Twitter, FaceBook and Music - 7 tips for bands in Social Media

Lately, many musicians are finally waking up to social media. With facebook and Twitter offering integration with countless sites, they are becoming a strong and almost necessary set of tools in today's world of music. But, many are also lost or are becoming 'lazy' with their social media campaign.

While the integration is good - Twitter feeding Facebook, Facebook feeding Twitter, MySpace feeding both, Reverbnation feeding everywhere, I am seeing to many fail at the most important part - the SOCIAL end of Social Media. Although the ends and outs, the do's and don'ts have been covered time and time again, let me jump on this happy bandwagon and give my take on it.

1. DO integrate - yes, use the feeds from one to the other to the other . My Favorite is the Reverbnation feed. From Reverb, you can keep everyone everywhere up dated with your shows, and by sharing the player with Facebook, increase the number of plays you receive.
2. DON'T Neglect - Just because you are feeding Facebook from Twitter for example, don't think you do not have to pop in there. Try to personally visit each social site at least once a week.
3. DO Promote - Yes - the whole purpose of you spending your time on Twitter, etc is to expose your music, and to increase your fanbase, hence increasing sales, and crowds at your shows.
4. DON'T over Promote - Again, the whole purpose is to build a fanbase, nothing turns people off faster than a barrage of "look at me!" 
5. DO be sociable - It is called social media for a reason - be sociable! - Chat with the people, thank them for mentioning you, sharing your song, and help out other musicians by propping them up and giving them some kudos too. THEY have fans, and no, you don't want to 'steal' fans, but sharing fans is only a win-win for all involved.
6. DON'T be rude - in ANY way. Keep it clean, keep it civil, keep it friendly.
7. DO be YOU - THIS is the most important one. Be YOU. Fans follow artists because they want to 'see' what they are like. Keep it real.

It is simple - relax - have fun - win fans. Just remember, what works in the club on a Saturday night with the drinking crowd is not going to wash for the Sunday morning coffee drinkers.

Be true to you - to quote George Michael's song - you gotta have Faith - faith in you.

Later - Renagade - Renagade offers many services to help musicians grow, including Branding and social media Campaigns.

Feel free to connect with me:
My Social Media spots:
www.facebook.com/renagades
www.facebook.com/renagadesmusic 
www.facebook.com/2wolvesdj
http://twitter.com/renagades
www.reverbnation.com/renagadesusanleak
www.linkedin.com/in/renagade

No Such Thing as a Cute Drunk, Especially In A Band

You go to the store and the clerk obviously has been drinking. He makes mistakes on register, drops your soda, making it spew when you open it, and smashes the bag of chips you bought while bagging them. And this is not the first time either. Do you keep stopping there, or do you go a little further down the road to the next store?

Most of us would go on down the road, and wonder how the guy keeps his job. Most jobs do not allow such behavior. But there seems to be an exception to the rule, and it is the music business.

We have all seen it. The band drinking on stage, or taking turns leaving the stage, coming back just a little more happier than before. And many of us have seen bands that have gotten smashed – flubbing rifts, stumbling and forgetting words. How many times do you go to see that band that continually does it?
Yes, it is an 'accepted' habit among the bands. The venues allow it, and some even 'pay' the bands with food and drink. But does it make good business sense?

Bands and musicians need to wake up. Yes, your music IS a business. People pay good money to see you, whether they pay a cover charge, buy a ticket, or simply spend money of dinner and drinks, they are still paying. It is your job to give them their moneys worth. Venues need to wake up as well. Pay the bands in cash, not drinks. Do you allow your kitchen help or wait staff drink on the job? Why then, do you allow the band?

Many bands dream of 'making it big'. Well, making it involves hard work and having the “right person” see you perform. Every time you are on stage, no matter where you are, you never know if that “right person” is sitting there watching you. And if you think seeing you suck down a beer is going to get you a contract, think again.

All musicians need to treat every gig like it is an audition. Every member needs to be on their game at all times, from the support staff to the front-man. Front-men especially, for you carry the added responsibility of setting the image the band projects.

If you are happy to just play the local pub, then have a ball, get drunk and keep doing whatever it is you do, a year from now, you might still be there. But if you are a serious musician, and want more than that, then it is time you take the business seriously and treat it as such. Scouts are everywhere, and they are looking to invest in music, otherwise they would just by stock in Jim Beam or Budweiser.

Just my rant - what is your thoughts? Later - Renagade

Alice Avenue debuts with See It Through

Alice Avenue are a brand new trio from London to hit the music scene. A young band with a rich bluesy funk sound that is wonderfully displayed on their new single "See It Through".

After only 6 months playing together, they have been in demand for The 100 Club, Joiners, and other hot-spots where the Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Paul McCartney all have graced the stage in the past. You can catch them live March 4 2011 at Babalou in London.

