Post by Karen on Oct 20, 2006 0:21:16 GMT 10
Found on Triple J's website - www.abc.net.au/triplej/music/tipsntricks.htm
Would building a website for your band a better source of promotion than appearing in your local street press?
JW: Online is definitely an increasingly important part of the mix but ideally you would want exposure elsewhere as well. Generally speaking, you will get exposed elsewhere first and THEN people will start to Google you.
Can you please offer us any advice on getting involved with a top manager?
JW: In my experience a demo in the post very rarely leads to much. That's not to say that you shouldn't send them out, but you should have very low expectations. Usually people at labels get interested in bands because they're building a buzz and that makes them want to check them out. So if I were you, I'd focus my energy on trying to build buzz rather than relying on Aust. Post.
KL: You don't need a manager or a record label to get your tunes played on triple j. Of course, this can help with the next phase - sales, touring, etc. When the CD's finished, mark the best track, include a bio, contact details & send it to: Library Spice
GPO BOX 9994
Sydney 2001
Will we need a manager before the touring bands will be prepared to listen to our demo?
JW: Not necessarily. Most bands are well advised to look after their own affairs at the start of their careers as it helps them get to understand the business. If you can get a decent manager interested then that's great but it's not always possible.
When we send our EP to your company, will this help our chances of getting you to have a listen to our music?
JW: Probably not. I try to listen to all demos in the order they're received. If I've already heard good things about the band (eg: read a glowing review or heard them on triple j), I'll be more likely to listen to more songs or give it several plays. Generally speaking though, trying to get a manager or record company interested is a lot like seduction. You need to be available but not TOO available. Know what I mean? People always want the things they can't quite get so as a band you're much better off maintaining just a little distance and not seeming too 'keen'. That always makes other people more intrigued. NB: you don't want to be TOO aloof, or play too 'hard to get' but a bit of that kind of thing will go a long way in getting people interested in you if your music is good.
Do cd covers have any effect on whether you're gonna listen to a cd? If you see a crap cover do you just chuck it?
KL: Yes, they do, to a degree. I can often tell what a cd will sound like, just by looking at it! That said, we have a policy of listening to everything we receive, so as tempting as it can be, nothing ever gets binned before a listen.
John, do you usually approach bands or do they come to you? Any stories of bands that got away that you wished you had of signed to Eleven?
JW: I have approached bands many times. The two biggest 'misses' of my career thus far have been You Am I and Jet. I really wanted to sign both of them but missed out each time. You win some you lose some, y'know? There's also another band around at the moment that would be great to be involved with but it looks like they're heading elsewhere which is a drag. No names.
Does anyone ever listen to community radio to hear the next big thing, or is it a waste of time, apart from the minute royalties gained?
KL: Waste of time, my arse! Community radio is a great breeding ground for up-and-coming bands. They can take more risks than larger commercial stations and so often, by taking a chance, they find the gold first! Also, as an artist, they can provide really important media training and a chance to stuff up your first interview without too many people hearing it.
JW: The Vines were initially 'discovered' on community radio, so it all helps.
I want to know how I can secure a serious manager who will try to work with my band on the business front. Do I just send demo cds?
JW: Join the music managers forum as a self-managed artist (immf.net - follow links to the Australian version). Attend their forums and buy their managers' manual. It will help you meet people, and that might lead to meeting the right manager. Like any organization, it's not without its flaws but its intentions are good and young managers often find the monthly meetings helpful because it gives them a way of meeting people and sharing information. Also, the knowledge you gain will help you 'audition' prospective managers. As a passing point, a lot of bands sit back thinking that they need a manager to magically pluck them out of obscurity. That rarely happens. You're better off getting out there and making things happen for yourself ... "build it and they will come"! If you sit around at home waiting for lightning to strike then you might be waiting a very long time.
When does a band need a manager? Would a booking agent be a better target than a manger to start?
JW: There's no right or wrong answer on that. Generally, around the time you're getting record company interest you'll need some professional help to navigate your way through things but, even then, a good lawyer can help a lot. If you can't get one of the established managers interested then you're often better off with an enthusiastic amateur who loves your music and who is a good learner and a good talker.
What qualifications do you need, or are helpful to start your own label or manage bands?
A passion for music and the ability to 'infect' other people with that passion, some business and organizational abilities and the ability to grow some networks of contacts also helps.
How expensive is setting up a label?
How long's a piece of string? If you fund the recordings and do deluxe packaging and loads of marketing then your name had better be Packer or Murdoch. If you only license existing recordings and do very modest releases with small marketing spends then you can get away with it cheaply. FYI, almost all successful indie labels get off the ground in spite of the money. They're usually started by music nuts who just want to release albums they love and they somehow find the money to make it from one release to the next until they either have a hit, go bankrupt or lose their passion.
What comes first? Gig, cd distribution, website, manager search..um..and all other variables?
KL: Practice, practice, practice! Gig Gig Gig!
Get as good as you can, then take baby steps. Record a demo as cheaply as you can (calling in favours from wherever you can) and use it to get more gigs to pay for a better recording to submit to your local community radio station, as well as triple j. About this time, start sniffing out managers. Go with the flow from there.
Library Spice's Rules of engagement:
+ Send 3 copies of all CDs- 1 for The King, another for Robbie Buck & another for myself.
+ Send CDs to the specialist shows individually, addressed to the announcer. A list of shows can be found here
+ Sorry, but we don't provide individual feedback. Do you know how many CDs we listen to every day?
+ INCLUDE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS. We contact everyone that gets added to the station.
+ We cannot be talked, bribed, begged or guilted into airplay! Everything you will try has already been thrown at us and we are impervious to it all! 5) Check your CDs before sending sending them! Blank CDs will NOT get airplay.
