Tuesday, February 26, 2013

BEWARE OF XIREN: The Real Con Man and Fraud

Hi Friends and Artists

This is a blog post in reply to a ridiculous blog posted by some person called Xiren. This is a story from 2008 that this person is still trying to use to get sympathy and now is using to sell his album that he has released saying that it is because he was so wronged by WOA Records and Oliver Sean that he was inspired to write this album and people should help him because Oliver Sean and WOA Records did him so much wrong and that we are not a real person or real company :-). He has gone on to say that there is no real company called WOA Records and that there is no well known artist in India called Oliver Sean :-)

I am writing this blog after insistence from my employees and my managers that I should retaliate to this. But I cant stop laughing about this guy - firstly WOA Records and the WOA Records India Tour is now in its 6th year of production - we have had 6 WOA RECORDS INDIA TOURS featuring artists from all over the world from 2008 till 2012! These artists from almost every country have emailed me directly saying thank you for the wonderful services and support we provide independent artists (I received another thank you email just yesterday) :-). So why on earth should we retaliate to something so absurd???

And coming to the fact that Oliver Sean is not a real person and that there is no famous artist called Oliver Sean....errrrr - what exactly should I say to this??? hahahaha - I guess the MTV Europe Music Awards nomination I got does not make me a real artist? And being made a VOTING Member of the Grammy Awards does not make me a real artist? And getting on the Vh1 Top 10 doesnt make me well known? And the fact that I have thousands of fans doesn't make me well known??? Well he said I wasn't famous - hell I dont think im famous either!!! - Al Pacino is Famous! Bon Jovi is Famous! Oliver Sean is only famous for his Mom and his adoring fans! ;-)

For the people who have not heard about WOA Records and W.O.A International - The Music Co - please read the thousands of testimonials and videos and articles on major newspapers and magazines and TV channel documentaries - ALL LISTED ON GOOGLE! to see if we really exist ;-)

Yeah this guy called Xiren was on our 2008 tour and we had a few shows that got cancelled so he and another 2 artists called Mana3 and Dave J started creating problems for WOA Records and our other artists during that time. We still got the other shows in order and took care of their accommodation and meals for 14 days in a 4 star hotel called the DeSouza group of hotels - a wonderful hotel - which these guys also have spoken such rubbish about. They also posted horrible blogs about Jesus Aaron who was also part of the tour and completed the tour successfully and has nothing but praise for WOA records and me (Oliver Sean).

What this Xiren is not telling everyone is that the REAL Reason he is so pissed off and talking such rot about us is the fact that we got HARD ROCK CAFE to come in as a venue partner for us at the last minute in 2008 when the other 2 gigs we had booked got cancelled. And everything was fine and everyone was happy BUT Hard Rock Cafe's event guy (Kaveer) then called ME and told me this and I quote "Oliver, dude we love Jesus Aaron and Sparky Quano and of course we need you because otherwise we wont get a crowd BUT we really dont like Xiren and Mana3 and that other guy who plays that ridiculous didgeridoo (they were referring to Dave J)" - Now this I told Xiren, Mana3 and DaveJ in the best and softest possible way one can tell someone about this and I also got these guys to perform at Not Just Jazz By The Bay in Pune and Mumbai because Hard Rock Cafe didnt want these 3 artists. Obviously they didn't take this well :) and who should they hate now? Well lets slander the name of WOA Records and Oliver Sean they said - we were easy targets for their frustrations! So they  slip out in the middle of the night without even coming forward about this face to face - no no, they slip out in the night, dont pay their room service bills and after they reach their respective countries they write to us and start slandering our name. So this is what these guys have never told anyone.

