For a while now, I’ve been procrastinating about how to best put this blog to GOOD use. I’ve decided to make it about the life of an indie musician. They say to “write about what you know about.” Well, I should know a hell of a lot about the life of an indie musician. I have lived it for all of my adult life, …and then some. So that is what we’re going to do. I plan to schedule the posts to publish just after midnight (C.S.T.) each Sunday. I say “plan to” because we all know what they say about the “best laid plans.”
I will be sharing anecdotes, and observations from daily life. Sometimes I may rant a little, but I’ll do my damnedest to keep the politics and religion and the media etc. etc. etc. down to a dull roar …at least on THIS blog. However, there will be tangents about philosophy, cosmology, books I’ve read or am reading, movies that have inspired me, overheard conversational snippets and such; as those things directly feed into my own creative process. Perhaps we’ll even put some old ghosts to rest, as well.
I want to discuss creative techniques and methodologies as they pertain to writing music, lyrics and life in general. I am eager for other writers and creators to share their ideas, insights, inspirations and techniques with the other readers and myself.
I will be sharing links to resources that benefit both the indie musician & indie music lover. You will also know who is exploiting and preying upon indie musicians; so that you can avoid them like the scourge they are. THEY will not be shown mercy. I encourage an open forum via the comments section so that we can share information and all get to know one another. Music and art are about connectivity, aren’t they? Regardless, this forum will be a place for people and their ideas to connect and collect.
That said, whoever tries to spam this with Viagra ads or SEO ads or anything that I find inappropriate will fail, …miserably. Take that shit somewhere else. The reader should be able to count on an optimal reading experience that is devoid of spam and the lowest common denominators of most forums. (Suggestions and Constructive Criticism are always Welcome. Ad hominem and incessant bitching are not.)
“Here enter not vile bigots, hypocrites, Externally devoted apes, base snites, Puffed-up, wry-necked beasts, worse than the Huns, Or Ostrogoths, forerunners of baboons: Cursed snakes, dissembled varlets, seeming sancts, Slipshod caffards, beggars pretending wants, Fat chuffcats, smell-feast knockers, doltish gulls, Out-strouting cluster-fists, contentious bulls, Fomenters of divisions and debates, Elsewhere, not here, make sale of your deceits.”
From “Gargantua and Pantagruel” by Francois Rabelais
I’m very interested in exploring Social online media, in general. I will share what I find is working, as well as what has failed or not delivered up to expectation. I hope that others will do the same.
Obviously, this is an ideal forum for Alamantra to network with other indie artists as well as promoters and fans of independent art. I’m interested in artists, poets, dancers, designers, entrepreneurs …the creative crowd …the beautiful people. Let’s network. WE ARE THE SCENE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.
Here enter you, and welcome from our hearts, All noble sparks, endowed with gallant parts. This is the glorious place, which bravely shall Afford wherewith to entertain you all.
Ibid
Finally, I am going to tell you about bands, movie makers, story tellers and all the other charmers met along the way. Life is nothing, if not an adventure. I get to meet a lot of really cool people. Maybe you should meet them, too. I look forward to meeting you.
I had planned to discuss Twitter & Online radio for this issue. However, I was under the weather for a good part of the week with an upper respiratory illness, and my energy level just hasn’t been up to snuff. I haven’t even been able to Twitter much this week …and my apologies to those we work with through that medium.
Instead, I will begin ”covering the basics” for building a sustainable, enduring indie presence on the web. I will also review, “Shine” by John Scalici’s Juka Tribe.
I firmly believe that an indie artist should start and end with hir OWN website, with hir OWN domain name. Make sure it is maintained. Make sure it is easy to navigate, too. One’s own domain name that is well maintained, is something that the artist can brand into hir other merchandise, cd designs, flyers, social sites and other points of contact; both online and offline.
One of the problems that bands/artists have to deal with is to create something unique or that stands out enough to ultimately find and appeal to an audience. The most direct way to do this is to start with one’s own site; where creative and content control are most absolute. For doing so, I recommend combining “GoDaddy” and “WordPress.” For around $60.00 per year GoDaddy provides 10 Gig of server space, 10 SQL accounts, and unlimited bandwidth. Even with domain registration costs or some of the extra bells and whistles (i.e extra email accounts etc.), it comes to $100.00 a year or less.
“WordPress” is free, is a very flexible platform, with a lot of plugins and features for customization. There are many free themes easily adapted to present the band/artist. They have excellent navigation schemes that are easily configured. Also, GoDaddy has a simple installation interface for WordPress. Expect a learning curve that, for some, could take as little as two or three days or as much as two or three weeks, depending on aptitude and motivation. Perhaps, in a future issue, I’ll create a step by step guide.
