Week 46 - The Plan

 (This is Week 46  of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice)

3 Plans for Musicians

What do you want to do with your band’s life? I know.. you wanna rock. Thank you Dee Snider. But, really, if you’re serious about music, you should make a decision. You should make a plan. Are you just playing to play, or is this something you’re counting on doing for a long time, and/or as a career?

You want to play to THIS crowd? It takes a PLAN. (Ozzfest 2007)

Maybe you're not out for the big festival scene... that's OK.

It doesn’t matter if you got into music because it was anti-authority. It doesn’t matter if you picked up a guitar to piss off your parents, to win a girl, or because you have a special gift you need to share with the world. You’re sitting in the position of being 1 piece of a puzzle that is the size of your band. It’s no longer just about you. It’s about the band now. It’s about contributing to the one great song that is music.

The way I see it, there’s three basic plans that bands can embark upon. Argue all you want that there’s more… but for the sake of this blog, I’m limiting it to three.. and I’ll bet your argument, no matter how valid it may be… can fall into one of these big buckets below.

JUST PLAY MUSIC

There’s the band that just wants to play music, in a garage, dive bar, someone’s party, empty parking lot… anywhere. This band doesn’t care if there’s 1 person or 1000 people in the crowd. They focus their energy into having a good time and playing music with friends. This band will likely never play in front of 1,000 people, though, because it’s not about that. It’s not about getting their music to the masses, distribution, labels, getting on MTV (or whatever station actually plays music these days), or fame. It’s more about having a good time with some friends, and everyone is welcome to the party. It’s just about the individuals who are in the band playing the music they love. You know, that’s fine. As long as everyone in the group KNOWS that’s what the band is about and is happy with that decision.

There are many, many bands out there that aren’t trying to grab the brass ring. Most of the bands in Austin would fall into this category. Some of my favorite bands fall into this category. They’ll never be famous, but they throw a heck of a good party.

Plan:

1. Write and learn songs that make the band happy.
2. Play when invited to play.
3. Find a few clubs that caters to your sound.
4. Record CD of originals.
5. Goal: Make enough money to supplement the money you spend on your music, and remain happy about playing.

MISSION DRIVEN MUSIC

Some bands have something loftier to prove than just playing music. An example of this type of band would be Rage Against The Machine. They had a political motivation. They were trying to change minds, get people plugged in, and make a difference. If you’d like to prove a point and use music as your tool… that’s fantastic. Make sure everyone in the band is on board… then pull the trigger.

Please do me a favor and have something worthy to say, and be informed about the machine you’re raging against. Don’t do it for shock value or just because you heard Public Enemy once and thought it’d be fun to rattle some cages. Nothing is sadder than an ill-informed drunk front man trying to pontificate on a subject he learned about by watching Fox News.

Plan:

1. Get informed and know the subject you’re talking about
2. Write informed songs about subject.
3. Use songs as a platform to voice your opinions.
4. Find groups, clubs, and individuals who will support your right deliver your message.
5. Find controversy, find injustice, find your niche in the world
6. GOAL: Play until you’re heard. Play until you see the change you are trying to achieve. Play to shine a light on the things you wish to see changed. Then play through the change.

COVER OF ROLLING STONE

This is what most people think a band’s mission is. To become wildly popular. To sell a million records and land on the cover of Rolling Stone. In order to do this, chances are you’re going to have to “sell out” in more ways than one. You have to promote, pander, pucker-up and parade around until the whole world sees you and invites you into their lives. You are likely going to have to work your way up the ladder and change and adapt at each stop along the way. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking this track if you know this is where you’re heading.

Of course, you have to be moldable. You are working to get into a position where someone is going to “help” you achieve the sound and look that may propel you into mega-stardom. This is why I mentioned that most of the bands I know are in the “Just Play Music” category. You’ve got to be OK with losing your soul a little.

Now.. this isn’t how every star is born, but the wheels of the music industry are always looking for another band they can turn into another Katy Perry, Coldplay, Garth Brooks, or Taylor Swift. Heck.. Imagine if they found another cash cow like KISS?

Plan:

1. Find out what music is selling.
2. Write to the largest demographic of fans.
3. Make videos, play benefits, eat, sleep, and drink the band.
4. Cut a full length album and promote it like it’s the new Bible and everyone’s soul is going to hell unless they listen to it.
5. Find similar bands, more popular than you and open for them.
6. Bother booking agents, talent agents, labels, magazines, newspapers, and blog writers until they see you live… and have a favorable reaction.
7. Be prepared to change your music, ditch band members, do special “favors” and completely give yourself over to a person who will turn you into the music superstar you never knew you wanted to be (i.e. become a sellout).
8. Do everything you can to avoid being spit out of the wood-chipper that is people’s waning taste in popular music.
9. GOAL: Sell out major stadiums worldwide, make millions of dollars, and get the cover of the Rolling Stone.