Mike Wyatt on guitar and lead vocals, Jordan Easby on the bass and Alex Kemp on the drums is Alice Avenue.  Their single, "See It Through" is available on iTunes and you can preview it at www.myspace.com/aliceavenue.

If "See It Through" is any indication of what Alice Avenue has in store in the up coming year, these young men are definitely going to be hot. Catch up with them on MySpace , Facebook or on Twitter

Basic tips for musicians websites

You know you need to build some web presence for your band, and although you are on MySpace and FaceBook, you feel it is time for your own website. Good for you! Having a central locale to point fans, venues, media, and others to is a smart idea. From your own site, you can link all your other spots into, post your EPK., stream some tunes, and offer merchandise. You can design a layout to better reflect your style thus giving people a visual sense of what your music and band is all about. Just don’t over do it.

Too many bands set up a website and toss in every bell and whistle they find. Flash, apps, fancy graphics, streaming audio can slow down the load time of a site, causing people to say ‘Cya!’ before the front page opens.

Some basic rules of thumb should be followed when designing a website, and even if you have someone design it for you, if you follow the basics you will find it will retain your visitors attention and have them coming back for more.

Simple url - pick a simple url. If ‘bob smith.com’ is taken, try bobsmithband or bobsmithmusic or even just the initials ‘bsb.com.’

Drop the Flashy stuff - JavaScript that loads mini windows, flashy graphics not only slow down load time, they are annoying to many.

Turn off the auto play - everyone’s speakers are different, and the sound that is at a comfortable level on your computer maybe way to loud on someone else’s. Besides, it can slow down load time.

Supply a good navigation menu - be sure to keep your page titles direct. Name your Bio page ‘Bio’ ‘About the band’ etc , not ‘ Come into my lair’ You fans may think its cute, but the venue or booking agent you send may not.

Keep a color scheme - pick a color scheme and keep it all the way through. Colors that reflects your style of music works best. If your genre is Country, hot pink with neon green may not be the best choice. And speaking of color, it is:

A.) a good idea to use the same colors on your spots on MySpace, Facebook etc.
B.) Avoid the black background with colored font. A lighter background with dark font is easier the read. If you absolutely MUST have black background, use a very light colored font.

Keep pictures clean - Trust me, you will not impress the important people with those pictures of that wild party you went to. “What happened in Vegas needs to stay in Vegas.” The same goes for your blog posts.

Don’t over do it - PERIOD. - include your latest video, a few of your newest or best songs, a few pictures. You can link to your MySpace, Facebook, Reverbnation and other sites for your vistors to see more. This will also increase traffic to those sites.  And don't forget to put the website link on those spots!

Keeping a website slick, simple and clean (in more ways than one) will provide an enjoyable experience for your fans while showing the booking agents etc that you and your band are true professionals

What Bands can Learn from Radio Stations Regarding Social Media

The headline caught my attention -
Radio's Social Media Performance is Pathetic

I thought, hmm it isn't just me who feels this way. And no, I am not. With several comments, posts to facebook and retweets shortly after it was posted, to over all consensus in YES, Radio Stations haven't a clue about social media.

Social media such as FaceBook, My Space , Twitter and others are a powerful powerful marketing tool. And for the most part, the Radio stations get that and used them to let the fans know whats goodies they got going on. But the failure comes into play when they use Twitter, etc as their soap box and forget the first word in the term Social Media. Unfortunately, so do some musicians.

Fans want to here about what gigs you have coming up, what CD or song you are working on and given links, will repeatedly  view your you tube. But fans appetite for new stuff is ravenous, so if that is all you are using these sites for, they will quickly go find another place ( band) to feed their hunger.

The easiest way to keep their attention is by actually engaging with them. Now I know many of you have 1000 or more fans following you all over, and are thinking " I don't have the time to 'engage' them all. Well it would be crazy to try to. But you can occasionally welcome your new people, personally post an answer or response, and thank them for the prop ups and love they are throwing your way. If you are sincere about it, you will find the casual fans become loyal devoted ones giving you the most important form of advertising going - 'word of mouth'.

I recommend going and reading Mark Ramsey's article., Radios Social Media Performance is Pathetic , his insight is great and you will find tips any one that is using social media within their business can use.

And if you have a tip for others, feel free to share it here. I am always looking for ways to improve my social skills myself.

Giving the Band a name - Give it some thought

It is amazing to hear some of the names bands chose. Some simply use the front man name, such as Dave Matthews Band, some get more creative like ABBA ( band members initials) and others simply try on some at random until one sticks, hence Jethro Tull ( YES people it is a band name and no one in the band is Jethro Tull ). But what makes a great band name?


