Inside Music is a podcast about the lives of professionals in the music business. Each week, host James Shotwell chats with an artist or industry tastemaker to learn how anyone can navigate the world of entertainment.
“…And we’re back.”
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell apologizes to listeners for his absence by sharing a new chat with Baggage frontman Jono Diener. Jono tells James about his band’s brand new EP, The Good That Never Comes, as well as his hopes for the future. The pair also discuss the changing Michigan economy, food deserts, learning to find your place in music as you grow older.
If you enjoy this episode, PLEASE support Baggage and check out their new EP: baggageband.bandcamp.com.
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
The likelihood of encountering a catch-22 in your development as a professional in any facet of the entertainment industry is so high it might as well be considered a given. To live is to grow, and to grow is to develop interests and tastes that may not fit into the mold of the person you once were. This is true for almost everyone on Earth, but only a small percentage of those walking among us are tasked with creating something from nothing using only their imagination and musical prowess that is packaged and sold to the masses as some form of entertainment. For those people change can be harder than because accepting that you are no longer who you once were means you might not ever create the same way again, and if that is true then there is a good chance the people who once supported you without a second thought may soon reconsider their allegiance to your creative output.
Sum 41 burst onto the international music scene with the release of their single “Fat Lip” in 2001. The song, which arrived just as bands like Blink-182 and Green Day were pushing pop-punk into the mainstream, was an instant smash at MTV and top 40 radio. I was fourteen at the time, and as such I – not to mention everyone in my graduating class – was the target market for the song. We sang the track together on field trips and in the back of class before the first bell of the day would ring. We also sang along on our bikes as we explored our town, and in the back of our parents’ cars (until they had enough and shut off the radio). For a few months it seemed like the world would never be without “Fat Lip” again, but eventually a day came when our culture’s obsession with the track began to subside. Fortunately for the band, they had additional singles (like “In Too Deep”) ready to go.
The singles that followed “Fat Lip,” as well as the album that followed the record that contained “Fat Lip,” were both considered successful in the eyes of the music industry. The rap-punk mix of “Fat Lip” was never outright recreated, but the band had a knack for pop-laden punk hooks that could not be denied. They never saw the same fame that came their way when they first were introduced, but for a few years they were considered one of the biggest punk bands in the world.
When a band achieves the kind of global status Sum 41 reached with the success of “Fat Lip” they find themselves with an untold number of new fans who likely them specifically for a single sound found on a single recording that is just one of many found on that group’s latest album. People are curious to hear more, as anyone who finds themselves enjoying anything typically is, but to be more specific they are curious as to whether or not the band can harness a similar sound and find success once more. If the band choose to try something different, or if they abandoned the sound that catapulted them into the public eye to begin with altogether, those same fans who rushed to support the group initially may begin to seek out other entertainers.
This is where things get tricky. On the one hand, creative people have to be willing to risk losing their audience in their pursuit of authentic self-expression, but at the same time they need to continue selling records and concert tickets in order to fund their creative endeavors. When a band like Sum 41 finds themselves evolving beyond the sound that launched their career the backlash from the general public can be downright mean, and for many the idea of losing the affection of the masses can be too much to bare. So much so, in fact, that many artists from all over the globe will restrict themselves from pursuing new ideas in order to maintain the status quo. This is why some bands will release what is dubbed as an ‘experimental’ album before releasing one that sounds like everything they have ever done in the past (with the exception of the experimental release). They fear being disliked, so instead of growing they just keep revisiting the same themes and ideas over and over until they have accumulated enough money to take a few years off. That might mean years of regurgitating old ideas, or in some cases even decades.
The reason I chose Sum 41 for today’s Monday Motivation post is because they have never compromised their artistic integrity in an effort to pander to the masses. The band knows they do not have the following they did when “Fat Lip” was the biggest song in the world, but whenever you see them or hear them you get the feeling they could care less about this fact. For them, the music is the ultimate accomplishment. Fans are nice, and they certainly help make further creative expression possible, but Sum 41 has always placed a lot of importance on keeping themselves happy with their output that is rarely found in musicians today. Could they do what they did before all over again? Sure. Do they want to? No.
