Discipline Global Mobile - Business Aims

Business Aims

DGM's mission statement consists of five "DGM business aims", which include the following three:

• firstly, "to help bring music into the world which would otherwise be unlikely" to be released unless "under conditions prejudicial to the music and/or musicians",
• secondly, "to operate in the market place, while being free of the values of the market place", and
• lastly, "to be a model of ethical business in an industry founded on exploitation, oiled by deceit, riven with theft and fueled by greed."

These aims were called "exemplary" by Martin, who wrote that "Fripp has done something very important for the possibilities of experimental music" in creating DGM, and that DGM "has played a major role in creating favorable conditions for" King Crimson.

Since at least the early 1960s, the recording industry has required artists to sign over copyrights and moral rights to their cover art, music, and lyrics. DGM rejects this practice, and since its 1992 founding has maintained its policy that its artists retain the copyrights and the moral rights to their works, be those works musical or visual art. Fripp wrote,

"The phonographic copyright in these performances is operated by Discipline Global Mobile on behalf of the artists, with whom it resides, contrary to common practice in the record industry. Discipline accepts no reason for artists to assign the copyright interests in their work to either record company or management by virtue of a 'common practice' which was always questionable, often improper, and is now indefensible."

This extends even to DGM's knotwork corporate logo, the copyright of which is owned not by the company, but by its designer, Steve Ball.

DGM does not require that its artists sign written contracts. Former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones said, "It's pure trust," and noted that "there are dangers on both sides. I could have a successful album and just sign with a major, or they could decide not to pay me." Jones explained that he was accustomed to "working in situations that do rely on trust and integrity, those old-fashioned words" because Led Zeppelin had no contract with its manager.

Royalties are paid above the prevailing rate, as announced at DGM's launch. In return, DGM artists are responsible for promoting their albums through concert tours and interviews.