So, I've been noticing how offended people get lately by things that are completely unoffensive. Now, I know I just wrote an article on how I think it's ok to take things personally in this business and I stand by that, but things that are non-offensive?
Here are some interpretations for your useful future as a band.
Jem: "That date is not currently available"
Interpretation: That date is not currently available. It doesn't mean that I don't want to work with you or that I think you suck. It simply means that the date is already promised to someone else and you wouldn't want me booting you if I promised you a date. Not only that, most of you I don't even know, so it's hard to want know who might do better until we get you in. It doesn't mean give up and hate us forever (unless you're just that type of person, which means you've probably just bridged the elusive gap of the ages 5 and 22). It just means the date is not available.
Jem: "Sunday through Thursday's are $100 rentals."
Interpretation: Sunday through Thursday are $100 rentals. I know you want to be paid, but how are we supposed to have a place for you to play in the future if there isn't a venue left. I know, I know. Gas prices suck. If you haven't noticed, so has the economy. We have to make ends meet too. In order to open up the club I have to be able to pay my staff. Your $100 goes directly to the sound engineer and door guy. It isn't a secret stash of money that we are saving up to pay bands we like better than you. Someday, we hope to free everyone of this burden. Someday soon. We just need a little help, just like you do.
Jem: "How many people do you bring to a show?"
Interpretation: We'd like to know how many people you can bring to a show not because we won't book you if you don't bring a lot, but so that we don't book an entire night of low drawing bands. Again, see the point on the economy above. I know a lot of bands just need a chance to get in front of some people, but that's not going to happen if I book your low-drawing band with two or three other low-drawing bands. I don't know everyone and what they draw. I'm sorry, but I don't. I'm working on it though and hopefully it won't matter how many people you draw in the future. For now, though, that's the way people's minds are set.
Jem: "Well, the last time you were here you were disrespectful/unprofessional/didn't pay your [insert whatever]".
Interpretation: Means we really don't want to work with you again unless you can honor your obligations or apologize or find some masterful way to make it up to us. There will be times we don't meet your expectations too because we're humans. If you don't tell us that we didn't meet your expectations though, we have no idea how to fix anything. I prefer to let people know how our needs were not met rather than just ignoring emails and hiding behind ignorance.
Jem: "Your band isn't even that good and you suck and the last six times I saw your band it was terrible and I walked out. You're not even a real band. I'm taking the time to search through thousands of pages to delete your profile."
Interpretation: Just kidding. I don't say things like this. I'm not seven.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Personally or Professionally?
I've been told several times in the past few days to not take things personally when bands are canceling shows that I have been promoting for months. I finally decided today that I will take it personally. This is a business built on emotion. Now, can I deny bands the right to take a better offer or a better opportunity? Not really. Can I ask them to honor their committments they've made... or simply to buy a calendar and mark down the dates that they commit to?
I might be wrong, but I think that a band would take it personally if they were told that due to the lack of interest or lack of their ability to hold an audience. I think they would be offended (and I've seen them be offended) when they are booted because something "better" come along.
Here's the thing about venues (bars particularly) with built in crowds. Those people will dance to anything. They'll drink, eat and be merry, sometimes they'll even buy your CD and we all need those places to help us get to the next stop on our tour or boost our ego. The likliehood of those people following you to the next gig is very slim though. The chances of them looking up where your next show is and going out of their comforst zones or telling their friends about you is highly unlikely. Not that they may not be excited when you come back to their bar, but you are catering to them. No one is helping you at all. Again, I'm not saying don't play these shows, but recognize them for what they are. If you have trouble getting those people to find you in the future then maybe you're playing out too much or you're really not that good. Maybe you are, but really take a moment to figure out where your weaknesses are and sort that out.
