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10 Lessons from 10 Years in the DIY Underground

The post you’re about to enjoy was written by Lance Waste, vocalist and founding member of the indie punk band Darling Waste. Lance has spent more than a decade of his life building a career in music, and along the way he has been able to secure some amazing opportunities, including multiple song placements on major television networks. Through it all however, Lance has struggled to continue chasing his dreams while barely making enough to pay his bills and keep a roof over his head. Still, where there is a will there is a way, and in today’s guest post Lance shares the biggest lessons he has learned from his time in music. 

After you read Lance’s words, please head over to Bloody-Disgusting and watch the new video from Darling Waste. From there, follow the band on Twitter and give them a ‘Like’ on Facebook. Helping one another succeed is the fastest way for any of us to make it where we want to be, and we thank you for helping us help Lance further pursue his dreams.

Hi there. My name is Lance. Over the past 12 years I’ve been in an indie rock band. I’ve also ran a record label, ran an artist management firm and worked for various labels and management firms. A couple times over the years I’ve been approached to write books on touring or marketing your band and various things like that, but I’m really no expert and I’m not sure I have much to contribute that hasn’t been said a thousand times before. This is a list you’ve probably already read before, and you will probably roll your eyes at how obtuse and general these “Lessons” are, but I promise, they come from a place of honesty. If you follow them, you will succeed.

1. ART COMES FIRST. ALWAYS.

BE ORIGINAL BUT BE ACCESSIBLE. DEFINE WHAT YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR.  Work harder than anyone else. be obsessed.
The first thing I will say is this. Always put the music first. If you want to be romantic about it, art is the reason we are doing what we do. If you want to be practical about it, you are selling a product. That product is your music. It doesn’t matter how good of a salesman you are or how flashy your pitch and branding is, if the product ain’t there, nobody’s buying. Spend time thinking about who you are, what your music wants to say. Find your voice. Find that line between being original but being accessible. Don’t ape your favorite bands. But find a perfect blend of your influences while finding your original voice. Be tireless in perfecting your craft.

2. LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY RECORD YOUR MUSIC

There are no short cuts while being a DIY musician. You’ve got to write the songs, perform the songs, find like minded individuals who want to play your music, teach them your music, sometimes even write their parts for them and sometimes even teach them how to play their instruments. 

When it comes time to record you need to know your stuff as well. You could pay to go into a studio but the reality is you probably won’t have a good enough budget to get the sound you are looking for. So get a DAW, get an interface, get a couple of decent mics and start recording. Just like anything, practice makes perfect. Be diligent. Can’t get the sound you want? Unsure of how something works in your DAW? Youtube it. The answers are all there.

3. BOOK AND PROMOTE YOUR OWN SHOWS

Booking shows in your region is as simple as doing our homework and putting in the calls and emails. Often times I look up bands that are slightly larger than mine, I research their tour schedule and contact all of the venues and promoters they are working with in my region. I ask for available dates and send them a one sheet. Make sure you follow up. Don’t ask for more money than you are worth. If you can only bring 5 people to an out of town show don’t ask for $100 for gas. Why should a club or promoter pay out of their pocket for you to live out your rock n roll fantasy? Take door splits. Ask for food. You may lose a little money the first couple times out but nothing burns a bridge faster than getting a big guarantee you didnt earn. 

4. PLAN YOUR LIVE SHOW

Growing up, I loved music, comedy and magic. As i got older, I realised something they have in common: Each artform takes something that involves a ton of preparation and makes it seem effortless. In jazz, you can’t improv and solo before you have mastered the basic track. This is true for live music. You can’t have those “magic moments” during your live show if you don’t have your songs down perfect. Your will see your songs begin to evolve and take on lives of their own the more you play them. Over the years I learned to drive to the next town after the show. This way we would be hours early to the venue. We would have time to meet locals, promote the show, do radio interviews, lineup in store performances and get a great sound check. All while not being rushed or stressed for time. 

We play roughly the same set each night. We play around 45-60 minutes if we are headlining and 30-40 if we are opening. We have our first three songs and our last three songs practiced perfectly. They stay the same each show. Then we add in songs to the middle as needed. Before we start our tour we think of what type of set list we would like to have. We plan our lighting schemes (we use foot switches, smoke machines and work lights most of the time), and even plan out the segways and interludes between songs. I like to think of our live show as a Vegas show or a Broadway play. I always want it to be an experience the fans will remember. 

5. TOUR SMART

You don’t need to stay in hotels. That drains all of your cash. Sleep in the van. Or set up places to crash with your friends,fans and family. Ask the clubs and promoters for places to crash. Also as I said earlier, I like to drive to the next town after each show. Part of the reason is to have a great show the next day in the next town, but part of it is also to save on places to sleep. Rotate your drivers. One person drives for two hours, the copilot stays awake and plays the music. The Copilot is so vital to keep the driver awake and keep you all alive. Everyone else sleeps in the back. Every two hours, rotate. The Copilot drives, the driver sleeps, and  every two hours one of the sleepers becomes the Copilot. 

Also, try and plan your routes so there are no days off on tour. Nothing bankrupts a tour more than a day off. No income is coming in, everyone is bored and hungry and spending money. Book every day of the tour. Days off will happen anyway. Vans will break down, clubs will cancel, clubs will close unexpectedly.

6. BUY INTO THE LIFE …..

If you are in this to get rich, get out. Save yourself the years of disappointment. Spoilers: you won’t make millions. Especially if you are in a subgenre. My biggest idols barely make ends meet. Lead singers are living with girlfriend’s parents and their children are on WIC.

