After hearing what Masashi Sada said, Cao Zhiqiang instinctively frowned.
Without him, I just felt that this was too sudden.
Although what Masashi Sada said was very reasonable and emotional, to put it bluntly, he just wanted to recruit Cao Zhiqiang to work for him.
After thinking about it, Cao Zhiqiang said tactfully: "Sada-kun, we agreed at the beginning that we would form a Chinese-Japanese group and work hard together. Now you suddenly say that you don't want to form a group and want me to debut alone. This is not appropriate. Bar?"
"Jun Cao Zhiqiang..."
"Wait, let me finish."
After waving to Masashi Sada, Cao Zhiqiang continued: "I know everything you said. It seems reasonable, but it doesn't mean anything.
For example, regarding your illness, we can wait until you recover. At worst, we won't hold fewer concerts, or simply cancel the concerts and just sell records. "
Masashi Sada smiled bitterly: "Cao Sang, if I had no debts, of course I could do this, but now I have a huge debt. If I don't pay it off early, the longer it takes, the more money I have to pay back, and the pressure will be on me." The bigger it gets.
I must repay the money as soon as possible while I am still young, otherwise, if I unfortunately die early, this debt will fall on my brother, because he is the guarantor. "
"Sada-kun, why are you doing this?" Cao Zhiqiang frowned, "You are still young, why do you want to die?"
Masashi Sada sighed: "I'm still young, but I have liver disease, and I don't know if it will worsen into cancer. If it worsens, I'm afraid I won't live long, so I'm worried."
Seeing Masashi Sada's expression and tone, Cao Zhiqiang shook his head gently.
It is obvious that Masashi Sada is not mentally normal right now, or strictly speaking, he is prone to a disease anxiety disorder.
Illness anxiety disorder, also known as hypochondriasis or hypochondriacal neurosis, is mainly characterized by patients believing that they have or will soon suffer from a serious disease, and therefore repeatedly seek medical treatment or develop maladaptive avoidance.
Masashi Sada's current situation is obviously an early symptom of this kind of hypochondriasis.
"Don't worry, Mr. Sada." Cao Zhiqiang said with a smile, "I think your health is very good. You won't get liver cancer and you will live a long time."
Indeed, in the previous life anyway, before Cao Zhiqiang traveled through time, Masashi Sada seemed to be alive and well, and he was obviously a long-lived person.
Although he has now traveled through time, if nothing unexpected happens, Masashi Sada will most likely live a long life. This is determined by genes.
Therefore, Masashi Sada's current state of mind is just a mental illness caused by excessive pressure, and he should be cured after a period of recovery.
"You don't have to comfort me anymore." Masashi Sada sighed, continued to smell the cigarette in his hand, and then said quietly, "I feel like I won't live long, but because of this, I can't let my family worry about me. , so I have to make money early, make enough money, and at least pay off my own debts first."
After saying that, Masashi Sada looked at Cao Zhiqiang again: "In addition, Cao Sang, I also think you are a much better talented singer than me. You should have a wider space to display your talents.
It’s not that the mainland is bad, but for now, it’s not particularly suitable for you, at least in terms of making money.
On the contrary, if you debut in Japan, accumulate a certain amount of fame and money, and then return to the mainland, the effect may be better.
This is what you often say, yes, flowers bloom inside the wall and fragrance outside the wall. "
Cao Zhiqiang smiled: "You know quite a lot, and you still know this sentence."
"Of course." Masashi Sada smiled, "I have always liked Chinese culture, and I still know this sentence."
Cao Zhiqiang thought for a while and then said: "In short, you want to work behind the scenes in the future, or be my agent, push me out, and let me become a star in Japan. Is that what you mean?"
"Yes!" Masashi Sada nodded, "To me, you are a rare commodity. Others don't know it, but I know your potential and strength very well.
As long as you are willing to sign a contract with me, I will try my best to help you and I will definitely make you a well-known singer in Japan.
When the time comes, you will have both fame and fortune, and we will also make a lot of money.
The key is, in this case, I don’t have to run around and work all day long. I just need to use my current fame to guide you and push you at the beginning, and the subsequent services can be handed over to my brother or my sister.
Although my younger brothers and sisters are not good at writing songs or singing, they are still quite qualified if they want to be managers.
In addition, you understand that I will not deceive my friends.
Therefore, if you are willing to sign a contract with my club and be an exclusive singer for my club, the terms can be negotiated slowly.
Don’t worry, I will definitely give you the most favorable terms and I will fully support you. How about that? "
Cao Zhiqiang touched his nose: "I just came here and you suddenly proposed this idea. I have to think about it carefully... How about giving me a few days?"
"No problem!" Masashi Sada smiled, "You should think about this matter carefully, but not for too long, because in another week, I will have a concert, and it will be a large-scale concert with over 10,000 people.
