Evil has never been so kind On a brisk, late winter evening in the middle of February, I am driving along the winding Ozark mountain roads on my way to Springfield, Mo. to interview the singer of one of the hottest active rock bands around, Pop Evil. As I’m driving along these roads in a sort of Zen-like state of mind that long drives on pleasant … [Read more...]
Trademark vs. Copyright
Legal tips to prevent money loss Do you know the difference between trademark and copyright law? As a musician or businessperson, I think it’s in your best interest to know and protect your work — and to avoid infringing on other people’s rights. Here are some helpful pointers and compelling reasons why you should become familiar with both of … [Read more...]
The Street Team
Ground-level takeover by Tamara Halbritter Almost every new band and even some established bands have had a night where only seven people show up. The sound echoes off the empty walls. The energy level in the joint is so low, no one seems to have a pulse. Every imperfection of the club is obvious — from the drunk front-of-house guy to the … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Grow Your Fan List
The journey of collecting a thousand emails by Meryl K. Evans Starting anything makes you feel like you have a long road ahead of you. Whether it’s hopping on the treadmill knowing you have 45 minutes to go, backing your car out of the garage at the start of a 150-mile road trip or opening to the first page of a 500-page novel. It can be the same … [Read more...]
The Elevator Pitch
30 seconds to seal the deal by Tamara Halbritter One of the most important tools in your marketing kit is your 30-second pitch. By the time you finish a ride on an elevator, you should have sealed the deal. Here are three types of winning pitches and ways to woo potential fans, managers, agents, labels and other artists. 1. The comparison … [Read more...]
Jeff Loomis
Conquering Dystopia by Brian McKinny Guitarist Jeff Loomis has an all-encompassing passion for sonic vibrations of all sorts and styles. At one moment, his playing style is as savage and brutally aggressive as an MG-42 machine gun. The next moment his style is melodic and soars with the ecstasy of a Germanic Valkyrie screeching out a high C in … [Read more...]
The Premier Builders Guild
Birth of the masterbuilt instrument by Gene Baker About a year after my original company Baker Guitars closed its doors in 2003, I launched Fine Tuned Instruments in 2004 as a single man shop and slowly put together each department. It grew from a single man business to a small crew of five delivering the b3 guitar line to the world in limited … [Read more...]
Your Best Shot
The importance of using great photos by Andreas Meer, owner and CEO of Andreas Meer Photography A live concert is an extremely complex event. The sound penetrates your body, the rhythm of the bass and the drums let your pulse sync with the audio experience. Lights in all colors of the rainbow alternate and pulsate, bringing your senses to boil. … [Read more...]
Make More Money
by following the 10,000 hour principle using YouTube by Steve Kayser There is nothing better than playing music live, doing it well and seeing the crowd respond — besides, of course, doing that and also getting paid for it. But the getting paid part depends on your ability to move the soul or move the shoes on the dance floor or venue. If … [Read more...]