On the other end of things, you also can’t half ass this life. If you want to work a full time job, have a nice house and a social life, just resign now to make music a hobby. If you are going for the brass ring, mentally prepare yourself for the life of crashing on couches, eating dollar menus and having no real friends or relationships. 

Understand that touring at this level is to grow your name and your brand. It’s to show your music to people and to build a fanbase. Do not tour with the frame of mind that you will make money or even break even. If this is what you want out of life. Do it while you can. Do it full on. Take no prisoners.

7. ….BUT NOT THE LIFESTYLE

You are about to run a sleepless, thankless marathon with no monetary reward. No need to destroy your body in the process. The best way to not become an addict is to never start. Don’t cloud your mind with drugs and drinking. You aren’t a rockstar, no need to party like one. Also, most of them die. And being dead probably sucks, so no need to rush to it.

8.  REFUSE DRAMA

When I was young, I would watch football with my dad. I love the endzone celebrations. He loved when a player would score and hand the ball to the ref on his way back to the bench. He loved the quote “Act like you’ve been here before.” The older I get, the more I realize how right he was.

One thing I see at almost every local show is the one band (or one member of one band) kicking off. Getting loud and angry over something stupid. Usually time slots, sound checks, drink tickets etc. For some reason, bands think that being the loudest makes it look like you are important. It is absolutely the opposite.  The pros have seen it all before. We all want to play right in the middle of the show, in front of the biggest audience, but at the end of the day, we get that it’s just music, and it’s just not worth getting upset over most nights.

This also goes for drama in your band. If something happens on stage, wait until later to discuss it. Nothing is less professional than a band arguing before, after, or god forbid during the show. Also remember that things seem a lot less dire after a good night’s sleep.

9. BE KIND ALWAYS

One of the keys to our longevity is our kindness. Sure there are people I’ve fought with over the years, promoters and other bands who hate me. You can’t please all the people all the time. But I’ve learned the easiest way to exist in the DIY scene is to hold no grudges. There are promoters and bands I don’t work with anymore. Maybe they screwed us out of money or were just personalities I don’t gel with. That’s fine. I don’t hold any ill will. It’s just entertainment at the end of the day. Kindness is important and will get you far. Don’t yell at the sound guys. Don’t fight with the bartenders.  Strive to be the nicest guy in the room. Don’t back down on what your band needs to have a successful show. Don’t be a pushover. But find the nicest way to express yourself.

This goes for your fans as well. Don’t blow them off. The cute ones aren’t your personal playthings. Have restraint. And this should go without saying but never ever ever touch another band’s merch or gear. Ever.

10. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND ENJOY.

Just by writing a song, releasing an album or getting up on stage in front of people ,you are doing something most people only dream of. If you are on tour, take lots of pictures. Keep a journal. Live blog each day. Record your memories and share them with others. This is a very special time in your life. Meet new people. Explore each new town. These will be the memories you cherish for a lifetime and the stories you tell your family for the rest of your life. Remember, live in the moment, don’t stay mad. Band members will quit. People will flake out on you. Your songs may flop. Fans will abandon you. You will make mistakes. Promoters will fuck you over. And it’s still awesome. Take a deep breath, relax and have fun.  

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Make Your Band More Visual and Win The Internet

With the digital age giving us that ability to explore the world of music from the comfort of our own home there is no longer any denying the importance of strong visuals. Having great videos and photos can make the difference between someone clicking on your band or someone else, and the ability to become great at crafting strong visual accompaniments to your music is entirely within your means. It takes time to refine your talent, of course, but with a little hard work you can begin separating yourself from the throngs of aspiring full time musicians with slick visuals that help take your career to the next level.

Today, we are excited to share a guest piece from My Body Sings Electric, which is one band that knows all too well the power of having strong visuals. We have been blown away by their work, both in the studio and through the videos they release, so we felt they were the perfect people to speak to the growing importance of a imagery as it relates to a career in this industry. You can read their thoughts below.

As a musician, it’s a struggle to grab anyone’s attention long enough to listen to a three minute song. We’ve all become so attached to the tiny screens in our pocket that we’re always distracted. We prefer to tap around the apps on our devices while listening to music at home or at a show rather than truly immersing ourselves in the experience, and it’s making it more difficult for musicians to build their fanbase.

Today’s music industry is an economy based on attention rather than dollars. Nobody buys your $8 albums but everyone has a brand new $900 computer in their hand — go figure.
Bands used to compete for shelf space at the local record store, but now they battle against Buzzfeed’s mind poison, Facebook posts from grandma and the potential for partial nudity on Snapchat.

In the last 30 years, humanity’s preferred communication method has shifted away from listening and speaking to almost entirely communicating via visual media.For musicians, it means the very fruits of our creative endeavors exist in a medium that is going the way of the dodo. Soon our ears will have evolved into direct ports for our brain computers.

So you’re in a band? Good for you, but let me tell you something: nobody cares, especially not me. Nothing is cool.

It’s not because I’m an asshole (I am), it’s because I’m your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill, lizard-brained, idiot human being. I’m primitive, I don’t think for myself, and I have access to billions of photos and videos at my fingertips. How the hell are we supposed to get anywhere in the music business if it’s so hard to win anyone’s attention?

Here is my best advice – as a fully-grown manbaby who has wasted his entire adult life and all of the boundless potential that exists in the richest country in the world in order to drive around in a shitty van with his buddies: you need a stellar visual element involved with everything that you do.

Song Teasers & Lyric Videos

Time to release a new song? Use YouTube over Soundcloud. Create a series of teaser videos with photos from the band to build the excitement. Then, release your music using a photo slideshow or a lyric video. Keep it simple, but keep it visual.