I hope you can settle down early and sign a contract with me early. In this case, at the concert a week later, I can take advantage of the opportunity to bring you out and introduce you to everyone. "
Cao Zhiqiang smiled and nodded: "Okay, let's talk about it then."
Finding that Cao Zhiqiang still didn't agree immediately, Masashi Sada rubbed his cigarette anxiously, but finally sighed: "Okay, then you must think about it carefully. I am really sincere. This is definitely a good one." Cooperation will definitely be beneficial to you!"
"Yes, I understand." Cao Zhiqiang said, "But again, this is a serious matter. You want me to think about it more, okay?"
"Then how long do you have to think about it?" Sada Masashi couldn't help but ask.
Cao Zhiqiang said: "Let's do this, give me three days, and I will give you a reply within three days, okay?"
Masashi Sada took a deep breath, nodded and said, "Okay, then it will take three days."
"By the way." Cao Zhiqiang said suddenly, "Since you want to sign me, do you have a preliminary contract document? Even a draft will do. If so, can you show me the contract document?"
"Ah, yes, of course." Masashi Sada's eyes lit up, "The documents are in my study, but they are all in Japanese. Can you... understand them?"
Cao Zhiqiang laughed: "That's right. I've been talking to you in Japanese for so long. How can I not understand Japanese? Bring it to me for a look. After reading it, I will think about it and give you a reply within three days."
"Then come with me." Masashi Sada said quickly, "Go to my study to read."
Next, Cao Zhiqiang and Masashi Sada returned to the living room. As soon as they entered the door, they saw Cao Zhiqiang's two secretaries chatting and laughing with Masashi Sada's younger brother and sister, and they seemed to have gotten along well.
After saying hello casually, Masashi Sada quickly pulled Cao Zhiqiang upstairs and went directly to his study.
After arriving at the study room, I found that it was not a simple study room, but more like a practice room.
Because in addition to desks and office supplies, there are also guitars, basses, and electronic keyboards. The walls and windows have also been obviously modified, and sound-absorbing and sound-insulating materials have been installed.
In addition, there is a small door here. When you open the small door, there is a small terrace outside. There is a small wrought iron table and two small wrought iron chairs on the terrace. The decoration is also quite elegant.
"The place is nice." Cao Zhiqiang praised with a smile, "Your practice room?"
"Yes." Masashi Sada smiled, "Before I came to rent a house, the previous tenant was a painter. He transformed the master bedroom into a studio, which is this room. I just fell in love with this room. Only then did we build this house.
Then, after I rented it, I made some modifications to this room, which was nothing more than adding some soundproofing materials so as not to disturb people during practice. "
Speaking of this, Masashi Sada walked to the table, opened the drawer, took out a few pieces of 16-gauge letter paper filled with words, smiled and said, "Here it is, here is the signing document!"
Cao Zhiqiang looked at it and raised his eyebrows: "Handwritten?"
"Yes!" Masashi Sada smiled, "This is just my initial idea, but it details what I want to do and the benefits you can get. In short, it is your responsibilities and obligations after signing with our club. .
Although it is handwritten, the basic content is included, including the profit distribution after you release a song here, etc., everything is written clearly.
Of course, the specific conditions can still be discussed. When both of us are satisfied and the negotiation is completed, we can go to the print shop to formally print out the documents and then formally sign them.
Once the signature is officially signed and you become our exclusive artist, the plan to launch your debut can be put on the agenda. "
Cao Zhiqiang looked at the pieces of handwritten letter paper and nodded.
Yes, it is now 1983. Let alone China, even in Japan, printers are not popular. Generally, only large companies have special printers and copies. Generally, small companies do need to go to special print shops to print materials. .
Obviously, the Sada Project run by Masashi Sada is just a small company worthy of the name. No, it can’t even be called a company, it can only be said to be a studio.
However, in the case of Masashi Sada, he actually wants to sign a contract with himself, wants to make himself his exclusive artist, and promises to make me a big star. Isn't this a little too arrogant?
"Can I take a closer look?" Cao Zhiqiang asked.
"Of course." Masashi Sada quickly handed over the handwritten letter.
Cao Zhiqiang took it and read it briefly, and soon understood what Masashi Sada wrote, or the conditions he set.
In fact, it is not complicated. The draft agreement proposed by Masashi Sada is simply a sharing model.
In other words, once Cao Zhiqiang signs a contract with Sada Project and becomes a signee of Sada Project, he will officially become the exclusive signed artist of Sada Project.
From then on, within five years, at least in Japan, Cao Zhiqiang can no longer cooperate with other entertainment companies, nor can he become a contracted singer with other entertainment companies. Once he breaks the contract, he will have to pay 100 million yen in compensation.
Outside Japan, they are not within the scope of this restriction.
