There are a lot of bands out there. With placement on MySpace, band websites, movie soundtracks, video game soundtracks, ringtones, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster and countless other outlets (and the list grows every day), the music consumer is faced with a LOT of music - through more outlets than ever before. This isn't news to you though.

What may or may not be news is that most labels are signing a bunch of acts and just hoping that one of them hits. If the band doesn't succeed by the label's standards, they're locked into a contract saying they can't record as a group for x number of years... or that they can't use the name or that two or more members of the group cannot perform the songs written by the group for money. The record companies are buying artists on sale because everyone wants a record deal.

What most artists are looking for - particularly artists who consider their music a ministry - is to be heard. The problem is that there's nothing in a record contract to really force the company to even release your album if they don't want to... and the standard contract doesn't allow you to go record for anyone else if the company you signed with doesn't want to let you.

School of Fish is different from record companies because of three small letters - "non" - as in non-profit. We are concerned with ensuring that a great band with a great message has a chance to be heard.

Our supporters believe in getting God's message out - the Christian message - to those who need it. And they understand that it's expensive and that it takes time. If they didn't, they wouldn't be giving money to our cause.

If you're making Christian music, you're probably doing it because you've got a passion to share the gospel.

Want to be heard? Send us your demo.