Naming anything is something to give serious thought to, and choosing a band name is no exception. The name is something you want people to remember, name recognition is a powerful thing. But before you go all out and decide to call yourselves “The Kissing Piranhas “ or “Velcroites”  here are some things to consider:

1. Ease of spelling - How many times did Lynyrd Skynyrd have their name spelt wrong? 
2. Is another band using it? - Sorry guys, the Sex Pistols is taken. Not only do you need to be careful not to use famous band names, but avoid being similar to the local band as well.
3. Avoid trademarked names - Go ahead, call yourself “Pepsi” and spend your time in court.
4. Run away from the zzz’s and the mo’s - Hip hop and rap is loaded with them. Overloaded with Daddy’s as well.
5. Does it fit your genre and band style? - Can you picture the riot happening at a show if a band called ‘Crunk Dayzzz’ hit the stage in cowboy boots belting out bluegrass?
6. How are you going to Brand the band? - the name is going to play a very important role. Using an Eagle logo and calling yourself ‘Bluebirds” is not going to work.
7. MOST important! - Is it marquee friendly? - The S#!theads or the F#%king Robots just won’t get you headliner status.

Be creative, and if you get stuck on choosing one, here is some of the famous bands names and how they came about to inspire you:

BAD COMPANY
A 1972 movie starring Jeff Bridges.

BLACK SABBATH
Named after a 1963 horror movie starring Boris Karloff. They released an album as Earth before changing their name to Black Sabbath.

CHICAGO
Their first album was released as Chicago Transit Authority, then the city of Chicago sued them. Chicago Transit Authority is the name of Chicago's public transportation department.

FOREIGNER
British guitarist Mick Jones started the band in New York. Since he was a foreigner that became the name.

GREEN DAY
If you smoked pot and goofed off all day, you just had a 'Green Day'.

JETHRO TULL
Jethro Tull was a British inventor/farmer in the 1800's who invented the precursor to the modern plow. The band used to change their name to get gigs, and Jethro Tull proved to be a lucky one. Flutist Ian Anderson still dislikes the name.

LYNYRD SKYNYRD
Named after Robert E. Lee High school gym coach, Leonard Skinner, who punished founding members Gary Rossington and Bob Burns several times for breaking the school's strict dress code which did not allow boys to have long hair touching the collar or sideburns below the ears. Earlier band names were 'Noble Five' and 'One Percent'.

THREE DOG NIGHT
While trying to think of a name that would show that the band had three lead singers, they nearly settled on 'Tricycle', until singer Danny Hutton's girlfriend came up with a suggestion. She had read a magazine article about the Australian aborigines, who on cold nights, would sleep beside their dogs for warmth. The very coldest weather was called a "three dog night".

SMITHS
They wanted a generic name void of any preconceptions about their style of music.
STEPPENWOLF
The band was originally called 'Sparrow', until lead singer John Kay came up the new name after being inspired by a novel by cult author Herman Hesse.
QUEEN
Freddie Mercury liked the name for the transvestite connotation and the glamorous image of Queens in royalty.
LED ZEPPELIN
The Yardbirds were just wrapping up their final US tour before splitting up. Guitarist Jimmy Page was determined to keep the act going, renaming a new line-up The New Yardbirds. Keith Moon of The Who is rumored to have said "...it'll probably go over like a led zeppelin", thus inspiring the final name change. The 'Led' spelling was to make sure people pronounced the name right.
GRATEFUL DEAD
Refers to a series of Old English folk tales with the same basic theme. A traveler enters a village and finds the villagers desecrating, or refusing to bury the body of a dead man because he died owing creditors money. The traveler pays the dead man's debts and sees to a decent burial. Later in his travels the man is saved by a mysterious event, which is credited to the dead man's grateful spirit. Hence, the Grateful Dead. The band was originally the Warlocks, and picked Grateful Dead out of a dictionary after realizing there was another band called the Warlocks.
Or if all else fails, ask the Ouija Board …. rumor has it CHEAP TRICK and ALICE COOPER did.

Would love to hear your story about how you chose your band name.

Later........Renagade
Renagade offers Branding the Band consultations

You started a band, should you get a manager?

So you have a band. You know all about music and are good, but the business end of it is scaring the crap out of you. Do you need a hire a high priced manager?


Not necessarily. But you do need someone to handle the business end of things. Many bands and artists are self managing things themselves to keep down costs and to maintain control of there business. This is fine if you have a member that is business savvy and can and will fulfill the role. But what if you don’t?

I read an interesting piece on when does a band need a manager. The author laid out things a band should have already accomplished before looking for a manager, from having a solid press kit to already playing many gigs and having a loyal widespread fan base. I disagree.

Yes, it would make getting any managing agency to take you on as a client easier, for you have already done all the hard work of building up your business. And really, outside of removing some of the workload off of you, at this point, why spend the money for a manager? And how will the venues you have been dealing with on a one on one basis feel about having to deal with a manager now?

