Week 38: Five Ways to Brand Your Band

(This is Week 38 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself Music advice)

Five Ways To Brand Your Band

Photo by Brandon Marshall (from willienelson.com)

Quiz Time:
Name That Musician/Band:

• - The Red Headed Stranger (hint above)
• - The Pelvis
• - The Lads from Liverpool
• - The Jazz Singer
• - The Man In Black
• - King of Pop
• - “You wanted the best and you got the best, the greatest band in the world… ______!”

Chances are you got most, if not all of those correct. Why do you know them? Branding. Weather it came upon them accidentally, or if it was an awesome marketing move, branding is why you know that Willie Nelson, Elvis, The Beatles, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Michael Jackson and KISS are the folks I mentioned above.

A band’s brand is much more than just an alternate way to know the group, and the above examples are VERY extreme. Usually a band’s brand is a combination of look, logo, sound, and story. It’s in what you say. It’s in what you write. It’s in what you wear and play. It’s the genetic make-up of your band.

Here are five things you should consider when branding your band. This isn’t all aspects of branding, but it’s enough to get you going.

BAND NAME:

 Does it have anything to do with the music you’re playing? It doesn’t have to (like The Beatles) but sometimes it helps (like Metallica).

This is a band reference too. Know who?
Buy the t-shirt

The biggest thing to consider when choosing a name is... make sure it’s timeless and it’s something you can live with 20 years from now. I was in a band when I was younger (by “in” the band I mean I sang backup every now and then and brought the beer to rehearsals) by the name of Soundscape. First, it was a horrible name, just stunk, I know (sorry guys if you read this). Second, it was not appropriate for the genre the band played (70s and 80s rock a la Van Halen, Pink Floyd, and ZZ Top).

The next thing to consider is something that has become an issue in the last 20 years. Can you purchase your band’s name online? If you name yourself Spatula, is spatula.com already taken? If so, unless you’re really married to the name… change it to something you can buy “yourband.com” with, because nothing is more annoying than having to type the word “band” after a band’s name. Yeah, spatulaband.com is probably not taken, but how many people will know to do that when looking you up.

Now, if you have a cool last name like Vallejo, Hanson, or Van Halen, for the love of God… use it.

The last thing to consider about your band name is… the story behind it. If you gain some popularity, you will be interviewed. If you’re interviewed, one of the first questions will be “what does your name mean?” Have an answer.

LOGO / IMAGE

The Dangerous Toys Clown

Journey has a giant cockroach looking scarab. KISS has the make-up and the lightning bolt SS. Weezer has the flying W. The Rolling Stones have the lips & tongue. Iron Maiden has “Eddie.” Dangerous Toys has the clown. Radiohead has death bear. The letters in Toto look like a face. Nine Inch Nails has the “NIN.” Slayer has the pentagram with red 10th grade “I’m In A Rock Band” letters. I could go on and on. The point is... create a logo and/or image that is associated with your band. Something that someone sees it and thinks of you.

Want some great examples? I found a site while writing this column that has over 300 logos of bands and iconic images that are born of musical artists. Check it out. It’s a blog called “Band Logos – Brand upon the Brain." Word of warning… there’s a cheesy but slightly shocking photo as the header… but the logos are awesome.

BAND PERSONA

Ice Ice... house?

No, you don’t have to create a fake name and backstory. Ask Vanilla Ice how THAT worked out. The band persona is just the way you talk about your band. Consider it your band’s “elevator speech.” Every member of your band should be able to tell someone about the band in about 2 minutes… and make it a consistent story.

“We’re a bar-room rock band that plays a lot of the clubs on Red River in Austin, Texas. I play bass. We’re wrapping up our first album in the next few months. If you’d like to check us out go to DogFaceCow.com. Oh... here’s a business card, if you end up going to a show, show the card for a buck off at the door.”

BAM…

It’s not hard… but you have to get everyone in line to say something similar.