So, which plan do you fall into? Do you like it there?

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 45: Promote From Your Phone

 (This is Week 45  of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice)

 

Is That A Promotional Tool in Your Pocket?

 

Hey, got a Smartphone? Pick it up and look at it. Do you know you’re holding what could be the center of your band’s promotional efforts? With what you’re holding you can e-mail, call, surf the web, and interact with the world at large, or just one person at the tap of a screen.

Confession time. I just joined the ranks of the iPhone, so I’m pretty new at this. And yes, “Angry Birds” was the first app I downloaded. But, I quickly realized that this is a much bigger animal than an app about flinging birds at pigs and monkeys. PLUS, it has some great social and promotional tools. So, I’m dedicating this week’s column to a few thought on how you can make that phone work for you.

NOTE: All of these things are free, or included with your service plan (provided you have a data package and unlimited texting…which I think I may be one of the last people in the world to get).

5 Things You Can Do To Promote
Your Music from Your Phone

1. Store Media contacts and USE them – yes, you can store thousands of phone numbers on that little device, but do you use them to promote yourself? Shoot a text to the writer at the local newspaper/magazine/entertainment blog when you release a new song or have a show… or just to tell them you enjoyed their review of Dog Face Cow’s new album. Tip: ALWAYS include your name and band name.

2. Use Gowalla and FourSquare – When you’re doing band things, “check in” on one of the apps that let people know where you are and what you’re doing. If you’re checking out another band.. share the love.. and share the pictures too.

You may even use one of these for promotions. “Anyone who is coming to the show and checks in here can get $1 off cover if they show the doorman when paying.”

3. Photos – Use them, take them, and encourage them. When you’re at a show, take photos and post them to your Facebook page, Twitter account, Flickr… anywhere you can. I use a free app called Instagram (the “free” version of the popular Hipstamatic). It takes “square” photos and gives you the option of posting it to Twitter, Facebook, Email, Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare, and Posterous. I don’t use all of these... but if you did.. it’s one stop-shopping.

4. Play Games – I’m currently playing “Words With Friends” and “Hanging With Friends” with members of several Austin bands. It‘s fun, it’s relaxing, and it’s keeping me top of mind with these bands. Nobody has pitched anything to me while playing, they’ve shot me some Facebook invites (like every other band that’s vying for my time out there) and you know what? I read theirs. Why? Because we have a bigger connection than an ominous e-mail or Event Listing. I play Hangman with them. Yes, on the surface it seems trite, but think about it. If you had the ability to play a game with your fans one on one… and it brought them closer to your music… would you?

5. Is there an App for that? – I have seen a few bands that have their own apps. So, I googled and found a few companies who do this service, there’s Mobbase, who has, among others, a Rebelution app, Mobile Roadie, who handles the likes of Train and Xenodium has several bands represented on their “Artist” page. I used Xenodium to create a version of what an app for my fictitious band Dog Face Cow could look like.

I didn’t get a Smartphone for a long time because I thought it was too expensive. I still think paying over $100 for a phone is robbery, but I’m doing my best to make things happen to allow it to earn it’s keep. Now, I just came up with 5 things you could do. I’ll bet you could come up with 20 more. If you do, let me know. Oh, and if you friend me on Facebook, you can challenge me to Words with Friends and Hanging With Friends. As long as you’re not Dave Madden or Twinky P (from Full Service)… I think I have a shot at beating you.

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 42: Where Are You Headed?

(This is Week 42 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself Music advice)

Know Where You’ll Be

In case you don’t know me, I support local music. I really am a fan of homegrown talent. Luckily, I live near Austin, Texas so it’s pretty easy to find good music (although I’ll admit there is A LOT of music I wouldn’t want to hear again that I’ve heard in Austin). Sometimes bands and entertainers make it harder than it should be to support them though.

One thing could make it much easier. This is the subject of this week’s message. Know your schedule. If you’re gigging, know where you’ll be next. It’s pretty simple. Like I’ve said many times before, music is your job. Treat it as such. Know your work hours.

Now, I’ve had two separate instances happen this week that made me want to write about this subject. 

The Facebook Music Share Incident

I’m a member of the Facebook group “I Support ATX Hip-Hop. Do You?” There’s a member who posts songs, videos, and the like almost every day to promote himself. That’s great. I finally asked him where he played so I might be able to catch his performance. His response was “anywhere that pays.” I still don’t know where he actually performs. Promoting your music doesn’t work too well if you can’t tell someone where they can go to support you. 

Roots and Branches of Americana Taping

Tuesday night I was invited to be a member of the audience of a live-broadcast radio show. It was New Braunfels radio station KNBT’s Roots and Branches of Americana, hosted by Ray Wylie Hubbard. The set-up is, there are 2-3 performers who sit up on stage, perform a few songs and in between Hubbard interviews them. Pretty simple.

