June 2010
Bob Lefsetz is a well known music blogger, you can subscribe by going to his website www.lefsetz.com He's often quite negative about the business but every so often he says some interesting things. Recently he sent out 17 points on what a band / artist should be doing. I thought it was well said and very relivant to the current state of the industry. I would just like to stress the importance his first point. Lots of artists will read this list and say "yeah we doing all of that" ... but they forget they haven't written / recorded a truely great song yet! Here are the points sent out by Bob Lefsetz:
1. Focus on the music. Get it to the point where the audience only needs to hear it once to get it.
2. Let people listen for free. Then sell the physical product as a souvenir,
and put out unique product online.
3. One great track is better than ten mediocre ones.
4. Don't worry about confusing the marketplace with more product. It
just allows new fans to discover a plethora when they finally tune in.
Meanwhile, the Internet allows the fulfillment of the true fan's dream,
a steady flow of product. In the old days, you were a fan of a band
in high school, their next record came out when you were married. Today,
you can put out new songs while students are still in the same semester!
And you should!
5. You must work live. It's the best way to connect with people. You've
got to be so good, you close the audience. Performing is a different
skill than playing in a studio. Start honing your chops now. Play anywhere
and everywhere you can. Not focused on the money, but the development
of stage skills.
6. Radio is gravy. People no longer believe radio builds career acts.
Don't be beholden to the airwaves. See them as just another outlet.
7. Make videos. Creativity is key. We're returning to the age of MTV.
Either play live, demonstrating your skills, which is how Andy McKee
built a career on YouTube, or come up with an OK Go-type video. Wow
us visually. The means of production are now in the hands of the proletariat.
Hell, you can get a Flip HD camera for $150 and you can edit on your
computer...
8. Experience counts. Everybody gets better the longer they do something.
9. Haters abound. If you're not being criticized, you're not doing it
right, you're only playing in front of family and friends. Hate intensifies
the bigger you get, especially in the Net world, where everybody gets
a voice. There is no protection. Wander into the world and experience
the slings and arrows, toughen your skin.
10. Respect your audience. Don't send unsolicited MP3s, don't send unsolicited
fliers. Everything should be opt-in.
11. Let your audience participate, let people help you. They're dying
to! Stay in the houses of fans on the road. Let fans design fliers and
t-shirts. Give them tools to promote you. All they want in return is
attention, and a bit of access. These sneezers are your key to success.
Treat your core fans incredibly nicely.
In the old days it was about being nice to the PD. Now you go directly to the fan.
12. Put up live videos.
13. Tweet.
14. Be available on every social networking platform. Of course, Facebook,
but a new act could make headway using Foursquare. Hell, have your fans
come meet you at Starbucks!
15. Press is a bonus. Press is ignored by most people. It's seen as
hype. Just keep thinking about being one on one with your fans.
16. Don't think any one opportunity or gig is the key to success. You
never know what will break you through. And most times, it's later than
sooner. And, if it happens too soon...momentum tends to peter out.
17. Release dates are irrelevant. You're in constant marketing mode.
But the best marketing is a great track, that will be spread far and
wide.
June 2008
“MAGENTS”
With the current status of the music industry it has become quite common for the manger to work as the agent while the act develops. My friends and colleagues over at Live Tour Artists kindly refer to managers who do the booking as “MAGENTS”. It’s simply out of necessity that most managers these days are taking on the roll of booking agent. In my opinion, performing live is the foundation to building any act. So if you can’t get a good booking agent on board, your manager or the act need to start taking on the roll of agent to get the calendar filled up.
I see a lot of acts and managers putting far too much time and energy into trying to get on an agency roster. My advice, stop chasing them, they’ll find you! Start picking up the phone yourself. If by chance you do get picked up by an agency early in the bands’ career, you’ll more than likely get lost in the shuffle and only become more frustrated that you’re not getting any attention / no gigs! This isn’t a slam against any of the agencies (I work with several of them) but you need to understand their side of things. Agents work on a commission, so if you were an agent would you focus on the commission from an act that’s getting $2000+ / night or a band that’s lucky to bring in $200/ night?
They probably had the best of intentions when signing the band but at the end of the day agents have bills to pay like the rest of us, so they’re constantly going to have their attention pulled toward the act that’s going to generate a decent commission.
Start booking your own gigs (not just one or two a month), build your following and make yourself more attractive to agents / managers. You’ll also have a better appreciation and understanding of what they can do for you after you’ve done it for yourself.
Feb 2008
SIGN HERE KID!
If you come across a manager who wants you to sign something within a very short time of meeting, I’m sure most of you would have the common sense to run the other way. A manager should be just as cautious about signing a band, as the band is of the manager. In the beginning, a manager is going to have to put numerous hours of work into a building a band with very little return. I personally want to know before I move into a contract if the band is going to work as hard as they say, and I want to know if the band is manageable (will they listen and follow my advise). I also want to get to know the type of people I’m going to be working with. Life is too short to have to deal with egos!
Don’t get me wrong, I believe it’s important to have a contract but not in the first month of meeting. I would suggest an e-mail exchange outlining a trial period agreement ….say six months. After the six months you can agree to move into a more formal contract. When it comes to the formal contract it’s always best to get an ENTERTAINMENT lawyer* involved. I know what you’re thinking, … “I can’t afford it”. If you go to an entertainment lawyer with the finished negotiated contract they can look over it within an hour and let you know if there is anything you should watch out for … it will be $250 well spent.
*With all due respect to your uncle, who is a real estate lawyer, he is not going to have a clue about management / entertainment business contracts. Don’t waste your time! It may also cause tension between you and your potential manager if you’re coming back to him with changes that have no place in a management contract.