I think its time this guy Xiren and his LIES about his inspiration for his album and the con he says he experienced and the tragedy of his life in 2008 be brought out to the public - There was no tragedy! There was no Con! WOA Records India Tour was and IS a legit tour we organise every year, artists love the WOA Records India Tour and we get thousands of artists requesting a slot with us EVERY YEAR! We have had amazing artists on the India Tour who have gone off to do really well in this region and we have promoted them more than any other agency in the world ever does! The India Tour started in 2008 and is today one of the biggest tours of its kind in this region. There are articles and documentaries done on the WOA Records India Tour that was conceptualized and till date produced by Oliver Sean and the wonderful WOA Records Team of musicians and music lovers who help me every year to organise this tour. We also have Vh1 who supports us every year and so does the Times of India and the Herald and The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times - all reputed newspapers. We even have the Government of Goa Art and Culture Department who supports the festival in Goa every year. And the Desousa  group of hotels who support us by giving artists accommodation in their 4 star hotel called Sun and Sand.

This blog post is of course to you my fans and the supporters of WOA International and the WOA Records India Tour so that you know that this guy Xiren is just trying to slander my name and my company's name. However this blog post is also targeted to every reviewer and fan of Xiren who has believed this pathetic guys story of being conned by my company and me and how he says this "Tragedy" and "CON" inspired him to write this album and that how the hell he went through in India was the "inspiration" for his album - He is a Liar! LOL. Xiren was put up in a 4 star hotel room at the Sun Village and provided breakfast everyday for 14 days by WOA Records :-) and dinner was provided every night for the show days. He was put on a television shopw on HCN which is a satelliet channel based in Goa - a huge 4 part TV Show they did on the tour! He was put on India's ONLY fully International music FM radio station Radio Indigo, he was given press articles on press from all across India and was provided with PRESS CONFERENCE at the MANDOVI Hotel in Panjim, attended by journalists from every major news paper including the Associated Press and CNN IBN!  Oliver Sean and WOA Records did this for the artists on tour in 2008 and spent thousands of dollars in organizing this and putting ads on Zee Cafe and Zee Studio and HCN (National TV Channels) and got his video playing on Vh1. And all that this artist paid us was 25 USD for the Tour - from this 25 USD 50% was taken by Sonicbids! So effectively Xiren paid WOA Records 12.50 US Dollars for an all expense paid TOUR AND HOLIDAY to India and he has the nerve to call WOA Records a con and scam! This Xiren is a fraud and is using my name and my company's name to gain sympathy and a following. He is nothing but a fraud and a LIAR who goes around recording cover songs and riding on names of well known artists to get a higher google ranking LOL!

So I will end my blog post by saying thank you to the wonderful artists I have met through the various India Tours and I chalk this experience with the con man and liar caled Xiren and his friends as a one off experience and hope to God I never meet or interact with people like these - they give a bad name to us musicians!

http://www.woarecords.com
http://www.oliversean.com

The Hindu : FEATURES / METRO PLUS : Fusion feast WOA International Music Festival

The Hindu : FEATURES / METRO PLUS : Fusion feast

An article on India's most respected Newspaper The Hindu on the WOA International Msuic Festival and the WOA Records India Tour


Event A global music treat for Hyderabadis
I ndian Music lovers are leaving no stone unturned to welcome international music of any form. Be it a rock band, a famous international artiste, or fusion of various artistes, Indian Music fans have never let them down.

WOA International (World of Artist) Music Company has gone a step further in catering to the demands of music lovers across the globe. Their annual India tour promises some high spirited performances. Their do last week in Hyderabad was no different.

Hyderabad being their second destination after Goa, they had four artistes from different domains enthralling the crowd.

French Sax Maestro Eric Dulle, Germany's award-winning singer-songwriter Matthias Sturm, Reggae star from the US Jade Steel and his band, Metal's new emerging kings from Venezuela Overhate, Canadian adult contemporary artiste Viceroybill..

The artistes feel that W.O.A International has been working for years towards getting international independent music artistes together at the same time to India and give the Indian audiences an opportunity to hear their music live and experience great musical performances. This annual tour is a culmination of all those efforts with a bigger tour this year.

“Performing with artistes from various nationalities is not easy, but music is something which gets us closer and we love such fusion,” feels Abhishek, a resident DJ. The performance as expected drew immense support and interest as it served as a platform for all sorts of music lovers to come together and experience the fusion of music.

The development of the music industry has meant that bands are no longer stifled by lack of exposure, or limited in their options of distributing their music.

