What does an aspiring musical artist do when offered a [recording, publishing, management, or “all of the above”] deal that, on the one hand, looks terribly unfair “on paper” but, on the other hand, presents an otherwise great opportunity, perhaps the best the artist will ever see? Even worse, what if the deal is “take-it-or-leave-it” (as in, “Just sign the damn thing and trust me already!”)? Should the artist reject the deal out of principle, or should the artist jump off the emotional roller coaster long enough to do a thorough, objective, and nuanced analysis of the pros and cons of the “bad” deal. Expect a lively discussion of the various “what if” considerations in this potentially life-changing decision to take it or leave it, drawing from varying perspectives and real-life case study outcomes.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.