BAND LOOK

Angus Young of AC/DC has the Catholic schoolboy outfit. Willie Nelson has the hair…. Well... HAD the hair. Millions of country bands on the circuit are in Wranglers and cowboy hats... and older bands have western shirts and bolo ties. Lady Gaga dresses like she went to the same store Madonna went to and Elton John before her. Ray Charles had the signature sunglasses. Billy Ray Cyrus had the mullet. One Eyed Doll has crazy long hair in big pony tails that she whips around (not like Willow Smith).

Rolling Stone RS952 Cover

If you decide to take this part of branding your band to heart, you have to figure out something that will make someone remember your band. A look that makes people take notice. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box (Buckethead), but just make sure you have the musical chops to back up an original look.

Now…it doesn’t really matter what you wear, as long as the music is good. But, if you’re reading this, please don’t let your band look like you just walked up out of the crowd and found an instrument and 3 other people who were playing as well. Maybe you just say, everyone wear button-down shirts, or nobody in shorts, or let’s all wear matching pink Converse tennis shoes. You’re the entertainer at your job. Is shorts and a ratty t-shirt proper work attire?

MERCHANDISE

Handmade One-Eyed Doll band merch. More here

Make your banner look similar to your Website which looks similar to your flyers which look similar to your stickers, CD packaging, and anything else you do in print. Make sure everything looks like it came from the same place, and not 15 different bands that happen to have the same name. 

Here’s a fast food example. Everything you get at McDonalds looks like it’s from McDonalds. The logo, the wrapping, the box, the bag, the catsup, the napkins… EVERYTHING. Your band should be the same. Everything needs to look like it came from the band unmistakably.

Here’s a few band sites that get it right:

http://www.alanjackson.com- See how the look is wrapped around Alan Jackson's latest single (or at least was on 6/28/11)

http://oneeyeddoll.com/ - You know EXACTLY how exciting a show One-Eyed Doll can be from this site.

http://nakia.net/ - Nakia is capitalizing on his appearance on The Voice, as he should be.

Nakia on The Voice

So there it is. A few hints about branding your band. Hope this helps.

Until next week. 

Sean Claes is the owner of Austin's INsite Magazine and has been a freelance entertainment writer since 1996. For an introduction to his "52 Weeks of DIY Music Advice" visit this link - http://www.tinyurl.com/Claes52DIY. If you like what you read... please share. To visit Claes' homepage, go here - http://www.seanclaes.com/.

Week 37: It's A Job

(This is Week 36 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself Music advice)

Hard at Work or Hardly Working At It?

You’ve got a job. It’s making music. It’s entertaining people. It’s not one that pays regular. It’s not one that will impress most people outside the musical realm. It’s probably not something you can put on a resume that will garner you a $60k a year job. But it’s a job.

For some, it’s a full-time position. You work day in and day out chasing the dream that puts your name up on the marquee in the headliner position. The dream of hearing your songs on the radio, seeing your album listed in the top 50 in Rolling Stone, or getting sponsored by a major company. The dream of being able to afford a home and car from the money you’ve made off of your craft.

But…for most it’s a part-time job because in order to afford the luxuries in life you are used to, like a roof over your head and at least one meal a day, it doesn’t pay enough. But, still you do it. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or an evening rock star… it’s a passion that you’re not willing to give up.

It really doesn’t matter if you fall in the full-time or part-time working musician role… you must understand, it’s a job. Every time you play a club, you’re being hired to entertain people. How much you get paid is either part of a “guarantee” or directly in conjunction to how many butts you bring through the door.

Want to see a hard working part-time musician? Find Ben Mills.
He plays in Waiting for August, books showcases, and
promotes like a mad circus seal. See him 7/8/11 @ Elysium in ATX

It’s hard. I know. Most jobs are. If you have it in you to write and record music and are trying to share that with the world, it’s going to be an uphill climb. You have to climb above all of the self-important crappy singers out there… and deliver something that appeals to a large group of people… not just stroking your own ego.