One of the performers did a song and afterwards, Hubbard asked him where he was playing next. He didn’t know. I looked him up (because I recorded 2 videos of him and wanted to get the song names), come to find out he’s got 9 gigs in the next 3 weeks, and one of them is in the town where the radio station broadcasts out of. You know, KNBT is a REALLY big deal in Americana music circles. This is where many artists consider having gotten their start. All this is to say, it’s not a Podunk radio station in a town where nobody is listening. If you get a chance to be on the show KNOW WHERE YOU’RE PLAYING NEXT.

Now, I’m not saying anything negative about the music.  I loved all three performers from the Roots and Branches gig (walked away with 2 autographed CDs, including the person I mentioned above) and I’m sure the Hip-Hop guy would be great live. That isn’t the issue. My issue is, nobody is going to be able to see you live if YOU don’t know when you’ll be playing.

These are just two examples of things that I saw this week. It happens more than you know. Musicians on every step of the fame ladder fault at this one, so to the two I mention above, just know you’re not alone. But, as a professional, it is something that should be second nature to you. You should always know where your next few gigs are going to be. ESPECIALLY if you’re doing a radio show.

Eh... saw this and thought I'd share.

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/.

Week 28: Interviewing 101 - Tips on Talking to the Press

(This is Week 28 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice)

Interviewing 101

Tips On Talking to the Press

Butcherwhite talks with DaveTV at The Parish Room in 2007.

By: Sean Claes

I’ve interviewed people in the music industry for over 15 years. In that time I’m pretty sure I’ve asked the same question about 200 times, each to different bands, each with a unique answer. When your band gets the chance to be interviewed, you should be ready.

Below, I’m going to script a basic list of interview questions that every band should be able to answer easily. I’m going to choose the fictitious band, Dog Faced Cow, as my subject. I usually lead off the interview by explaining who I am and what magazine I’m writing this for… and what city’s show I’m previewing for if it’s a phone call. This way, the band knows that I’m doing a piece that will be promoting a particular show in a particular area. Not just some kid off the street that blogged and bluffed an interview out of the publicity folks.

Full Service interviewed at Backwoods Bash 2008

A good interviewer will do a little research and history searching before interviewing. This way they can know basic information about the band. It also lets the person being interviewed know the interviewer actually knows more than their name. If I was conducting the interview questions may look like this list I scripted.

1. Dog Face Cow was formed in 2008 while all of you were in school at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. How did you guys meet?

2. Originally the band’s name was The Mud Flapper Band. Why did you change it to Dog Face Cow?

3. You’re about to embark on your first national tour opening up for Daughtry. How’d that come about?

4. You ready to ditch the van and hit the bus?

5. (Ask about the band(s) they are playing with) So, Daughtry. Are you a big American Idol fan?

6. In April you released your second full-length CD, “The Udder Cuts.” What is your favorite song on the new album?

7. Tell me about “Cringe,” the first single off the new album.

8. How was it recording in the Los Angeles studio?

9. Was the recording process very different now that your signed to ________ Records?

10. You’ve got a catalogue 2 LPs and 3 EPs deep. What is your favorite Dog Face Cow song ever?

11. You’ve been known to throw a few cover songs in your set. How do you choose them?

12. What is the most memorable Dog Face Cow show memory you have?

13. You’re coming through Austin on ______, playing ______. Last time you played Austin it was at Red Eyed Fly. What are your thoughts on this town?

14. What is one thing your fans would be shocked to know about you?

15. When you’re not on the road, what do you do?

Josh Homme is interviewed by 101x's Toby Ryan at the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival.

So, these are the basic questions I’d ask. You see, I pepper in information I learned myself so the person on the other end of the phone will be more comfortable. Good interviewers will do this. 

Of course, I’ve been witness to some really bad interviewers. Sometimes when you’re at an all-day festival or a big music or movie star comes through they will set you up in “group” interview or a press conference. That brings out some beauty questions.

The following are some questions you’ve got to be prepared to answer… over and over… as the basic interviewer will ask you 5 or more of these every time.

1. Who are your influences?

2. Why are you in a band?

3. Do you get a lot of chicks?

4. What kind of guitar do you play?

5. What’s your favorite food/movie/band/song/alcoholic beverage?

6. What goes on... on the bus?

7. What genre are you in?

8. How would you describe your sound?

9. What inspires you to make music?

10. Your favorite place you’ve played?

11. What are your band’s goals?

No matter how silly or monotonous the questions, be sure and answer them honestly while acting like it’s the first time you’ve ever heard such a question. The person conducting the interview is in charge of the flow of the story. In order to have the best chance to get a good story out of it, be a good interviewee.

Don’t be Galder.

Dimmu Borgir. Galder is the bald one.