This week, Sum 41 will release their new album 13 Voices through Hopeless Records. The album is the result of the band coming together in support of vocalist Deryck Whibley, who made headlines last year for his struggles with addiction. Music was always a way through the band times for Whibley, and together with his bandmates he has crafted a record that entertains while also providing a platform to vent frustrations and confront demons. To hear the album is to understand the struggles the band has undergone over the last two decades, which has now culminated in an album that ties together themes from previous records without revisiting the ideas that made those recordings unique. This album is everything the band has been working toward, and to know they are still playing the game by their own rules inspires me to do the same every single day.
James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Manager for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records (RIP). 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.
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
The best music has the ability to transport us from wherever we are on this spinning rock we call home and place our feet in the shoes of another. Be it a bird in the sky or a first date at a punk rock show, music offers us perspectives and experiences in life that we may otherwise never be able to experience. For a few minutes, or maybe even just a few seconds, music allows us to shed the trappings of our skeletal cages and explore the endless possibilities of the imagination.
Romp, hailing from same New Jersey stomping ground that gave bands The Gaslight Anthem and Thursday their start, offer listeners the chance to view life through their eyes. Lead by vocalist and keyboardist Madison Klarer, the group blurs the lines between punk, indie rock, and revivalist emo to deliver anthem tales of love, life, exploration, and heartache with deeply personal lyrics that all but reach through the speakers and grab you by the collar. Like the influential bands that hail from their hometown, Romp find relatable in the minute details of existence. They find the simple beauty of a an everyday moment and through doing so create art that can and often will stop you in your tracks, or in the midst of yet another text, and demands you not only pay attention, but fully submit to the sonic adventure they wish to share.
Listening to Departure From Venus, the band’s full-length debut out this month on Bad Timing Records, is akin to sharing memories, problems, and aspirations with a close friend over coffee in the dead of morning or night. You know, when the sky is as quiet as the city streets and for a brief span of time you feel as if you and your friend are the only two people on the planet? This is album is like that, only in in musical form. Departure From Venus is a crash course on the band, its members, and who those members are as individuals channeled through anthemic choruses and hypnotic melodies meant to move your feet just as much as your soul. You could argue that other albums accomplish similar feats for their creators, and you may be right, but none of them hum with the emotional intensity or lyrical whimsy present in every note shared by Romp. This is their adventure, and they are guiding us as only they know how to do.
All of this musical magic would make a lot more sense if it had come from a band with years of shared memories and experiences behind them, but that is not the case with Romp. Two years ago no one in Romp knew the people who would soon be their bandmates, and it’s only because of a chance meeting through Tinder that the band even had a chance at being forged into existence. The fact their artistic chemistry mixes as well as it does at such a young age, both as individuals and a group, would be considered a miracle if not for the profound dedication and work ethic shared by the group’s members. You cannot find a person in alternative music who knows of Romp and does not swear by their talent. People have been cheering for this group long before they were being promoted by one of the hottest young alternative labels in music, and that fact speak entirely to their talent which, at the end of the day, is what always matters most.
As you head into this week, make time to experience Departure From Venus and allow yourself to fully engage with what you hear pouring through your speakers. Put down your phone, close your laptop, pour some coffee, and lose yourself in everything that Romp has to share. Their music, while riddled with angst, is as beautiful as anything laid to tape in the last year. It’s a sudden rush of pure energy and excitement for life, delivered through music, that will lift your spirits and make you think differently about the world around you, as well as how you deal with any hurdles in your way. Romp provides a soundtrack for self-acceptance that begs the listeners to embrace their every flaw with the same confidence as they do their strengths, and the best part of it all is that they’re only just getting started.
James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Manager 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.
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
For more than a decade the members of Aiden have been empowering outcast youth around the globe with anthems of life, death, love, every emotion in between. Their music, forever rooted in the more aggressive side of punk, has brought many back from the ledge and given a voice to thousands, if not millions who live each and every day feeling as if no one cares they exist. In a time when it seems every band is forcing silver linings into their music the men of Aiden have chosen to embrace the fact our planet is often a cold place. That honesty, coupled with the raw emotion bursting from every note of the art they create, has provided strength to the weak in ways no other form of nutrition could hope to offer.