Would building a website for your band a better source of promotion than appearing in your local street press?
JW: Online is definitely an increasingly important part of the mix but ideally you would want exposure elsewhere as well. Generally speaking, you will get exposed elsewhere first and THEN people will start to Google you.
Can you please offer us any advice on getting involved with a top manager?
JW: In my experience a demo in the post very rarely leads to much. That's not to say that you shouldn't send them out, but you should have very low expectations. Usually people at labels get interested in bands because they're building a buzz and that makes them want to check them out. So if I were you, I'd focus my energy on trying to build buzz rather than relying on Aust. Post.
KL: You don't need a manager or a record label to get your tunes played on triple j. Of course, this can help with the next phase - sales, touring, etc. When the CD's finished, mark the best track, include a bio, contact details & send it to: Library Spice
GPO BOX 9994
Sydney 2001
Will we need a manager before the touring bands will be prepared to listen to our demo?
JW: Not necessarily. Most bands are well advised to look after their own affairs at the start of their careers as it helps them get to understand the business. If you can get a decent manager interested then that's great but it's not always possible.
When we send our EP to your company, will this help our chances of getting you to have a listen to our music?
JW: Probably not. I try to listen to all demos in the order they're received. If I've already heard good things about the band (eg: read a glowing review or heard them on triple j), I'll be more likely to listen to more songs or give it several plays. Generally speaking though, trying to get a manager or record company interested is a lot like seduction. You need to be available but not TOO available. Know what I mean? People always want the things they can't quite get so as a band you're much better off maintaining just a little distance and not seeming too 'keen'. That always makes other people more intrigued. NB: you don't want to be TOO aloof, or play too 'hard to get' but a bit of that kind of thing will go a long way in getting people interested in you if your music is good.
Do cd covers have any effect on whether you're gonna listen to a cd? If you see a crap cover do you just chuck it?
KL: Yes, they do, to a degree. I can often tell what a cd will sound like, just by looking at it! That said, we have a policy of listening to everything we receive, so as tempting as it can be, nothing ever gets binned before a listen.
John, do you usually approach bands or do they come to you? Any stories of bands that got away that you wished you had of signed to Eleven?
JW: I have approached bands many times. The two biggest 'misses' of my career thus far have been You Am I and Jet. I really wanted to sign both of them but missed out each time. You win some you lose some, y'know? There's also another band around at the moment that would be great to be involved with but it looks like they're heading elsewhere which is a drag. No names.
Does anyone ever listen to community radio to hear the next big thing, or is it a waste of time, apart from the minute royalties gained?
KL: Waste of time, my arse! Community radio is a great breeding ground for up-and-coming bands. They can take more risks than larger commercial stations and so often, by taking a chance, they find the gold first! Also, as an artist, they can provide really important media training and a chance to stuff up your first interview without too many people hearing it.
JW: The Vines were initially 'discovered' on community radio, so it all helps.
I want to know how I can secure a serious manager who will try to work with my band on the business front. Do I just send demo cds?
JW: Join the music managers forum as a self-managed artist (immf.net - follow links to the Australian version). Attend their forums and buy their managers' manual. It will help you meet people, and that might lead to meeting the right manager. Like any organization, it's not without its flaws but its intentions are good and young managers often find the monthly meetings helpful because it gives them a way of meeting people and sharing information. Also, the knowledge you gain will help you 'audition' prospective managers. As a passing point, a lot of bands sit back thinking that they need a manager to magically pluck them out of obscurity. That rarely happens. You're better off getting out there and making things happen for yourself ... "build it and they will come"! If you sit around at home waiting for lightning to strike then you might be waiting a very long time.
When does a band need a manager? Would a booking agent be a better target than a manger to start?
JW: There's no right or wrong answer on that. Generally, around the time you're getting record company interest you'll need some professional help to navigate your way through things but, even then, a good lawyer can help a lot. If you can't get one of the established managers interested then you're often better off with an enthusiastic amateur who loves your music and who is a good learner and a good talker.
What qualifications do you need, or are helpful to start your own label or manage bands?
A passion for music and the ability to 'infect' other people with that passion, some business and organizational abilities and the ability to grow some networks of contacts also helps.
How expensive is setting up a label?
How long's a piece of string? If you fund the recordings and do deluxe packaging and loads of marketing then your name had better be Packer or Murdoch. If you only license existing recordings and do very modest releases with small marketing spends then you can get away with it cheaply. FYI, almost all successful indie labels get off the ground in spite of the money. They're usually started by music nuts who just want to release albums they love and they somehow find the money to make it from one release to the next until they either have a hit, go bankrupt or lose their passion.
What comes first? Gig, cd distribution, website, manager search..um..and all other variables?
KL: Practice, practice, practice! Gig Gig Gig!
Get as good as you can, then take baby steps. Record a demo as cheaply as you can (calling in favours from wherever you can) and use it to get more gigs to pay for a better recording to submit to your local community radio station, as well as triple j. About this time, start sniffing out managers. Go with the flow from there.
Library Spice's Rules of engagement:
+ Send 3 copies of all CDs- 1 for The King, another for Robbie Buck & another for myself.
+ Send CDs to the specialist shows individually, addressed to the announcer. A list of shows can be found here
+ Sorry, but we don't provide individual feedback. Do you know how many CDs we listen to every day?
+ INCLUDE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS. We contact everyone that gets added to the station.
+ We cannot be talked, bribed, begged or guilted into airplay! Everything you will try has already been thrown at us and we are impervious to it all! 5) Check your CDs before sending sending them! Blank CDs will NOT get airplay.
