual, but far more likely to look cool." |
The band faced the dragons for two-and-a-half hours, says guitarist James Ingham. | The band faced the dragons for two-and-a-half hours, says guitarist James Ingham. |
"We were allowed to do one minute of one song, so that went down pretty well. And then we got grilled for a long, long time." | "We were allowed to do one minute of one song, so that went down pretty well. And then we got grilled for a long, long time." |
O'Mahony explains: "For the first hour or hour and a half, we were getting dissed pretty badly by the dragons. | O'Mahony explains: "For the first hour or hour and a half, we were getting dissed pretty badly by the dragons. |
"But I understand that's completely standard and then they seemed to warm to us." | "But I understand that's completely standard and then they seemed to warm to us." |
They took such a shine to the band that four of the dragons ended up making offers - a rare event in the den. | They took such a shine to the band that four of the dragons ended up making offers - a rare event in the den. |
In the end, they decided to shake hands with mobile phone tycoon Peter Jones, who paid the £75,000 for 30% of their earnings. | In the end, they decided to shake hands with mobile phone tycoon Peter Jones, who paid the £75,000 for 30% of their earnings. |
We asked him to be in the music video for our new single, but he wouldn't Eoin O'Mahony on Peter Jones | We asked him to be in the music video for our new single, but he wouldn't Eoin O'Mahony on Peter Jones |
"In purely statistical terms, his offer was probably the worst offer," says Eoin. "But we just think he's a cool guy. And he's got some good contacts." | "In purely statistical terms, his offer was probably the worst offer," says Eoin. "But we just think he's a cool guy. And he's got some good contacts." |
Jones has not demanded to sing backing vocals or to take 30% of the groupies, refraining from using his investment to live out his rock fantasies. | Jones has not demanded to sing backing vocals or to take 30% of the groupies, refraining from using his investment to live out his rock fantasies. |
"We asked him to be in the music video for our new single, but he wouldn't," says O'Mahony. | "We asked him to be in the music video for our new single, but he wouldn't," says O'Mahony. |
Their single, The Girl I Love, was made available to download on Monday to take advantage of the TV exposure. | Their single, The Girl I Love, was made available to download on Monday to take advantage of the TV exposure. |
And it will not take much to earn Jones his money back, the band say. | And it will not take much to earn Jones his money back, the band say. |
"We'd need the new single to be playlisted on national radio for a couple of weeks and he'd already have made his money back on royalties," says O'Mahony. | "We'd need the new single to be playlisted on national radio for a couple of weeks and he'd already have made his money back on royalties," says O'Mahony. |
"It's a good deal for him. He wouldn't even have to sell any CDs." | "It's a good deal for him. He wouldn't even have to sell any CDs." |
The sixth series of Dragon's Den started on BBC Two on Monday | The sixth series of Dragon's Den started on BBC Two on Monday |
Their third album, What Part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand?, has been remastered and will be re-released in August. | Their third album, What Part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand?, has been remastered and will be re-released in August. |
And a new album, recorded using Jones's money, is almost ready, the band say. | |
There are many advantages to signing with a private benefactor rather than a record label, the trio believe. | There are many advantages to signing with a private benefactor rather than a record label, the trio believe. |
They will earn £3.50 from each album sold - more than 10 times as much as a band like Coldplay, they say. | They will earn £3.50 from each album sold - more than 10 times as much as a band like Coldplay, they say. |
The biggest bonus is that Jones has let them keep complete creative control. | The biggest bonus is that Jones has let them keep complete creative control. |
But even with the investment, was it really necessary to give away 30% when so many other bands are going alone down the DIY route? | But even with the investment, was it really necessary to give away 30% when so many other bands are going alone down the DIY route? |
MySpace myths | MySpace myths |
"People have been pretending you can get famous with just a MySpace page or whatever, but it's not true," says O'Mahony. | "People have been pretending you can get famous with just a MySpace page or whatever, but it's not true," says O'Mahony. |
"Although you can put good music up on MySpace, there are 100 million other bands out there and how's anyone going to find you unless you've got something special?" | "Although you can put good music up on MySpace, there are 100 million other bands out there and how's anyone going to find you unless you've got something special?" |
Hamfatter's main aim now is to outlive the buzz from the show - and make a bit of money for themselves and their backer. | Hamfatter's main aim now is to outlive the buzz from the show - and make a bit of money for themselves and their backer. |
Hamfatter's single The Girl I Love is available to download in the UK now. Their album is out on 18 August. | Hamfatter's single The Girl I Love is available to download in the UK now. Their album is out on 18 August. |