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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: @TheMerchDude

Hello, everyone! Welcome to a very special edition of our ‘Industry Spotlight’ series featuring the first and probably only guest who will remain entirely anonymous.  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.

There is very little mystery left in the world of entertainment. Blame it on the internet or the near-universal desire many share to be famous, but there seem to be fewer and fewer professionals – artists or otherwise – who choose to keep their true identities secret. This is not a problem necessarily, but it does take a bit of the fun our of entertainment. Today’s guest is one of the last personalities to remain veiled in anonymity, and we’re beyond excited to share their journey with all of you.

Any aspiring industry professional with a Twitter account  is probably already well aware of the person known as @TheMerchDude. Hailing from wherever the tour he’s working happens to be on that particular day, this individual has risen to prominence online thanks to a brutally honest, insightful, and often hilarious Twitter feed. His name and the artists he’s joined on the road have remained secret while his popularity online has swelled to well over 30,000 followers, not to mention the success of his own merchandise line, and in the interview below he explains how it all came together.

It may seem a bit unusual to take career advice from someone who could literally be anyone working in the touring industry today, but there are lessons to be learned from @TheMerchDude that both artists and aspiring professional can apply to their own careers. If you would like to learn more about @TheMerchDude and his thoughts on life in the industry, follow him on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: Hey there, thanks again for taking the time to work with us. Before we get started, please state your name, job title, and where you’re contacting us from on the road:

TMD: I go by The Merch Dude because I like to stay anonymous. My job is going on different tours selling artist merchandise at shows. Right now im sitting at a beach in Rincon, Puerto Rico on vacation before hitting the road for most of the 2014.

H: We usually ask for real names and information, but we respect your desire to stay anonymous. Have you ever given thought to revealing your true identity?

TMD: I have thought about it but doing my blog, tweets anonymously makes things a little more interesting. I can say what I want without offending any artist or their fans of an artist.

H: Has anyone approached you on the road because they knew ’The Merch Dude’ was your alter-ego?

TMD: Actually every so often I be working at a show and someone will ask me “Hey have you heard of this dude called themerchdude?” I usually say yeah I don’t think he is real!

H: We like to begin these features by learning a little bit about each person’s history with music. When you think of your most formative moments with music, what comes to mind?

TMD: Going to a famous producers/artist son’s first birthday party in Malibu, California the who’s who’s of rockstars were all there. Watching all these rockstars just chilling with their kids and them wanting to know about what my wife and I did was very surreal. My wife didn’t blink that whole afternoon. I also remember I never took out my phone to take a picture with any of them.

H: What was the first album you purchased with your own money, and how did you discover the artist responsible for its release?

TMD: It was ACDC I discovered it while at a beach with a group of friends.

H: What was your first gig in the music industry (paid or unpaid, either works), and how did you go about obtaining it?

TMD: Well I used to work doing consulting for hotels and restaurants. A kid would come at night and play the piano in one of the restaurants. Him and I became close friends, one day before moving to another city I told the dude when you become famous call me and I will work for you. Four years later I got a call to come on the road because my buddy have gotten a record deal. That same day I quit my job and hit the road. Because of that kid now a man keeping his word and good word of mouth I been touring for about 12 years non stop.

H: There has been a lot of talk on the internet in recent weeks about local scenes and whether or not they are important in the modern music industry when so many are rising to fame through platforms like YouTube. As someone who spends their life in venues, where do you stand on this subject?

TMD: Oh the Internet It’s amazing what a local band can do nowadays (if they hustle) they can basically have fan base even before they have a record out. You see many bands are very smart they are using their online footprint to create a buzz. That can (again if they are smart) get them better deals (if they even want to get one) because it seems that not having a record deal is the best deal they can have. They can even record on a Mac, sell on iTunes or give it away for free to promote a tour. YouTube, twitter, tumblr and sound clouds are great ways to get your band notice (again if you are smart)

H: Speaking of living in clubs, halls, arenas, and everywhere in between – do you have a favorite venue to visit? How about somewhere you hope to never visit again?