Also think about how you are presenting yourself professionally. It is a waste of my time to search through 50 pages of emails (since My Space has no way of sorting a damn thing) to find where you committed to a show 3 or 4 months ago that you were unable to find a pen and piece of paper to write it down on. This is why I only really do booking through email... and I highly recommend this for everyone else. Even though I had to do this for three bands in one day, I was still able to prove that I was the one that had kept track of things and they hadn't. That was just one day. So, you want to know what I did instead of listening to your bands press kit? I spent about 2 hours searching for confirmation emails for shows that were scheduled 4 days from then or two weeks from then and then scrambling to find bands that would fill the bill on short notice.
You say, "No one was at our last show", but why is that? Is it because you're playing out too much? You didn't promote? You maybe aren't that good and your friend was doing you a favor? There is a list of things that I do to make sure that everyone knows you're playing at my venue, but you didn't even bother to write it down or put it on your calendar, so it's really been a big flipping waste of my time.
Since these things consume me and I'm passionate about trying to make things right in the music scene as much as I am capable, then it's hard for me to not take things personally when someone else can't be professional. I would expect you to take it personally if I said some of the things that bands say to buyers and promoters. Look at the emails you're writing. Think about how you would feel about it if a venue wrote that email to your band... especially if the venue is actually trying to help you out.
I might be wrong, but I think that a band would take it personally if they were told that due to the lack of interest or lack of their ability to hold an audience. I think they would be offended (and I've seen them be offended) when they are booted because something "better" come along.
Here's the thing about venues (bars particularly) with built in crowds. Those people will dance to anything. They'll drink, eat and be merry, sometimes they'll even buy your CD and we all need those places to help us get to the next stop on our tour or boost our ego. The likliehood of those people following you to the next gig is very slim though. The chances of them looking up where your next show is and going out of their comforst zones or telling their friends about you is highly unlikely. Not that they may not be excited when you come back to their bar, but you are catering to them. No one is helping you at all. Again, I'm not saying don't play these shows, but recognize them for what they are. If you have trouble getting those people to find you in the future then maybe you're playing out too much or you're really not that good. Maybe you are, but really take a moment to figure out where your weaknesses are and sort that out.
Also think about how you are presenting yourself professionally. It is a waste of my time to search through 50 pages of emails (since My Space has no way of sorting a damn thing) to find where you committed to a show 3 or 4 months ago that you were unable to find a pen and piece of paper to write it down on. This is why I only really do booking through email... and I highly recommend this for everyone else. Even though I had to do this for three bands in one day, I was still able to prove that I was the one that had kept track of things and they hadn't. That was just one day. So, you want to know what I did instead of listening to your bands press kit? I spent about 2 hours searching for confirmation emails for shows that were scheduled 4 days from then or two weeks from then and then scrambling to find bands that would fill the bill on short notice.
You say, "No one was at our last show", but why is that? Is it because you're playing out too much? You didn't promote? You maybe aren't that good and your friend was doing you a favor? There is a list of things that I do to make sure that everyone knows you're playing at my venue, but you didn't even bother to write it down or put it on your calendar, so it's really been a big flipping waste of my time.
Since these things consume me and I'm passionate about trying to make things right in the music scene as much as I am capable, then it's hard for me to not take things personally when someone else can't be professional. I would expect you to take it personally if I said some of the things that bands say to buyers and promoters. Look at the emails you're writing. Think about how you would feel about it if a venue wrote that email to your band... especially if the venue is actually trying to help you out.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Why bars won't promote you and why promoters always seem to not promote....
Why bars won't promote you and why promoters always seem to not promote....
by Jem
Now, I am well aware that this isn't true for every bar and venue, but I do know for bands that this is how it usually feels. I have worked from every side of this coin. Being a band, being a promoter and now running a venue. I try very hard every day to do nothing more than promote the club, the bands playing it and to go above and beyond the call of duty to work hard even though the results always seem minimal. I'm not so worried about that though. That's the state of the economy and the state of mind of people and those are two very hard things to change. It's been a very long time since masses of people would go to a club to watch bands just for the sake of hanging out, doing musicians, drinking themselves silly and finding some new music to connect to.
