So, we're about to put out our second self-produced CD and we're just throwing around wording for the liner. We're a band, by the way, not a singer with a backing band. The first draft of the notes has this by way of credits:-

Vocals: A
Guitar, Hammond: B
Bass: C (me)
Drums: D
Violin: E (paid guest musician)
Second guitar on 'x', 'y', and 'z': F (ex-full time band member, no ill will, he's designing the album art!)

All songs by A&B, except 'w', by A, B and F.

Edit: that's the end of the credits - the rest are my questions...

Pop quiz:- define "song"

Is it: words? Is it music? Is it both?

If both, define "music". The stuff that B plays on what is effectively the lead instrument? Or the combination of that plus what I do, and what the drummer does? Chord structure, or sound?

Now, A writes the words, B writes the chords and sorts out most of the arrangement. However, B doesn't tell the rest of us what to play. In fact, the rest of us have considerable creative freedom to do, well, just that: create. If I was in a rock band playing root notes on the beat with the odd passing note and fill here and there, I wouldn't be posting this. But I'm not... I play fretless bass, and I consider that what I do actively adds to many of the songs - where the song allows. Ditto, D isn't your standard "boom chit" drummer...

Where do we stand? Where should we stand? I'm thinking that "All songs by Bandname" would be the more inclusive thing to say, backed up by something internal to the band that we sign up to that specifies what the split is if we somehow make it big and have any money come our way.

As it is, "All songs by A & B" makes it sound like me and D are just a couple of hangers on along for the ride. It's a slightly uncomfortable feeling.

Blimey Chris, do you realise how hard that is for dyslexsic to read!!

I agree with you Martin I know people who would have great difficulty with that. Keep it simple and understanding .

Liner notes are good to read but not like this my friend why don't you add lyrics and just use simple notes.

It is just a waste of your time.

As far as songwriting credits are concerned, do what the bloody hell you want to. If all of you agree that anyone who contributes to the "omelette", should share a credit, then you can divvy up the song anyway you deem is fair for everyone.

So if one puts in the egg white another the egg yolk, a third the tomatoes, a 4th the condiments a 5 the olive oil it all adds up to a cracking omelette.

If you want to split hairs then how long is a piece of string comes to mind. Bands tend to divide the songs equally except in cases where it has been determined otherwise in advance.

Good luck with it all.

Thanks - pretty much what I thought.

Andrew: re-read my edited post: the credit are very small - with names changed to protect the, er, innocent. Most of what I posted were my questions!