Last night, 4785 miles from the city they call home, the members of Aiden took their final bow on stage in front of a packed venue somewhere in London, England. It was a moment captured immediately across various social media platforms and later further celebrated through numerous additional posts made by band members and fans alike, but still it feels under-appreciated. In fact, everything the band has accomplished up to this point feels surprisingly overlooked by the music industry at large. The reasons for this are likely far too numerous to name, I’m sure, but the band’s horror-tinged imagery and hard punk sound certainly haven’t helped to make them a household name. Then again, I don’t think they care about things like that, and that is precisely why I love everything they represent.
I first discovered Aiden when their debut album, Nightmare Anatomy, was being promoted through listening stations at Hot Topic stores across the country. A sticker on the packaging for the record claimed the band was for fans of AFI and My Chemical Romance, which was everything I needed to know to give the record a chance. While I still believe that comparison was legitimate, at least for that particular record, what I discovered when I first spun the actual recording was something far more special than just another so-called ‘dark’ alternative act. The immediacy in vocalist Will Francis’ voice pulled me in from the opening notes of “Knife Blood Nightmare” and did not let go until the closer, “See You In Hell,” was over. While that first play moved from track to track I found myself becoming immersed in a world of thoughts and ideas that mirrored my own vision of the world. For the first time in my life a band was saying what I thought and felt without sugar-coating harsh realities for those unwilling to accept the truth. It was everything I didn’t know I wanted, and by the time I was three songs deep I was begging my mother to buy the CD.
As time progressed so did Aiden, and by the time their Sophomore record was ready for release the band had moved away from the in your face sound of their debut. Some were turned off by the results, but I was not among them. That record, entitled Conviction, remains my favorite in the band’s catalog. I remember reading an interview ahead of the album’s release where Francis claimed writing the record had helped him to understand the true meaning of punk. He explained that the idea of being punk and making punk music was not limited to a single sound or style. Being punk, in his opinion, was a state of mind that could be applied to anything one chooses to spend their life doing. You could be a punk pianist playing for thousands at Carnegie Hall or the guy screaming until his throat bleeds in a dingy rock club five nights a week. Neither one is better than the other, so why should Aiden or anyone else limit themselves to being just one thing? Francis understood that he and his bandmate could do anything they wanted as long as they remained true to themselves, and that same idea has been the guiding force for my own journey in life ever since.
More albums came as the years carried on, and each offered listeners a different side of Aiden without ever sacrificing the punk ethos that lie at the heart of the group’s best material. Listeners came and went depending on how each evolution took form, but the members of the band never seemed to let the size of a crowd or the number of records sold impact what came next. After all, why should they? Aiden didn’t form to please the world at large. If anything, the entire reason the band exists would appear to be to serve as opposition to the norm. Be it rock, punk, alternative, pop, country, or even EDM, Aiden refused to fall in line with whatever was popular in the moment to further focus on better expressing themselves and their beliefs. Through doing so the band taught their fans to do the same, to shake off any pre-conceived notions of what life is supposed to look like or be like and to fully embrace the person they believe themselves to be. Without Aiden I would not have grown to be the man I am today, and with their time as a band now passed I don’t know if I will ever have a proper opportunity to thank them for that. What I can do, however, is tell others how much they did for me in hopes they too might find strength in the music the band made.
This week, whether you’re a longtime fan or first-time listener, put on the music of Aiden and allow yourself to break free of whatever it is in life that is holding you back from being the person you want to become. Embracing your true self is rarely an easy task, but it is an accomplishment that is entirely worth the effort required.
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.
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
This morning I woke to the sight of my cat, Paws Von Trier, staring out the window with a look that was slightly different than the one I’ve grown customer to greeting with each new day. He glanced at me after I rustled the sheets, then looked back out the window again. I asked if he was looking at birds, but his head did not swivel as it usually would, nor did his voice crack with the half-squeak half-meow sound that he typically omits whenever attempting to make conversation. That momentary silence told me everything I needed to know about what was happening outside. Paws wasn’t quiet and still because he was worried the birds might catch on to his voyeuristic intention, but rather because he was witnessing the first real snow to hit Boston since Winter began. I don’t know much about the longterm memory of cats, but having survived New England’s worst winter in over a decade with Paws by my side just a year ago, during what would have been his first winter ever on this planet, I’ve grown to believe that he associates any snow falling from the sky as a sign of an impending blizzard.