Music Videos

You don’t need to break the bank. You have an iPhone that captures 4K video and iMovie is $5.00. Think of something that is simple to shoot, but has a big impact from a visual standpoint. Colors and movement are the keys to a good video. And remember, if you go setup in a field and pretend to play a live show, there is no hope for you or your stupid band.

Snapchat / Vine / Instagram

It’s no secret that Facebook pages are turning into flaming hot piles of garbage and Twitter is imploding under the weight of its own incompetency. The masses (not just the kids) are moving toward more visual platforms. Use them, and get good at them. There are kids who sing 6 second covers on Vine who make more money than your parents.

Live Shows

During your live shows, it’s your job to create something more visually interesting than whatever your fans can find on their phones. The reason EDM is so popular right now is partially due to the insane light displays, but you don’t need that kind of budget. You can think of a simple, but effective way to incorporate lights into your performances.

If lights are beyond your means, you can start with the basics. Make sure you are moving! You are the most important visual element in your show, so shake your money maker.
Lastly, make sure your group looks the part. If your bassist insists on wearing Jnco’s and a weed leaf t-shirt to your indie shows it’s time to find some other mouth-breathing high school dropout string plucker to fill his or her place.

Brandon Whalen sings for My Body Sings Electric, owns a cat, and works as a freelance marketing consultant to fund his impoverished lifestyle as a musician.

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4 Niche Crowdfunding Sites That Might Work Better for Your Band Than Kickstarter

This post is the latest in our ongoing collaboration with Sonicbids. Enjoy.

Crowdfunding has become one of the best ways for independent musicians (and even those with record deals) to get the money they need to make their living. Creating an album or going on tour can be expensive, and it’s tough enough to sell music, so many acts have turned to asking their biggest fans for a little extra help, and more often than not, they heed the call.

As the crowdfunding industry grows, more and more options for fundraising are popping up, and it’s tough to choose the best site for you and your band. So, which one is right for you? Do you want to take your chances with the masses on Kickstarter, or perhaps one of these three options is your best bet? Where are you based? Where are you touring? What genre do you play? All of these are important factors, especially on some of the more niche fundraising sites. If you don’t think you want to be a part of the bigger platforms, here are a few smaller options that might be a better fit.

1. Pozible

Best for: Australian bands, or those not sure how they want to crowdfund just yet

Based in Australia, Pozible has a growing international presence, and a track record as one of the most successful crowdfunding platforms out there (over half of all campaigns reach their goals). While it does offer the option to simply set up a typical project, the company is fairly innovative in its other offerings. One interesting option is subscriptions, which is a growing trend in the fan-artist direct relationship world. Fans can pay a monthly fee to receive something from the artist, which can be whatever the artist has decided.

Also, Pozible has a new option where instead of hosting a campaign just on Pozible.com, an artist can set the whole thing up and take the embed code and place it wherever they like. This is helpful, as any digital marketer will tell you that the fewer clicks the better when you are asking someone to give you money. Instead of your fans spending time on your website having to click through and figure out the setup of Pozible’s website, they can contribute directly from your online presence. Doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it can make all the difference for some potential donors – and when it comes to fundraising, every little bit helps.

2. Sellaband

Best for: Bands that need help doing everything connected to their campaign

This option is an older one and a lot more DIY, but it doesn’t seem to be too active these days. The Germany-based company traffics mostly in European acts and has a lot less for people to cut through than platforms like Kickstarter or PledgeMusic. Being smaller is a good thing in that your project can get more attention (especially on their “charts” page, which tracks popular campaigns), but it also means that there might not be as many people randomly searching for new things to support on the site.

The company also brags that they can help any musician using the service to take their project from start to finish, including connecting bands to third parties that will press CDs and the like. If you don’t mind an older look and want some assistance in getting merchandise made once your fans have pre-ordered something, this might work for you.

3. Rockethub

Best for: Bands that are brand new to crowdfunding

Rockethub stands out from the crowd in two main ways: education and money. First, the company is intent on making sure that artists using the platform (which doesn’t only cater to musicians, but they’re a big vertical) know what they’re doing and that they have all the tools they need to succeed. The site features a page called Success School, which has an entire curriculum based on the dos and don’ts of crowdfunding and teaches best practices. Like only a few other platforms, Rockethub also allows musicians to keep what they have raised, regardless of what they were looking to collect. This is a great feature, as many campaigns don’t hit their goals, which can leave the band right back at square one.

4. Ulule

Best for: Bands in France, or bands that are popular in that region

Serving the French community almost exclusively, Ulule is a great option if you’re based in France (or the rest of Europe). A platform that’s popular in a particular geographic region can be a good idea if your music is doing well there, as there are fewer people using it, which helps your campaign stand out. Ulule is also interesting because it offers artists two options to raise funds: simply requesting money for a project, or selling many different packages and items for certain amounts. Different sites usually go with one of these two choices, but having both means that there is something for everyone. Only five percent is taken from successful campaigns, so you’ll get most of your cash… if you can reach your goal.

Hugh McIntyre is a freelance pop music journalist in NYC by way of Boston. He has written for Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and MTV, as well as various magazines and blogs around the world. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of the blog Pop! Bang! Boom! which is dedicated to the genre of pop in all of its glory.

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Apple Allegedly Threatening To Remove Music From iTunes If Artists Don’t Agree to New Royalty Policy

Everyone knows Apple is a little late to the streaming business, but if the latest rumors regarding Apple Music are true it seems the biggest tech company in the world is about to become the industry’s biggest bully.

