Music Booking Platform Revolutionizes Outdated Processes
Muzeek and its “book button” take on paper trails, wasted time and green M&M’s
Bondi, February 26, 2013 - Artists, venues and everyone inbetween can safely writeoff hours of unnecessary paperwork, days of back and forth emails and countless curseridden tirades aimed at a venue that didn’t pay or an artist that didn’t play, as Muzeek, the world’s most progressive, digital booking platform launches its website and the first and only embeddable “book” button to the music industry.
Muzeek instantly connects all facets of the music industry like never before. Venues can offer to book artists for a show, and vice versa, in minutes. Simply by creating a profile on Muzeek.com, users can access a unique code for their customized “book” button (which displays information like a mutually combined calendar & minimum pay requirement) embed it into a website, blog or social media outlet such as Facebook, and instantly create a connection to other artists, venues, promoters and agents. User ‘profiles’ aggregate loads of necessary, realtime media and are now living, breathing Electronic Press Kits.
“We didn’t want to just reinvent the ‘profile,’ or create another search engine where users search for other users like they would cheap flights,” said Danny Fiorentini, Muzeek Founder and Creative Director. “We wanted to rethink and redesign the entire booking process from starttofinish that truly fits within this transitioning, digital music industry. One that’s between burdensome, cold emails and hypersaturated Twitter spam. That’s what we’ve done.”
Industry professionals seem to agree. The 2-month old start-up has already gathered sign ups from global names such as VICE, BalconyTV, The Griswolds, New Navy & Has-Lo.
Upon creating a profile, users agree to allow Muzeek to offer legal booking arrangements, invoicing and payment through PayPal. The Muzeek interface acts as an entire content and scheduling management system, including a messaging platform to negotiate offers and attach additional files, a fullfledged calendar and additional significant features. From virtually anywhere on the web, venues can book artists, artists can book venues, promoters can book both; artists can even book other artists. Venues get a great show with less paperwork; artists play a show and get paid, no questions asked; and everyone gets an organized, unique management system to ensure more time for booking shows and less time herding cats.
Payment is not sent from booker to bookee until an actual performance takes place. The booker “pledges” an offer amount, that meets an optional minimum, similar to Kickstarter (through which Muzeek was actually denied a fundraising project). If the artist accepts the booking and plays the show, the booker agrees to pay that amount in full within seven days.
Muzeek uses the power of social stigma to deter cancellations or poor booking etiquette, emphasizing the diminished reputation of users who frequently cancel or spam other users. The company is very comfortable with introducing a new culture of booking based on personal reputation, as the founders are a unique combination who understand the convoluted booking process from front to back an independent label owner, an artist, a venue manager and a fan.
“We realize we are tackling more than a process, but a culture within the industry that has adopted nonpaying promoters and canceling artists who keep half their performance deposit as a social norm” Fiorentini added. “We understand these situations and the people behind them because we are them.”
Currently, Muzeek is a free service to all those looking for a “better way to book.” In the future, a small percentage (“gratuity”) will be added to each transaction, charged to the booker upon payment. This means, artists not only use muzeek for free, but always receive the exact amount offered to them without any hidden deductions a culture they’ll surely get used to.
Muzeek was built by 4 friends, from 3 countries, over 24 beers and 3 pizzas in the middle of an empty apartment tile floor in Bondi, Australia. For more information on how and why Muzeek was started, click here.
Muzeek will be having their official launch party in Sydney, Australia during April, 2013. More details TBA.
Interviews, photos, etc. available upon request.
Contact Celia Garforth for more information: celia@muzeek.com
Muzeek - A better way to book. muzeek.com