Yes, we are in the demo week on the blog. Taking out issues that we see from the demos we got in. Since I had several friends over drinking beer listening on demos I also got the most comments on what they thought failed in the presentation or music.
One thing that we really saw when we listened to demos the other day is big of non-information that artists send in their mail.
Several of them contain stories like John, Peter and Tomas meet and formed the band 2010. Then In 2012 Johan left and was replaced by Anna. They released an Ep and then Anna left and was replaced by Camilla. Now we recording a new song and looking for a drummer to join us.
This information is really not relevant to us. We don’t care if you changed members and who it was. It better to just write the band started 2010. The part that you look for a drummer is also very common but not information that we want to know. Actually, it’s pretty bad information to give out. We are more looking on that you are not in your full swing and actually search for a component to make the setting whole. This means that we really can’t work fully with it. It’s actually better to not talk about it at all.
We also noted that many never wrote what they wanted? They mainly just sent off an email with their past bio and some links to songs. Don’t tell us anything about what they were expecting from us if we went to work with them. This is a huge mistake; it’s like showing up on a working place asking for employment and say that you can do anything. Sure in some case where you want to start from the real bottom, but even then it’s not that smart. It better walking in says, hey you want someone to do this and then explain what you can contribute with.
Don’t try to invent styles. We just laugh. Use your imagination to the songs not about describing it with words like This is like Elvis has a baby with Amphex Twins and then sold it to a cousin in Mumfords and Sons.
And also don’t promise it’s the best voice or guitar in the world. Out of 50 demos we got 22 best of something. Just that makes them not best. Actually, in these cases, they were far from the best.
So what do want to read about? Well the future, upcoming gigs, things you want to do that we should be a part of.
Tonight I invited the A&R on Rehn Music Group to go through demos, and drink beer. I guess if your demo comes up a bit later it might get more attention. You never know.
I’m a member on a channel where you post music industry related jobs on Facebook. Time to time you get these really strange things where a musician by mistake gets in. Usually, the problem with these people is that they really don’t know how it really works and their efforts become kind of desperate since in the most cases the lack of info could be replaced by talent but not the opposite around. This came in today… everything in red is my comment on it.
Hello!
Right now I'm searching for my band ********,
I checked the band. The numbers are okay. 7000 facebook followers (well every post only get around 2 to 3 likes so the engagement is really really low). Youtube has around 20 000 spins on the video. Well, these numbers are easy to buy so I checked Soundcloud. Around 100 plays on Soundcloud, yes here you can easily see the real figures. Then they have released some stuff on Spotify. All songs around 28 000 streams, the worst is the latest single where the songs has 17447 and 17473 streams. Never that a b-side the same amount of stream as that the a side. Here you have clear evidence that this band streams themselves and boost other figures. So I started a song, and yes here is the real problem. No real talent sounds like billions of other bands that want to be Foo Fighters. So when you read the rest of the letter have in mind that it’s impossible to do what they ask.
someone who can act as a "manager" on a project basis. This is like trying to have a drummer as a project and still want the drummer to be full time. A manager is very close to the band and has to plan things years ahead. To have it on a project basis is just plain stupid. Okay I can understand that no one wants to work for free on this band they are too unknown to make any money
We have been working since 2014 on our Debut album, which has now been recorded, mixed and mastered with own money.
This is not what you want to hear. As an industry professional you want to be part of the process to minimize errors done by amateurs. They released an Ep 2013…it took them 4 years to get to something new. , es they have released some live ep and then a single 2014 and 2016. But that’s it. Especially in times where you have to be release stuff almost on a week’s basis.
We have previously released our first EP and some singles and videos via my own company, ****.
Okay so you have opened up your own company. Well stick to that. What should this manger do?
What we need is now "shopping around" the album to A&Rs, companies, booking agents, the media, etc. to build a team and collaborate for the expansion of the band through, for example, licensing from the album, buyons and dyes. STOOOOP! You are talking different ways. Either you shop with A&R:s, but my suggestion is not to have recorded the stuff just doing demos. But then you should not do the other stuff. Booking agents, they can’t be “shopped”, when you make enough money on each show, they contact you. Before that they are pretty useless. Sure there are mangers that takes in bands as favors, but that is much bigger names and also that they have something to go on. The media, well this you only go on if you going to release the stuff yourself. So make a decision go by your own company or seek out a company? Doing both at the same time is very contra productive. License the album, for god sake this mainly is done if the band has a track record. You would be lucky just to get anyone interested in this.
I therefore seek a hungry and committed individual or team who is or is good at getting contacts, writing sales texts, and having good communication skills to track leads over the phone and to book meetings to help me build my team and create good teamwork .
Getting contacts? Well today there is no problem to reach anyone. There are things like facebook, linked in, twitter, Skype, WhatsApp, email and even their phones are online. I will tell you why you don’t get an answer (since I think you have tried but not got one thinking it was the wrong way), your band haven’t got to the level where someone would make money on it and then they just don’t replay. But having someone collect these contacts just to collect them is plain stupid. Write good sales texts, also here if the band is good enough and the story is good, you can just write, a really short mail telling the highlights give the links and it will work. No sales text in the world can cover up that the music actually sucks. Track leads? What leads, you really think that if someone answer you that then you can book a meeting like a sales person and meet the label and try to sell in the band. It never happens that way. That is just annoying and most people will never take meetings just because it is annoying. Meeting is when you have something that you will do together and there is an interest. Teams are not built in this way stop acting like it is a sales book from the 80:s. Even the commercials for toothpaste has stop doing this.
What I offer is my own knowledge with my own contact network, my own commitment and drive, and of course payment on a monthly or project basis.
Your knowledge, hmm I guess the value of zero is zero. Your contacts, well you just seek someone to give you contacts so I guess you don’t have any. Your commitment, yes you are committed but in the totally wrong way. Start with getting a better band, better songs and stop faking numbers and get back when that is done. Use that salary to get on some courses to learn the basics.