Of all the ways one could choose to wake up, I’d wager that opening your eyes to almost immediately recognize the fact snow has fallen since you fell asleep is rarely, if ever, someone’s first choice. Knowing the world outside is not only cold, but likely filled with small tasks requiring varying amount of physical labor (snow shoveling, scraping ice off cars, etc), makes an already stressful work day infinitely worse. It also starts your day with a negative outlook, which never bodes well for your personal goals or your interactions with the outside world. You may try to wash off the bad vibes in the shower, or perhaps attempt to drown them in two or four cups of coffee, but more often than not these efforts are futile at best. Nature’s decision to surprise you with snow has cursed your entire Monday, and as a result everyone you meet must feel your wrath.
This is where music comes in. For whatever reason, and scientists will agree, music has the ability to ease the worried mind and relax a tired heart. When all hope seems lost and you feel as if you will soon come apart at the same there is always a better than decent chance a well timed song with just the right sound or feel will save the day. Hell, it may even save your life. Music, and by that I mean the kind of song crafted by one or more people working together in a small space out of a desire to do nothing more than express themselves, is the best medicine outside of actual medicine, and it can work wonders that words fail to properly describe. I cannot tell you exactly why a song or album saved my day, but I can tell you how it made me feel when it hit my body via my ear canal. I can describe to you the way the colors of the world around me grew brighter with each note plucked from a guitar played by Koji, or how the chaos of traffic in a city setting felt somehow complimented by the crashing drums of an overlooked song from Have Heart, but my ability to convey my experience immediately falls apart when asked to explain the mechanism behind it.
I really did begin the day as described above, and I did attempt to shake the negativity from my bones with a hot shower and a gluttonous amount of coffee, but truth be told neither effort made much of a difference as far as my mood was concerned. The snow had chilled my heart, and it had lead me to believe the day would be as dull as the world now appeared to be from my office window. It wasn’t until I had sat down at my desk and began pouring through emails overlooked during the weekend that I stumbled upon a cure for my Monday morning blues. As with all the best surprises, the music that saved my day came from a group I had never known on a label I did not know existed prior to today. My guard was down and my mind was open, allowing me to be blown away by anything truly deserving of my attention, and just as I thought the day was doomed I came across a record that I now believe will soon be changing lives around the globe.
Simmer is a three-piece rock band that brings to mind the glory days of early punk and channels its ethos through a slow and expressive indie-tinged sound that is both ambient and experimental in ways that are endlessly enthralling. Their upcoming debut release for Dog Knights Productions, Paper Prisms, boasts the instrumentation of an angsty Explosions In The Sky combined with lyrical themes of growth, loss, love, and evolving world perspective. As the album plays you get the sense that the members of Simmer are soaking in life and the way it has changed with the passing of time, but they have yet to fully accept that we can never go back. This is a sentiment I am sure most you reading this now can relate to, though you might hate to admit it. There are people, places, and times in our life we spend weeks, months, and even years hoping to return to, even though we know such feats are never possible. Those memories, frozen in time forever, exist to remind us not of what we have lost, but of all the magic that can be found in our everyday lives. We as humans tend to forget that fact, choosing instead to believe those moments point to a time better than the one we have now, but as time carries on we grow to see things for what they really are in our own ways.
Take for instance, “Charles,” the first song from Paper Prisms to be made available to the public. The song sounds like a mix of shoegaze and punk influenced emo conveyed through a wall of sound approach that engulfs the listening from the opening moments and never lets up. You’re carried away in the band’s overall sonic expression before the vocal hit, and when they do their presence only adds to an already rushing wave of sound that you have no hope of escaping unhooked. Like all the best songs, “Charles” sucks you in and refuses to let you go. If you’re willing, “Charles” will allow you to get lost in a world of music far, far away from the inconveniences of daily life. You see, there is no pain in the world of “Charles,” just a journey through Simmer’s art that is both endless interesting and repeatedly jaw-dropping, just like Paper Prisms as a whole.