Instead, what I am finding more and more frustrating these days is the amount of time and energy I put into promoting a show only to have the bands cancel on me because they feel something better has come along, they broke up and failed to tell anyone or they're just that unprofessional. So, I began to think that this is why many venues have given up on helping you all out and I've come very close to giving up on it myself. Lucky for you, I'm a geek and could live for nothing more apparently than to do meaningless work which lead to me writing these articles.
Another common complaint is on promoters, the supposed middle man between bands and venues. The guy or gal that promises you the awesome show and then pulls out at the last minute to save his or her own ass, dicking everyone else in the process or plain old not promoting the show to the best of his or her ability then expecting you to pay him for his lack of work. These situations, while always similar, all revolve around one person who probably thought that the music industry would be a great way to make money fast (probably watched a movie about the awesomeness of the music industry and took it the wrong way). Again, a stereotype, not always a fact.
Sometimes though venues and promoters do everything right and you don't get the results you hoped for and so they become the ones you can blame.
Who is really to blame though? Who's in charge of promoting your band? Oh! Wait. That's you! Venues and promoters can't promote someone that no one has ever heard of unless you help get yourselves heard, unless you do some work to get known in those areas. Your name is as about as valuable on a flyer as a piece of someone's old gum if you haven't told anyone who you are.
Venues are focused on promoting all of their shows. They don't have the time to sit down and send out press releases for every single band on the bill. Most promoters also divide their time between different venues and different bands. Even when a venue and promoter help you out and the results are smashing if you haven't done anything to help them, they're less likely to do that amount of work the next time and let's face it people. In today's society if a venue or promoter manages to put together a killer lineup that you will actually gain fans from it's a matter of luck of the draw. They're trying to make every show count and sometimes the best drawing bands in town just aren't available or willing to help out.
Asking a venue to put you with the best bands in town is like saying, "Don't put me on one of those nights that you're ok with having a crappy show". No one wants to have a crappy show. Especially the venue. If you want a venue to play at next time you come through town, you have to hold up your end of the bargain too.
Point being that relying on a middle man to do your job for you is ridiculous. It's your band! Make it count! If you have music worth listening to than find ways to get it heard. If you are visiting from out of town reach out to a few people in that area, talk to them, build relationships. Don't be an impersonal My Space robot that only sends out bulletins and offers nothing but "Vote for me! We can't get by on our music alone! We have to win contests!"
Canceling shows is ridiculous for any other reason than you are physically unable to perform, you are physically unable to get to a show, or a meteor hits the earth. You are the ones wearing out the people who wanted to help you most of the time.
If you are passively sitting by waiting for someone to book your shows or someone else to make your flyers or someone else to tell you what the next step is you are probably the one sitting in the corner wondering why there are more people at your band practice than your show and you have no one to blame but yourself. You can't even blame other members of your band. What kind of band are you that you aren't communicating with each other? Telling someone that it wasn't your fault, it was your drummer or singer or whatever only makes you seem ignorant and unprofessional.
Yes, this is a lecture. I've never been known as the one to beat around the bush or not call it like I see it. Please don't think though that I'm trying to pass the buck. I'm working every day to make things as right as I am able from my end and I welcome feedback, suggestions, even lectures from the lot of you.
In closing, I must share this video with you from my boys in By All Means Necessary, one of the hardest working most professional bands I've had the privilege of meeting and working with. Enjoy your film, be encouraged and get to work!
By All Means Necessary Tour Blog 1 - Chicago
by Jem
Now, I am well aware that this isn't true for every bar and venue, but I do know for bands that this is how it usually feels. I have worked from every side of this coin. Being a band, being a promoter and now running a venue. I try very hard every day to do nothing more than promote the club, the bands playing it and to go above and beyond the call of duty to work hard even though the results always seem minimal. I'm not so worried about that though. That's the state of the economy and the state of mind of people and those are two very hard things to change. It's been a very long time since masses of people would go to a club to watch bands just for the sake of hanging out, doing musicians, drinking themselves silly and finding some new music to connect to.