Determined artistes have not restricted themselves to their nations and the best music out there will get its chance to be heard by everyone, however we classify it.

KETAN AGARWAL

http://www.woarecords.com

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article2619798.ece

Friday, February 22, 2013

The W.O.A Records India Tour & Music Festival (playlist) 2008 - 2013



SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN FOR WOA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL & INDIA TOUR 2012 

BREAKING NEWS: The Annual W.O.A International Music Festival & India Tour 2013 COMING UP!!



FEATURED EVENT : THE ANNUAL W.O.A INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL & INDIA TOUR

The Annual W.O.A International Music Festival and India Tour is a roaring success, is to say the least. As predicted it has been getting BIGGER and BETTER since it began in 2008. The W.O.A  International Music Festival and Tour is the brain child of International musician & MTV Europe Music Awards Nominee Oliver Sean who is also the founder of the W.O.A International - The Music Co. 

The Festival in Goa and the annual tour began in 2008 and is organized and produced by the pioneers of Independent music promotions in India, W.O.A International - The Music Company. The W.O.A International Festival and Tour is supported by major media and top live venues across India including Vh1, Times of India, Hindustan Times, Mirror, Hard Rock Cafe’s and the Government of Goa Art & Culture Department.

Every year the tour & festival is supported by intense media coverage, advertising for the event and the fan following is growing exponentially. The artists who have been part of the tour become part of an exclusive group of artists here at W.O.A Records with a loyal and impressive fan following. With our enviable media support system and new markets and opportunities opening up for our artists via the W.O.A Management division, this tour offers excellent opportunities for independent artists.  

For International Independent bands/artists to break into a region like India with this kind of support has been unprecedented and never done before - it has now been made possible by W.O.A International – The Music Co. India's largest International Independent Label (1998 - 2013)

We are proud to have been able to create this unique festival and tour which kicked off in 2008 with the 1st Annual W.O.A records India Tour & Music Festival and has now reached its 5th year in 2012. It is because of this festival and tour and the full support of the W.O.A international divisions like W.O.A Management and W.O.A Films that talented International musicians now have fantastic new and very large markets open to them. 

The tour is also supported extensively by companies and media conglomerates like Vh1, Times Of India, Government of Goa, Desouza Group and the venue partners  which include: W.O.A International Music Festival in Goa at Kala Academy Amphi Theatre, Hard Rock Cafe’s across India, The 567 New Delhi, The Taj Hyderabad, Novotel Hyderabad, The Park Hyderabad, Kyra Bangalore, UB City Bangalore etc) who come in annually to support Independent and Original musicians during the Annual W.O.A International Music Festival and the India Tour

Through the years we have had amazing artists on this annual tour including:  

  • 2008-2009:  MTV EMA Nominated Artist Oliver Sean, American Singer/Songwriter Jesus Aaron, Japanese Guitar wizard Sparky Quano, American singer Juliette Annerino amongst others

  • 2009-2010: British metal band Cypher16, Australian artists Danny John Trio, Risemann, Kallii, Craig Fraser, Swedish punk artist Monica & The Thunder, French artist Metissia, German singer/songwriter Matthias Sturm. 

  • 2010-2011: American artist Jeffrey Fisher, US Singer/Songwriter Roger Jaegger, Indian Rapper Saurabh Som

  • 2011-2012: Australian Rockers Kotadama, Venezuelan Metal Heads Overhate, French Pop Star Eric Dulle, American Act Jade Steel, German Singer Songwriter Matthias Sturm, Canadian country act Viceroy bill and others.

  • 2013 - 2014 - We have fantastic artists scheduled for the tour this year including American Hip Hop/R&B upcoming stars HotHouseGruv. Stay tuned for the full line up which will be disclosed by Sept 2013.

The broad range of artists from various genres and countries from almost every continent every year shows the broad genres that are accepted on tour and how W.O.A Records is promoting various styles of music and musicians from various countries to music lovers  across India, supported by music video promotions, major scale TV promotions with Ads and Tickers 24 times a day on Vh1 for over 10 days, large scale advertising on the Times Of India with quarter page national ads running for several days, Radio campaigns on AIR FM & MUST FM (National Radio) including interviews and song  rotation on these radio stations, billboards  and media support from mainstream magazines and press across the country (AVMax, Elle, Stuff, Rollingstone etc) all this leading to  bigger and better publicized concerts and gigs. 