TMD: I love many venues because I have great friends working at them and as a merch person you can relax a little knowing they are true professionals handling the merch. I love Verizon amphitheater in Irvine (great merch team) I love Radio City Music hall because I have been there more than 25 times with many different bands and the catering is great. In the smaller club area I love the 9:30 club one of the nicest security guys loved by many recently passed away (RIP my brother) The one venue I dislike even though the merch people are great is Wolftrap in PA they charge bands a whopping 35% merch rate!

H: The reason you initially came onto our radar for this column is because of your Twitter account, which at this point has several thousand followers. When did you start the account, and at what point did you notice your following beginning to swell? I have to imagine the initial burst of new followers had to be a bit of a surprise.

TMD: Yeah it’s crazy it recently passed 32k followers. I think I started it about two years ago. I started it as a way to vent. Basically I would write what many merch people wanted to say. Then I started to talk about bands and fans interaction (good and bad) then started to write about ways to increase merch sales. Then more and more bands started following. Most would send me messages because sometimes I would say things they couldn’t say for fear of fan backlash. At this point I go with the flow. I write about specific interactions with fans using a lot of sarcasm. I’m very outspoken about my support for gay marriage, my disliking of racist people, fan and band entitlement. I do curse once in awhile but not as much as I used to.

H: Social media is something seemingly every company is desperately trying to master, but you seem to have a formula for engaging and entertaining followers that consistently works well. Do you have any advice for bands or brands hoping to amass a digital following on Twitter or other services?

TMD: You see you gain some you lose some Don’t be that concern with losing followers as long as You’re staying truthful to what You believe in. Read a lot of responses and reply to some. You see my twitter is not for everyone. It not a place to see pictures of band guys. Actually I give the artist I work for their privacy. Bands please stop retweeting every compliment (the people that see those RT are people that are already following you) stop tweeting every single person individually on the planet to listen to you song spend more time practicing instead of twitting that way your song would probably sound way better.

H: We’ve reached a point in our society where people are making money for tweeting, including people with far less followers than you. Have you ever been approached about monetizing your efforts?

TMD: I have but none of the products are things I would use or believe in. I also been offered money to review albums but I rather keep my credibility than start reviewing positively shitty music for money.

H: There are a lot of people reading this today who are hoping to pursue a career in the music industry. What advice would you offer to help get them started?

TMD: Have a backup plan touring sound very glamorous to many until they come on the road and find out its work, sometimes very hard work. You see not everyone is built for touring being away all the time missing important dates and love ones is hard. I see many kids saying I don’t want to go to school I want to tour. If they only knew how hard it is to make touring a career. It’s hard even for established bands. So don’t close the doors to an education if you have the chance. Touring is not a hobby and you don’t chose touring, touring chooses you.

H: As someone who works on the front lines of the business every day, what is one thing you would change about the current state of the music industry?

TMD: The way music is presented to the fans. I believe instead of waiting a year to release an album I would release singles every 3 to 4 months. People buy singles way more than they buy albums. Illegal downloads are not going away so it’s up to bands not record labels (most are 8 years behind the times) to find a way to repackage the music experience. Last thing look at porn! Yeah, look at the way the porn business has embraced. Porn is free online (I was told by a friend) they found other ways to repackage it. Bands find your way to make money.

H: The debate over piracy continues to wage between consumers and labels, especially with reports now claiming a drop in digital sales during 2013. Do you feel there is any solution to be found?

TMD: Again embrace it because it’s not going away, people think it their right to listen to music even if its illegally. Some people are just selfish so you can’t count on them to change. A couple of weeks ago I wrote a small piece on my tumblr called “the pizza analogy” where a guy made great pizza had great ingredients but people ate his pizza at the restaurant and didn’t pay for it so instead of standing there and complaining the guy started charging for drinks. Hope People get that.

H: At this point, would you say it’s safe to assume you’re an industry ‘lifer’?

TMD: I hope so it’s been 12 years and 30 more to go.

H: What career goals do you have?