Whether you’re a post-rock kingpin in need of something new or an aging emo kid turned progressive punk loving adult hoping to find the next band that will change you life I assure you Simmer is a band you need to know. Paper Prisms is the first great indie rock album of 2016 that defies simple classification, and with the right marketing the record could very easily establish Simmer as one of the bands to beat in this still very new year. Even if that doesn’t happen, the record will still be great, and you would be a fool to not make room for it in your personal music library. This is the kind of album that can save you even on the worst days, and really, what more could you hope to find in any work of art?
Paper Prisms will be released on March 6, 2016 by Dog Knights Productions. Click here for pre-order information.
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.
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.
Here at Haulix, we pride ourselves on knowing a lot about life in the music industry. We could discuss piracy, promotion, distribution, and publicity from sunrise until sunset, but the one thing we never claim to fully understand is life in this business as seen from the artist’s perspective. Everyone on staff plays music in their free time, but none of us have reached the kind of professional standing as an artist needed to advise others on the realities of the business. For that, we turn to those musicians currently on the road today, and we hope by doing so we can present a more complete view of the current music business.
Trophy Lungs are a fast-rising punk band from Boston. They have found a lot of success in and around New England, but they have yet to rise to the point of national recognition. We think their debut album, Day Jobs, may change that fact when it arrives later this month, and recently frontman Kevin Bogart was nice enough to shed the light on how they survive the countless hours and miles spent traveling from show to show this time of year. You can find the advice he has to share below.
I always get super pumped when we book any kind of tour in the fall. It’s honestly my favorite time of the year and having the chance to head out with my best friends and see how different parts of the country change with the seasons is always exciting. There’s definitely a few things that I always force myself to remember to pack, hitting the road toward the end of the year can get a little dicey if you’re not ready for it.
It may sound lame but I’ve found some of the most important things to bring out are anything that’s going to help prevent you from getting sick. Drastically changing weather mixed with a lot of whiskey and no sleep is a perfect cocktail that’ll make you feel like your dying. This past tour I developed a routine of Emergen-C, Excedrin, Vitamin D, and a boat load of water every morning. After that and a cup of coffee I’d feel like a million dollars and ready for the next show.
The thing about fall is it’s usually beautiful during the day but then crazy cold at night. When you’re a smaller touring punk band, chances are you’re not staying at warm comfy hotels. You’re staying in punk houses who don’t want to pay for heat and aren’t always loaded with blankets. Bringing a warm sleeping bag on tour is essential. There’s nothing worse than waking up freezing on a hardwood floor and reaching for your hoodie to lay across your legs like a blanket. Lastly and most importantly, bring as many pairs of socks as you possibly can. It’s getting colder and with that comes rain and maybe even snow. Wet socks could possibly be the worst feeling of all time and you don’t always get the chance to do laundry when you’re on tour. Nobody in the van wants to smell that, especially for two weeks straight.
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
There is a quote from H.L. Mencken that I have kept on the wall in my office for the better part of the last half decade. It reads:
“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”
I could spend several minutes and paragraphs exploring the history of the black flag and its use in counter-culture proclamations against perceived acts of tyranny throughout time, but suffice to say it’s a symbol intended to send a message that a person, group, or community are no longer willing to sit idly by while corruption and wrongdoing continue to thrive. If there is anything we in the alternative music community have learned in 2015 it’s that no one has the right to say they have no place in the battle for a safe, welcoming scene. Between the rampant accusations of sexual misconduct, the low payout artists receive from streaming services, the rise of crimes against bands on the road, and the ever-present, albeit rarely discussed division that exists between various sub-groups of kids who claim to belong in this scene, there has never been a more urgent time for people to speak up, be active, and in other words fight for the community they claim to love.
This isn’t just a message to you, the reader, but also one to myself. I think it’s entirely possible for anyone to get caught in a routine of subpar living because we think we lack the power to drive substantial change,and it often isn’t until an outside forces tells us otherwise that we begin to believe in ourselves. If you feel the same, don’t worry. It’s normal. Too normal, in fact, and that is why it’s important to remain aware of your surroundings at all times. It doesn’t take long to find some corner of alternative music where controversy or problems exist, but it’s almost impossible to find anyone taking it upon themselves to inspire meaning change. It seems everyone wants to be the person who yells “Fire,” but no one wants to grab an extinguisher, and if that trend continues it won’t be long before we no longer have a scene at all.