Now with the start of WOA TV and the success of season 1 of the WOA TV Show - All Things Music, the amount of advertising and promotions for the festival and tour is going to increase Ten Fold with Season 2 of the WOA TV Show just around the corner.

We are now gearing up for the 2013 - 2014 W.O.A International Music Festival & India Tour! This is an exciting time for all of us here at W.O.A Records as we will now be listening to submissions from artists across the world and cant wait to find the gems among the great musicians out there and introduce them to this region and open up one of the largest music buying and music listening markets in the world - INDIA - to our artists from all around the world! 


SUBMISSION PROCEDURE & COSTS: If interested in submitting for the WOA International Music Festival and India Tour please go to the site http://www.woarecords.com/Site/Submissions.html - Once on the site you need to click on the 'SUBMISSIONS' drop down menu and click on 'The India Tour' and pay the submission fee of 25 USD. Once this is complete you need to email an EPK/Digital Press kit to submissions@woarecords.com along with the transaction ID you received when paying the official submission fee. (If you do not have an EPK you can send in a Bio, 2 Photos and links to your music & live performance/video if any). If your profile is selected you will be offered a slot on the 3 day festival in Goa. There are no other costs involved to be part of the festival. Artists who accept the festival entry can also opt to be part of the 4 city India Tour. There are additional costs to be part of the Full All Expense Paid India Tour. Contact Alan for more details manager@woarecords.com 

MANAGEMENT ARTISTS: If an artist signs up for a management deal (various options) this tour fee is waived and the artist is offered the festival slot AND an all expense paid slot on the  W.O.A International India Tour. Please check details of the management deal here

SPECIAL NOTE: Artists signing up for a video production deal with WOA FIlms are also offered a slot on the WOA Records India Tour & Festival (including the 4 city tour) free of cost. Contact WOA Films for more details

For any further clarification please refer to the FAQ below or email us on info@woarecords.com if your question is not answered on the FAQ.


FAQ: For The India Tour

Q: What are the dates?  Which Cities?
A: The tentative dates are 31st October to 7th November. Cities keep changing and added to every year - some of the hot cities for the tour are Goa, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and more venues / cities being added/edited. Note that the dates are liable to change and please do not book your tickets to India until you sign the tour contract.

Q: Are all bands traveling together hitting the same shows, or is it separate circuits?
A: Artists will be doing some gigs together and some shows separately. Travel is usually by Flights, Luxury A/C buses and A/C Trains - similar to the grey hound services etc. 

Q: What is a typical performance like (number of sets/ hours etc)?
A: The show will be a 2 and a half hour to 3 hour performance with each artiste doing approximately 30 to 45 minutes... Solo shows (if any) will be longer and could be up to 1 hour sets.

Q: What is a typical accommodation like?
A: The stay for this event will be in Business Class hotels / Bungalows / Serviced Apartments. Meals are to be arranged by the artists except on days of performances where  1 meal after the performance will be arranged by the event organizer. Note that the festival only artists have to arrange for their own accommodation and travel to the venue in Goa. Only the artists who have paid the tour fee will have all the hotels and travel for the festival and tour across India handled by the events team.

Q: Does your company handle the backline/FOH and core instruments (aka drums).   Specifically, what would we need to bring with us?
A: We organize Drums, Sound System, DJ Consoles, Lights, Engineer. This is all organized and paid for by W.O.A International and the venue partners . The Artist only needs to bring along his/her personal instrument (guitar, keys, tambourine) if its a DJ his own CDs/Records and special equipment if required - we will only provide standard turn tables/mixing desk to DJ’s etc.

Q: What expenses does W.O.A International / WOA Records cover for the tour? 
A: All domestic travel & accommodation during concerts, PR, Advertising, Backline, coordination, events organization etc is taken care of by the W.O.A International for the Tour artists. The artist is responsible for their own International travel to India. The artist will be sent necessary invitation letters for Visa Applications etc at the respective embassies. Festival artists have to pay for their own accommodation during the festival in Goa. 