An interview I ended up not writing was with Galder from the black metal band Dimmu Borgir. He gave me one word answers to my questions, didn’t seem to know much about what I was asking and was generally disinterested. Sure, he could answer the boilerplate questions (the ones everyone would ask) but if I got off the beaten path, he was stumped. He gave me the ultimate answer to one of my questions though.

Q: Dimmu Borgir is classified as “Black Metal.” What is the difference between death metal and black metal?

A: *pause* It’s more evil. Black metal is more evil

.

That just about made me fall out of my chair. I had to end the interview after that for fear I’d anger the man. And a pissed off Norwegian guitarist was not on my list of things to be hit by that day.

Anyhow, happy interviewing! Hope this helped.

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 27: Keep It Real

(This is Week 27 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice)

Keep it real

By Sean Claes
You don’t need a guest spot by Kanye or a producer like Timbaland in order to write a hit record. What you DO need is finesse for words and a unique view on a subject that almost everyone can relate.


Take for instance, Susan Gibson’s greatest hit. She talks about heading out into the world. That final moment when you have everything you own in your little car and back out of the driveway while your parents are giving you that last second advice.


Do you know who Susan Gibson is? Perhaps not, but I bet you’ve heard The Dixie Chicks rendition of her song, “Wide Open Spaces.”




Here’s the deal. Today, people can spot fake a mile away. Why do you think the Vanilla Ice’s of the world have gone away but the Marshall Mathers’ are still around? Why do you think Johnny Cougar transformed into his real identity, John Mellencamp? Why do you think Howard Stern is on the cover of Rolling Stone? 

Actually, I think that last one is to make up for putting Justin Beiber on there the previous issue… but I digress.


Fake no longer sells in music. Justin Beiber will fade away soon. I read his interview in Rolling “Swagger” Stone last month. I hope his parents are investing wisely. I want to root for him, but all I saw in that article was a kid trying to be the teen pop star his handlers have made him out to be in order to satisfy the image they think the fans need to see. Now, he was “discovered” via YouTube.. so that was real… but I think he was thrown into too much too fast and made to “be” something he isn’t. When the public figures that out, he’s going to be thrown to the wolves. Then we’ll see what kind of support system of “real” friends he actually has.


Hopefully it’s a strong one and he makes it out the other side. We’re still watching and waiting to see if Britney Spears can pull off the “new vs. old” her.


There are plenty of people out there who make it by being real. In the 1980s the Grunge movement was all about being real. My favorite quote from that era comes from Loverboy lead vocalist Mike Reno. “Nirvana basically ruined my career.”


When your career is based on fun, poppy, not-a-care-in-the-world songs of overindulgence, I’ve got to tell you Mr. Reno… it wasn’t grunge that stole the brass ring from you, it was reality.


Let’s compare, shall we?

“You want a piece of my heart. You better start from the start. You wanna be in the show. Come on baby, let’s go.” – Loverboy

“With the lights out, it’s less dangerous. Here we are now, entertain us.” – Nirvana

Nirvana didn’t just talk about putting you in the show… they MADE you the show. Yes, Kurt Cobain was a sick and twisted individual who was not made for fame and couldn’t handle what came with it and killed himself while Mike Reno is still touring with Loverboy for anyone with $20 and a need to recapture the “glory days” of red leather pants so I guess Reno gets the last laugh on this one… but musically, Nirvana produced Toulouse-Lautrec’s while Loverboy gave us cartoons.


Real.


Your music should connect with the inner core of your audience. If you write about love, make that person in the audience feel that love. If you write about hate, make the listener angry with you by the end of the song. Don’t write about things that are so deeply personal that you can’t relate, in words, the meaning.


Ever in the situation where you know you’re the bad person in the relationship and the person you’re with has endured so much that you need to let them go for their own good? Then you’ve lived the scene that’s expertly described in Blue October’s “Hate Me.” The song makes you root for the underdog while hoping the girl moves on.



Barenaked Ladies scored a HUGE hit with a song about an argument. Sure, it’s got some funny lyrics, but “One Week” is a song that anyone who’s been in a relationship can relate to. Especially the final lyrics where he admits “It’ll still be two days ‘till we say we’re sorry.”



Austin band One-Eyed Doll has a story about a boy who died in her arms on the street. The otherwise crazy – hair flinging – spitting – slapping lead vocalist Kimberley Freeman transforms a club with about 100-200 people in it into a street corner in New Orleans. Throughout the a capella “New Orleans” Kimberly softly describes the scene so vividly that you feel like pulling out your cell phone to call an ambulance for the poor soul.



How many people choked up when they saw Eric Clapton struggle to get through “Tears in Heaven?” The pain and hurt in his voice was amazingly heartbreaking. He was able to bring us all together to mourn the loss of any loved one just as he wrote the song in mourning for the loss of his 4-year-old. “Would you know my name, if I saw you in Heaven?”



