The Bizz with the Buzz: Setting The Stage

The Biz with the Buzz: Setting the Stage

By John “Stoney” Cannon



Last time we spoke kiddies you were knee deep in getting together that great demo to go along with your top notch promo picture, straight to the point bio, and eye-catching logo. Now in the old days this would make up what we oldsters call a promo/press pack. Toss all this cool stuff in a folder with pockets and you have what, even in this day and modern age, some places accept for information to write about your band. Sure many places now find it easier to just follow the link you email them to find all this info online but look at it this way – you’re now covered on both ends as you can use this same info for your actual print material or for your online version. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves…what’s the point of getting press if you don’t have anything to promote? Luckily you can use this same information (if needed) to try and get that debut gig. You know the one of which I speak - that first magical night where you introduce yourself to the public by blowing the audience completely out of the water. OK so chances are good that it won’t be that incredible but still, you and your band are well rehearsed, have some cool tunes, and are hungry for some stage time. To top it off, you have all the proper promotional tools to present your band to prospective bookers. So let’s go get that gig.



Now first off, there are some good things you should know. Simple rules that you may not all find in a book but are still good to follow. First off…make sure you and your bandmates are on the same page and get a good idea of everyone’s availability for a couple months ahead of time. You want to come across like playing out is what you do. Many a band have missed out on great gigs because a booker was eager to fill a slot and was told by someone in the band “sounds cool but I gotta check with the guys to make sure everyone can do it.” There’s always a band right behind you who is desperate enough for the gig to say yes immediately. And while I’m on the subject of talking to a venue booker, I need to stress how important it is to build a relationship with the booker at the venue you’re looking to play at especially if you’re looking to return again or maybe play at the venue on some sort of regular basis. The best way to do this is a simple one and can be done using this simple rule – “first contact-permanent contact” meaning the person representing your band who makes initial contact with the venue should be the one who handles continuing dialogue with the venue going forward. Of course this can be made easier by designating one person to handle all the booking arrangements period. Even if you happen to get the gig through a band inviting you to play, it is never a bad idea to visit the venue ahead of time and introduce yourself. This will not only show that you value the gig but also give the booker at least a small level of assurance that your band has been contacted and arrangements have been made for you to play. Besides, a visit to the venue ahead of time is also a good opportunity to find out a few things to make the big night easier for you (if you haven’t already) like what time to show up for load-in, where to load-in, and maybe even what time your band will play and for how long.



Many of the points mentioned above might seem like no-brainers for the well weathered musician and once you’ve built a reputation as a drawing artist some may even eventually not be needed but for now, you’re on a mission to get that first gig under your belt. The date is set…there’s nothing left to do but show up and melt some face. Or is there?



Next time: Prepare and Promote aka How to Look Good in AND Out of the Gig



Check out Stoney's long running website http://www.lokalloudness.com

The Bizz with the Buzz:Pleased To Meet You by:Stoney Cannon

The Biz with the Buzz: Please to Meet You...

