Near Matches
Ignore Exact
Everything
2
How to become a rock star (idea)
See all of How to become a rock star
, there are 3 more in this node.
Confirm
Do you really want to send yes2evolve a message saying you like their work?
OK
X
(
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
content
of 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!
My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star
Walk Fast And Look Annoyed
So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star
Lemmy Kilmister
Swedish Bikini Team
Hollywood Walk of Fame
A quick guide to punk guitar
Angus Young
Fake the funk
Blitzkrieg Bop
Presidential perks
Aimée and Jaguar
Backyard Wrestling
The good musicians play music that idiots listen to
Shredding
rock star
Parallels between Star Wars and the Wild West
How to get to Antarctica
white jazz musicians
Another Green World
Mojo
Guns N' Roses