Making the 'Net Sing Your Song
-
Artist:
Musing about the fluxed-up entertainment industry in the wake of the digital revolution and excited about the advances here at MOG, I remembered an extremely loaded question asked by Cody B in a recent thread: "Do you think the internets are good for the art of music?"
A couple of afternoons ago, I was lunching at an Indian restautant in Brentwood with a talented Los Angeles rock singer-songwriter and discussing how he might get his hellaciously good band more gigs and a higher profile in San Francisco. Ever the altruist, I picked up my cell phone, dialed a booker for one of the coolest yet swankiest S.F. clubs to feature a broad variety of popular music, and told her about this guy's group. I said that he would e-mail her some links and mp3s from the band's debut album - and she said, "Great! I'll check out their MySpace page as soon as we hang up."
I don't know if any of my ministrations will lead to the band getting a gig at the club. I'd say the chances are good. But the real lesson here is that a first-rate below-the-radar act was able to instantly and easily present their case - their sound, their discography, their bio, etc. - to an important booking agent in seconds, with a little push from me, by using the web and the science of digital sound. If nothing else, the internets are good for the art of this ensemble's music.
Any thoughts?
While you're doing some musing of your own, please enjoy the music and monkeyshines of Mr. Thomas Dolby who might say that science can help us - or blind us. It's all in the fair use.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (15)
I think it's good, but the problem I find with a lot of musical creative (and otherly creative types) is that they can't handle what it takes to have an online identity. MySpace is good for getting the word out, but most bands don't have the money to pay someone to update all their info, and are usually not tech savvy.
Some things never change..it is nice to know someone in the biz. The art may remain the art, but getting the word out is easier, on the one hand, and harder on the other because the crowded playing field of the myspace/facebook/mog/pitchfork/interweb. There are many cards you have to play right. Maybe there won't be any "big breaks" anymore..maybe it's for the best.
Another plus/minus is the new fangled listener with all his/her options. Some listeners are overwhelmed by it all and just stick to what the old infrastructure is giving them..which ain't much. For the junkies it is also good news, with everything pretty much at your fingertips, but on the down side, it is hard to spend (at least for me) quality time with almost anything, because I know there's always a million other things out there.
Adaptation to all this technology is a challenge. But, purely as a music fan, it is a bit of nirvana come down to terra. 95% of bands can be found in some form on myspace, and a potential fan can - very, very quickly - decide if it fits your personal preference. I can imagine booking for a club is a smartly enhanced experience from not too many decades back. I agree with Cody in that it is hard to decide where to spend the quality time. The plethora of choice is hard to get used to, but good training for the typing/internet skills. Then, there will still be classic tracks that attract widespread attention - like Mr. Dolby.
a very complex question with no easy answers. These days you can't afford not to be tech saavy and survive in the bidness.
you said it mike
they had their case presented well thanks to the technology
but they still needed the human, aka the knife, to cut through the clutter
I enjoyed a rocking live show by a Harrisburg-based psych-jam band that rocked my sox off. The next day I looked at their MySpace to see if there was something I could post on Mog. Unforturnately, not. I know they are good, but would a stranger come to that conclusion after viewing their MySpace? I think the artists need really good content to show the world on their site to make a good impression. That sword could cut both ways.
Myspace still serves its current purpose for music quite well. It's a "resume" both for bands that are looking to get gigs as in your case, or for people that want to check out bands (producers, etc) they've heard about or want to go see (work with). Although I do have some friends that are artists who had MAJOR success due to its place in time, I definitely don't see the need to devote the time and energy to using it as a "friend network" in hopes of the same thing happening to you. The numbers lost their meaning a while ago. However I definitely think it's still worth a modest startup period where you develop an attractive page and then do quick and easy updates with new music and gigs. I still love when venue websites list their upcoming shows with links to Myspace. Even if I know who I'm going to see, I usually check out the other artists on the bill and there have definitely been several that I'm glad I could read about and listen to, especially when they were from out of town and wouldn't be back for a while.