Within five years, the copyright of the Japanese songs written by Cao Zhiqiang during this period will belong to Sada Project. After five years, when the contract expires, the copyright will belong to Cao Zhiqiang personally again, but Sada Corporation has the priority to renew the contract.
In addition, Sada Planning will help fully promote and distribute all of Cao Zhiqiang's activities in Japan.
For example, if Cao Zhiqiang writes a Japanese song and wants to produce and distribute it in Japan, Sada Society will help come up with a package distribution plan, such as releasing a record, appearing on TV, radio, holding a concert, etc.
All issuance plans must be agreed by Cao Zhiqiang himself. If Cao Zhiqiang himself does not agree, the issuance plan shall not be enforced.
In other words, Cao Zhiqiang has absolute autonomy. He is not a puppet planned by Sada. He does not just follow the orders of Sada Club after signing the contract and do whatever the company asks him to do.
On the contrary, Sada Planning is more like an assistant or assistant to Cao Zhiqiang. As long as Cao Zhiqiang wants to do something, Sada Planning will fully cooperate and will not interfere too much with Cao Zhiqiang's personal will.
As for income distribution, in principle it is split 50-50.
In other words, from now on, whether it is from releasing records, appearing on TV, publishing posters, shooting commercials, holding concerts, etc., all income from Sada's projects will be split 50-50 with Cao Zhiqiang.
But this is only if the distribution channel is provided by Sada Project.
If it is a distribution channel found by Cao Zhiqiang privately, then according to the 70-30 principle, Cao Zhiqiang will be 70 percent and the company will be 30 percent.
For example, if Cao Zhiqiang accepts an advertisement privately, after deducting taxes from the advertising income, the remaining money will be 73%, Cao Zhiqiang 70%, and the company 3%.
Don't think this is unfair, it's actually very conscientious. After all, you are the company's exclusive contract artist. In theory, the company and you are bound together, and the company will spend a lot of effort and money to build and package you. , so during the contract period, even if you take the job privately, you theoretically have to pay the company.
The seventy-three points that Masashi Sada can give is really good. In fact, based on the current market situation in the Japanese music scene, this kind of situation where artists find their own way is usually five to five points.
If the contract company is looking for a distribution channel, it is usually 70%, that is, the company gets 70% and the artist gets 30%. But here, this is a relatively famous singer, and here, Masashi Sada gives 50%. points, also very conscientious.
This is roughly the content, which basically covers the most critical issues such as copyright ownership and revenue sharing after release.
Overall, this contract draft is actually quite conscientious, at least in the current Japanese music scene, it is.
But the problem is that Sada Project is just a studio with limited capabilities and cannot compare with those big record companies.
Even if Cao Zhiqiang is the exclusive contract artist of this studio, and the studio promises to fully cooperate with him and cultivate Cao Zhiqiang, there will be no climate.
Because in order to really promote Tsao Zhiqiang in Japan, Sada Project must cooperate with other large distribution companies. When the time comes, they will have to take a large chunk of the profits.
In this way, after all the hard work, Cao Zhiqiang may only get some leftovers in the end. At most, he can gain fame, and then slowly accept advertisements and commercial performances, step by step.
But if this is the case, Cao Zhiqiang will devote most of his time and energy to this place, and he will truly become a migrant worker here.
Especially, depending on Masashi Sada's intention, he will arrange many concerts for himself in the future, so I won't be exhausted?
Therefore, Cao Zhiqiang did not want to sign the contract at the first time.
It's just that Masashi Sada is Cao Zhiqiang's friend after all. He was able to come to Japan this time thanks to his invitation. It would be inappropriate to reject him all at once now.
"How about it, is it okay?" Masashi Sada said excitedly and anxiously, "If you have any questions, you can ask them. Then, if you think it's appropriate, why don't we sign the contract as soon as possible?"
Cao Zhiqiang put away the letter and smiled: "Sada-kun, don't worry. There is an old saying in China that you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. Didn't I say that? This is a serious matter, so let me think about it carefully and give you an answer in three days.
Having said that, I have just come here, so you can at least show your kindness as a landlord and let me have a good time. When I have enough fun, it will not be too late to talk about work. "
Masashi Sada was stunned for a moment, then smiled and patted his thigh: "Hey, you're right, you should really relax first.
Well, I've been in Tokyo for a while, and I'm fairly familiar with it. I'll take you out to have some fun next time.
By the way, have you heard of Ueno Park? Otherwise, after lunch, I will take you to play in Ueno Park.
I’ve been to Ueno Park, and then I’ll take you to Ginza for shopping.
After shopping, let’s get together at a bar tonight. I’ll find a few friends from the entertainment industry to meet you. They are all famous female singers. I guarantee you will be satisfied! "
"Xinxi!" Cao Zhiqiang nodded with satisfaction, "That's it."
(End of chapter)