According to several reports from independent records labels, publishing houses, and artists alike, Apple is allegedly threatening to remove music from iTunes if artists do not agree to the new royalty policy being instated for the launch of the company’s new streaming platform (set to debut on June 30). The company is planning a three-month ‘free trial period’ to celebrate the launch, and according to reports it is asking all artists with music currently on iTunes (aka essentially everyone) to agree to all the company to stream their music royalty-free during that time. In other words, Apple wants to stream your music, or the music of your favorite artist, without paying them a dime to do so. If artists refuse, then the company will allegedly remove that performer’s content from iTunes, thus preventing that artist from earning any additional revenue through Apple-owned services.

There are hundreds of other platforms for artists to sell and stream their music through, but to think what essentially amounts to a ban from iTunes would not impact the livelihood of any artists is foolish. iTunes still accounts for the vast majority of online music sales, and we have heard from several of our own clients and friends within music who have expressed concern over how this new policy may impact their business. Labels big and small rely on digital sales to pay artists, support a staff, and generally keep the lights on. Online sales have dropped in recent years, but they’re still far above the performance of any physical product. If iTunes were to revoke access to their store, the impact could cripple an entity’s ability to maintain the quality of work their consumers expect, or even shutter the operation completely.

Fortunately for the silent, there are some who are not willing to bend to Apple’s will, as Beggars Group, the record company umbrella that owns 4AD, Matador, XL, Rough Trade, and Young Turks, among others, explained in an open letter posted to their site earlier this week:

To Beggars Group Labels Artists and Managers:

We thought it was time to update you on the situation with Apple Music, following speculation in the press, some of it ill-informed. Apple have been a wonderful partner for the last decade, and we confidently trust they will continue to be so. We have recently been in discussions with Apple Music about proposed terms for their new service. In many ways the deal structure is very progressive, but unfortunately it was created without reference to us, or as far as we know any independents, and as such unsurprisingly presents problems for us, and for our coming artist releases. We are naturally very concerned, especially for artists releasing new albums in the next three months, that all streaming on the new service will be unremunerated until the end of September. Whilst we understand the logic of their proposal and their aim to introduce a subscription-only service, we struggle to see why rights owners and artists should bear this aspect of Apple’s customer acquisition costs.

And given the natural response of competing digital services to offer comparable terms, we fear that the free trial aspect, far from moving the industry away from freemium services – a model we support – is only resulting in taking the “mium” out of freemium.

We are also naturally concerned, as ever, as to whether we and you are being treated on a level playing field vis a vis the major labels and their artists. Additionally, we have reservations about both commercial and practical aspects of the Artist Connect area. It is a mistake to treat these rights as royalty free, especially in the light of recent licenses with services like Soundcloud.

At the moment we do not have an agreement with Apple Music that would allow us to participate in the new service. However, we very much hope that the obstacles to agreement can be removed, for us and for independent Merlin-member labels as a whole, and that we will be able to fully support this potentially exciting new service in the coming days.

We at Haulix are concerned as well. We may not sell music on iTunes, but we rely on the continued growth and success of our clients in order to continue thriving ourselves. If iTunes makes it more difficult for the people we serve to thrive, they make it difficult for us to do so as well. 

Furthermore, our employees don’t exist in a tech-focused vacuum. We have each worked in publicity, or run a label, or even been in bands who had to work day and night for every inch of momentum they gained. We like to think we can relate to the struggles of many of our brothers and sisters in music, and the potential ripple effect from a stiff arm like this is understandably terrifying for many. 

We will, like all of you should, be monitoring this situation closely in the coming days and weeks. Apple has set a June 30 launch for Apple Music, but that doesn’t mean the repercussions for not joining the service will take effect at that time. The company has also not yet commented on the many concerns the indie community is expressing, but Billboard has a story this week that predicts the company will send out a mass opt-in email to indies within the coming days. There are even rumors the payout will be above the industry standard 70/30, reaching as high as 71.5% to performers, in hopes of selling more people on the three-month royalty free period.

You can follow our official Twitter for more new and updates on this, as well as other major industry headlines.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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8 Steps to Creating an Effective Sales Promotion Strategy for Your Music

Hello, everyone! Thank you for finding a few minutes in your schedule to spend learning about the industry with us. We did not create the post you’re about to enjoy, but after reading it earlier this month we knew we had to make room in our content schedule to highlight what it has to share. Bobby Borg is an incredibly talented writer, and we’re honored to feature his work on our site.

This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Sales promotions are short-term incentives intended to stimulate a quick buying response in your target customer. Coupons, one-time exclusive offers, customer loyalty programs, two-for-the-price-of-one discounts, and limited-time prizes with purchase are all examples of sales promotions in the consumer world. While it’s true you’ll have to give away your music for free to build awareness and help start a buzz, sales promotions can be applied to everything, including merchandise, studio time, music lessons, concert tickets, and more. From choosing the right type of sales promotion that fits your band, to executing your sales promotions tastefully, these eight tips will help you create a strategy that brings light to your products and services and generates healthy sales.

1. Decide on the type of sales promotion that fits your band

Whether you choose to utilize discount ticket coupons that you allow fans to print out from your website, or you announce a “one-time exclusive offer” to purchase your music at your record release party, remember that you must always stay in sync with the desired image you’d like to project into the marketplace. An anti-capitalistic punk band must obviously use sales promotions very subtly (or not at all), or they might otherwise come across as being phony.

2. Decide on the different media you’ll use to deliver your sales promotion

Remember that sales promotions can be delivered using internet techniques (email and your personal website), guerrilla marketing techniques (postcards and flyers you hand out to people on the street), direct marketing techniques (brochures you mail), and face-to-face selling techniques (pitches you make to music students and recording clients). The idea is to utilize a couple different mediums to ensure you thoroughly reach your intended audience.

