(idea) by yes2evolve Fri May 25 2001 at 20:25:31
I will be laughed at for writing this for two reasons.
1: I'm typing on my computer instead of snuggling with my sweetheart.
2: I'm not a rock star.... well not yet.
It's hard at first when you don't know how to get the know how you need to know. After knowledge, you'll need two more things. Effort or a manifestation of effort, called money), and Luck.

Resourses that can help you ...
1: A Band:
This sounds simple, but it can be pretty difficult to assemble the right group of people. I've found, the best place to find available musicians is at open mic nights. Call a few local coffee shops and bars, or look in the news paper to find em. Once you find one open mic night, the regulars there will know of two or three other places.

Advertising for band-mates in the paper it a hit/miss endeavor. Be prepared for lots of yahoos and people who don't read the add.."I'm calling about your add for a 23 year old drummer... well I'm a 42 year old guitarist and I thought..."

Most important....Network! Every musician you meet knows two other musicians who know two more who knows two more... Always meet their friends and climb the ladder.

##Note.. they're called band mates because they're just that MATES!!! You are are practically married to these people for the 6-8 years it takes to make it. You share your dreams, effort, chick-singer, and pizza with these guys, so make sure you band with people who will match your rate of personal and musical growth.

2: A Computer:
It's the digital age my friends.. no more taping your practice in Timmy's garage and handing it to Joes Pub.

Get yourself a nice 500mhz+ toy, with internet, printer, soundcard, cd-burner. Sorry wallet, but dreams cost money. A computer can be used as a recording studio using software like Ntrack ($35) or Cakewalk($250). You can then burn your cd's of your music.. print out lables.. and wow club owners, and record producers with your professional appearance and sound!

Then MAKE A WEBPAGE nothing beats soliciting people to hear your band.. but they're more likely to listen in from of their computer speakers. a webpage advertises for your band, provides contact information (so you can spam your mailing-list friends to your shows) And its the first-best way for a record producer in California to meet your punk-rock band in Indiana. Goto aerosmith.com or davematthews.com or my personal favorite bigphatdynamo.com (gota love self advertising) look at the contentof these sites and create the same for your band. You'll need contact info, music examples, showtimes and location, and hype about your band. Let people get excited about YOU. about YOUR STORY!

Do some desktop publishing with your windows or linux machine. Make flyers and litter the town before a gig. Make posters of the band to display at each club you play.. Make a promo pack! This is important. This is something you hand to people you want something from (recording contract, gigs, promotions) In it you need to put.
1: A picture of the band.. Don't bother doing a photo shoot in the grand canyon.. they want to see your ugly mugs, so do a close up..and SMILE!
2: A bio.. say who your band is, what kind of music you play, places you have played, clippings of news paper interviews your band has done.
3: A Cd of the band. Put your best music first. Not too much intro.. usually they just skim through the first 30 seconds of the first 3 songs before they decide you're worth actually listening to.
4: Contact info. Your phone, email and website. Some hate email.. others communicate only through that.
5: Put all this in a nice big envelope. If you give someone some thing big and substantial.. they feel like they owe you.. at least enough to consider your band.

EFFORT::
Nothing gets done for you unless YOU DO IT!! You want to play the biggest club in town? Call them.. ask what they expect from their headliners. Then MAKE IT HAPPEN!!

They want to hear you first? Plug into your computer (or digital 8 track recorder) and record your music. Or invite them to a show you already have booked (make sure to put the booking guy on the guest list.. they shouldnt have to pay to watch you break a string half-way through the set)

They say you need a following? Establish one! At your gigs, pass out forms where people can join your mailing list. Email everyone before each show. When they show up and your performing.. yell into the microphone "hey guys Look!! Carolyn came to our show!!". Buy em beers. Mail em postcards for their birthday. Throw keg parties at the drummers parents house and invite everyone in the bar. Love em, lead em. Your fans are your ticket to greatness.

Lots of places want you to play the whole night. Learn at least 3 hours of music!! If you can't write 10 songs a day, then learn some covers.. or jam out a half hour harmonica solo.

You want to be played on the radio? Most regions have a station that showcases local music. Call the station and ask to be put on. When she says call back.. CALL BACK... when they forget to call you.. call them again. Go to your college radio station and ask them play you.. Most times they'll invite you into the studio for an interview.. In the big times now baby!!

remember...Nothing gets done for you unless YOU DO IT!! The drummer is not going to stop parradiddling to hand out flyers.. so its up to you!

LUCK:: Ok so I hate to mention the unquantifiable.. but it matters.. How do you make it? Luck or Kismet or Oops I'm a millionaire! The good thing about luck though, is that you have some say in how it works. So maybe radio dj is randomly clicking through amazon.com and finds your cd for sale. Maybe he buys it, likes it, plays it nationally, and Time/Warner hands you a contract? Luck? Damn right! But YOU made your cd available online. How were you lucky enough to win that battle of the bands? YOU played in it! (also helps to bring a big cheering section.. bribe em with beer or free cd's if you have to get em to show). Why did that producer choose your band instead of the 40-million others? You mailed him a professional promotions pack! You flirted his secretary to put your band on the top of the stack! You chose to make your logo with an eye catching hologram, and you had it delivered to him on his birthday with free Chinese food!

Before I end this node let me end with a few nice pieces of advise.
1: Make a contract for every show. Don't let club owners screw you out of even $30 for a gig. Dont let them charge your fans for going to a gig that they told you had no cover charge. Don't trust the door guy to accurately count how many fans paid to get in..
2: Get your music copyrighted. it costs like $20 to copyright the songs on your cd. Its worth 4 hours of being paid to say "Would you like frys with that" To protect the manifestation of your talent, your labor, and your heart

Thanks for reading. Good luck. and HAPPY ROCKSTARRING!
I like it!