Getting Heard Of?

[firmgripDOTcoDOTuk]

Im in a young band! Borderline (www.mp3.com/border_line) our mp3s suck cock! is the only way to get known, do a good recording and spam everyone or is there a better way?

[EngineGuitarist]

you play shows? i take it you have a demo, if you have mp3's. you sell the demo's? people like you? if its all yes then try to get some press. send your demo and a pic of your band with contact info, a bio, and upcoming show where they can see you. this is your press kit. after you get some press include the article in the press kit and send it to everyone that could possibly helpyou. when you say young band, do you mean the band is young or everybody in the band is young?

[scubyfan]

engine: who would you send these press kits to? how would you find people willing ot review/look at/listen to the material?

i need help in that aspect.

thanks!

[EngineGuitarist]

for an interview, send the press kits to all your local newspapers (the music section), any local music mags, and find out the names of fanzines that deal with the type of music you play. Also send them to every record company and club you want anything to do with. its also good find out exactly who to send the press kit to. (do some investigating) editors hate people sending in shit to "the music dude" or whatever. also, a few days after you've sent the press kit (long enough for it to definitely have gotten there) call the editor to make sure he got it and tell him if he has any questions not to hesitate calling you. this is really your managers job, but im assuming you don't have one. make sure you have a contact name number and email address on everything. period. also, get someone outside the band to write the bio, preferably an english or journalism major at college. they'll talk to you for a while and hopefully put something good together. also, for a band photo get a photography major from that college and its good to have one live and one in a photo-shoot. hopefully they'll be interested, but don't be surprised if nothing happens for a while. sometimes it takes time, but once one publication does an interview with you, the next one will be alot sooner. oh one more thing, send the kit to local radio stations (college stations included) most have some kind local bands show, but you're stuff may get played at othertimes. also, it won't hurt to have a friend call up and request it. hope this helps.

[JimNdave]

It REALLY helps to have a hook!! eg: You climbed mount Everest, won the lotto, own a 3 legged dog, related to someone famous, make great chili, went through rehab.... something interesting for them to write about.

[scubyfan]

hook, eh? darn...i guess climbing the kids' monkeybars doesn't count.

[cavemanic]

Originally posted by JimNdave
It REALLY helps to have a hook!! eg: You climbed mount Everest, won the lotto, own a 3 legged dog, related to someone famous, make great chili, went through rehab.... something interesting for them to write about.

If you were abused as a child seems to work well these days:rolleyes:

[firmgripDOTcoDOTuk]

Originally posted by EngineGuitarist
you play shows? i take it you have a demo, if you have mp3's. you sell the demo's? people like you? if its all yes then try to get some press. send your demo and a pic of your band with contact info, a bio, and upcoming show where they can see you. this is your press kit. after you get some press include the article in the press kit and send it to everyone that could possibly helpyou. when you say young band, do you mean the band is young or everybody in the band is young? we dont have a decent demo! its just a fun recording we did on the computer! We do play shows but they are limited and can be months apart! and yes the band ranges from one 15 year old to a 19year old i would consider this young

[robbmcmahan]

I'm sure I can help many of you with your questions. You can contact me through the link below....

[firmgripDOTcoDOTuk]

hehe cool i will try it!

[BlueStrat]

Originally posted by EngineGuitarist
for an interview, send the press kits to all your local newspapers (the music section), any local music mags, and find out the names of fanzines that deal with the type of music you play. Also send them to every record company and club you want anything to do with. its also good find out exactly who to send the press kit to. (do some investigating) editors hate people sending in shit to "the music dude" or whatever. also, a few days after you've sent the press kit (long enough for it to definitely have gotten there) call the editor to make sure he got it and tell him if he has any questions not to hesitate calling you. this is really your managers job, but im assuming you don't have one. make sure you have a contact name number and email address on everything. period. also, get someone outside the band to write the bio, preferably an english or journalism major at college. they'll talk to you for a while and hopefully put something good together. also, for a band photo get a photography major from that college and its good to have one live and one in a photo-shoot. hopefully they'll be interested, but don't be surprised if nothing happens for a while. sometimes it takes time, but once one publication does an interview with you, the next one will be alot sooner. oh one more thing, send the kit to local radio stations (college stations included) most have some kind local bands show, but you're stuff may get played at othertimes. also, it won't hurt to have a friend call up and request it. hope this helps.