3. Decide exactly when the sales promotion will begin and end

Sales promotions must have a clearly defined beginning and an end. Will it be just for the night of a show, for two weeks, or for the entire holiday season? Whatever it is, make it very clear. "Urgency" is a key ingredient in sales promotions and in getting your fans to ultimately respond.  

4. Test the sales promotion on a limited number of people

Before printing a few hundred coupons to send off to your fans, be sure to get some feedback on the words and graphics you use. The idea is to create the most effective promotion that will push your fans’ buttons and get them to take action. Test out your sales promotions on a small sample audience first and make any necessary adjustments. You’ll save time and money.

5. Keep the purpose of your sales promotion clearly in mind

Be clear on why you’re holding a sales promotion and what you’d like to achieve. Is your goal to sell a specific number of units so that you can take your musical act out on the road? Or is it to raise a certain amount of money for your Kickstarter or GoFundMe campaign to produce a live concert that will benefit a charity? Whatever it is, state a very clear objective.    

6. Control the number of promotions you hold

Remember that too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Sending out emails every other week telling people that they can record in your studio at a “one-time specially reduced price” just looks bad. Always be tasteful, truthful, and subtle.

7. Stick to the rules of the promotion

Don’t be tempted to make an offer that’s not in line with the rules of the promotion. Doing this can clearly compromise the integrity of the promotion and even your brand. Stick to your own rules! If you say the promotion ends on December 24, the promotion really needs to end on December 24.

8. Remember that “sales” is not a bad word

Some people think of marketing as sleazy or pushy. This reaction is usually due to bad past experiences with deceptive advertisements or pushy marketing tactics. But as media critic Douglas Rushkoff said in a PBS special entitled The Persuaders, "Don’t let your marketing show.“ If you can focus on the creation of products and services that uphold your vision, satisfy fans by giving them what they need, and present your offers in a non-intrusive manner that make fans feel like they’re part the process, people won’t even know you’re marketing to them. 

Unless you’re just a hobbyist, at some point you have to start generating some type of income from your music. Sales promotions cause fans to take action and help increase your sales. So make no mistake: if you want to make it, you have to market.

This post originally appeared on the SonicBids blog.

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Creating A Band Bio That Everyone Will Appreciate

Hello and welcome to the middle of the work week! It’s kind of crazy to think about how fast time seems to be flying this month, but regardless we are thrilled to learn that you’ve chosen to spend a few of your minutes with us. The column you are about to enjoy was crafted based on the input of multiple journalists and record label professionals, but that does not mean there is no room for expansion. If you know something we missed, or if you feel there is a better way for bands to sell themselves, please comment at the end of this post and share your input.

This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Speaking from the perspective of a seasoned music blogger, one of the most frustrating aspects of working with up and coming bands is learning anything worthwhile about the people behind the music. It’s as if artists focus so fervently on crafting the best song they possible can that they give no thought to how they will present themselves and their music once it’s time to launch whatever marketing efforts they have half-heartedly planned. I’m not here to say you should divert any attention from your songwriting, but you do need to make a conscious effort to develop one, two, or even three band bios that can be shared with any label, promoter, blogger, or licensing agent that may stumble across your work. Presentation is key in these matters, and to an extent every artist’s bio should be unique like snowflakes, but today I’m going to share just enough insight to get you started towards bettering the way you present yourself to others online.

Start with the basics:

Before you think about your current efforts and the bands who have influenced your sound, make sure the beginning of your bio tells the reader everything they could possibly need to know about who you are and where you come from. Think of the questions every journalist is told to ask:

  • Who are you?
  • Where are you from?
  • How do define your sound?
  • Who influenced your sound?
  • Why should people care – aka – What sets you apart?

Start with this information and be as specific as you can possibly be. If people are still asking the above questions after the first few sentences of your bio then you need to scrap whatever you’re using and start over. Don’t make people hunt for basic information on your band. Everyone’s time is limited.

Be sure to clearly explain your sound, and do not be afraid to draw fitting comparisons.

In 2014, there is not a band on the planet who should be defining their sound as ‘rock.’ Hell, even ‘hard rock’ is far too vague. We live in a digital age where classification is key to organization. Find the proper sub genre for your sound and use it, as well as any reasonable comparisons you’re able to draw, in order to better express what you sound like to those who may have never encountered your music before.

Understanding how to explain your sound in a way anyone can understand is important not just for press, but for promoters as well. Having a clearly defined sound allows people booking shows to better understand who you would pair well with on bills, as well as what kind of audience exists in their area for your sound. Your metal band might not have much of an audience in rural Alabama, but unless you clearly define your sound there is a chance you’ll end up playing an empty VFW hall wondering how you’re going to scrape together enough cash to make it to the next city. Remember: It’s always better to give everyone the things they need to do their job well up front. Don’t make them come to you for information that should be readily available online.

If descriptive writing is not your strong suit, do not be afraid to embrace phrases like “If Band A and Band B had a baby…” If it helps express who you are better than anything else you’ve come up with, use it. Some may scoff, but it’s still better than leaving those you’re pitching in the dark.

Create short and long bios

Afraid you’ve said too much in your bio? That’s okay. Somewhere in the world there are people who will want to know every bit of information you’re willing to share. These people may be writers, label professionals, or diehard fans hoping to get a bit closer to their favorite artist. In these cases, a long bio can do more for you than a short, one-paragraph entry would otherwise because long bios allow for you to fully express what sets you apart from the competition.

That said, it’s important to have a concise bio prepared for EPKs, social networks, and press releases alike. These bios should not be longer than a few sentences, and it should answer all the questions posed earlier in this blog. Keep it simple and to the point, as well as easy to locate. Journalists will want this info to flesh out their news posts, and they do not want to be bothered with sifting through your 500-word bio just to learn what town you call home.