A good manager should be willing to work with you and help you in the beginning of your career. If you can’t hire them fulltime, they should be willing to set up some sort of hourly basis. And they should honestly be into your music. Why hire someone that mainly deals with heavy metal if you play country?

When looking for someone to manage your band, you do need to research their record, talk to other bands they are working with and have worked with in the past. Be sure to get everything in writing, and be sure it is not a contract you could not end when and if you feel they are just not the right one for your band.

Having a music career is a business, and needs to be addressed as such. And good management at the beginning is vital for the success of the band. But the good news is you do not always have to go hire a big firm. Many times you can find the perfect manager within the band or within your fan base. Just be sure to find one with the passion for your music and the business sense to help you drive your band into the spotlight.

A sharp dressed band - look your genre

Today I had brought to my attention a blogpost on miccontrol.com on whether clothing and venues can make or break a gig and a bands image. I must agree, both can. While it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that a bluegrass artist is not going to be welcomed with open arms at a death metal club, and most, MOST bands get that, the clothing line or lack there of, is another issue.
I have seen on countless occasions, bands who look like showing up to play was just an ‘afterthought’. They just grabbed their guitar and came. Others go to the other extreme… with over-the-top outfits that leave you wondering if you just found some French fashion show for the tasteless. And still others that forgot half of their clothes.

Musicians, please wake up here. What is the image you want your band to have?? Good music really is only half the battle. The other half is stage presence - looks - and personality. You can play the most awesome tunes that a country lover has ever heard, but if you look like a grunge rocker and have the personality of a street thug, do you think ol’ Billy Bobs Tavern going to want you back?

Now I am not saying every country music singer should dress like Porter Wagoner, nor should the pop singers take on a Lady Gaga look, but a little sense of style can go a long way.  Johnny Cash was a great example of how something simple as black can build you an image people respect and remember.

Build your image, create your own brand. Unless you are strictly a recording artist an have no wish to play live, you must remember the image you project visually is just as important as the music.

No, clothes do not make the band, but the right ones can make a world of difference in how the band is perceived by not only the audience, but the venue owners as well.
How did the song go?? .... Everybody's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man ....

 
 
 
Later........Renagade
www.renagadesrelics.com where good Indies are building Great reputations.
Comments are welcomed

Got a band?? You Need a website!

As an Indie, you need to have some place on the web you can send people to to find out more about you, listeh, download and purchase your music, and simply see you.  It is alos a way for you to track who likes your music, and what area of the world knows you even exist.
But far too many bands do not have a page set up.  Many site the cost factor.  Please! There are many many places on the web at low cost or no cost to the artists, so let's get started!
You have the following list of great places to set up on:
www.bandzoogle.com
http://darkjam.com/
www.webs.com
www.blogger.com
www.wordpress.com
www.homestead.com

Just to name a few, all at low cost or free.

Now some prefer to just have a page somewhere.  Which is fine as well.  There are many sites offering pages for artists.  Ones you need to check out are:
www.myspace.com (music)

www.facebook.com ( fan page)
www.renagadesrelics.com (yes, my site)
www.reverbnation.com ( a true MUST have!)
www.sunsetislandmusic.com
www.bandcamp.com
www.indiemadmp3.com/

Again, just a few.

There are some things I highly recommend when buliding up your 'home on the web'.

1. Get your own domain name.  It is classier going to yourband (dot) com.than to yourband/whatever/whoever/WTH?/com .
2. Pictures of YOU - Yes, your fans want to see what you look like.
3. Music -what good is it if your fans can play SOME of your music??
4. A GOOD Bio - something explaining who you are.  And I do recommend having more than one.  Nothing worst than seeing the same exact same thing everywhere.  Change it up alittle.
5. A way for your fans to 'belong' - a street team sign-up, guestbook, membership, newsletter sign-up, 'be my friend' something to give them a sense that their visit is appreciated.
6. A way to purchase your music, t shirts, or other items.
7. Links to you - twitter, facebook, Reverbnation, etc. 
8. Links to other places you are on.  If you are being helped out by someone, on a ning site or community you enjoy, help them grow by linking with them. Win - win for both of you.

Having a website is not rocket science, most places have templates for you to use.  Just how fancy you want to get is up to you.  But I will recommend you K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simple Stupid.  Flash can annoy many, and too many bells and whistles can make it difficult for poeple on dial up and slower connecttions to enjoy.

So get going! and dont worry about having it all done at first.  Everytime you add something new it will give people a reason to come back and see.  All the better for you, your website, and your band as a whole.

Later..Renagade
Renagade offers PR consultation,CD marketing and other promotional services.  visit www.renagadesrelics.com - where good Indies build great reputations