One of my favorite all-time songwriters struck country gold with Travis Tritt with a song he wrote about the simple act of being in a good mood. Darrell Scott somehow captures the oddity of a good day when it’s surrounded by crummy ones in “Great Day To Be Alive.” It’s the mundane made spectacular. Growing a fu man chu. Looking long in the tooth, but harmless. “I got rice cooking in the microwave / Got a three day beard I don't plan to shave / And it's a goofy thing but I just gotta say / Hey I'm doing alright.”



Other songs off the top of my head are The Fray’s “How to Save A Life,” Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours,” and let’s not forget “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston which was actually written by Dolly Parton.


And say what you want about Marshal “Eminem” Mathers… but the dude is honest. And he can write. He makes simple lyrics seem complex and can break complex things down to the bare essentials. And when he yells “I’m not afraid / to take a stand / Everybody / come take my hand / We’ll walk this road together” in his single “Not Afraid” there’s a nation of people reaching out and ready to walk alongside him.




That right there is just it. The songwriters I respect aren’t interested in being leaders but they definitely aren’t followers. They are lost in this mish-mash world just like you and me. The difference is, they have the ability to put on paper what is weighing on our hearts. They have a way of making something that is so deeply personal into something that weighs on all of our hearts.


And for that, I thank them.


So, if you’re writing lyrics, do me a favor and don’t just write a song. Have a meaning. Have a plan. What have you gone through in your life that could be shared in a way that everyman can relate? Kind of like blues music, You can’t sing songs without living the songs. The current world smells out fakes and leaves them on the side of the road like the apple core you threw out your window on the highway last week (at least it’s biodegradable).


And, when you do write and record that song, make sure I get a copy.


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 26: The Banter

(This is Week 26 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice)

Hey, Hey, What Do You Say?

By Sean Claes

So, you've written a bunch of songs that are ready for the public. Maybe, you've cut a CD or two. You've played a few shows here and there. You've got a website or blog or Facebook or MySpace and are promoting the shows you are playing. The band has their stuff down musically. Well... enough to be happy with the live product. You think you've thought of everything.

OK. What are you going to say?

No, not talking about the lyrics of the songs.

Have you thought about banter?

Yeah. In between songs.

You need to talk.

Really.

The Biscuit Brothers address a Front Porch Days crowd in 2010.

What do you talk about? It's really up to you, but it’s got to be something. And you should have something in your pocket you can pull out to talk about. There are several types of banter. Some are harder than others, but it all depends on your comfort being a talker between songs. The best banter draws from a number of these "types" but I thought I'd throw out seven different types for you to get a better understanding.

The Conversationalist

Are you the person who can go on about anything? Do you monopolize conversations? Are you a big talker? Well, in case nobody told you before… that trait is somewhat annoying in life. Up on stage it works, though. Why? You are limited by a minute or two between songs. You can't talk too much in between songs.

The Soap-Box Guy

So you are politically aware and aren't afraid to share with everyone your opinion from the stage. If that's going to be your thing, you have to back it up. Talking politics is probably the most dangerous thing to do from stage... because you can alienate people quickly (I disagree with his views so I hate his band). You can also draw people closer to your band that way too (he's one of us... we like that... so we like the band). Hey, everybody needs a cause.

The Jokester

You think you're funny? Well... have a few jokes in your hip pocket to slide in, in between songs. I'd recommend no more than 2 jokes per show. The jokester should not be the primary banter person. It's something that can be planned, but has to look natural.

The Crowd Participation Guy

This is the most important kind of banter you can have. If you get the crowd into it, you've won. If you can engage them in conversation between songs, you REALLY won. I'm not talking about just talking to your buddy Mark about the time you got drunk and puked on a cop’s shoe. I'm talking about having a real conversation where someone (or a few people) in the crowd join in.

The Carnival Barker Guy

This could be a monologue about how awesome Dimebag Darrell was (still is). It could be a statement on the status of your style of music. This type of banter requires you can judge your crowd, treat your gig like a circus where you're job is to get as many people as possible excited enough to pump their fists and follow you through your next song.

The Thanks and Find Us Guy

This is VERY important. This is one that bands get wrong A LOT. Make sure to thank the crowd for being there. Name the other bands in the line-up... "Let's hear is for Dog Face Cow! Up next is Bhe Teatles." Mention the merch table, if you have one. Mention where to find the band online. And TELL THEM WHERE YOU'RE PLAYING NEXT.

The Storyteller Guy

People go to live shows to discover new bands and to hear something more than they can get on an album. I always find it interesting to get the Story Behind The Song. My favorite one that I caught on video was Matt The Electrician explaining the story behind his song "Milo" during a show in 2008.
 

Here's the catch... have a story... practice the story... people don't just wake up one day and have a fantastic story about their song ready to deliver live.