So now that you've reaped the benefits of knowledge handed down from from your best friend, your music instructor, and of course whichever influential music gods have tickled your ears, it's time to get out of that little rehearsal cubicle whether it's your bedroom, a friends garage, or your instructor's room in back of the music store. You and your buds have a band...now all that's left is to take on the world...right? You've seen the movie: kid picks up guitar, plays a show, gets seen, makes a record, and becomes the next biggest thing since that Justin Bieber kid. (OK bad example...if he can make I guess anyone can). Well unfortunately life doesn't always play out like in the movies otherwise, we'd all be rock stars. Not everyone can just sky rocket to the top like the Wonders from the movie "That Thing You Do."
So like I was saying before getting sidetracked - you and your buds have a band...and you're pretty good...getting better everyday but still...pretty good. You're working on getting a gig and excitement is starting to swell for you and your bandmates but slow down...don't forget - first impressions are everything. You can create the biggest hype in the world...but if you can't live up to it...well I'll leave the onstage prep to the pros who write those type of columns here...my job is to talk about the hype...just make sure you're ready for that point before you jump into it. But first impressions in the way you promote yourself is pretty important too. Do you want to step out into the world as the next up and coming band or just a bunch of kids out to make some noise? (Don't answer that, I still like to make noise too!) Your band sounds good, plays good, has all the moves down...now you just have to get your future fans interested in actually coming out to see you play. That starts with how you want to present yourself to the public. Things that will come into play from everything to flyers, posters, promo kits, even how the press presents you. Sure you want to record the next rock classic...but right now, who's gonna buy it outside of your releatives, friends, and slightly significant others?
One thing that irks me is a band that is impossible to get any information on. I can't count how many times I've had to work on an article and have gone to a band's MySpace only to find a confusing bio, a bunch of very badly taken live photos, and a band logo that looks like a page from an ink blot test. Incomplete names of band members doesn't help much either. When you're rich and famous you can do whatever you want...but out of the starting gate...there's nothing more important that getting your point across. Artistic license comes only after people care what you have to say.
So you decide that your next step to getting your band out to the masses is to create a web presence. For young bands this usually means a free site involving MySpace, Facebook, Reverbnation, etc. or all of the above. When it comes to logo art only MySpace leaves you room to really flex your artistic muscles and there's a reason for that. In the early stages most prospective fans bookers, promotors, venue owners, etc. are only concerned about a few things, the name of the band, the music of the band, a direct visual of the band, a contact, and possibly your story. They could care less about your logo until you're booked and they want to put your posters up then they still probably won't even hardly notice them alongside the many others they have to put up around the venue. You have a name, you're working on music, so how about we work on two things that every promo and press pack, whether in print or digital, should have, a good promo picture and a well written band biography.
Now for a new band a good bio should contain a few very important elements - the members of the band (with correct first and last names please, you do want the lokal paper to write about you don't you?), a short to the point history with a few unique tidbits, good grammar/spelling, and whatever you do please try to avoid any words that sound like they come straight out of a comic book. No one cares that your guitar player might "have the fiery intesity of a young Steve Vai." That may be true but they will either find out via your demo (more on that next time) or if and when you play their venue. Keep in mind, not every venue booker books bands they like or are familiar with. Bobby Booker at Club Rock My Sack Off might not have the first clue who Steve Vai is based on the fact that while he books hard rock, his guilty pleasure listening ipod is filled with tracks by Air Supply and Culture Club. Stick to the basics and remember, keep it short and simple. Oh yeah, and remember to include a contact name and number. Someone who is NOT in the band.
So you have this bio that tells your story and now people are reading it and are interested. Interested enough to ponder "Gee I wonder what these guys look like?" Well seeing how it's always good to make a venue booker or music writer's life easier, you just happened to also send a great photo of the band with your great bio. But what's this? The picture is of the band from a distance in a field or...is that a cemetary? There's four or five guys, I think, but you can barely tell what they look like! The guy working on what couple be great free press via an article of your band to promote an upcoming show loves your bio, wants to maybe talk to the band, but...scraps the article in favor of another band. Why? Because your photo taken at a distance will not reproduce in black and white screen and to top it off, with the smaller size the paper wants to run of your photo, readers will barely be able to make out the band. Sounds far fetched but trust me, the paper is more concerned with a good looking product than your rookie band. They can always find another young band with a cool story yet with a GREAT picture! You might be asking "Stoney? No field of trees? No cemetary? Well how about a brick wall or maybe even the train track bridge that goes over the Savannah River?" Well in response I will say that those are all fine ideas but...FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NO! This is your first promo picture so let me toss some great rules out for you that will work every time (even well known bands have been known to consistently use these throughout their careers)...
1. Close tight knit shot of your band from the waist or shoulders up.
2. Make sure everyone relatively is dressed like they belong in the same band. (A guy in pink Izod looks odd surrounded by dudes in black leather and spikes)
3. Please try and refrain from wearing shades or baseball caps. Unless you're Hootie and the Blowfish, this just makes you look like the next hobby band.
4. Get someone with a decent camera to take several shots. You're bound to get a good first promo shot without going to Olin Mills.
So there you go...you now have the means to show and tell people about your band...soon you will blister them with your demo...but for now...get to plastering that info on your MySpace, Facebook, Reverbnation, whatever page...your takeover of the music world has begun...