If ego isn’t in the mix… and you are a decent musician. Consider being in a cover band. You make a lot of money, you just have to be OK with being known as “The guy at my wedding that played Erasure” Instead of a serious singer-songwriter. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. It’s a job. You’ll make money… you can use that money to invest in your serious music career and elevate yourself out of the cover-band genre. Of course… you may just want to play music and make some money… and a cover band is a viable option. Someone will always want to hear “Piano Man,” “Sweet Caroline” and “Brown Eyed Girl.”

Just an option. And a little ego ain’t a bad thing… as long as you can back it up. But, think about it… How many people are working somewhere because “It’s a job?” More people than those who are working at the position of their dreams… I’ll tell you that. Lots of people can go through the motions. And that’s fine if that’s what you’re doing with music. But.. if that’s what you’re doing…this column is not for you.

This column is for the ones who believe that the band they are in just might make it. If someday you’d like to quit your full-time job or be able to stop sponging off of all of your friends and make an honest living at music, this is for you.

Treat your musical career like a job. Make sure you work at it every day.. if only just a little bit. Always move forward. Make progress daily. Get your name out there. Get to be known. Move up the ladder. Have meetings. Plan your week/month/year. Brainstorm ideas. Schedule vacation. Have working lunches. Make friends, attend conferences. Make friends with club owners, bands, producers, and other people who you’d like to work with in the future.

Then… here’s the important thing. At the end of the day, walk away from it and be you. Your music career should not define you as a human. You are a musician, that’s your job. It’s not 100% or who you are. Make sure you are able to feed the other parts of your life as well. Get right with God, find and fall in love. Don’t blow off the important people in your life for music.

Music is your Job. It is not your life. It is a job though. Work.

Sean Claes is the owner of Austin's INsite Magazine and has been a freelance entertainment writer since 1996. For an introduction to his "52 Weeks of DIY Music Advice" visit this link - http://www.tinyurl.com/Claes52DIY. If you like what you read... please share. To visit Claes' homepage, go here - http://www.seanclaes.com/.

SOUR PATCH EXTREME (Candy Review) for O'Ryan's Village

Sour Patch Kids Grew Up...er...Extreme!

Candy Review: Sour Patch Extreme

When O’Ryans Village (http://www.oryans.com/) put out a call for candy reviewers via their Facebook page, I’ve got to admit, I was a happy camper. Free candy? Sign me up. So my first package came in the mail and as I opened it, I realized they paired me up with three things I really don’t like in a candy… sour, gummy, and multi-flavor in one piece. But, in the interest of giving a fair review, I will curb my preferences.

Now Sour Patch Extreme could be the cousin of the Sour Patch Kids candy I didn't really eat when I was a kid, so I can't compare Patches to Patches... if you want that comparrison, read Jim Bonomo's review here.

Anyhow...

Sour Patch Extreme comes in 3 different “flavors.” You’ve got Watermelon / Grape, Orange / Blue Raspberry, and Sour Apple / Strawberry. Of the flavors, the dominant of each is Watermelon, Orange, and Strawberry.

As I take them out of the package, I note that the pieces themselves are shaped like flat feet with a different color in the toes. Upon further research (read: looking at the package) they are supposed to be faces with colored hair. “Ah…” I think. “I can see that now. Should I scratch the foot comment? Naw.”

They are coated with some sugary looking stuff that gives them the sour taste. It kicks in immediately, but soon enough you get the sweet flavors that lie underneath. The 4oz package has about 45 quarter-size pieces in it, and the Nutrition Facts state that there’s about 3 servings of 16 each. I don’t know anyone who would be able to down 16 of these at a sitting, as my tongue started feeling rubbed raw after about 5, so I had to take a break. Now, I’m sure seasoned candy eaters could play through the pain, as the reward is worth it, but I am not one of those.