Things to remember

1. When you speak into a microphone at a show, you are now the spokesperson for your band. It's no longer your opinion; it's the band's opinion. Be careful to respect the other members enough to know that.
2. When you make your set list, include the "title" of something you want to make sure to say. Kind of like a banter set-list.
3. Practice your banter. It doesn't come naturally to most.
4. If you suck at talking... make sure your songs run into each other... or there's just a few seconds of silence between. If there's any long silence, you have lost listeners.
5. You ARE the show. The songs are what brought them in. The band is what makes them enjoy it. The banter is just something to keep people occupied in between songs. It doesn't have to be heavy (although it can be), doesn't need to be important... it just needs to be SOMETHING that people will stay cued into what's happening on stage in between songs.
6. Go to other shows. Learn from people who do it well. It's a learned trait. You didn't pick up that guitar and instantly know how to play a song. You will not grab a microphone and instantly be great at banter. It's a process. Stay engaged and soon you'll become more comfortable. The more comfortable you get, the better you will be. Break down the 4th wall.

Now, I admit. I don't practice what I preach. I've never been good at banter on stage. I tend to erect a 4th Wall while I'm on stage. I would not be the guy in a band who should carry the banter. I'm the guy who can introduce a band and get off stage before I do anything dumb. I'm not the performer here. I'm the writer. YOU are the performer. Good luck with that.

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 22: Promotions One Oh One

(This is Week 22 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice) 

Quick, name three songs you heard today.

Go ahead... Havoc from Behemoth is waiting.

Not so easy is it?

For the most part, it’s information overload out there. From the time you wake up to the time you go to bed there’s something vying for your attention. Work, kids, television, radio, billboards, computer games, school, clubs, restaurants, traffic, newspapers, magazines, musicians, dancers, actors, people walking down the street…. It’s always something. In the midst of all of that noise, you’re trying to get the word out about something you so dearly believe in, your music.

Problem is, the person you’re trying to reach has the same things going in their life. Time is precious, so when you promote your band, don’t do it half-ass. Do it all the way.

And there’s a lot if different mediums you can use to promote your music. This may be an unpopular thought… but here’s what I think. Pick one promotional thing you can be good at and do THAT to promote your band.

ARTISTIC?

If you are good at putting posters up all over town.. do that. Make a list of all of the places in town you can legally post things, and make sure every show you post something to promote the show.

Good because: You are establishing name recognition for your band in the REAL WORLD where people who actually go out and see live music tend to go.

Beware: The thing with print is, you need to be eye-catching… but don’t just be in-your-face without reference to what the show is about. If you’re a country act, don’t put a photo of a zombie eating brains, and if you’re a metal act, you don’t want to put a football player on the poster. Think before you create.

WORD MAN?

If you are good at writing, start a compelling blog about your band and make sure you gain readers. Engage people with things they can reply to, or links they can click on, or music they can listen to. The key here is getting repeat traffic while adding more readers. You’ll probably end up thinking up some crazy stuff to engage fans, and that’s OK. Just make sure at the end of the day you’re doing it all to promote your music.

Good because: If you’re a good writer, you’ll get people following you for your posts, which in turn leads them to your music.

Beware: If you are going to promote your music through the written word, you have to be there. You need to update your blog at least once a week. You need to run that Facebook page and respond to people when they post. You have to keep the content fresh and interesting. It’s harder than it looks.

MOTOR MOUTH?

If you are a talker, become the spokesperson for your band by calling media, radio stations, attending happy hours and tweetups while representing your band.

Good because: You’re putting a voice to your band. People listen t the radio, for the most part, when they are driving or doing some kind of activity that doesn’t require a lot of their attention, so they can listen to you.

Beware: You’re putting a voice to your band. Watch what you say. People will judge how you “perform” and assume your band is the same way. If you come off like an idiot or unprepared, you can get your butt handed to you pretty quick. Most people you’ll meet are nice and gracious but some folks are just waiting for fresh meat to skewer, then blog/tweet/Facebook all about their latest tirade.

--

I’ve talked in earlier blogs about a number of other ideas to promote your band… but I just chose three to spotlight here. Why these? Because these are kind of like Promotions 101. Postering, Blogging, and Speaking. For someone who is beginning to promote their band... do yourself a favor and start with one of these three.

Do one thing. And do it well. Use your skills at that one thing to gather a following. Get as much attention using that one aspect of promotion as you can before even considering going into another one.

And, for the sake that is good in the world, please have a worthy project/band that you’re promoting. No amount of good press can help a lousy band get more popular. I’ll talk about that subject next week.

Until then… cheers.

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/.

p.s. The photo is from when I shot Behemoth at Ozzfest in 2007. It worked for the question.. don't you think?

Week 21 - D-I-Y Poster Child: One-Eyed Doll

(This is Week 21 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice)  

Do It Yourself Poster Child

ONE-EYED DOLL

Gather around children… it’s story time.