Many bands use their Facebook, ReverbNation or Myspace pages as a main artist/band site. That is all fine and well, but the problem with doing so is that it confines the traffic and exposure largely to the people who use those particular sites. One could argue that this is “just about everybody.” I would counter that the same was true back in the golden days of mp3.com circa 2000. My point being, enthusiasm for these sites comes and goes. Myspace used to be the big dog on the block. Now many people ‘detest’ Myspace and don’t want to have to endure all the ads and scripts that goes with the visit. Though Facebook’s popularity is still practically unprecedented, there are already people grumbling over privacy issues, more ads, the “timeline” etc. Over time, its popularity will peak and then something “new” will come along. In fact, now we have IGoogle in the ring to compete with Facebook, Myspace and the others.
There is an inherent limitation in that the bulk of the people using social network sites are there for reasons other than trying to find out about a little known band or artist. Sure, some will stumble on it, some will like it and “share” it, but there has to be a lot of this before it can create enough momentum to “go viral.” Even on music sites like ReverbNation, where people are there to either hawk or hear music, there are so many bands and so much music that, without a serious ongoing promotional campaign, it is unlikely that you will reach your greatest potential audience. Never mind that there are so many music sites competing for listeners.
Building one’s own site creates a stable central platform that isn’t floating on the tide of another site’s popularity, functionality, mission or terms of service. At the same time, one’s own site creates a place where one can integrate those other networks as well as create a fairly easy maintenance routine for an overall web presence. It also gives rise to possibly creating extra revenue streams through google ads, and/or other affiliate networks.
If you’re wondering about the effectiveness of having one’s own site …well, if you are reading this, then you have made contact with Alamantra through our site. Even if you are reading this on Facebook or some other site, this post begins and ends with the Alamantra blog at http://alamantra.org.
Another thing having one’s own site does, that will help increase exposure, is it creates a destination for links and back links that will increase the artist/band ranking on search engines; still the most common way sites are found. If you do use the WordPress format, make sure you install the SEO plugin and use it to create meta-data for your pages and content.
Once you have your WordPress site up and running, it is very easy to hook it into all the social networking sites such as your Facebook, Twitter etc.. WordPress is widget friendly and makes every effort to integrate across the web. I also like to use ArtistData for pushing the blog posts to other sites, as well as using its feed for Alamantra’s show schedule on our website. RSS is truly a wonderful thing.
Review: Shine by John Scalici’s Juka Tribe
If I were to describe Juka Tribe’s newest effort, “Shine,” in one word, it would be “FUNKY!” Overall, it comes across like a world beat recording, in the tradition of Mickey Hart. Still, there is an impressive diversity of influences throughout. Unlike so many world beat recordings, this cd happily digs down into its southern experiences. Though global, the music grows like kudzu over the persistent red Alabama clay.
The title track, Shine, hangs on the memorable guitar riff from Pink Floyd’s, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” Spoken word artist, Sharriff Simmons, steps into the light with the words, “Culture is Memory,” used as a refrain throughout a thoughtful and colorful narrative. I really appreciate the solid pocket laid down by the bass and drums. I found my head bobbing and my foot tapping the whole time I listened. This track is tight with the Light.
I think my favorite tune is “Mudflap.” It starts with a wah over a chilled 70s kind of groove featuring organ and horns. Smooth!
The music and quality of the recording are all first-rate, and this is pleasurable, engaging listening treasure created by good people. John Scalici is a master drummer and percussionist, and is the founder of “Get Rhythm“. This is an interactive workshop that uses rhythm to empower individuals, build community, team work and self-esteem. He has presented programs for school children as well as the disabled and disadvantaged; bringing a positive light into his community. The CD is aptly named.
Shine CD Release Party: (Event Page) 7:00 PM Friday Feb. 17th at Children’s Dance Foundation: 1715 27th Court South: Homewood, Alabama. W/ Erynias Tribe, Devyani Dance, Sharriff Simmons and others. Tickets: $10:00 Advance/$12.00 at the Door.
I suppose it is time to write my first real post in this new endeavor. In this “issue” I will tell you about a couple of great sites that offer great deals on printing. We’ll also talk about QR codes, what they are and how to use them. Additionally, I’ll tell you about a couple of local Birmingham scene builders that deserve your attention, and we’ll close by taking a listen to “Southern Circus” by Royal and Toulouse. …Let the fun begin.
Print Media
For building a local presence, one still needs good print media. Fliers and postcards advertising a show still play an important role in letting your local music lovers know about you. Besides, flyer making is an art form in itself.