I attempted to eat them two ways.

One, I just popped them in and chewed. I got a nice “crunch” of the sour sugar accompanied by the rush of flavors provided by the underlying gummy.

The second way was rolling the candy on my tongue and sucking the sugar off the piece until I had a smooth and yummy gummy underneath. This method attributed to the raw tongue and after that the gummy lingered in my mouth as it adhered itself to my teeth.



Here I am eating Orange/Blue Raspberry - my fave of the 3.



Each way has it’s advantages. If you are the type of person who doesn’t like the peas rolling into the mashed potatoes, you’ll appreciate the eating a layer at a time. If you’re like me and get annoyed by a gummy layer on your teeth, you’ll want to pop and chew.



Overall, these are quite good. I like the fact that they are a small amount of candy that packs a big punch. I can eat one and feel like I’ve had that little shot of sweet I crave sometimes… so I can see a bag of these multi-colored flat feet lasting about a week in my hands, which is a wise investment.

If you’re a fan of sour candy, this may not hit a homerun with you as the sourness quickly dissapates, but it will be satisfying nonetheless. If you like gummy candies, you’ll be pleased with Sour Patch Extreme.
- Sean Claes

Week 36: How NOT To Treat Fans

(This is Week 36 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself Music advice)

How NOT To Treat Fans

I have been an entertainment writer for over 15 years. I've been backstage, at the bar, in the dressing room, recording studio, and homes of some pretty interesting characters in this time. I'm not saying this to boast... it's to prove a point.


I've often told people that I get a viewpoint that not many people get. I get to see the "people" behind the musicians. It is an honor. I take it very seriously. There are some really wonderful performers out there that you probably own a CD or two (or have downloaded a song) from that I know for a fact that they are complete tools.

There's an Austin band that is adored by fans that mentioned in a marketing meeting "I don't give a @$#@ about the fans, they'll love what I give them."


There's a national artist that was a headliner of a music festival in the Hill Country that refused to answer a simple question (that about 30 other performers had already answered for me with no problem or hesitation) and called me an idiot and scoffed.


There's a drummer for a well known rock band that was so cocky you'd think the band was named after him and didn't give anyone else credit for anything (it's not the one you're thinking BTW).

Now... these we all done in "private" and I respect that. I'll never tell you their name, because the important thing is... they do their job well. They make beautiful music that means something to a great number of people.

Here's where I have a problem. Last week on Facebook... I happened to see a performer's posting of a banner he had created to promote his website. He'd posted up an image and mentioned "I just OK'd the proof of this banner..." and gave the printing company some love.


I saw he'd just posted it... and it looked like the mission of the banner was to make his Webite URL as big as possible, so I posted a suggestion. I suggested that he drop the "www" off the sign and blow up the letters even bigger, as when people see ".com" at the end of something they know it's a Website.


Here's where I'm guilty. I assumed he'd want this advice. I foolishly posted it as a comment under the photo instead of sending it to him in a private message. I deleted the comment when I saw his completely off-putting response.

Now.. I made a screen capture of the exchange (sadly I'd deleted my original comment..which was the first comment that he's replying to initially) and deleted the names... Here it is:

"I'm not forgetting that the audience is made up of MOSTLY idiots..."

Click image to read the whole thing.... via my Flickr

Now.. Dean took me to task for the unsolicited advice. I can take that. It must have rubbed him the wrong way...which is fine. I'll take MY lumps. I was out of turn in giving the advice. But he takes it a step further and says:

"I'm not forgetting that the audience is made up of MOSTLY idiots and everything has to be spelled out for them."

THEN.. he picks everyone else who posted off by telling them they aren't fans because they haven't bought a CD from him (including fellow performers)... and explains his definition of a fan as "Bought a CD or went to a  show to see a performance  and tipped money in the jar."