TMD: I want to continue to do my own brand like I have been at www.themerchdude.com i wish it would grow enough so I didn’t have to tour as much. We focus a lot on the quality of the shirts and great customer service. We have a new logo, a hoodie and two more shirts coming by the end of January. So far we have a very high customers return rate all by word of mouth and online presence. Have in mind I’m an anonymous Merch dude selling his own merch. That pretty crazy! The amount of support we have gotten by lovers of music, rockstars, popstars and friends is amazing.

H: I think that just about covers everything. Before I let you go, do you have any final thoughts you would like to share with our readers?

TMD: The greater you are the less you have to prove. We also want to give anyone that reads this article a 20% discount code on any merchandise at our store just use code word “HAULIX”

Thank you guys for the time. Be safe and be strong.

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Haulix Advice: Winter Tour Survival Tips From The Venetia Fair

Hello and welcome to another exciting week of music industry insight and advice here on the official blog of Haulix. Christmas is fast-approaching, but here at Haulix we are showing no signs of slowing in our efforts to bring you the best blog content and music distribution services available anywhere online. We have new content planned every week day until the end of the year, and yes that even includes the day when Ol’ Saint Nick will come scurrying down your chimney. If you have any suggestions for future articles on this blog, or if you have a question you would like us to tackle in the weeks ahead, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook, which we update regularly.  We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook. 

We know there is no way for us to give each and every reader of this blog a gift for the holidays, but we have been working around the clock to compile the best content we possibly could to help keep you both informed and entertained while staying warm indoors. Today’s piece is the second-ever guest advice column written by an artist, and in my opinion it’s one of the best pieces we have ever run.

Whether he’s working with bands through SwitchBitch Records or melting faces in venues around the country with his own musical endeavors, Michael Abiuso lives music 24/7. When winter began to approach I knew we would eventually want to run an advice column geared towards preparations for seasonal touring, and Michael was the first person that came to mind to help create the piece. Fortunately for me, he agreed to help after only a few requests (and friendly nudges over social media). You can read his fantastic insight, below:

Winter Tour Survival

Hey kittens, Mike Abiuso of The Venetia Fair and SwitchBitch Records/Studios here. I was somehow invited back but this time to speak about touring in the winter. Don’t ask me how, either James has a man crush on me, or you guys get a kick out of mocking my poor writing capabilities. Either way I’m happy to be here.

Although I tour and have been touring since 2006, I’m still not quite sure I’m the best candidate to take advice from when it comes to prepping to hit the ol’ open road for the winter. I’m actually in the middle of an east coast tour as we speak with The Venetia Fair and in all honesty I’m sick as a dog and slept in the freezing cold van last night in attempt to enhance my gritty throat so I could continue singing in the vein of Madball. Are they still around?

Without any further adieu, lets freeze our balls off (gals this includes you).

Having your vehicle and paperwork up to date is so important. Be sure the following are all good to go:

  • Driver’s licenses are not suspended
  • Vehicles registration
  • Insurance cards
  • Inspection stickers
  • Oil changes
  • The wipers actually wipe shit off the windows and not just smear it around (This all pretty much goes for every day life and vehicles as well you hoodrats)

  • Anti-freeze

Learn from mistakes:

For about 5 years I was in a touring band called Kiss Kiss. We had a diesel school bus and although it was cheap and seems really cool, there were a lot of issues we ran into. I’m sure myself and everyone else would think…”$3,000 for a full size school bus and I can take the seats out and put couches and tables and make it cool…blablabla” We’re all stupid, trust me. Why?:

  • They don’t sell diesel at every gas station.
  • Do you remember in middle school how bumpy those things are? Good luck reading a book, or doing anything.
  • There’s a heater in the front and the back AND THAT’S IT. Not to mention it’s one big draft box made of aluminum.
  • If there are any issues, most places don’t service or have parts for these vehicles and if they do, you get charged a shit ton.
  • These things don’t like to start in the winter. Be prepared to purchase a block heater and a bunch or different sprays to blast in the engine prior to starting. Cool right?