As you evolve, so should your bio

You should write a new bio every single year, if not twice a year. As you grow and develop your bio should follow suit, and that goes double for the long form version. Explain when your various releases came out, as well as what tours you have done, and never shy away from talking about plans you have for the future (as long as you are certain they will actually happen).

Be professional

The most important thing to remember when crafting your bio is that it will be used as a tool to sell you and your music to anyone with a curiosity about your work. Be professional and concise. Don’t add unnecessary flourishes and do not try to bend the truth. Lies may open a few doors, but they will shut far more once you’re deception is discovered (and it will be discovered). Just be you and you will be fine.

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The Wrong Way To Promote Your New Album

Hello and welcome to the final Advice column of the week. We had been planning to run an in-depth look at overcoming technical difficulties in a live setting, but after learning of a ridiculous promotional blunder taking place online yesterday afternoon we switched gears in an attempt to be ever-so-slightly topical. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

There is an old saying in the world of promotion that you have no doubt heard a hundred times or more: Sex sells. We could debate the benefits and drawbacks to leveraging sex to sell a product, as well as the rampant sexism that such efforts breed, but I don’t think anyone will argue with the idea that sex and sexually explicit imagery sells entertainment and products far better than average looking people dressed in average looking clothes. Demi Lovato may have a a better voice than Miley, but because Miley is willing to essentially bare all as long as you give her new single a few minutes of your time she is the one newspapers love.

You know what else sells? Violence. You may find trouble getting attention for a video or song featuring nonstop brutality/gore, but if you pepper in just enough nastiness amidst a wall of sound and couple it with lyrics about whatever messed up relationship you’re trying to forget there is a good chance people will tune in. Heartache is a bitch, and well all know misery loves company. Bands like Emmure and Capture The Crown have built careers on this type of approach, and it has bred a new generation of heavy bands that feel ‘keeping it brutal’ is the only way to sell their music. (It’s not, by the way).

In a world where everyone accepts that violence and sex sells, one might think bands looking to market their material would have more than enough conventional avenues of promotion to pursue when seeking to bring attention to a new release. Yesterday, however, that notion proven wrong when the Sumerian Records signed group known as Upon A Burning Body taught us all a lesson we should immediately commit to memory: Kidnapping does not sell.

It all started with a Facebook post. An update added to the official Facebook page for Upon A Burning Body yesterday afternoon sent ripples of fear and shock throughout the metal community. “Breaking News: Danny Leal (singer of Upon A Burning Body) has been reported missing,” the message read. “He was last seen in his home town of San Antonio TX on Monday, June 30th.”

Sites around the globe picked up the story in the hours that followed, including Alternative Press and Under The Gun Review, as well as countless fan communities and message boards. People, press and fans alike, began searching for more information and attempting to aide the band, but as the day wore on it became clear not everything was as it seemed. AP discovered no one with the last name of Leal is listed in the Texas Department Of Public Safety’s missing persons database. Additionally, there were 22 people listed as missing who were last seen in San Antonio, none of whom shared the same first or last name as the UABB singer. Even the band’s publicist was lost, telling press "I have no news as to Danny’s whereabouts and am completely in the dark here myself.”

Over two hours after the initial news broke, things took another strange turn when Ash Avildsen, CEO of Sumerian Records, wrote on his label’s official Facebook page to deny any involvement in or knowledge of Upon A Burning Body’s messaging about Danny. He wrote, "I woke up to a ton of missed calls and just saw all this stuff about Danny Leal of UABB posing as that he’s been abducted or kidnapped. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing since. As a child, we all learn the story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and it sticks within our consciousness for a reason. I do not condone this type of publicity stunt. This was done behind my back and I am not OK with it. In my eyes, there’s never a time to use the possibility of real-life abduction, injury or murder of someone you care about to promote anything, especially an album. If you need to resort to that, then you have lost the plot. We as a society should have evolved past that way of thinking by now and especially within the rock/metal community, given all the tragedy that has happened in our world over the past few years. There are some people who owe us an apology. -Ash Avildsen, Creator & CEO of Sumerian Records.“

Three hours after the above post went live, a new song from Upon A Burning Body titled “Red Razor Wrists” debuted online. The band made no comments on the track, nor did they offer any explanation for why they thought it would be a good idea to scare the metal community into believing something terrible may have happened to their front man. They simply posted the song, shared a link, and went back to being silent. As of noon today, they have yet to comment on yesterday’s fiasco, but they did premiere a second song and announce plans to release a new album in about six weeks.

It does not take a rocket scientist to realize this unorthodox method of promotional was a total and complete failure. I am sure there are those in the world who were thrilled to hear new music from Upon A Burning Body, but those I spoke with who like the band were more pissed than excited because they had just spent half a day worried about the frontman of their favorite band. The song was a welcomed resolution, but it did not justify the marketing efforts made earlier in the day.

Originality will get you far in the world of music, but there are times when thinking outside the box will backfire. For Upon A Burning Body, this is one of those times. Thankfully, the rest of us now know what not to do when we’re promoting an upcoming release. Remember: Kidnapping does not sell.

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Everything You Need To Succeed This Summer

Hello, everyone! We are thrilled to have you join us this afternoon. If you have read this blog before you no doubt know that we love firsts, and today we are rolling out a new type of feature that has never previously appeared on this site. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

I don’t know how many people know this, but the Haulix blog is run and curated by one person. All the content you see, from advice column and interviews, to whatever guest column runs this month, has all been put together by one person hoping to bring a little free education to those hoping to one day run the music industry. As such, there are times when our efforts hit walls and we creatively feel out of gas. Today is not one of those days, but it’s easy to understand how it might look that way to some.