Fan = someone who has put $$ directly into his pocket... oh... and most of them are idiots. Or it could be the vast majority of the people who attend a show DON'T put $$ in his tip jar or buy a CD and therefore are idiots. Not sure. Well.. he lost a fan, cheerleader, and a supporter in me... as well as a Facebook friend (which is NOT the definition of a fan according to him).

Anyhow.... here's the lesson:
If you're a performer who is a tool (you may prefer to call yourself ecletic, serious, or driven... but if you treat people like dirt... to me, you're a tool), do me a favor and don't let the fans know about it. It ruins your great gift.

And when you see people with the media... don't assume they are all bad and want to destroy you. There's a lot of us who are trying to elevate your career because we believe in your song, mission, and dream.

Oh.. and if you are a performer that is boasting the fact that you're a Christian (as Dean does very nicely via his Website)... this is NOT the Christian way to respond to anyone... much less your fans.

Hope this helps.

Sean Claes is the owner of Austin's INsite Magazine and has been a freelance entertainment writer since 1996. For an introduction to his "52 Weeks of DIY Music Advice" visit this link - http://www.tinyurl.com/Claes52DIY. If you like what you read... please share. To visit Claes' homepage, go here - http://www.seanclaes.com/.

Week 35: What's the Big Idea?

(This is Week 35 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself Music advice)

 

What's the Big Idea?

 Here’s a tweet I posted recently, based on a true story:

Musician: This group needs to do a compilation.

Me: Awesome. Here are the steps to do it.

Musician: Oh, not me...but someone should do that"

Apathy strikes again. Here’s the deal. You can do anything. I put out a compilation CD a few years ago. Did I know how to do it? Not at all. Did that stop me? No.




2007 INsite Compilation Cover*

 If you’re going to invest in your band, you can do it with time and money. The more time you spend, the less money you’ll have to put in… for the most part. The sad thing is, most bands won’t take the time or spend the money to promote themselves. They think by booking a gig, they are done… and when only their girlfriend shows up to the show, they are quick to point fingers.

- The venue didn’t promote the show.
- The other bands didn’t tell their fans to hang out to see us.
- It was a weeknight and nobody goes out on a Tuesday.
- I didn’t like playing this club anyway, the owner’s a jerk.
- I made a Facebook post about it 3 hours before the show… Facebook doesn’t work.
- People don’t get our music.
- It happened when a great roadshow was playing at Stubb’s. They took our crowd.

In the weeks leading up to the show did you:

- Contact the other bands and try and do a promo-share thing?
- Make posters.
- Hang up the posters you made?
- Hang up the posters in a place where people who should like your music go?
- Pimp the show on social media?
- Give away tickets?
- Create a buzz?
- Play a local news/radio/podcast to promote?
- Hand out fliers w/ discount?
- Make promo music to hand out?
- Tell ANYONE?

If the answer to all or most of the items above is yes… well… you may have had an off night. I’d say you did a good job trying to promote the show.

If your answer is no to most of the items, you need to take your petty little complaints and think about what you did leading up to the show. You likely booked this show at least a month in advance. You had PLENTY of time.


You’ve got to figure out of you have a hobby or a job. If it’s a hobby, quit complaining. If it’s a job, step up.

Try different things. If you have an idea… a good idea… follow thorough and make it happen. Two weeks ago there was a weekend festival just outside of Tulsa Oklahoma called the Backwoods Bash. Five years ago I got a call from a buddy of mine who had an idea. Throw a festival to promote indie bands. We decided it was a good idea. We made it happen. There were four of us. No seed money. No big supporter. None of us had ever done something like that before.

But we decided it was a good idea. So, we just did it. We did it poorly.. but we did it. The people who came to the show didn't notice that we were barely holding the thing together by the skin of all of our collective teeth.

The deal was, we knew that the ONLY reason to have a "First Ever" is to have a "Second Annual."