That all sad, I personally would stick to a van and trailer. There’s a reason why every other touring band has one, it’s because it works, however there are things you need specifically for a van and trailer that you wouldn’t ordinarily need for a standard vehicle:

  • You’re going to want to make sure you have a separate braking system hooked up to the trailer or you will not be able to make abrupt stops putting yourselves and others in danger.
  • Be sure you know how your different high and low gears work for heading up and down large up/downgrades.
  • Snow tires are definitely helpful, but this winter we (The Venetia Fair) brought snow chains for our tires. In the past the band has gotten stuck trying to go uphill (upmountain) through the Rocky Mountains, and had an 18 wheeler push the van and trailer from behind.
  • Occasionally you’ll run into situations where a) you can’t fit a van and trailer anywhere and need to park them separate or b) you have a day off and don’t want to lug around a trailer and unnecessarily waste gas. For these occasions a ball lock is essential to put in the hitch of the trailer so it doesn’t get jacked when you leave. When you “D the T” more commonly known as dropping the trailer we make sure to have triangular wheel blocks placed under the trailer tires so it doesn’t accidentally roll away.
  • In cold temperatures the padlocks on our trailer freeze closed, so we keep a blowtorch in the door of the van.
  • There are always chances you will break down. It’s a good idea for at least one member of the band to have AAA so you can take advantage of roadside assistance without paying an arm and a leg.
  • People sometimes forget that the internet answers to everything. That said, we have a wireless internet router in the van that we share. If there are any issues with the van or anything, there’s a good chance you can google the issue if not to fix it, then to at least have an understanding of it to avoid being bullshitted by auto repair shop.
  • Frequently when driving through mountains there will be dead zones with no service. Breaking down in these areas can be a nightmare. It is important (especially in the winter) to try and keep your gas level above ¼ tank so (depending on the type of breakdown) you can at least keep the heat on in the van till someone stops to help.
  • If the scenario described above occurs but the van can’t idle or the issue is with the engine, we have a generator and a spare gas tank. We mainly use this to power microwaves, coffee makers, tvs etc, but I’m thinking for this upcoming January tour it may be a good idea to bring along a small space heater to use if a) we breakdown in a dead zone or b) we sleep in the van.
  • Lastly, I’d suggest getting some reflective cones to put outside of your rig when pulled over. This is just an extra precaution on top of hazards to avoid getting sideswiped.

A perk about touring in the winter is that you can buy food in larger quantities so it’s cheaper and will stay longer in the trailer! Maybe I’ll get invited back someday for a lesson on budgeting money on the road! Until next time kids, be safe and don’t do anything The Venetia Fair would do!
Much love,

-Mike Abiuso

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Haulix Advice: 5 Tips For Making The Most Of A Festival Appearance

Riot Fest will kick off in Chicago this Friday with one of the most anticipated lineups the alternative music scene has ever seen, including one of the few Replacements performances scheduled in 2013. To be a part of a festival like this is considered an honor for any band, but there is an added value for any developing artist that can find their way onto the roster. If handled correctly, these opportunities can be or lead to the ‘break’ all young talents seek, and today we’re going to look at how small acts can make a big splash at similar one-off events.

Festivals offer a unique experience for everyone involved. Music lovers flock to festivals as a way to see numerous beloved talent for one relatively reasonable price while potentially discovering new music without much (or any) financial risk. They may buy tickets to the event because the headlining acts, but they’ll be on the grounds all day, which offers you ample time to familiarize them with your brand. In order to do this, however, you’ll have to be creative and open to the idea of talking to strangers. Image can get you far, but it won’t turn strangers into fans.

We thought long and hard about what we could do to help bands better their return on festival appearances and came up with 5 tips that should go a long way towards strengthening any marketing approach. Every crowd is different, just like every band, so keep in mind what works for some may not work for you.

1. Social Media – Might as well start with the obvious, right? Leveraging the community aspects of Facebook and Twitter can play a big role in the success of any festival appearance. Promoting your performance regularly is key, of course, but those hoping to make the most of a single appearance will go a step further and seek out potential concert goers to engage ahead of the event. Find those planning on attending the festival who hope to see bands with music similar to yours and engage them. Share your excitement for the show and mention your set in the discussion, but don’t press too hard or you may come across as spam. People want friendly conversation, not advertisements disguised as private messages or seemingly random @ mentions. They may not listen right away, but if handled correctly these people may follow your account. That adds one more potential supporter to your social network and may even create an additional promoter for future offerings if nurtured over time.