Youtube is another situation that might be similar. I recently made a record with a huge Youtube artist. She didn't have millions of hits, she had millions of returning fans. Millions. We did a modest priced record to test the waters here. If 5% of her fans bought, it would be awesome. But a clue to what I was dealing with came when I asked her to give me a bunch of songs she liked to listen to so I could get on her wavelength musically. I expected song titles that I'd check out on iTunes and buy tracks if needed, but what I got was a set of Youtube links. Would ANY of her Youtube fans (millions) buy ANYTHING? The record launched on iTunes and immediately got over a hundred 5 star reviews. I haven't seen numbers yet, but i'm not betting that i'll hit my 5% goal or even come close. We'll see.
There's also been quite an interesting global thread about Imogen Heap's use of Twitter and other "forces" to help break her new record. The question has been along the lines of "is the amount of time and energy invested worth it?" and there are varied opinions about how to divide your time. I thought it was a riot last night on the Jimmy Fallon show when John Cleese spoke about his twittering assistant, much like the people Contrabandwidth spoke about. He was doing it on a show that has devoted a huge focus to that marketing tool.
At any rate, without getting back into the OLD rap about how i'm not a fan of file sharing, my point is along the lines of don't put that much work into a site like Myspace and expect people to buy your music. Recorded music right now is a calling card only for 99% of the artists but still a good one. Keep a good, current image on your site without going overboard and it's quite valuable. In a time when gigs with a merch table plus songs you've written getting heard by music supervisors are potential avenues to make a living via music, pages like this are quite valuable.
Digital Overload! I know a promoter who books bands for the lowest rung of music venues in London (Am I bigging this up enough?) and she is constantly crying about the volume of crap she still has to wade through to find the good bands. Everything's more instant but is the quality any better?
In a place like where i live I think the internet is an key part of music being discovered. We may be the capital city but we suck big time when it comes to the music scene. Bands book here but then cancel before the actual show due to low ticket sales. An example is Kings of Leon who were supposed to play her in August but there wasn't much advertising, I only found out by hitting their site. It took me a bit to get my niece into them and when she was willing to go to the show with me, the show was no more. I think sites like "Eventful" have helped bands know that there are actually fans here interested in seeing them. My niece's buddy is in a band and she was trying to get me to check them out but I kept missing their shows, by sending me to their site she made me a fan and I bought the cd. And again with a friend's band in Chicago, I can't get there to see them but hitting their site I became an instant fan.
Thoughtful comments, all.
contra: I thought that a major lure of all those social networking sites was how user-friendly they were. D.I.Y. for the masses.
Cody B: And maybe, no matter what the era or circumstances, the cream rises. But we've all heard the stories of artists breaking via a YouTube video or free mp3 download. As for the rest, I guess it's up to our little army of MOGgers to ferret out the good stuff, and spread the word.
scotfree: As usual, a booking agent's friends and brain trust can point out worthy newcomers, while the websites really do make access, promo and info flow from the artists easier than before.
inrumford: Those who fail to adapt are left behind - very Darwinian.
NeilNathan: I guess so, and I has happy to help. Again, though, there have been a few examples of the Internet spawning forth stars without the help of mentors/angels/promoters.
Spike 1: I'd hope that it wasn't so hard to do the right thing as regards building a promo page. I figure that everyone in the U.S. has to be pals with at least one tech-geek willing to help out. Don't be reluctant to ask for a little input from the IT crowd.
Robin: Worthwhile insights from someone on the front lines of the battle. Keep fightng the good fight, my friend, and maybe we'll see what can be achieved in this climate.
Neill: Nah. If there are more choices, there will be more crap. But you do get to the crap quicker.
mutterimieli: Hey! Nice to have you drop by. Hope all is well. What's intriguing about your comment is the reminder that new media has afforded new artists a chance to work around or outside the usual channels - thus reaching new audiences beyond the attendees at Jim & Pam's wedding.
I know nothing about promoting bands so I will keep my mouth shut. I will say that it is not science my mother told me would blind me though
Rawk: Your comment reminded me of my old comrade Harry Palms.
doesnt he have 5 or so sisters?
The very fellow!