One of my old bosses used to say that anything worth doing it worth doing badly. That means, if you have a good idea, pull it off... and learn froom mistakes and keep at it. THAT is how you promote. THAT is how you become known. THAT is how you succeed at life and music and business. Is it s guarantee? No.. but you surely won't have any regrets if you put your all into it and try and make things happen.

So... next time you have an idea think long and hard about it. Unless you're ready to jump into the water with both eyes open and not stop swimming until you reach land.... keep it to yourself.

If it's a good idea, jump in.. the water is awesome.

Sean Claes is the owner of Austin's INsite Magazine and has been a freelance entertainment writer since 1996. For an introduction to his "52 Weeks of DIY Music Advice" visit this link - http://www.tinyurl.com/Claes52DIY. If you like what you read... please share. To visit Claes' homepage, go here - http://www.seanclaes.com/.

* About the compilation CD. There were 15 Austin area bands on it, we did a run of 1k.  Murillo Design designed the project, Fireside Creative did the physical packaging, Dewar's Whisky covered the cost (great promotional tool), and Ben Mills from RockShow Promotions organized a CD release party at Stubb's. Oh, and we gave the CDs away.

Tim Haden's 4/24/11 Blogworld slide show

Interesting.... so I post it here.

From Tim Haden

Prepared for Mobile?: QR Codes & Current Trends

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Week 34

(This is Week 34 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself Music advice)

The Average Lifespan of a Band

Music is said to be a young person’s game. Mostly because by the time you reach your mid-to-late 20s you have things you want to do with your life that doesn’t include being out until 2:00a on a Friday night. There was a country song by a little-known country artist by the name of Rusty Schramm who I believe has retired from music (ironically) called “College Daze” (I think… it’s not online) that recalls the good times of college and mentions that is was all before “Kids, careers, and wives.”



Image by Gregfuqua


Sometimes music is just a hobby and you form a band to play in your garage for kicks and grins. That’s fine. When you try and get out and make money at it though… that’s when it turns serious because you’re not just involving the members of your band, there’s a whole music support system you’re feeding into that includes other musicians, bars, clubs, bartenders, sound guys, promoters, advertising, booking agents, fans, restaurants, taxi service, hotels, and much more.

I was talking to a good friend of mine, who is the booking agent for one of Austin’s clubs. He let me know that the life-span of a band these days is about a year. That’s the full life span. Getting together, gigging, recording, and breaking up.

It used to be that a club could be the home base of a band while they learned their performing chops for about six months to a year…they’d play weeknights and early slots on the weekend. The club would pretty much break even on them (pay for the sound guy and sell enough alcohol to regulars to pay for staff). Then the bands would improve, create a following, and end up “paying” the club back for their “investment” by killing it on a Friday or Saturday for about 5-6 months before moving up the ladder on the scene.

These days many bands are cocky. They expect instant success. They think they are doing the club a favor by playing there. They get hit in the face with reality a few times and quit.

While I think that’s a crappy ending for a band, I also think it’s survival of the fittest. 75% of the bands who are gigging this weekend will not be around next year. And that’s OK. Those are the people who shouldn’t be a band anyhow. If you can’t handle the business when you’re playing a dive bar on Red River in Austin, there’s no way you can handle dealing with all the pressures of advancing your musical career.

People idolize the wrong things. I was a fan of Nirvana and Alice in Chains, but Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley were not prepared for the life of fame. When the Seattle scene hit big time, they were propelled to the spotlight, which if anyone knows anything about that scene… it wasn’t about the spotlight… at all. It was about the dark corners where people hid NOT to be seen.

Those two didn’t need a tour manager, they needed rehab…or they needed to be left alone.

Don’t get me wrong. They made their own choices in life and chose death, so there’s nobody to blame for their demise but themselves. Fame just advanced something that was probably already going to happen.

Allow me to step off my soapbox.

The point is, if you are going to play music, commit to it. Realize that, while you are making music to satisfy yourself and your personal needs, you are entering a life that is bigger than just you and your 3 band mates. Realize that you are part of the great song that is “music” and contribute. There are plenty of people out there that will support you, and there are plenty of people who will try and exploit you.