Instead, what I am finding more and more frustrating these days is the amount of time and energy I put into promoting a show only to have the bands cancel on me because they feel something better has come along, they broke up and failed to tell anyone or they're just that unprofessional. So, I began to think that this is why many venues have given up on helping you all out and I've come very close to giving up on it myself. Lucky for you, I'm a geek and could live for nothing more apparently than to do meaningless work which lead to me writing these articles.
Another common complaint is on promoters, the supposed middle man between bands and venues. The guy or gal that promises you the awesome show and then pulls out at the last minute to save his or her own ass, dicking everyone else in the process or plain old not promoting the show to the best of his or her ability then expecting you to pay him for his lack of work. These situations, while always similar, all revolve around one person who probably thought that the music industry would be a great way to make money fast (probably watched a movie about the awesomeness of the music industry and took it the wrong way). Again, a stereotype, not always a fact.
Sometimes though venues and promoters do everything right and you don't get the results you hoped for and so they become the ones you can blame.
Who is really to blame though? Who's in charge of promoting your band? Oh! Wait. That's you! Venues and promoters can't promote someone that no one has ever heard of unless you help get yourselves heard, unless you do some work to get known in those areas. Your name is as about as valuable on a flyer as a piece of someone's old gum if you haven't told anyone who you are.
Venues are focused on promoting all of their shows. They don't have the time to sit down and send out press releases for every single band on the bill. Most promoters also divide their time between different venues and different bands. Even when a venue and promoter help you out and the results are smashing if you haven't done anything to help them, they're less likely to do that amount of work the next time and let's face it people. In today's society if a venue or promoter manages to put together a killer lineup that you will actually gain fans from it's a matter of luck of the draw. They're trying to make every show count and sometimes the best drawing bands in town just aren't available or willing to help out.
Asking a venue to put you with the best bands in town is like saying, "Don't put me on one of those nights that you're ok with having a crappy show". No one wants to have a crappy show. Especially the venue. If you want a venue to play at next time you come through town, you have to hold up your end of the bargain too.
Point being that relying on a middle man to do your job for you is ridiculous. It's your band! Make it count! If you have music worth listening to than find ways to get it heard. If you are visiting from out of town reach out to a few people in that area, talk to them, build relationships. Don't be an impersonal My Space robot that only sends out bulletins and offers nothing but "Vote for me! We can't get by on our music alone! We have to win contests!"
Canceling shows is ridiculous for any other reason than you are physically unable to perform, you are physically unable to get to a show, or a meteor hits the earth. You are the ones wearing out the people who wanted to help you most of the time.
If you are passively sitting by waiting for someone to book your shows or someone else to make your flyers or someone else to tell you what the next step is you are probably the one sitting in the corner wondering why there are more people at your band practice than your show and you have no one to blame but yourself. You can't even blame other members of your band. What kind of band are you that you aren't communicating with each other? Telling someone that it wasn't your fault, it was your drummer or singer or whatever only makes you seem ignorant and unprofessional.
Yes, this is a lecture. I've never been known as the one to beat around the bush or not call it like I see it. Please don't think though that I'm trying to pass the buck. I'm working every day to make things as right as I am able from my end and I welcome feedback, suggestions, even lectures from the lot of you.
In closing, I must share this video with you from my boys in By All Means Necessary, one of the hardest working most professional bands I've had the privilege of meeting and working with. Enjoy your film, be encouraged and get to work!
By All Means Necessary Tour Blog 1 - Chicago
Someone bring back Milli Vanilli!
Is it technology or people that continue to disappoint me?
