THE Okehampton band who won a national competition with a top prize of a £100,000 recording contract, has warned other artists about the perils of such contests after the organisers failed to fulfil their part of their agreement.

Okehampton rock band DownFall, comprising Jake and Mack Hodgson, Karl Little and Nathan Bostock, spent several months earlier this year trying to secure the Brand New Artist 2015 crown.

The competition is meant to promote the best unsigned talent in the country with the aim of helping the competition winner reach the top ten on the Christmas charts.

As winners of the competition, DownFall were supposed to receive a prize constituting the marketing and release of a single to coincide with the Christmas 2015 charts. The prize included a promotional music video, suitable showcase performances to promote the artist and single as well as other marketing services to the value of £100,000.

While the video and artwork have recently been completed, on November 26, the band was contacted to inform them that a business investor based in London had pulled out of the deal and organisers would be unable to fulfil the £100,000 commitment.

The band will be able to keep the artwork created for it, but unless the production of the video is paid in full, the band can only use it until December 31.

DownFall’s single Without You will also receive a release but without the promotional backing the band was expecting. The showcase performances designed to promote the single have also not materialised.

Band manager and father to Jake and Mack, Chris Hodgson said the four lads in the band were ‘devastated’ by what had happened. He also said that there had been ‘lots of red flags’ that the competition prize was not all it seemed and ‘as months went by, things didn’t happen as they should have.’

Rather than sign the contract presented to them, DownFall drafted its own non-exclusive master use licence agreement which means they can re-release Without You under a new label in future.

Mr Hodgson said: ‘This has been eight months of our lives. DownFall want to thank the people in and around Okehampton who were so supportive in helping us to win the Brand New Artist for 2015 competition. We wanted this project to be good for the town as well as for DownFall and we are so disappointed with what has happened on so many levels.

‘The industry is ridiculously difficult to break into. There are so many amazing bands out there who should be making their full-time living off their music. To get your break is the toughest thing in the world.’

Neil Garton, managing director of Negart Records and competition organiser, said that due to the disappointment caused by the whole episode, he would no longer be working in the recording industry permanently.

He said: ‘I can only apologise to DownFall, although we still have a job to do. I can still use my influence in media to secure a lot of radio airplay on major FM stations and to get as much press coverage as possible.

‘I have also got a team of over 100 people ready to push out this campaign with regards to social media, promotional material, and to help drive sales of the single. It is a real shame for all involved that there is not going to be a showcase now. I am truly sorry.

‘I would never have set up the Brand New Artist competition if I knew this would have happened. I am gutted, and the band even more so, as they were really looking forward to this festive campaign.’

Despite all the disappointment, Mr Hodgson said: ‘This is far from the end for DownFall. What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.’