Stray From The Path have long been a band who wore their opinions and hearts on their sleeve(s). They may have started out as any other unknown hardcore band from Long Island does, clawing and fighting for any piece of publicity they received, but over their last two releases it has become increasingly clear this band has undergone a change that made them something akin to a modern day Rage Against The Machine. I’m not saying they have the same sound or technical prowess of that group, but the reason for their existence, as well as the reason they continue to grow from release to release, seems to revolve almost entirely around the fact they say what others are afraid to even acknowledge. In a time where it seems most artists would rather write about the same three or four topics that have always been a selling point for alternative music than risk being seen as controversial, Stray From The Path are breaking down walls and shoving a fat middle finger in the face of anyone who says they are out of line. Their music is about awareness over sales, and it’s because of their diehard dedication to seeing improvement from the community, as well as the individuals who populate it, that I knew they had to be featured in one of our Motivation Monday posts.
The new Stray From The Path Album, Subliminal Criminals, finds the band being outspoken as ever as they tackle everything from the rise of sexual assault within music, to the misguided complaints of those experiencing ‘first world problems.’ It’s a chaotic and heart-pounding listening experience that can and will inspire you to fight for change in your own life. It’s the kind of record that could provide the soundtrack to the day you finally take a gamble on the lifelong dream you’ve kept a secret from your friends and family, or it could be the score to the day you kick the ass of the bully who has been making fun of you or people you know due to sexual preference. Whatever the case, it will motivate you to make a positive change in the world around you, and in my opinion there could be no better sign of a great record. If you agree, click here and pre-order a copy of Subliminal Criminals today!
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.
There is nothing like the chill that runs down my spine whenever I hear an incredible musical talent for the very first time. You probably experience this phenomena in your own way, but for me it begins in the spine and then makes its way to the tips of my fingers and toes. Before long, I’m entranced in the sound, with all the hair on both my arms standing on end. I rarely know exactly what it is about the song playing in that moment that causes this reaction, but over time I’ve found myself more or less living for those unpredictable instances when the stars align and a new discovery is made. I even made a career out of it, or I’ve tried to, and it’s still something I wake every day hoping to encounter.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not depressed or anything like that. All I am saying is that there are far better ways to pay the bills than writing about music for anyone willing to throw a few financial crumbs your way. People who make this line of work do so almost entirely for the opportunity to experience the feeling I attempted to describe above again and again. It propels us, driving home a sense of responsibility to find the next great sound because if we don’t there may never be another Morrissey to sing lonely hearts to sleep at night.
The Posture is a band born out of the ashes of several once promising New York groups. Their sound is the result of blending the heartbreaking simplicity of groups like The Cure with a large amount of modern alternative influence. They could fit in on Warped Tour just as easily as they could find success at modern rock radio, and the band’s debut EP, I Wish I Had, showcases five potential underground hits that deserve far more attention than they have received thus far.
You may listen to the songs featured in this post and disagree with everything I have said about this band, but that is no way means my thoughts on The Posture are wrong. Part of what makes music so wonderful and mysterious is the ability for a single song to impact people ways far too numerous to count. Some may listen to this band and find their next obsession, but others will listen and feel as if they have wasted some of their precious time on Earth. Still others might think it’s okay, but certainly not the kind of thing they would want to listen to on a regular basis. Everyone is right in their own way because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. The important thing is that you gave this band a chance, and that is due largely to the fact I just brought them to your attention. Had I never mentioned The Posture you may have never heard them, which is an example of one of the many reasons countless talented musicians will never have their time in the limelight: People just don’t care enough to share.
Make no mistake: My complaint isn’t with the internet, or even the so-called ‘scene’ in general. It’s not your fault that you haven’t heard and begun to praise The Posture anymore than it is your fault you haven’t heard every Simon & Garfunkel recording. There is some degree of user error, and by that I mean you could probably find a jaded blogger to argue there is, but the blame largely falls on time, or lack thereof, and the various demands of life that minimize the amount of time anyone can spend enjoying art. Music discovery may be easier than ever in the digital age, but finding time to simply explore the latest musical offerings from around the world is increasingly difficult. That isn’t your fault anymore than it is mine.