John "Stoney" Cannon

you can check more about Stoney out at his all things lokal music website at
http://www.lokalloudness.com

and check out his lokal musicinternet radio show at
http://www.confederationofloudness.com/

New Columnist: John "Stoney" Cannon

I am introducing a new columnist here at John Berret Music. His name is John "Stoney" Cannon. He is the god father, so to speak,of lokal music here in Augusta Ga. He is someone you will come to know well once you graduate from lessons,to the garage then to the stage around here. He has or is writing for The Metro Spirit, Verge, guest columns everywhere and has created the local go to music site...the cream of the crop around here..Lokal Loudness. He has played in countless local bands( G City Rockers, Vagabond Missionaries, Brotherhood, too many to list), is the creator of the local musician awards show ( you keep practicing and work hard you might end up with one)and is co-host of the local Internet radio show, Confederation of Loudness. His credentials are beyond met to be able to pass wisdom on to aspiring and established musicians. So take in his wisdom. Here is a little about him that I ask every writer to come up with:

Stoney Speaks - The Biz with the Buzz

When the chance to add to this blog came up I have to admit, while on the outside I played it calm and cool, on the inside I was an instant ball of excitement. Maybe not the constant ball of excitement that John john is on a daily basis (if you know John John...) but pretty dang excited! In a city loaded with excellent guitar players John John ranks right up there near the top and the incredible love he has for music and his students is infectious and inspiring to say the least. How could I not be excited to be considered worthy enough to toss in my two cents worth from time to time? The toughest part in the process of jumping on board was first figuring out what to write about. John John has the knowledge to write about just about any instrument and product and recent columnist addition Mike Dinkins is a multi-instrumentalist in his own right. Me? I'm just a guy who first and foremost loves music, finds therapy in songwriting, possesses a pretty good voice, and I can play guitar just enough to get by. Hardly the best prospect for a blog geared towards the advancement of musicians. Luckily John John had just the thing for me to regularly write about. (nope it's not how to get by on minimal ability though...that article may come later)

I caught the music bug early on being introduced to country via my Grandma, 50's rock and roll by way of my Grandpa, and pop and classic rock (was actually brand new back then) from my parents. By the time I reached my teens I was spending my allowance money on rock magazines like Creem and Hit Parader. By the end of junior high (or middle school for some of you) I was knee deep in everything from rock mags to guitar mags. I had yet to pick up a guitar but I loved soaking in all the info especially the non-performing aspects of being an artist. I loved writing and singing on stage but for some reason I couldn't get enough of the many things that have become lost arts now. Things such as how to visually market an artist, how to properly create a promo or press kit. Even so far as the best way to present yourself in a press photo. It was all very cool and while it my have seemed to some like I was reading the same article regurgitated over and over, through the years each and every one had a little something extra to add to the mix.

So with that in mind John John sent me a text that said - "Do how to promote yourself/your band. You're the king of that stuff." The whole "king" thing may be overstating it a bit but I can't tell you how many conversations I have had with veteran musicians and venue owners regarding young bands and their inept booking and promoting practices. In this day and age everyone has some sort of web presence that makes it possible to offer up the entire promotional package but often a cool page design is placed well above information. What good is a cool design if no one can find out anything about your band? The cool design is quickly forgotten and so is your band. I learned this while studying to be a graphic designer. It doesn't matter if your design is great if it doesn't do the most important thing that it is supposed to do - get you message across. Same goes with a cool looking MySpace page band page with no bio, contact info, promo photo and of course my biggest pet peeve - a list of band members who possess no last names or worse yet, play instruments such as the "six-string love gun" instead of "guitar." The venue owner could care less how cool you are, they just want a band that is professional and lives up to their end of the bargain.

So stay tuned young guns...and even old farts who may have somehow missed the boat along the way. Over the upcoming series of articles I'm gonna spell it out for you one important step at a time, possibly stopping along the way to get insight from others. You've already taken the steps. You've learned to play, may even have put together a band or have designs on being a deep singer-songwriter type. The rules are all the same. Now let's just say you're ready to let the world know just how much you rock. You'll be amazed just how simple and obvious it is and the best part, it can be done on your own and at a price that won't break you (or your parents) bank account!

John "Stoney" Cannon
www.lokalloudness.com
to check out his website on all things local and
http://lokalloudness.com/

check out his local music internet radio show at
http://www.confederationofloudness.com/