meta-roj on 97 radio on wwlp 22, massachusetts
[with a nod to john foxworthy, who's been leading the charge on 97 radio]
from wwlp tv, a story [windows media, internet explorer only] on the 97 radio scam with a positive twist. since they’re leaving out anyone who won’t play with windows media or microsoft browsers, a transcript follows:
anchora local alternative rock and roll band has found themselves on the pages of rolling stone magazine. this pubilicty has the group from franklin county reaching new heights, but as 22 news reporter jeff sealy tells us, it all started when the group fell victim to a publicity scam
jeff sealyan opportunity for rock and roll bands: for a one thousand dollar fee, tour the gulf coast during spring break playing in front of the college crowds. flight, accomodations and a shot at stardom included.
leslie pasco, lead singer, promizein exchange for $200 a band member, you’d also get six months of representation in terms of sending your cd out to labels, radio stations, etcetera. i mean, it was just… it looked like a really great opportunity.
jeff sealythe organizers, the arizona-based 97 radio, checked out with the better business bureau, so the band promize signed on and paid their $1000. but when it was time to fly south, 97 radio hadn’t been heard from and they couldn’t be reached. then the band realized
leslie pasco, lead singer, promizethere’s something really wrong with this
jeff sealywith a simple search of 97 radio on the internet, promize found out that hundreds of other bands had been scammed by the same ad.
david manning, drummer, promizeso we got all these bands together, and it turned out that it was probably in the millions. some people were taken for 30… 40 thousand dollars at a shot. now the fbi has assigned two guys to the case.
jeff sealysince, the culprits have been identified by the fbi, promize and all the other bands are still waiting for their refunds, but in th emeantime, rolling stone magazine has taken an interest in the story, and a recent article featuring promize’s efforts to uncover the scam has brought them some positive attention.
david manning, drummer, promizewe have radio stations calling us, record labels… rolling stone is doing another article next month. it’s probably the best thousand dollars we ever spent in our lives.
jeff sealyjeff sealy, 22 news.
anchorbut the band does still want their thousand dollars back. they’ve got cd out and are currently playing in venues around the state.
the video does feature a screenshot of the original post – a split-second of mostly my [in]famous open-ended tongue-in-cheek record-deal offer. word to the wise – check the meta-roj blog even if they do check out with the better business bureau 
i haven’t heard or seen promize, so i can’t comment on the band. when their music finds me, i’ll share some thoughts on that too (this really is about music, y’know…)
since this is a mass-media moment for meta-roj, i thought i’d put it in a new entry, but if you’re here to comment on 97 radio, i strongly suggest you find the original thread. go there. do something.
i am hoping you can help me on letting a scam be known tothe public. its about stores(Big Y ) advertising items on shelves fo sale. but placing non sale items under the sale tag. ive caught this more then once and as a viewer of your station . i am hoping you let the public be known.thank you Michael Abraham Agawam ma
Comment by michael abraham — April 12, 2004 @ 4:32 pm
This band has been refunded why dont you contact them promize@hotmail.com.
Comment by Metal man — April 13, 2004 @ 1:37 pm
To Metal man promize has not been refunded do you no something we should no.
Comment by Dave — April 15, 2004 @ 6:51 pm
hello
i am in a band from Kansas City, Missouri named Brothers Green. we were taken by these swindlers for a nice chunck of change that came right out of my pocekt. they even took more out of my account than i authorized and cost me more money in the long run for bank charges and maintence fees. i am a middle school teacher by day so you know every penny that i put into the band is much needed and definetly not meant to be wasted on such bull$h1t. i wonder, do these investigations uncover information on who they took the money from, are the accounts still identifiable by name? can i get my money back. out contract was supposed to be offered by the 6th of june. obviously this is not the case so who should i contact? also, i checked them (97 radio) with the better business bureau and they were clean so how does the better business bureau stay in business? what should i do next? please contact me someone. i have a really interesting twist about how i found out they were a scam. thanks to a cat in L.A. i think, i do remember his name was Derrick Thomas, dad was like the state legistature for the state of CA appointed by Arnold himself. ring a bell or two? please contact me. gtd4lifekc2chi@hotmail.com
2 FINGAZ
Comment by Sterling L. Brown — June 7, 2004 @ 8:53 am
helo all, my name is matt petero from a band named INHABITENSE, we are from the chicago area and have been taken for 2050 from 97 radio nad it really pisses me off to know that i had my credit card company dispute the charges and temporarily have my moneyback, but today the pissed me off telling me i didn’t have a contract showing cancellation of the the ever so imaginary spring break tour campaign, anwhat ans ass,that Mark kingston would like to meet him someday,lol these guys are the weakest form of humans , theifs and fraudulent lamers.97 radio has royally screwed me out of my money ,but am very happy to hear the fbi is involved and has some good info on these scamsters,please let me know who to contact about the refunds if ever ,might have to go see some friends Flotsam and Jetsam in Az,and look around for 97 radio myself,i am so f@#$%ing mad,please keep me posted
Comment by matt petero — June 22, 2004 @ 3:15 pm
my name is matt petero from the band INHABITENSE we are unsigned band from chicago area ,and were taken for 2050$ the so called 97 radio.how do these guys get away with it with the feds on them ? This money came right out of my pocket,the thing that makes me mad is my credit card disputed the charges ,got the money back ,and bcuz i didn’t have cancellation contract,i am losing my money again,someone keep me psoted on how to get my money back if possible,and is there any way to contact 97 radio anymore?
Comment by matt petero — June 22, 2004 @ 3:24 pm
Here’s something that may interest you:
Apparently Joe Taylor Jr. of SpinMe.com is opening a 100 seat conferrence call with Carlo Oddo. Here’s your chance:
http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=68406
I’ll be there!
Thanx,
John Foxworthy
http://www.laaww.org
Comment by John Foxworthy — July 1, 2004 @ 11:14 am
Sterling,
You’re in good company here. There are hundreds of bands on my mailing list that went through the same thing. It’s odd that the BBB has them as a clean operation when they reported over 1500 complaints when I last called them.
check out the posts at http://www.rojisan.com/blog/2004/01/music_promotion_model_97_radio.html where I have provided a comprehensive “recovery packet” for victims of these scams. If you have any other questions please email me.
Thanx,
John Foxworthy
http://www.laaww.org
Comment by John Foxworthy — July 1, 2004 @ 12:10 pm