Q: How many artists are involved in the tour?
A: Maximum 5 to 10 acts however additional artists can be added to the tour line-up at the sole discretion of W.O.A International. The Festival will have over 40 artists.

Q: I am a solo artist with a band, is it possible for me to bring some of the members with me?
A: We recommend doing shows with backing tracks/minus 1 and keep the number of band members at a minimum as this is a promo tour with less than 30 minutes of performance time per artist per venue. Look at the tour and festival more as a showcase which would lead to future concerts and gigs with an entire lineup. Bands up to 4 or 5 members are allowed however the initial cost charged to artists to be on the tour will be increased for bands (contact us to know more on this). Bands with larger lineups are requested to submit only if they can perform with a cut down version of the band. Solo artists should travel solo and use backing tracks/minus one tracks to keep expenses lower.

Q: Can I arrange other performances not included in the W.O.A tour?
A: During the tour this is not allowed - you can do so only if you are on the W.O.A Management Roster or the W.O.A Booking Agency Roster as your visa will not allow you to do shows outside of W.O.A International's network. To increase your bookings and get additional shows in this region on a regular basis after the tour we would recommend joining the W.O.A Booking Agency Roster or the W.O.A Management Roster. 

Q: Is the cost of traveling from city to city, venue to venue including moving gear around covered by WOA?
A: Yes - this is covered

Q: Is there any financial incentive for the 2 weeks
A: The artists can sell their merchandise and keep 100% of this revenue. No performance fees are paid as this is a promo tour and W.O.A International pays money to organize and publicize the shows and all shows are free events and any money made is utilized to promote and advertise the artists and the tour. This is a Non-Profit event and all expenses are covered mainly by W.O.A International Inc. and its partners.

Q: Can you please provide me with the actual call code and country to contact you direct as I would like to discuss the tour in person and I am
having trouble getting through to you
A: We can be reached on +91-9326126670 or email:info@woarecords.com

Q: Do you have age restrictions as the band members will range from ages 13 to 18 at that time but would be accompanied by the parents.
A: For underage artists we allow 1 guardian to travel with the artist

Q: Can we submit via snail mail?
A: Digital press kits are preferred so as to expedite the selection process.

Q: Is there any additional fees to come on the festival / tour?
A: The 25 USD submission fee is the only fee to be paid for this festival submission. If selected the artist pays nothing more to be a part of the festival. Should the artist want to be a part of the FULL all expense paid India Tour (which is reserved for WOA Management/Agency signed artists) please contact Alan at manager@woarecords.com for details and expenses related to being a part of the FULL INDIA Tour without signing on to the management deal. Artists can now sign the ITR Management deal which is specifically for artists wanting to be part of the India Tour. Via this the artist gets several month of promotions including TV, Radio and Press leading up to the tour.

Q: Will the artist get paid for the shows?
A: No this is a promo tour with considerable money spent on advertising and promotions, sound, travel, accommodation. Most shows are all free promo events. Artists who sign up for a Booking Agency Deal before coming on tour can get additional paid gigs booked for them by the booking agency division of WOA. If interested in applying to the booking agency please click here http://www.woarecords.com/Site/Booking_Agency.html

Q: Will the artist have to sign any exclusive contracts?
A: The selected artist has to sign a standard tour agreement, which is applicable only for this tour. The contract is not exclusive however the artist cannot perform at other shows before or during the tour, as this will hinder the promotions of the tour and the artists who are being promoted for the tour. The artist can perform for other shows once the tour is completed.