Singing "New Orleans" at Stubb's 1/09

I was in Houston this past weekend visiting some friends, Hoot and Mandella, for my birthday. We were sitting around and Mandella was on her computer. She turns to me and asks. “Have you ever heard of One-Eyed Doll?”

Now, I’ve been singing the praises of One-Eyed Doll for the last 4 years. The band played my Birthday Bash at the Red Eyed Fly in 2008. Lead vocalist Kimberly Freeman’s jewelry was part of INsite’s Gift Guide in 2009. I picked their Break as one of my Top 10 Austin albums of 2010. I’ve seen them play many times, always talk highly of the band… and have even been a part of the show. But Mandella, whom I’ve known for over 20 years, never looked One-Eyed Doll up on my recommendation.

2/08 at Red Eyed Fly

No, no no... she heard about One-Eyed Doll from a Facebook friend of hers who is in Taiwan and fell in love with the song “You’re A Vampire.”

Seems this friend of hers had recorded a video of herself singing “You’re A Vampire” and that led Mandella to find the actual song and then to iTunes where she purchased several songs. (Note: I've posted the video at the end of this column).

So, it took someone living on the other side of the world to introduce my Houston friend to One-Eyed Doll, an Austin band.

That, my friends, is the power of promotion. When someone you don’t know is talking about you in a good way...that's skill. It something takes careful planning, a lot of work, some outside of the box thinking and a lot of luck for a DIY band to successfully promote themselves.

And One-Eyed Doll has done a lot of all of the above.

From AdventureQuest in 2010

Top 3 outside the box things Kimberly Freeman has done to promote One-Eyed Doll.

1. Has hand made most of her own merchandise.
2. Was the subject of a full-length rockumentary that was distributed for free via YouTube by David Jr which has over 17k views.
3. Was featured in the online game AdventureQuest with an in-game concert complete with a cartoon-version of herself.

Now, she’s done a metric-ton of other things for promotion, like record videos for fans on their birthday, sent personal thank you cards to people who have reviewed her music, used photos fans have taken in her promotional materials, made instructional videos, goofy videos, tug-at-heart-string videos, and just about any other kind of videos. She's got fans posting links to her music on photos of her on Flickr.  Most recently, she ended up in Revolver Magazine as one of the Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock. Yes, she's come a long way since I first saw her.

But, this whole article isn’t me just saying a whole bunch of good things about One-Eyed Doll. It’s a study on promotion. Learn from it.

If you’re trying to promote yourself, think about these things:

• What can you do that someone else has done in the past that’s worked?
• What can you do that nobody else has done?
• Are you taking advantage of ALL the free promotional places online?
• How else can you connect to fans? Have you thought about non-musical ways?
• Have you found ways for fans to be involved in your music?

 Until next week. Take care and stay warm.

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/.

Just in case you didn't click the DavidJr. link, here's the Rockumentary.

Here's the video of Mandella's friend, Shannon Milligan, singing "You're A Vampire."

Week 3: Merchandise and Swag

(This is Week 3 of my Fifty-Two Weeks of Music Do-It-Yourself advice)

Week 3: I’d Buy THAT for A Dollar…

You want to be successful and make a living (someday) from playing music. Look at your band as a business.  What are the things you have on your side to make it profitable? You’ve got your name.  You’ve got your logo. You’ve got the songs. You’ve got the music. You’ve got gigs. You are consistently adding fans. What else is there?

Merchandise - Something for the people who come to your show to walk away with. We’re talking t-shirts, CDs, hats, buttons, stickers, and the like.

The Naked Empire's Merch Booth at the Red Eyed Fly 10/1/10

Things to consider putting on ALL your merch.

1.    Band Name – Your merch is advertising someone is paying you to wear or own. Make sure people know who you are when the shirt is worn

2.    Contact – If someone wants to know more… they may need where to find you.

3.    Hometown – We may not think about it much in Austin, but outside the city where you are from… it’s kind of a big deal to be a touring band.

4.    More Music – Maybe the link to a digital download? The next show is free? Always try and make the fan make that next step.. become more invested in your band.

T-Shirts:

First thing first. Make sure you have a design that you would be proud to wear. That doesn’t mean it has to be amazing and groundbreaking, it may just be as simple as your logo (you have an actual logo…right? And no…Impact in all caps is not a logo. It’s just your name in a block-font).

T-SHIRT: INCLUDE OR DON’T INCLUDE, THAT IS THE QUESTION

Image – You can use the art from your album (just don’t make it a square CD image like you get from CafePress. That both costs too much and looks too cheap) or a group photo, or an image that conveys the look/feel/sound your band is going for. You have an Irish-theme to your music? Maybe work a shamrock or the color green. Are you a Christian band? Perhaps a cross or bible could be contained in the image. If you’re a hip-hop band, chances are you shouldn’t put a cowboy on a horse on your shirt.