All good advice. I would also add that there is no replacement for time. Used to be that young musicians had to put in years apprenticing under seasoned players to get any good, learn the business, make connections, and work their way up the ladder. Now every high school sophomore with a 4 track and a guitar wants to promote themselves as the Next Big Thing. But you'll never get anywhere unless you 1) play out as much as possible, 2) get representation, 3) get some serious professional promo, 4) get a professional CD, and these days 2 CDs are better. And remember, promotion is key, but if your band isn't a great band with great songs, forget about it. Because for every band like yours, there are probably 4 or 5 more in your area at least. Multiply that by every city of 30,000 people and up in the US and you get an idea how many guys want to make their own records and promote themselves. It's not the top that's crowded, it's the bottom. The trick is how to rise out of the bottom and then being able to meet the higher expectations and demands you will encounter once you move up.

[firmgripDOTcoDOTuk]

Originally posted by BlueStrat


All good advice. I would also add that there is no replacement for time. Used to be that young musicians had to put in years apprenticing under seasoned players to get any good, learn the business, make connections, and work their way up the ladder. Now every high school sophomore with a 4 track and a guitar wants to promote themselves as the Next Big Thing. But you'll never get anywhere unless you 1) play out as much as possible, 2) get representation, 3) get some serious professional promo, 4) get a professional CD, and these days 2 CDs are better. And remember, promotion is key, but if your band isn't a great band with great songs, forget about it. Because for every band like yours, there are probably 4 or 5 more in your area at least. Multiply that by every city of 30,000 people and up in the US and you get an idea how many guys want to make their own records and promote themselves. It's not the top that's crowded, it's the bottom. The trick is how to rise out of the bottom and then being able to meet the higher expectations and demands you will encounter once you move up. we are seen as the best in the local punk scene! our recordings really dont show that! We have a gig with a nationally known band who supported "A" this is on the 8th! (saturday!) this is where we hope to get noticed it is rumoured that there will be press coverage and with our new songs written not long ago never been heard by ears out of the band we are gonna make a good account of ourselves!

[nightsoul]

If people hear you and love your music, you will make it.
If people hear you and don't care, you won't.

You "get known" by being an exceptionally amazing band, or at least the flavor of the week. Promotion and manangement will always take a back seat to the music.

[firmgripDOTcoDOTuk]

Problem is that our scene is so small! but were recording a neww demo and putting songs on mp3.com this will be our first recording in a studio! and i feel if we can make more people listen more fans will come!

I have just made the site like better lol

www.kerpunk.co.uk

[Scheming Demon]

Your hook could be the fact that you're all so young. Also if you could make samplers of maybe 1-3 songs or 1 minute snippets of a bunch of songs and hand them out to people for free. Especially at this show your playing on the 8th. Even if you toss them to the crowd while your playing. This will get your music out there and if people like you they'll remember your name and pass the word along. Then you can mention you have a demo available for sale for those that like what they hear.

Charge a reasonable price. If it's only a few songs charge like $5. For a full length charge $10. (Just a suggestion) The BIG but is that your CD must be a decent quality.

[firmgripDOTcoDOTuk]

Originally posted by Scheming Demon
Your hook could be the fact that you're all so young. Also if you could make samplers of maybe 1-3 songs or 1 minute snippets of a bunch of songs and hand them out to people for free. Especially at this show your playing on the 8th. Even if you toss them to the crowd while your playing. This will get your music out there and if people like you they'll remember your name and pass the word along. Then you can mention you have a demo available for sale for those that like what they hear.

Charge a reasonable price. If it's only a few songs charge like $5. For a full length charge $10. (Just a suggestion) The BIG but is that your CD must be a decent quality. yea were hittin the studio end of july and were doing a 4-6 song demo selling at £3 i think thats $5