2. Physical promotion is not overrated – The digital age has led many to believe the value in promotional posters and handbills has been lost, but in the festival setting that could not be further from the truth. Adorning the barriers, port-a-potties, walls, and everything in between with your imagery can be a great way to spark a sense of interest in those unfamiliar with your work while simultaneously providing them with all the information they need regarding your performance. Handbills, on the other hand, are most effective when used to reaffirm information already shared verbally, which leads us to our next point…

3. Arrive early and work the line – Whether you’re performing at a one-off festival in a major city or taking part in a one day of touring event like Warped Tour, there is no marketing power comparable to direct one-on-one interaction with music fans. Unless you’re playing on the later days of a festival that involves attendees camping on the grounds, people will line up in advance of gates, which offers you a perfect opportunity to engage a cross-section of diehard music fans before the day’s events get underway. Don’t try for the hard sell, but instead start conversations with people on who they are and who they hope to see during the day. As the discussion continues, look for opportunities to mention your music, and if they seem interested offer a preview via headphones. Not everyone will bite, but anyone who does is one more potential fan you didn’t have prior to that day.

4. Once gates open, keep promoting – You may be feeling a bit tired from your time working the line and rushing to hang up posters, but unless you play first someone associated with your music should be actively promoting your performance throughout the day. This can be as simple as having someone engage people who pass by the merch table, or something more elaborate like a team of people carrying homemade signs. Either way, stay on it. Even the people who genuinely enjoyed discovering your music in the morning are likely to forget an afternoon set time without a reminder or two. You’re not the person they came to see and 9 times out of 10 there are a handful of additional, equally unknown young artists vying for their attention. Do what you can to stand out, but keep in mind nobody wants a hard sell.

5. Perform as if it’s the last show you’ll ever play – If people happen to hear or see you perform during the day and enjoy your music there is a decent chance they will share that thought with someone they know when asked about their experience. If people see or hear something that catches them by the collar and demands their attention, however, there is no telling how many people they will inform. Everyone loves a great breakout success story, and there are few places that offer an opportunity for becoming an overnight buzzworthy performer like festivals. People think they know what they’re in for when attending concerts. It’s part of the reason they bought the tickets in the first place. If you can surprise them, be it through music or the energy expressed through your performance, you may just make them a fan for life. The day is bound to be a memory, and with any luck you will be the highlight of that memory for days, weeks, months, or even years to come.

We asked a few of our friends in the music industry for their advice to young talent hoping to maximize their exposure at festival, and you can read what they had to say below. If you have any questions or perhaps want to comment with some additional advice, please feel free to add your thoughts at the end of this post.

“Be present. With such a concentrated population of music lovers, connecting with not just fans, but other bands and industry folk, is a must. It’s important to meet new fans, because that’s what music is about, but forging new friendships with other professionals can go a long way in the vitality of your band.” – Tyler Osborne, Under The Gun Review

“To show new faces why your current fans love you, [be sure to] give it everything you have with all of your energy. You’re competing against weather, music, alcohol, and socializing. If you don’t give it your all, no one will pay attention.” – Zack Zarrillo, Propertyofzack

“Utilizing social platforms and the communities you’ve so worked hard to build is a key element in such a competitive industry. By networking and interacting with fans both before & after every show will help reinforce your brand, and display a sense of value to your audience.” – Mike Sacchetti, Bad News Bears (Vocalist)

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Haulix Advice: 5 Tips For Successful Tour Promotion

The month of August is winding down fast, but not before we unveil the latest edition of the Haulix Advice series. If you have a suggestion for a future column, or if you have a question you would like us to address, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. 

Today we are going to discuss five basic things every artist can do better their tour promotion efforts. Some of these are fairly obvious, while others may be knew to you, but the hard true about both is that neither works magic over night. Social media is about more than momentary brilliance, and one of the biggest keys to any successful campaign is consistency. The following steps might not make you a rock star overnight, but in time they will assist you in cultivating a fan base that feels truly connected with (not to mention are willing to support) everything you do.