So, I haven't watched any of the late show shows for quite some time and I barely ever watched them to begin with. It's a long story as to why I'm even doing it now. Nonetheless, here I sit with Carson Daly just beginning in the background.
I started with Jay Leno and he had Coldplay.
I went to Conan O'Brien and he had on Dr. Dog.
You could tell that both of these performances were probably not so bad except that performers and engineers have now digressed to actual live performances rather than lip syncing. I know it's pure, noble and just for a concert, but.... **ahem** YOU ALL SOUND LIKE SHIT THROUGH MY TELEVISION! All of you. Every last actual live performance I watch sounds like crap. The Beatles sounded better on the Ed Sullivan Show.
So, here's the real question. In order to preserve the fan base of modern society should we resort back to lip syncing or would you think that we are all just so fucking stupid and that technology has not advanced to preserving a nice solid sound that is appealing to my ears and can entertain me.
Look guys... I'm very aware of the amount of work that it takes and the type of talent a person must have to successfully make a band sound good, but are television people only hiring people who went to school for sound or just the mentally retarded (no offense to actual mentally retarded people, I'm sure you're all smarter than the engineers hired by NBC)? I'm sure the engineering pay scale for working for a network station show such as Jay Leno or Conan O'Brien or what not pays enough for you to get to fucking work. If not, just get lazier and go back to lip syncing and stop ruining the sound of perfectly good bands. You are a disgrace sirs and/or madams.
I got nervous when I saw Serj Tankian was going to be on.... oh, whoever this guy is's show... you know the one that every 12 year old girl thinks is cute but he's really an overrated tight assed prude that wouldn't deserve my pinky finger up his ass? Oh, Carson Daly (I'm glad I wrote it at the top) I'm always fearful of someone ruining System or Serj for me by botching a live performance, but it goes to show that that mother fucker knows what's up and decided to just to an interview (I'm hoping).
Oh, sad. I just heard it announced that Serj is playing. Should I turn it off or cross my fingers and hope for the best?
So, I haven't watched any of the late show shows for quite some time and I barely ever watched them to begin with. It's a long story as to why I'm even doing it now. Nonetheless, here I sit with Carson Daly just beginning in the background.
I started with Jay Leno and he had Coldplay.
I went to Conan O'Brien and he had on Dr. Dog.
You could tell that both of these performances were probably not so bad except that performers and engineers have now digressed to actual live performances rather than lip syncing. I know it's pure, noble and just for a concert, but.... **ahem** YOU ALL SOUND LIKE SHIT THROUGH MY TELEVISION! All of you. Every last actual live performance I watch sounds like crap. The Beatles sounded better on the Ed Sullivan Show.
So, here's the real question. In order to preserve the fan base of modern society should we resort back to lip syncing or would you think that we are all just so fucking stupid and that technology has not advanced to preserving a nice solid sound that is appealing to my ears and can entertain me.
Look guys... I'm very aware of the amount of work that it takes and the type of talent a person must have to successfully make a band sound good, but are television people only hiring people who went to school for sound or just the mentally retarded (no offense to actual mentally retarded people, I'm sure you're all smarter than the engineers hired by NBC)? I'm sure the engineering pay scale for working for a network station show such as Jay Leno or Conan O'Brien or what not pays enough for you to get to fucking work. If not, just get lazier and go back to lip syncing and stop ruining the sound of perfectly good bands. You are a disgrace sirs and/or madams.
I got nervous when I saw Serj Tankian was going to be on.... oh, whoever this guy is's show... you know the one that every 12 year old girl thinks is cute but he's really an overrated tight assed prude that wouldn't deserve my pinky finger up his ass? Oh, Carson Daly (I'm glad I wrote it at the top) I'm always fearful of someone ruining System or Serj for me by botching a live performance, but it goes to show that that mother fucker knows what's up and decided to just to an interview (I'm hoping).
Oh, sad. I just heard it announced that Serj is playing. Should I turn it off or cross my fingers and hope for the best?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)