Metal Postcard Records

Dear Jim

Thanks for your note

I understand Collin is your friend so I doubt much I say will register

Initially I did try my best with Collin but his grasp on reality with regard to a project like his left me somewhat non-plussed to start with and then his evident desire to get me to spend a lot of money on his behalf without a chance of  even getting 20% of it back made me finally give up

A simple timeline

After he had eventually supplied me the most unlistenable mp3′s I’ve received from an artist is 10 years  I said although I couldn’t hear half the music I liked the concept and it fitted in well with the aesthetic of the  label and that if he could supply me wavs / aiffs  I would then send them off to be mastered

A couple of months later the final mixes turned up

As discussed I sent them off to my mastering guy  in London who have used for the last decade with nary a hint of complaint from any of my artists

When the masters came back they sounded fine to me , actually more than fine . I’m obviously tone deaf because…….

Collin though was unhappy with them and to put it bluntly was I thought extremely rude to me and about my mastering guy in an email he sent me. And to brutally honest that really pissed me off. I have worked with Frank for nigh on a decade and he has always done his best to make people happy and get a sound as close to the artist  wants. But Colin’s comments were so rude about Frank there was no way I was going to let him speak to Frank

This combined with too many money related questions ( remembering that I told him in advance I didn’t do contracts ,  I wasn’t expecting any money from him towards the project and that when I worked with artists on my label it is a collaborative effort)  Instead Collin seemed to think I had money to burn  doing vinyl with complicated artwork and every part of the conversation there’s this sub-text that I’d be taking money from him

His project is a pure art based project and at the most may sell a couple of hundred of 12 Vinyl and a few hundred downloads

I was prepared to lose $US1500 or more on the project  because I like the politics and approach but for a man who who is supposedly  kicking against the pricks he seemed unduly concerned by what I should be paying him

In ten years I have only decided not to work with 2 artists.. And Collin is one of those two. And like the previous lot I had enough of I knew that over time what problems would appear.. e.g.  Oh that art work’s not right , where’s my money, why didn’t you do this why didn’t you do that

I have a pretty good bullshit detector having spent from ages 7 –18 in boarding school, working for some pretty obnoxious multinationals, having lived in many countries around the world. And I’m sorry to say because he is your friend that if I did everything he asked…. it was just going to cause me a lot of dramas and more money in the future

In the end I decided to cut my losses  having already spent time and over £300 on the masters – of which I didn’t ask him for a cent back -

Obviously he’s your friend and you’ll be on his side of the fence … and I totally understand that that would be the case.  If you wish to bad mouth me to others that’s up to you. To be honest I get it the whole time from tedious industry people because I run my label the way I want . It is my creation, I am proud of the artists I release and bar Collin and the other south london idiots I dumped 10 years ago every other artist I’ve had on the label works with me. Once I decided I wasn’t working with collin I haven’t mentioned him or his project to anybody else. Yes I should have probably emailed him but I haven’t got time to get into a pissing match. Also as I’ve not taken a cent off him.. I haven’t made him sign anything, I haven’t told anybody about my dealings with him  it’s not as though I’ve made his life particularly difficult.

I’m sure if his project is as good as he thinks it is it won’t be hard for him to get it released on another label

Yours Sincerely

Sean Hocking

From: ”jimorso
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:34:10 -0500
To: Sean Hocking 

Subject: From Jim re: NiveHive

Sean,

I’m writing to express my disappointment in your dealings with my friend and colleague Collin Ruffino with regard to his NiveHive project.  Until the last minute, you led him to believe that you were going to release his album on vinyl, and due to your unreasonable demands regarding mastering (which was completely unprofessional — I heard the masters, and they were laughable), changed your mind at the last minute.  That you wouldn’t return Collin’s tactful emails says a lot about you, and that you work without contracts is also suspect, as it allows you to play around with artists in a non-committal way without agreeing to anything.

As I put the two of you in touch, and you came recommended by a trusted friend, I expected that in your dealings you would at least be straightforward and over-the-table.

Due to the details of the situation, I wouldn’t think of recommending you to any bands/artists I know in the future.  I’ll also let Shelley know that she should think twice before recommending you to anyone in the future.

Sincerely,

Jim Orso