When our company began brainstorming content for the summer season, we realized a lot of our initial ideas had already been highlighted at some point over the previous twelve months. The only problem was, no easy reference guide to advice for summer existed….Until now. What follows is a list of links to content posted over the last year with the intention of maximizing your summer promotional efforts. Everything, from touring and social media, to merch sales and customer retention, can be found through the links below. Bookmark this page and commit each article to memory. Your career will thank you in time:

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How To Kill Your Band #10 – A Conversation With Hopesfall’s Adam Morgan (Part 2 of 2)

Hello and welcome to the tenth installment of Eric Morgan’s How To Kill Your Band. This column offers advice to up and coming artists from the perspective of a professional musician who has thrived with and without label support over the last decade. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

An Introduction:

I’ve been in the music industry as an artist for nearly 10 years now. In that decade I’ve achieved nearly all of my childhood music dreams, but I’ve also made just as many mistakes that run over my mind before I fall asleep each night. A wonderment of how a few different decisions, rerunning in hindsight, would work out in some alternate universe. This ever creeping determinism is a fallacy I’m quite aware of but one that I will never completely shake, though it’s these experiences I’ve learned the most valuable lessons. These are the things I’d like to share in a series of mini-blogs I call How To Kill Your Band.

Part 9 – A Conversation With Hopesfall’s Adam Morgan (Part 2)

This week on the HTKYB, I will be sharing the second half of my interview with Hopesfall founding drummer Adam Morgan. Part 1 can be found here. Hopesfall was founded in 1998 and quickly developed from a regional favorite to a national force that blurred the lines between metal and hardcore with unconventional song structures and spacey melodic soundscapes. The group dealt with the entire spectrum of band troubles ranging from a multitude of member changes to publicized confrontations with their label all while their music continued to grow and become a pillar of the hardcore scene. Adam was kind enough to take part a series of back and forth emails over the past weeks where we discussed his experiences in the band and shed light on the lessons he had learned during his time in the industry.

E: So I was very curious and went back and listened to track 6 of The Satellite Years “A Man Exits” to see if I could spot any differences in the mix compared to the rest of the album. All I could pull out was a little bit of tone variation in the guitars compared to the other tracks but obviously nothing I would of picked up without a hint.

A: Yeah…I guess it’s not too big of a deal. Something about the guitar mix, right at the 0:47 mark, just irks me.

E: The grass is always greener. I think your experience resonates with many other touring musicians when it comes to deciding how to move forward in life. Like you mentioned earlier, there’s that initial period of being proud of the work and adventure you get to experience everyday on the road, especially when you know people who are trudging to the same boring cubicle day after day. But the other side of it is that when you come home you realize that these people have the financial security, relationships, and other comforts you miss out on while traveling.

It’s interesting to see the advice you’d give your younger self to enjoy the moment and to keep working on what you’ve put so much effort into building. When you’re in a position where comfort and security take a backseat to everything else, the propensity to feel that your time is running out only gets stronger. It’s what bands succumb to most often. Do you think it’s possible to find a balance between being a touring artist and living a “normal” life or is it mutually exclusive in your eyes?

A: Thats a great point and question. I actually do think it’s possible to be a touring musician while still retaining all those securities you mentioned. I’d say it’s extremely rare, but I’ve seen and met members in bands who have great, secure jobs, and understanding, encouraging spouses that help allow them to enjoy both aspects of normal life and road life.

However…I think in most cases, there will always come a time when you just have to weigh out what matters most to you.  Looking down the road, into your financial and post-band future, can be extremely hard, especially while you are in the middle of living your dream, but it’s definitely something you have to consider because let’s face it, the chances of your band becoming your full-time job, for the rest of your life, is slim to nil.

E: You said you left the band prior to tracking A Types for several reasons including not being entirely happy with the writing process. That record ended up being Hopesfall’s most commercially successful release, but also pivoted the sound in a way that separated it from what the band had been known for. You mentioned that you had agreed to push in a more traditional song based direction with a bigger emphasis on choruses and hooks. Now that a decade has passed, how do you view that record and the shift in sound? At the time, the band had already released two albums and an EP in that “original” style. Was going in such a drastic new direction viewed as a necessity for sustaining creativity among the group?

A: I think A Types is good for what it is; that being: a transitional album. We were trying something brand new to us, and just like anybody trying something new for the first time, it’s usually not going to be perfect. I wouldn’t consider it a “necessity” for sustaining creativity. I think if we wanted to put out another hardcore record at that point, we still could have produced something creative and interesting. It just felt like a good time to move forward, especially since Jay was our singer now, and had proven he could take on more of a melodic singing role.

After all, our music was always heavily influenced by bands like Hum and Smashing Pumpkins. That’s the sound we were always striving for. I believe the departure from screaming and breakdowns was actually more of a step toward remaining true to ourselves and playing the kind of music we wanted to hear.

E: In late 2005 you rejoined the band after Adam Baker left. Why did you decide to come back? You ultimately left again in 2006. Did you view it as a temporary situation from the onset?

Hopesfall toured Brazil in October of 2005. You guys had toured internationally before but Brazil is more of a rare musical opportunity. Describe what it was like to tour in that country? Was that part of the reason for rejoining for a bit?

A: The decision to come back after Baker had left the band was just a temporary thing. At that time, Josh had come to me and asked if I’d be willing to help them out with a few tours that they had already committed to; one of those tours being a Brazil tour.  It was really a perfect situation for me because I was really starting to miss touring and performing, but at the same time, I still didn’t want to be in a full-time touring band. Oh…and it was a chance to go to BRAZIL!