Keep that head on your shoulders and make decisions with a clear mind.

11 Ways to be around in a year:

1. Choose the members of your band wisely. Choose people who will work with your to make the band work.
2. Don’t gig until the band is ready. You can do more damage than good by gigging early. Practice for a few months and develop a sound, set list, and performance feel.
3. Have regular band meetings, at least once a week, where you talk about how things are progressing… this is NOT a practice, but it can happen after one.
4. When you DO gig, never let people off stage know something is going wrong.
5. Love the music you’re playing.
6. If a member is no longer contributing and it’s a problem… make a change.
7. Make sure the people who are important to your band members (loved ones) know what’s going on, but also know that this is a business where decisions are made for the band by the band.
8. Decisions are made for the band’s sake… not for an individual member. The band is bigger than any one member (just ask Van Halen). Sometimes it’s necessary to step down from playing to allow the band to continue making music. That’s OK.
9. Remember all of the people in the music world who helped you out… and make sure that you give back.
10. Don’t have a manager until you’re so busy with the band that you can’t keep up. Most bands are 4-5 people… learn to handle your own business.
11. Never play drunk / stoned / stupid. This is a job. Keep a clear head while doing it.

Now, don’t let me paint a completely bleak picture here. There are bands that are going to be around for the next decade. There are bands who have successfully integrated marriage and kids and life outside music with their musical career. It’s hard, but if you’ve got the music in your heart and soul, and a clear head on your shoulders… you can do it.



I WANT you to become better. I want you to record an album. I want to review it and recommend it to the world. The issue is… you need to be around to promote the album… or it was a waste of your money, and the world’s time.


I want an invitation to the band’s 5 year-anniversary show at the club that gave you your first gig. If you and your band make it to five years, to me… you’ve made it.

Sean Claes is the owner of Austin's INsite Magazine and has been a freelance entertainment writer since 1996. For an introduction to his "52 Weeks of DIY Music Advice" visit this link - http://www.tinyurl.com/Claes52DIY. If you like what you read... please share. To visit Claes' homepage, go here - http://www.seanclaes.com/.

Week 33: Tell The Truth

(This is Week 33 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself Music advice)

WEEK 33: TELL THE TRUTH



Me getting my swagger on.



So, last Sunday I played a gig. For all of you musicians out there, that’s not a big sentence. I know. But for me…. It is. You see, I’ve written about music and interviewed bands, and helped good people in the entertainment world become better known for their craft for about 20 years… but I’d never actually performed a full 1-hour gig in public.

Up until a year ago I didn’t even sing in public, other than at karaoke bars and jumping up on stage at a few weddings for a song.


Of course, on paper I COULD look like a seasoned pro.

Sean Claes' Musical Resume:

• PLAYED FENWAY PARK IN BOSTON
• RECORDED SOLO AT THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME IN CLEVELAND
• PERFORMED WITH BAND IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
• HEARD ON RADIO STATIONS IN ALL 50 STATES AND CANADA

Ah.. but look closer and learn:
Fenway Park: I actually got up on stage and sang “Mustang Sally” at Fenway Park 10 years ago… during my sister’s wedding reception.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: They have this booth (or had it in 2003) where you feed $4 into it, pick a song, sing, and it gets recorded onto a tape. I chose Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Let Her Cry.”

Red Eyed Fly in Austin, Texas: At Austin band, The Banner Year’s, final show they called me up to help sing “Monolith” which is my favorite track from them. I've also been slapped by One-Eyed Doll on stage at Red Eyed Fly.