We have discussed social media quite a bit in the past, but until now we have stayed away from almost all discussion of tour promotion. We haven’t been avoiding it per se, but the variety of avenues one can take to establish their brand in territories they’ve never before explored is so vast that we didn’t want to rush any of the content we thought could be delivered. This post is a rather simple one that focuses on applying tactics that could be taken from any social media 101 book to the world of touring, but it’s great knowledge to have nonetheless. We plan to roll out plenty more on the world of touring and all the ways bands can maximize the return from such efforts in the months ahead, so consider this a primer for all that is to follow.

1. Research the local market – There are plenty of songs about how life on the road can lead every town to seem the same, but for a band just finding their footing in the industry each town you visit should be viewed as unique opportunities to build your audience. No two towns are the same, and that goes as much for the people as it does their willingness to support art, so when setting up shows it’s best to research how similar events have run in the area. Is the cover charge to your show in line with recent regional performances from other acts your size? Speak with bands who have played in the area (even better if they actually live there), scan tour forums, and do your best to work with fans whenever possible. Ticket prices are one of the biggest factors people consider when deciding on whether or not to attend live events, and as a band trying to build an audience you want to make that decision as easy as possible. This may mean you incur extra costs early on, but if you hook them with your performance the future returns from their support of your efforts will far surpass the whatever percentage you had hoped to gain off the door.

2. Always introduce yourself  – When working to promote shows or tours you will likely be emailing, calling, and otherwise communicating with a number of new people in hopes of gaining additional exposure (blogs, radio, newspapers, etc.). Always assume the people you are reaching out to are not familiar with you or your music, and take time to introduce yourself properly. Offer current information about your group, releases, and upcoming gigs, as well as links to additional content such as videos, photos, press clippings, or an EPK. If they’re already familiar with you, great! If not, they can not become familiar without having to do any additional work on their end. 

3. Find your audience (Do not expect them to find you) – The internet has an odd way of making people feeling like they’re more known in the real world than may actually be the case. There are exceptions to this, of course, but for the most part early on your band is only known to you, your friends, the people you and your friends have told, and anyone who just so happens to be so interested in discovering new music that they spend hours seeking it out online. While that may help you get a start with your career, not to mention almost guarantee a sold out show at whatever basement or garage in your hometown will let  you put on concerts, but it does not put bodies in venues towns, counties, states, or countries away. To do that you need to seek out new listeners, and one of the best ways to do that is through social media. Speak directly to the fans of music that is similar to yours and be responsible for starting their relationship with your band. This can be done on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, or even in the comment threads of music sites. Build an organic connection with the curious music fan and they will seek out your efforts. Even if they cannot go to a show themselves, that feeling of connection to your music may very well lead them to help promote with messaging of their own. 

4. Retain and engage your audience through email – Though there seems to be a million ways to communicate instantaneously these days, there is still a lot to be said for a strong email campaign. Collecting contact information from people at your shows is a great way to connect with curious listeners and work towards further developing the relationship discussed in the previous tip. You can use your email list to not only promote upcoming tours, but also push new releases, news updates, and merchandise. (Bonus tip: Hosting regular sweepstakes via newsletter is a great way to retain and build your contact list. People love free stuff.)

5. Don’t forget to promote offline –  You can send all the messaging and promotionally-tinged greetings you want online, but nothing compares to the connection you are able to form with people in a face-to-face setting. If time allows, arrive in the town you’re playing as early as possible and seek out locations people who enjoy may your music might frequent (venues may be able to offer some advice). After you check in with the promoter for the evening, visit those spots you researched earlier and talk to people about your music. Share songs via headphones whenever possible and use their interest in what you’re playing to get them in the door that night. Remember: First impressions are everything. Meeting people outside of a setting typically reserved for music (venues, record stores) can be a great way to promote, but if you push too hard people will not think twice about turning away. Be polite, introduce yourself, and always do your best to let them know you’re truly interested in their opinions. They might not be able to make the show, but they may ask about purchasing music or ask how they can stay up-to-date with your future activities.

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