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So I got an email from a Duval Howitzer Publishing offering me a deal on 2 of my songs. Has anyone heard of this company? I couldn't find anything online from Howitzer except a couple of mentions in chat rooms. What should I be looking out for? Should publishers have their own websites? Should I look up this company on ASCAP or BMI?
Any input would be appreciated.
Stanley

The Music Library Report has something on them. http://musiclibraryreport.com/more/contracts/

It seems their homepage is just a Myspace page. Not very impressive either.

There's no reversal clause in their contract, so they own the songs forever - whether any money is made or not.

Good luck, John

Did you send songs to Duval Publishing or did the just find you somewhere? It is normal practice to get a Reversion Clause in a Publishing Contract for no more than 3 years. It will state clearly, that if the composition is not recorded and released for public consumption in the alotted time the songs revert to the writer(s). Only one song should be on a contract. Do not be afraid to request the reversion clause if you don't see one. Most will include it without asking.

Don't know anything about this Publisher. That doesn't mean anything. For a complete publishing contract go to the Songwriter's Guild and look at the contract on their Web Page.

They sound a bit shaky based on some other forums but here is a website duval

Thank you so much! I did visit the site, Colin, which must have been put up over the past two days. I looked them up Monday and found nothing! It appears they are new to the publishing business and their mission statement speaks a little too much of what they are planning to do. Ray, I didn't send them songs, I was approached through a social networking site. Thanks for the info on the reversion clause! Appreciate the link John! That's one of the sites that came in my search Monday.
I think I will sit this one out with Howitzer. I am seriously considering joining TAXI. I know, I know...what took me so long...right?
Thanks again!

There was some discussion on www.songwriter101.com

As I recall, people were being contacted who had no songs posted anywhere, yet were being offered publishing deals. Most publishers don't offer deals on music they have not heard.

And it seems there was another name, Duval Cannon, used by the same company.

I think someone had paid them $300 and then were told they couldn't get into a studio to do the promised demonstration recording.

Without a Reversion Clause a contract to give publishing in any percentage would entitle the other party to the contract to Publishing Royalties for the life of the copyright, which is your lifetime plus 70 years or something. So, if they do nothing, but you get the song cut and released, where it can earn royalties, the other party would have rights to the Pub. Royalties.

Don't sign a contract that has no reversion clause, not even for a well known publisher, I did it once,lost a good song, and they just turned around and sold it to another company with a bunch of other songs.

If you read Fred Koller's book on "How to pitch and promote your songs" (that's actually a very positive read!), he states that you should not give up all your publishing, and surprisingly, not even as an unknown writer without track record!

You should certainly not give away your songs with contracts without reversion clauses, and it might even make sense to be specific in the criteria on HOW the songs revert back to you (as there are some scams here as well).

A company with just a MySpace prescence, already ring an alarm bell in my book! Everyone can get a company no, and create a quick MySpace thingy, but that doesn'nt say ANYTHING about the company's status nor legitimacy.

Those things alone, unless I knew the person who runs it personally, would be a dealbraker for me..