Radio Play: I wrote ads for a living for a few years. It was a small agency, so I got to voice a lot of the ads myself. I’ve played a single guy for an online matchmaking site, a married guy for several jewelry stores, a plumber for... well… a plumber, and the voice of introduction for dozens of companies (As in.. “we’re speaking with ____ ____ of____ Pharmacy” I have likely had more radio play than most rock stars. Here’s a link containing a little YouTube of me as “Nacho Weiner”

BUT.. I’d never actually performed a live show. What changed this? Well.. about a year ago I joined our church’s Praise Band. We play each Sunday at the 11:00p Mixed Contemporary service.

My neighborhood has an annual event called Front Porch Days. I’ve booked the music for that event for the last 6 years. Last year I booked the Praise Band (none of the members from last year are currently playing) to play. Well, while booking this year, I booked the Praise Band to play again… and sandwiched us between two fantastic acts (Kevin Daniel Smith and Matches for Memories) whom I respect a lot.

Back to my point that I didn’t quite get to. You see… my resume could look impressive if I wanted to pad my musical bra… but as soon as someone paid attention to what “PLAYED FENWAY PARK” actually meant, my credibility would be totally shot.

Bands do this. And it’s wrong. It’s wrong 100% of the time.

Just because you got up and did a drunken stage dive at a Lamb of God show, that doesn’t mean you’ve “performed with.”

The singer and guitarist have been married for 10 years…. That doesn’t mean the band has “been together” for a decade.

Just think about it. If you are asked in an interview about something you claim as a band accomplishment, are they going to laugh or be impressed?

Many years ago I reviewed the debut CD from a band (who will remain nameless) and their website made some WILD claims about their experience. I thought the CD was OK, but didn’t sound like it came from a band with as much experience as they claimed. The lead singer called me out and told me off for saying the things I did… since they’d only been in that band for a few months before the CD came out… although they’d performed as a duo playing a completely different style for years. I pointed the singer to the Website and the response I got was, “You should have told me you were going to look at the Website when you reviewed the CD.”

Make sure your information is up, current, and accurate.

Make sure you don’t make any claims that are untrue or “stretched” to sound much cooler than they ae.

It’s simple really. Tell the truth. It will set you free.

OK... just for you... here's a video of me and the Kyle United Methodist Church Praise Band performing "Spirit in the Sky."

Sean Claes is the owner of Austin's INsite Magazine and has been a freelance entertainment writer since 1996. For an introduction to his "52 Weeks of DIY Music Advice" visit this link - http://www.tinyurl.com/Claes52DIY. If you like what you read... please share. To visit Claes' homepage, go here - http://www.seanclaes.com//.

Front Porch Days 2011 - Plum Creek (Kyle, Texas)

Front Porch Days 2011 - Plum Creek (Kyle, Texas), a photo by seanclaes on Flickr.

What are YOU up to next Sunday?
I'll be here.

Front Porch Days
The Plum Creek Neighborhood in Kyle, Texas

http://www.frontporchdays.com

I'm actually performing at 1:45p with the Kyle United Methodist Church Praise Band.

It's going to be a great time.

5/15/ 2011 WASHER'S TOURNAMENT IN KYLE, TEXAS

2011 KYLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WASHERS TOURNAMENT
Plum Creek Neighborhood in Kyle, Texas
May 15, 2011


A shot from the 2010 Washer's Tournement..

Front Porch Days 2011 will be held on Sunday May 15, 2011.
My church, the Kyle United Methodist Church will again be sponsoring the Washer's Tournament.

If you are in the area and want to play washers.... come on out.
Here's the information - http://frontporchdays.com/id16.html

Sign up ahead of time... or show up and sign up in person.

The first 24 teams signed up will play.


This year the proceeds will go towards 2 different but equally great charities.
1. Hope & Love 4 Kids - They help children in the Kyle community by providing basic necessities, comforting them in their time of need and uplifting them through service and outreach.
and
2. Soles4Souls -  a shoe charity that collects gently worn shoes and monies to provide shoes to those in need. The KUMC has collected over 200 pairs of gently worn shoes... and the proceeds from the washer's tournament will help defray the cost of shipping the shoes.