Just do me (and your fans) a favor, don’t force an image in there that doesn’t convey the feel of the band. Remember your audience. You’re trying to SELL these things.

Humor – You have to be careful with this one. I love a good joke shirt (my personal collection includes “AD/HD” in the AC/DC logo style, a shirt with a ruler on it that says “I Rule” and one that says “This isn't part of my rock and roll fantasy.” Note… none of these are band shirts.  Now, I do own a Zlam Dunk shirt that looks like the digestive system and the bands name is spelled out in the large intestines. So… use humor sparingly… but if you’ve got a golden idea, go for it.

OTHER CLOTHING – Hats, jackets, sweatshirts, socks, panties (Ever seen my Broken Teeth g-string?), bandanas. Anything that you think your crowd would wear, try and make it available for them. Just remember, you are investing your money into this.. so don’t go crazy.

Merch Booth at The Parish Room in 10/09

CD - MUSIC – You can go a few different ways.

1.    You can actually produce a physical CD and have them designed, pressed up, printed, and packaged and sell them for $10-$15 (or your EP for $5). This way someone walks out of your show with something. Plus, for folks like me who see CD design as an extension of the music and something to really enjoy it’s a great thing.

2.    You can go the way of the digital download and only sell the CD online or to people who can access iTunes. You save the cost of actually manufacturing a CD, but how many people are going to remember to access the music and purchase it? You lose the immediate sell.

3.    My suggestion is a combination of the two. Sell your CD or EP and throw in the digital download of that album for free. OR… sell the digital download via a business card to someone for a donation (let them name the price). Yeah, they’ll share the card and a bunch of people may download your music who didn’t pay for it… but look at it this way.. PEOPLE ARE DOWNLOADING YOUR MUSIC.

One-Eyed Doll hand designs A LOT of her merch

VARIOUS OTHER STUFF – If you think it’ll sell… get your logo imprinted on it and make it so. Lighters, patches, pins, earrings, necklaces, shoelaces, guitar straps, sunglasses… I don’t know.. dream big.

GET QUOTES

Make sure you shop around. There are some great deals out there. And the more you order, the less it will cost you. But the more you order, the more you will need to sell. DO NOT order anything until you know the quality of the product. Make sure the vendor can meet deadline and deliver a product you would be proud to sell. If you sell crappy merch… you are reflecting on yourself… not the vendor.

Various merch and band swag.

DO NOT CONFUSE MERCH WITH SWAG

Now, aside from merchandise, which you sell, you’ve got to think about band swag. This is going to be the freebies you give out during shows or when promoting yourself to magazines, clubs, and distribution points for your albums. Look to the big companies to see just how much importance is given to swag.

Each year I love going to trade shows and festivals just to see what the new freebies are out there. Right now I’m drinking from a McCoy’s Building Supply Center cup and using a University Star (the school paper of Texas State University- San Marcos) pen to jot down notes on my Tanger Outlet Mall notepad. Yes, I went to the San Marcos Business Expo last month. I also came away with a variety of toys (rubber ball, Frisbee, etc) from the Embassy Suites Hotel, A LOT of pens and pencils, business cards, letter opener, and assorted other goodies. How much Macintosh, Harley Davidson, Dell, or Nike stuff do you see on an average day? What’s on your keychain?

The point is, there are some interesting things out there you can use to make yourself known.

If you’re a party band, order some beachballs with your logo and Website on it to throw out into the crowd. If the band autographs it, it will be that much more memorable. Practice safe music and put your logo on condoms. Print your info on matchbooks. Make some pens. I’ve seen some bands put their logos on rolling papers. Order a bunch of suckers and stick your logo on them. Make business cards with a link to a digital download.

Get a gazillion stickers printed with your logo and website. Sticker anyone who will wear is and tag all your gear (and anyone else’s who will let you). Always carry a stack with you and put your sticker in bathrooms (I’m not talking just any bathroom…the ones who allow stickers like the Red Eyed Fly) and anywhere else in public they allow.

Red Eyed Fly Bathroom (photo by Empire Primitive)

You know your audience. What would YOU want to get for free at a show? What would make YOU want to find out more about a band? Give that to people at your show.

What do I collect? I’ve been interviewing bands, taking photos, and going to shows as a journalist since 1996. I keep most of my printed tickets. I’ve got an extensive guitar pick collection. National bands like Marilyn Manson and KISS as well as locals like Snake Skin Prison, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Nooner. I’ve also been collecting old drumsticks signed by the band that played them, and one of the coolest things I have is a drumhead that Ben Mills from Rockshow Promotions gave me a few years ago when we did an INsite Night with his former band Nooner. I’ve got a tambourine that was left at the first ever Backwoods Bash which I had all of the organizers sign. My idea of swag is “band used.” But I’m not the “normal fan now… am I?

Fans appreciate when they are appreciated… and free stuff says “we like you.”

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/.