What we must remember as writers is that music discovery is key to building a better entertainment industry and it’s our responsibility as influencers to play an active role in the sound that reaches the masses. Without taking the time to sift through the various music undergrounds of the world in search of the next great talent we risk running out of creative and/or original ideas to promote. It doesn’t take a person with a Master’s Degree in music to tell you the chart-topping hits of today are largely forgettable. That does not mean the music being released today is necessarily bad, but within two or three years no one will be talking about, letting alone, playing what is currently in heavy rotation at the radio. That is a dangerous trend, and its continued proliferation throughout the world of music only serves to further devalue the work of musicians everywhere, regardless of whether or not they create pop music. The only way to curb these efforts, or better yet stop them altogether, is to seek out and promote the innovative creatives with original ideas on where the future of music is headed. Then, and only then, can we make the people who read our work feel about music the way you and I do every single day of our lives. They want music to excite them just as much as you, but they need some help finding the talent capable of having that impact on them. They look to you and your work to be a supplier of fresh talent, and that is an honor most never recognize, let alone appreciate.
I initially discovered The Posture while spending an otherwise uneventful Thursday afternoon browsing Bandcamp while avoiding the responsibilities of my various freelance jobs. It wasn’t the first time I had been on the site for this purpose, and I am certain it won’t be the last. I know there are dozens, if not hundreds, of blogs dedicated to helping showcase new bands, but I’ve found I prefer the rush of blindly clicking around until I stumble across something whose inherent catchiness I simply cannot deny. It doesn’t always happen, and sometimes I have essentially wasted hours clicking from lackluster recording to lackluster recording, but when something like The Posture appears on your monitor all the lost hours and poorly recorded demos are no longer weighing on your thoughts. You have found your new muse, and for a short while it’s as if nothing else on Earth matters.
By not only seeking out fresh talent, but also promoting that talent to anyone willing to listen, we are writers are playing an active role in shaping the future of music. We’re plucking bands and solo acts from the grey of anonymity and telling the world “Hey, this is going to blow your mind,” which is something admittedly anyone can do, but for whatever reason you have put yourself in a position to say so with some semblance of authority. Music writers at every level of this profession can positively impact the lives of musicians and music fans alike by using their platform for conversation to showcase the latest and greatest art, but only a select few ever seize that opportunity and make the most of it. I can’t make you act differently, but I can plead with you to think not only about yourself and whatever clickbait style article you have been trying to pen to instead turn your attention to the world of underground music. Ventures through the charts on site like Bandcamp and Purevolume, find something great you never knew existed, and share it with the world. You may find something that changes your life, and by sharing it you may change or at the very least make a positive impact on the lives of others. You’ll also be helping a hard working artist, which is what we’re all supposed to do as writers in the first place.
I know I have written a lot at this point, so let me leave things by saying you never know how amazing the world of music really is until you get off your ass and take it upon yourself to explore all it has to offer. Once you do that, it is your responsibility to share what you’ve seen, heard, and found with others. They will do the same with the people they know and, over time, a new music business that was undeniably shaped by your input will emerge. You may never get credit for your discovery, but you will be able to sleep at night with the knowledge you made a positive impact on the world around you. At the end of the day, what more could you ask for out of life?
Hey there! Welcome to our blog. We thank you for finding time in you busy schedule to spend a few minutes on our site. The post you’re about to enjoy is the latest installment in our popular podcast series, Inside Music. If you like what you hear, the entire catalog of episodes can be found and enjoyed through iTunes. Subscriptions and reviews are always appreciated.
This site 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 onTwitter and Facebook.
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, Jeff Rosenstock stops by to chat with host James Shotwell about his career in alternative music. Over the course of one-hour the two discuss everything from the early days of Jeff’s time with Arrogant Sons Of Bitches, to the death of Bomb The Music Industry, touring with Antarctigo Vespucci, and even some details about his upcoming wedding. They also discuss Jeff’s new solo album, ’We Cool?,’ which hits stores through SideOneDummy Records on March 3. It’s an awesome record, and we’re excited to host a conversation about everything that went into its creation.
The music you hear in the intro to ‘Inside Music’ this week is “Nausea” from Jeff Rosenstock. You can learn more about that song, as well as the album it hails from, on the Jeff’s official website.
You may already know this, but ‘Inside Music’ is now available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.