Q: I have read a few blog posts by some artists from the 2008 tour where they have said some terrible things about WOA Records
A: Yes, we have read these blogs too and have found out who the people are who have written these blog posts. These are the artists who were removed from the 2008 India Tour for breaching our agreements and people who tried to disrupt our tour in 2008. These artists were thrown out of the tour in 2008 for breaching several clearly defined clauses of the tour agreement. These blogs have also gone on to say that the tour is a fake/scam which is quite absurd as we are now in the 6th WOA Records India Tour & International Music Festival coming up in 2013. It is plain to see the success of the WOA Records India Tour for the past 5 years. Ads, artist’s self made tour documentaries on youtube, photos, live concerts, interviews, partnerships with MTV and Vh1 and the Government of Goa and The Times etc. These are all on the woa websites, youtube, google etc. All you have to do is check all this on google and then it is plain to see that it is only these people who were thrown out of the Tour in 2008 that have written these posts. EVERY other artist has nothing but great thoings to say about WOA Records and every member of our team.

Submissions are accepted here: http://www.woarecords.com/submissions 

SUBMIT NOW

Thursday, February 21, 2013

So Good Final Movie

So Good Final Movie: So Good by Oliver Sean on MTV Base

Oliver Sean - All I Remember (Music Video - Worldwide Premiere)



Oliver Sean's latest hit music video on Vh1

Oliver Sean Live Concerts - Brand New Video


Oliver Sean Live Concerts

Oliver Sean - I Like it (Music Video)



Oliver Sean's first major MTV Hit 'I LIKE IT'. Nominated for International album of the year along with albums by John Mayer, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Third Eye Blind

Oliver Sean - Movies (Music Video World Premiere)



The Vh1 Top 10 hit single by MTV Europe Music Awards Nominee Oliver Sean

Oliver Sean - So Good (Music Video Worldwide Premiere) MTV EMA 2012 Nominee



The Oliver Sean MTV Europe Music Awards 2012 Nominated music video (Best Worldwide Act)

Friday, February 08, 2013

oliversean shared an Instagram photo with you

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oliversean shared an Instagram photo with you

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Thursday, February 07, 2013

oliversean shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there, oliversean just shared an Instagram photo with you. Visit the following link to see it: http://distilleryimage1.instagram.com/7b50483e716211e28dba22000a1f97e5_6.jpg

Oliver Sean LIVE at Moles, Bath UK - 24th March 2013

Oliver Sean LIVE at the Historic MOLES - Bath, UK on 24th March 2013.

Join the Facebook Event to get front row seats at the show both at the venue and online at Stageit.com where the show will be broadcast LIVE

Official Facebook Event for Oliver Sean Live at Moles https://www.facebook.com/events/261500443982731/

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OLIVER SEAN MTV EMA 2012 Nominee / Vh1 Top 10 / Grammy Finalist / AVMax Album of Year Nominee

Oliver Sean LIVE at The Troubadour London - 19th March 2013

Oliver Sean LIVE at London's Legendary TROUBADOUR on 19th March 2013.

Join the Facebook Event to get front row seats at the show both at the venue and online at Stageit.com where the show will be broadcast LIVE

Official Facebook Event for Oliver Sean Live at The Troubadour https://www.facebook.com/events/579598702068019/
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OLIVER SEAN MTV EMA 2012 Nominee / Vh1 Top 10 / Grammy Finalist / AVMax Album of Year Nominee

Oliver Sean LIVE in Scotland on 11th March 2013

Oliver Sean LIVE IN SCOTLAND @ Edinburg's best Live Music Venue Bannerman's Live! on 11th March 2013

Join the Facebook Event to get front row seats at the show both at the venue and online at Stageit.com where the show will be broadcast LIVE

Official Facebook Event for Oliver Sean Live at Bannerman's https://www.facebook.com/events/605340369482832/


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OLIVER SEAN MTV EMA 2012 Nominee / Vh1 Top 10 / Grammy Finalist / AVMax Album of Year Nominee

Oliver Sean Live at The islington - Facebook event invitation

Oliver Sean LIVE at The Islington on Valentines Day - 14th February 2013.

Join the Facebook Event and get backstage passes and special access to free Oliver Sean CDs and more.

Official Facebook Event for Oliver Sean LIVE IN LONDON on Valentines Day! https://www.facebook.com/events/459147754151957/ 

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OLIVER SEAN MTV EMA 2012 Nominee / Vh1 Top 10 / Grammy Finalist / AVMax Album of Year Nominee