That Brazil tour was incredible. Up until then, the only other foreign countries I had played were Canada and the UK. It was the first time I was in a country whose native language wasn’t English (well, besides Montreal, Quebec, and a couple parts of Central Avenue, here in Charlotte). Even though a lot of the fans over there didn’t know English, or I, Portuguese, it didn’t stop them from trying to communicate to us just how much it meant to them that we were there, playing for them. They were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and they went off at every show. It was definitely an experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

E: Wow, that show in São Paulo looks insane. It’s hard to argue with taking an opportunity to play packed out shows while traveling Brazil.

Since you went into the rejoining as a temporary position, were you part of the process in preparing what would be Hopesfall’s final album, 2007’s Magnetic North, or was another album never in your personal plans? That record is clearly an evolution of the sound found on A Types but also reintroduces some of the aggressive dynamics found on earlier works. Do you feel the record was an appropriate way to bookend the band that you had such a significant presence in?

A: I didn’t have any hands in the preparation, or recording of Magnetic North. After we finished up those tours, the band recruited an incredible drummer by the name of Jason Trabue. He came in and wrote/recorded Magnetic North with the guys. I think it’s a great album to bookend the Hopesfall discography. I can’t say enough good things about that album. I think it is a fantastic rock record.

E: In 2011, Hopesfall reunited the No Wings to Speak Of era lineup for two one-off reunion shows in Winston-Salem and Charlotte, NC. Can you talk about how the idea of the reunion came about and why this specific version of the band was chosen? I was lucky enough to attend the Charlotte date and was impressed with how the band was able to re-learn the entire Frailty of Words album after so many years and member changes between. What was it like personally for you to go back and learn those first songs and to perform them live for the first time in over a decade?

A: The reunion shows came about because we were approached by our good buddies, and old touring mates, Codeseven. They told us that they were playing a reunion show in Winston-Salem (their hometown) as part of a grand reopening of an old rock venue (ZIGGY’s) we all use to play at. They asked Josh to check with the rest of us about playing with them. It worked out with everyone’s schedule and it felt like a good idea.

I don’t really know why we decided on the No Wings To Speak Of line-up. I guess it just felt natural because we were playing in Winston, with Codeseven. It was almost like hopping in a time machine and going back to relive those early Hopesfall days for just one last time.

Relearning the songs from Frailty was a little strange for me, personally. Those songs are a reflection of where I was at as a young 16 year old drummer. I like to think that I’ve come a long way in the last 17 years. So, to get in a room and practice playing those songs that were written during the early years felt like such a digression. It was like I was practicing sucking. But overall, it brought back some great memories, and most importantly, it was a such a great opportunity to hang out and play music with some of my best friends.  During the course of the band, and line-up changes, some of the guys never had the opportunity of knowing that they were playing their last show with the band. I think the chance to play those 2 reunion shows was a perfect way to bring closure to that era of the band.

E: Quickly, I have to ask. In percentage form, what are the chances of another reunion show in the next couple years? I mean you already did the hard work of learning those songs…

A: Haha! Well…since I can only speak for myself; I’d be willing to do it again if the conditions were right. So I guess since there are 5 of us, that would make it a 20% chance of another reunion show. Haha!

E: Being a dad must be a fairly full time deal, but are you working on anything music related in your free time? When the reunion shows were announced you mentioned a new project with Josh Brigham, is that a project that is still in development?

A: Yep.

E: Finally, I don’t think I could complete this interview without mentioning your ridiculous vinyl collection. Have you always been a vinyl aficionado? You frequently showcase albums on your purgeb4ubinge Instagram account, what about vinyl encouraged you to take such an active role in collecting and discussing the median?

A: It’s definitely something I’ve really gotten into in the last few years. There are a lot of aspects to vinyl records that make collecting them very rewarding. It brings back a lot of that excitement that use to go along with buying music before MP3s became popular. Just think about all those experiences that are lost now when you click a “download” button on your computer. For me, the artwork for an album is just as important as the music itself. It’s always gone hand-in-hand. Having that first visual impression of the album in the record store, tearing the shrink wrap off the album, being able to hold a large format album cover, feeling the paper, the ink, pulling the insert out, looking over it, handling the record, putting it down on your turntable, and dropping the needle onto the record. To me there is something special about that ritual. Something that is totally lost now. On top of all that, I believe vinyl produces a warmer and overall more organic sound. The only thing vinyl lacks is convenience, which is why I still love my iPod and can acknowledge the importance of mp3 and other digital files.

E: It’s been great talking to you about your experiences as a founding member of Hopesfall. You’ve brought up and discussed many of the hard choices that today’s touring musicians are currently going though. Do you have any last words of advice for aspiring artist who are trying to make sense of the modern musical landscape?

A: I’m not sure I’m in any position to be giving advice, but since you asked: Write the songs and play the music that you want to hear. Use all the tools you have (social media, music streaming sites) to get your music out to the public. Play out as often as you can. Interact with your fan base in a positive way. Be creative. Work harder on your songs than you do your image. Have a music lawyer thoroughly explain any label contract. Never sign away your publishing. Never buy into your hype. Most importantly, have fun and cherish the time you have creating music with your friends.

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If you could ask a music lawyer anything, what would it be?

Haulix will be launching a new column later this month offering free legal advice from an attorney specializing in the music business. This feature will run one or two times a month, based on demand, but we need a little help from you to get started.

As you no doubt know by now, this blog exists to help people better understand the music industry. We could throw up random bits of legal advice without issue, but what we really want to do is help you solve real world problems. If you have a question regarding music law, or if you want to know what the average cost of retaining legal council is, just ask! Need to know whether or not you can sue for copyright infringement? We might be able to help there as well.

Send your legal questions to james@haulix.com and we will do our best to get them answered in a timely and informative fashion.

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