This was a full color 18x24 poster I designed and had printed at ShortRunPosters.Com
I like really BIG fliers. The best place I’ve found for getting them done is a website called Short Run Posters. They offer a full color 18″ x 24″ poster for as low as $2.97. The only “catch” is, for that price, they want to put their own company branding on the back. If you just can’t live with the thought of them doing that, you can get them to leave it off by adding an extra $2.00 to the price. However, I don’t think its worth it. The way I see it, the more people who use them, the more likely they are to stay in business with these insanely good deals. If 18″ x 24″ is just too small for your own taste, they also offer a 24″ x 36″ size for $15.97. In my opinion, it is very hard to find a place to hang posters that size, but if your situation calls for it …they have it.
One of the really great things about Short Run Posters is that they drop-ship. So, if your band has a gig in another town, you can order the posters and have them sent directly to the venue. Just make sure you work it out with the venue owner or promoter(s) you are working with. It would suck to fork out that kind of scratch to have your beautiful artwork delivered into oblivion; especially if money is as hard to come by for you as it is for me. So if you can find a better deal, let me know!
There is a band here in the ‘ham called Dub Massive. They play reggae, and they are very, very talented. Not only that, they are very good at marketing themselves. One of their customs is to create event postcards: 4″x6″ cards that includes show details and other information. I like these better than the more traditional flyer or handbill, as they look better, hold up better, and demonstrates to the fan or club-owner a sense of seriousness of purpose. Enter PSPrint.Com. This is a great place to get all kinds of different printing done, but I have especially begun using them for promo cards. They often have “sales” and offer “60%” off. What that means is that you can get 50 cards, printed full color on both sides of a 14 pt C2S gloss cover for $14.23. You can get 100 for $20.36. This means that if you have a gig AND a cd that you’re trying to promote, like me, you can put the gig info on one side and the cd download info on the other.
In addition to postcards, PSPrint.com also prints everything from business cards, to event tickets to vinyl banners. It is a pretty decent one stop shop. Like ShortRunPosters.com, they also do drop shipping.
When doing posters or promotion cards, these days it is important to remember to include a QR code somewhere in the design. This allows potential fans with smart phones, to reach a web page with more information, a google map to the venue, mp3s, videos, ‘buy’ links etc.. Band and artists who are not using a QR code are letting a great opportunity to connect with fans slip through their fingers.
This is what a QR code for Alamantra.org looks like
The easiest way I have found to get a QR code is to use bit.ly. Simply copy the link of the page you wish to direct people to and paste it into the Bit.ly link shortener. After shortening the link, you will see “Info Page+” link. Click it, and you will see the QR code in the upper right hand corner. Just “right-click,” and “save as” to your hard drive. It will save as a .png file. When making your print media, just include the QR code somewhere on it. You can even have it printed on your T-shirts! Just remember that if you have to resize it, keep the proportions the same, or it may not work so well.
There’s one more thing I should mention before moving on, and that is stickers. Stickers are nothing short of a tradition in the indie music genre, as well as the so-called main stream. Though PSPrint offers a pretty good deal on stickers, I have to recommend The Sticker Guy. He’s indie, too. Besides, he does fantastic work, uses first-rate materials, has a nice choice of colors and shapes and is reasonably priced …especially for what you get. Check him out. You won’t be sorry.
Local Scene Builders:
Though there are many, many fantastic people working to build a better indie music scene in Birmingham, and they all are worthy of mention, I want to begin by telling you about two, in particular.
Indie Music Connect Birmingham
First up: Indie Music Connect Birmingham This is a promising group of folks that get together in Birmingham; organized and facilitated by Martha Jean Schindler. They meet four times a month alternating between Tuesdays, one week, at The Bottletree, and Thursdays, the following week, at The Rare Martini. They meet from 6:00-8:00 PM and discuss networking, song-craft and even have jam sessions. Indie Music Connect Birmingham also does interviews and reviews on their website. MJ, as she is known, was even nice enough to do a write-up on this ugly old mug of mine. They are working hard to build a supportive foundation for a thriving Birmingham music scene and they deserve our recommendations and support. We luv ‘em!
The Birmingham Free Press
The Birmingham Free Press was founded many moons ago by Stephen Smith, Lee Waites and Brent Stauffer to offer a progressive voice for the Birmingham community. For the most part, they have kept this going as a labor of love. Though their online presence has continued to grow, they have also maintained Stephen’s goal to put out a broad sheet paper as often as financially possible. Last year they successfully recruited David Hornbuckle as the BFP’s managing editor. This has given Lee the time and freedom to develop Birmingham Free Press Music, which has been very effective at creating a growing network for local and regional artists via Facebook and the BFP-Music site. Lee summarizes the goals for BFP-Music:
“I attempt at every opportunity to provide the forum and information clearing house for focused, local music information and content. I have been doing it for a year now, and it seems to be catching on. The idea is that, in order to not get lost in the “everything else” of the Internet or local media, there is a place for just Birmingham music stuff, and a voice for Birmingham musicians. I feel a great kinship with local musicians. I want the scene to be its own, not a copy of any other city, or just judged on its ability to create money for the performers or the venues; but to reveal the substance, the interesting and deep character that I see in Birmingham’s music community.”
