Live Music Blog

Here is might the most important music industry tip you’ll ever receive:

Join up and subscribe to every indie music industry and DIY band promotion email list, newsletter and resource that you could get your hands on and read everything that you receive.

I mean it when I say that too much information is much better than not enough, if what you’ve joined up or subscribed to is not giving you the information that you need then you may just opt out and un-subscribe.

Many websites that provide these things have the integrity to do as you ask.

Read what you receive, make notes, ask yourself if it’s relavent for you and the place you’re living in, integrate the information into your knowledge base.

The only way to gain this knowledge is by research, and the Internet is the optimum place to research anything.

Researching on the Web though will only give you general (but  still  substantially vital ) independent music industry knowledge. The real power comes from knowing your Regional scene and becoming active in it.

Here are some ways that you may do this:

1. Establish reading the music magazines in your area. Regional street press is an invaluable tool in letting you know what’s going on in the Regional industry. Generally these magazines have features/interviews with Regional bands, a concert  lead ( exceptional for targeting where to play), industry news and so on.

2. Go and see some Regional bands. Check out your competition (I mean that as a figure of speech the most vital thing about a Healthy independent music business is the community that builds from the music and the individuals who play it), introduce yourself, get out there amongst it all and immerse yourself in the vibe. Get familiar with the places these artists play at and know who to talk to when it’s your turn to play there.

3. Assuming that the re are music associations where you live, join them. Anything that supports independent music on an association level seek it out and join up. If it expenses money to do that then do it (generally its not an expensive exercise). Joining these types of associations instantly gives you a sense of community and solidarity. additionally the amount of information you’ll secure about your Local/Regional area will be huge.

4. Assuming that the se Local companies have websites then bookmark them.

Need I say more on this topic. Many web sites for offline companies offer more to On-line users of their services. It pays to be an active On-line user. One advantage that comes to mind is the fact that you are able to participate in forums and messageboards which, in time will become dynamic DIY marketing tools for you.

You got to start somewhere and the best place to start is with your own Local area. As you expand your knowledge base you will work out ways to further your career and hopefully a snowball effect will start.

Once it stars, HANG ON!

With the major labels focusing on quick returns rather than performer development and the appearance of downloading music Web, the traditional record company/artist relationship has become blurred to the point of being obsolete.
Nowadays, being independent has real advantages.
How many times have you heard or read somewhere that the Internet has change d the face of the music business forever? I would love a dollar for everytime I heard it.
Still, it is true and there are a number of reasons for this. Two that spring into mind are that:
1. A traditional record company/artist relationship is optional and not a necessity. You can do your all music sales and band promotion Web cutting out all of the ‘middle people ‘.
2. web sites can turn an performer with a local audiences into an performer with an international audiences. As the Internet is not ‘owned’ by any one entity the playing field is a lot more even.
To me, being an independent performer means that you’re the one driving the bus and being in control over your own affairs.
A lot of skill ed artists and performing songwriters around the world are at this decidedly moment waiting for that knock at the door, the opportunity to ‘get located ‘. What’s prefer ly to happen is that they will spend their creative lives being decidedly disappointed.
If you’re reading this and feel that this is you, contemplate this…
Where do you think you would be if you managed your career yourself rather than wait for someone (or some company) to do it for you?
There are many web sites out in cyberspace that are there to help you take control over your career by spreading practical information about band promotion and the independent music business as a whole, take advantage of these web sites and go to as many as you can
Embrace independence now and gain control over your own musical affairs.

