WireonFire is not exactly a record label, but to Earth, Wind & Fire and more than a dozen other artists, it’s not only the next-best-thing, it may be even better. Why? Because WireonFire provides almost all of the same services as a record company, but without the 70-page contracts and the penny-rate royalties.

In the true indie spirit, WireonFire artists can establish the price for their music and they keep 100% of the money received for CD sales. That was not a misprint: artists get all the cash. How can WireonFire do this? Simple: they make their money by hosting the artists’ sites for a monthly subscription fee.

After everything is set up, WireonFire (WoF) provides musicians with a Web site, streaming for audio and/or video, e-mail accounts, mail lists, secure E-commerce, a Web channel on a streaming radio portal, and access to all the production services you may need.

“You get the infrastructure of a record company, plus a streaming webcast network, and you get it on a monthly subscription basis,” states Richard Howell, CEO. “We’re an artist-driven network, and we provide you with access to everything that a good record company would provide, but at a lower cost,” Howell states. “Much lower,” adds Randall Frank of the WoF Sales team.

Some artists praise the pricing structure, while others cite the convenience factor, with all services consolidated in one place: inventory, sales, shipping, event calendar, news groups, Eposters, 24/7 Webcast, and the always open E-commerce site. Artists receive a complete statement of all account activity every 30 days.

The technology at WoF is leading-edge, and that can really pay off for busy artists. For example, with all your “back-room” activities handled, you can easily inform booking agents, music supervisors, ad agencies, record companies, TV/radio stations, reviewers, and publishers that they can have instant access to streaming media of your performance and promotional materials.

Obviously, you’ll have to decide for yourself, but go to www.wireonfire.com and see how it works.

[tags]G-Man, Scott G, Music Critics Must Die, WireOnFire[/tags]