Alamantra wishes them the best in their efforts and will be there for them as needed.
Music Reviews:
Over the following weeks and months we will be checking out artists from the local & regional scene, as well as some national and international acts. If you are interested in having your band’s music reviewed, send me some info. I require that the bands reviewed here 1. be independent/unsigned & 2. have reverbnation and cdbaby accounts (so make sure you include your links.) Also, I only review music that appeals to me or that fits in with the overall theme of what I’m writing about. I’m mostly interested in indie, psychedelic, eclectic, hybrid rock, folk rock, blues, jazz and country. I most likely won’t review pop, metal, thrash, trance, electronica or D&B; and will not review Rap/Hip-hop unless it is something particularly unique and special. There are plenty of other sites for that. In this edition, we’ll take a gander at Royal & Toulouse.
Southern Circus by Royal and Toulouse
With fourteen tracks, this CD is nothing less than a good ol’ fashioned Southern feast of sound that spans from New Orleans blues, funk, jazz, psychedelic rock, a little hip hop and a dash of voodoo. These tracks feature the vocals of Milyn Satterfield, who has a voice eerily reminiscent of singers like Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. She has said her vocal style is something she inherited from her Grandmother, who was a gifted professional singer from “the good ol’ days.” Though, by no means, lacking in modern influences, I like that there is a sense of nostalgia and preservation that runs throughout the recording. It has an organic type of authenticity that I find appealing.
Even though the CD is self-made and self-produced it certainly doesn’t come away as lacking in its recording quality, musicianship or sense of craft. It was recorded and mastered in Birmingham by Emanual Ellinas of Sonic Sitori. Emanual certainly understands sound and processing, having created a line of pedals used by folks like Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth, as well as John Cummings of Mogwai. The musicianship is no less impressive and features some of Birmingham’s favorites: Raymond ‘Ol Tyma’ Hill (Headbaub Entertainment) spittin’ some chill raps, Carlos Pino (Smokin’ Newports, Ona Watson, Sharriff Simmons) on guitar; Matt Slocum (Susan Tedeschi, Jimmy Herring and Oteil Burbridge) tickling the ivories; the horn work of Chad Fisher (Gregg Allman, Jason Isbell), Gary Wheat (Meteorite, The Temptations) & Rob Allen; and vocals from Kenneth (K.d.) Robinson (George Clinton, Smokey Robinson, Jive Mob, Alamantra). The rhythm section is as solid as it gets with Ricky Little and Alex Troughton holding down the bass and drums, respectively. These two have developed their tight rhythmic chemistry since the days of “Jive Mob;” a band that quickly captured ears throughout the South East in the late 1990s.
Overall, this is a damned fine, down-home brew of music that belongs in the collection of anyone who treasures a fresh mix of innovation and preservation. …An excellent piece of work!
Well, I guess that about wraps this edition of An Indie Musician’s Life. Next week I’ll tell you what I’m learning with Twitter, discuss a bit about online radio and promotions, and review another band. Until then, have a great week and keep it between the ditches.
Two or three years back, I was hanging out with a marvelous drummer named Shea Heatherly and we dropped by a local drum store so that Shea could get some sticks for an upcoming gig. While we were there, Shea was at the cymbal rack, sampling the wares. Near the bottom of the rack, he came across this old, tarnished looking cymbal and he picked that one up and hit it. It had the most beautiful resonating timbre, and its sound shimmered through the room. Shea asked the sales clerk, who doubtlessly viewed himself as a serious drummer, what he thought about that cymbal. The clerk replied, in a noticeably condescending manner, “Oh, I would never play a cymbal like that. It is only worth about $80.00.” Shea merely replied, “Oh, I see” and made no effort to continue the conversation …No doubt that Shea did see. The difference in what the two drummers valued was startling from my point of view.
After we left, Shea and I discussed what had just transpired, and he told me that he never really could get behind buying a “drum kit,” since each drum, each cymbal, each piece of hardware is unique; and it is rare that a mass-manufactured drum set will have the qualities that will maximize the drummer’s individual tonal style. Each drum and piece of percussion …indeed… each and every musical instrument has a mood that it evokes, and a real musician should never forget this or be dismissive of it …regardless of the price tag.