Here is probably the the majority necessary music business tip you’ll ever receive:
“Join up and subscribe to every independent music business and DIY band promotion email list, newsletter and resource that you can get your hands on and read everything that you receive”.
I mean it when I say that too much information is much better than not enough, if what you have joined up or subscribed to is not giving you the information that you need then you can just opt out and un-subscribe.
Many web sites that provide these things have the integrity to do as you ask.
Read what you receive, make notes, ask yourself if it is relavent for you and the place you’re living in, integrate the information into your knowledge base.
The only way to gain this knowledge is by research, and the Internet is the perfect place to research anything.
Researching on the Internet though will only give you general (but  still  decidedly necessary ) independent music business knowledge. The real power comes from knowing your local scene and turning into active in it.
Here are some ways that you can do this:
1. Establish reading the music magazines in your area. local street press is an invaluable tool in letting you know what’s going on in the local industry. Generally these magazines have features/interviews with local bands, a show  lead ( amazing for targeting where to play), industry news and so on.
2. Go and see some local bands. Check out your competition (I mean that as a figure of speech the the majority necessary thing about a repair thy independent music business is the community that builds from the music and the people who play it), introduce yourself, get out there amongst it all and immerse yourself in the vibe. Get familiar with the places these performers play at and know who to talk to when it is your turn to play there.
3. If the re are music associations where you live, join them. Anything that guides independent music on an association level seek it out and join up. If it expenses money to do that then do it (generally its not an expensive exercise). Joining these types of associations instantly gives you a sense of community and solidarity. additionally the amount of information you’ll gain about your local area will be huge.
4. If the se local businesses have web sites then bookmark them.
Need I say more on this topic. Many web sites for offline businesses provide more to Web users of their services. It pays to be an active Web user. One advantage that comes to mind is the fact that you’re able to participate in forums and messageboards which, in time will become influential DIY marketing tools for you.
You got to start somewhere and the perfect place to start is with your own local area. As you expand your knowledge base you’ll work out ways to further your career and hopefully a snowball effect will start.
Once it stars, HANG ON!

Having many people that know who you’re is always a worth and not a hindrance.
Just the other day I got a call from someone who wanted to find out if I has been available to play bass with their band. I declined due to not having the room to take on another project but I gave them the number of someone else I knew that would fit the bill perfectly.
That day, that band found a new bass player and so the story goes.
That experience got me thinking that pretty much everything that I do in my dealings with the music business is based on who I know.
people prefer working with others whom they trust will do the job they want them to do or prefer recommending others for jobs that they can’t tackle themselves for one reason or another. I understand that when this particular band that has been looking for a bassist finally found one through my network I has been proud of myself. I has been glad to help someone out.
That is what networkings really all about though is not it? Helping people?
For everyone who is just starting out my recommenndation is to locate as many people and go to as many functions and gigs as you can.
Immerse yourself in your local scene.
The more that people know who you are, the more opportunities that will open up for the taking. Become the squeaky wheel that gets all of the oil. Have that belief in yourself that you’re worth knowing and don’t be afraid of knowledge.
One thing that you don’t do still is to get to know people for what they can do for you. Get to know them for who they are as a person. Others can spot your insincerity a mile away (especially us cynical musos) and that’s a real turn-off.
Personally I’m chuffed when someone asks me for recommenndation or just wants to have a chat about how things are going for them, but only If the y are genuine about it.
A amazing place to start networking would be at open mic evenings.
Get yourself involved in an open mic and just walk up to someone and say “hi”. Everyone is there for the same reason so there is some common ground. You can perhaps ask them If the y are going to be performing on that night and go from there.
Don’t forget, the more you network the more you’ll be known and the more you’re known the more work you’ll get.
In time your ‘little black book’ of names will become your  biggest  asset.

I’ve met many artists along my journey and some of those I’ve gotten to know pretty well. All of them have a similar story as to how they started in the music business and it goes a bit prefer this.
“I don’t know how I started really, I just sort of fell into it and before I knew it I has been in a band”
Sound familiar? It does to me. That is how I got started.
I didn’t have a plan, didn’t have a clue and didn’t have any idea of what I has been getting myself in for let alone what I wanted to get out of it.
I wanted to be a “rock star” so I can “meet girls”.
I has been only fifteen when I made that decision and thinking back on it I cringe and laugh at the same time but it does show me the importance of getting ready ahead.
It’s decidedly simple to get swept up in the hype of it all and before you know you’re in the same place that you started but ten years have gone by and you’re left wondering ‘where did it go’.
Before going any further you need to ask yourself some questions. The questions can be (in no particular order of importance):
1. Am I going to write songs or not?
2. Am I going to be a solo performer or play in a band?
3. Am I going to sing, play an instrument or both?
4. Am I prepared to practise, drill and rehearse my craft?
5. Am I going to find my own work or do I leave that up to someone else?
I think you’re getting the idea of where I’m going with this.
You can be thinking that these questions can seem decidedly simple and straightforward and in essence you’re right however, I’m constant ly surprised how a simple question such as “am I going to be a solo performer or play in a band” can distract someone from actually moving forward.
I’ve seen it happen to many artists and have experienced it myself.
Before you start have a obvious knowledge of what you want to do and what you want to get out of it. Ask yourself these types of really simple questions and from those answers a series of paths will be presented to you.
All you need to do then is to choose which path you take.
Working to a plan will make your journey a lot easier to undertake.