Some of the best advice I ever received was from a songwriter named Terry Anderson.  Terry has written several songs that reached the Billboard charts including the Dan Baird hit “I Love You Period.” Sadly, one of the best bands I ever played in only lasted about 6 months.  The band was called The Hot […]

Let’s take a moment to touch on some of the best methods to go about booking the right venues: “Hello Mr. Venue Owner. I was calling to see if you’ve listened to our demo yet. We spent a lot of money at the best studio in town using the best producer in town. He really […]

My first club show. I had “made it.” It was December 1989. I was in an ‘80s hair band that had been around a little less than a year. We had mostly played skating rinks and pool parties for our friends. To date we had no real club gigs to speak of… until now. The […]

If you’re a solo artist and interested in putting a full band behind your recording, the process of finding those musicians can be tough. I suggest one of two solutions: Find an existing local band that you like. You like their sound and instrument tones. Ideally, you like them as people, too, so you can […]

  This was my first “real” recording. It went certified Aluminum Foil, but it got us gas money from city to city. The method by which you record, the amount of money you spend, and the choice to have a producer largely depends on the stage of your career. Is this your first recording? Don’t […]

When making your first, second, or even third independently released recording, there are some common myths I’d like to dispel. Myth #1: “People will care about my recording.” Unfortunately just because you record music, doesn’t mean people are going to automatically care. First, it has to be music that moves them. But how do you […]

I can’t tell you how many local band shows I’ve gone to where not a single piece of merchandise is available. Shocking. But don’t be fooled into thinking that just because you put your precious name on a T-shirt, people will buy it. Just like your music, it has to be great. In regard to […]

Maybe. It just depends on where you are in your career. When you are just starting out, you probably don’t need a lawyer. But once your business starts to become more established and more deals start crossing your plate, you will absolutely want to get a good attorney involved. They can be expensive, but the […]

The first thing you need to include in your press kit is a photo of yourself on a railroad track. In front of a brick wall will do equally as well, though. I’m kidding. There are several things to consider in a good press kit. For those of you wondering, you do not need a […]

Only in fairy tales like The Three Musketeers may that philosophy apply.  Rarely does it apply in bands. When I tell musicians who are interested in a career in popular music that he or she needs to lose some weight, they are often quick to reference examples like Meatloaf or John Popper (of Blues Traveler). […]