How to make a band blow up...

[polarfan]

My eyeballs are about to fall out cuz I've been researching this whole self made how indie bands sell tons of records with no/little label promotion. As I was telling Billy (hahahahha I'll never get tired of saying that ) the Arctic Monkeys, Hawthorne Heights have sold lots of records w very little radio support. Basically it all boils down to a few key things. Just like it was 50 years ago when Elvis released "Heartbreak Hotel" records sales equal young girls. AS ST's we need to laser in on young girls (yes the ayesa86 and spocky's of the world have a lot to do with how the INTERNET is used and how Cd's are sold) And as we all know where young girls are young boys soon follow. That's the key to selling big #'s. Since LH are a rock band we are lacking on another key demographic males 18-35. They drive what is played on rock radio.
The two bands mentioned above sold many Cd's/downloads by doing a few simple things that record companies DON'T want done. They toured a lot and handed out TONS of free Cd's . These Cd's where then put on the INTERNET and like a brilliant game of telephone where heard all over. Myspace is the #1 way young people learn about new music. Much like the old days of rap and metal where tape trading helped break bands, file sharing is this millenniums network. A Harvard University study showed that free downloads did not cripple CD sales the way record companies claimed. For the most part those who love a band will buy the actual CD even if they downloaded a free tune or two.

As many of us have found out the appearance on a "reality show" has been a double edged sword for the guys. Yay tons of free exposure, uh oh total snubbing by certain key program directors. I'm in Los Angeles area and have gone thru the whole "please play Trees" "Hmmm is it by that guy on TV, ummm I'll look into it" which is the equivalent of don't' call us we'll call you. If MTV or VH1 will not show the video it has to be made available on the INTERNET why it's not? Only the record company knows.

Ring tones are HUGE! Please start bombarding Sony with request for LH ring tones. It's a little extra revenue for the band (hopefully), and it's used in tracking what is "hot" and can influence what's being added to radio play lists. "Keep calling keep calling" get it?hahaha I crack myself up, I'm also losing my mind.

Start focusing on the young'uns around you. Nieces, little sisters, cousins, neighbor kids, maybe there are young people where you work...bottom line if they didn't watch RSINXS(and it was not huge with teens) they don't know who LH are! Push the myspace site, spread that site like butter all over (I'm hungry).
Also focus on males 18-35 brothers, cousins, young hot UPS delivery guy, the kid who mows your lawn.
Go to shows in your local area that focus on Indie/rock music. See those guys with the wallet chains, and spiky hair? Go get em'.
I know the official stance on free burned sampler Cd's by the record company is no way...and I'm not sure what we can do to get around that. But it is so important. (cough)

So this is a little background on what's going on and what the guys are up against. As ST's we have to pick up the slack of the radio and record company. Do what it takes to lure in the young girls and men (but don't promise the men young girls... ;D)

Another point that I'm sure you all know but I want to stress...when ST'ing you are a representative of the band. It is VITAL to present your best self...If the person your speaking too doesn't feel you "fit in" they probably won't listen to you or LH.

Just in case your wondering I do have prior experience doing PR/Marketing for musicians, and I was the entertainment writer for a local paper years ago. So although I nowhere near "know it all" I am coming from a background that deals with this kind of thing.

And I just burned my lunch hour doing this so I hope it helps

[radioclash]

Thank you polarfan for typing that up! It's brilliant, helpful, and I completely agree.

I just wish Epic would use their powers a little more and hopefully they've got more going on then we know.

And yes there's a lot of double-edged swords that we have to deal with. I hope Epic holds on and sticks with the current album and keeps releasing singles because there's definitely enough material on the album worthy of that attention.


Thanks again, and rest your eyes!

[Stiletto]

polarfan said:

Another point that I'm sure you all know but I want to stress...when ST'ing you are a representative of the band. It is VITAL to present your best self...If the person your speaking too doesn't feel you "fit in" they probably won't listen to you or LH.

Yeah...when I go around to talk to different people I always wear Red, Black, and Leather.........I do alot of screaming.......bend waaaay back.........do a couple ya ya ya ya ya ya's!!.......I tell them..."You got one shot.......so where do we go from here!!........." Then I end of with a little air guitar..........

Works every time............no cops or straight jackets yet anyways.....

[polarfan]

Stiletto
That's the spirit! So how long did it take you to get the hair extensions and bleach it out?
And don't forget the black nail polish ;D
When they come to take you away (and they will) let us know where you'll be "resting" we want to send flowers

[Stiletto]

polarfan said:

Stiletto
That's the spirit! So how long did it take you to get the hair extensions and bleach it out?
And don't forget the black nail polish ;D
When they come to take you away (and they will) let us know where you'll be "resting" we want to send flowers

Hey..I already told you guys I was dying my hair right?

lmao...........when they put me away.......I'm sure I'll be the last to know about it............. ;D

[Cindy]

Polar fan,

I have to tell you my experience locally trying to promote the band here in BF Egypt (deep south, lower alabama-florida). The week the CD came out, I gathered my best friend, Pam, (She is a HUGE Marty Casey fan too---I sold her on Rock Star:INXS way back in week four or so) for a trip into town. We went to the local mall, Target, Best Buy, Wal-mart etc and were going to see if 1) they had the cd in their store 2) how was it displayed and 3) how did it look to be selling. Needless to say it was a very discouraging adventure. Only one store (FYE in the mall gave it any respect.... a spot on an endcap in the New releases.) And the local Target--shock of shocks since Target was in the VH1 ads on the TV-- didn't have it in at all and couldn't tell me when or if they would be getting it in.

Anyway, after discussion between Pam and I in the car outside the mall, we decided that going in to the stores and making a fuss over the CD--- two women our ages (not young hip cool people) would NOT BE cool for the CD sales. Kids in the store would see folks our age digging the band and would think...."oh lord look folks my parents age like this...it must suck!" So I decided to find some young people to recruit to go in and squee over the CD--you know sorta as proxy squee'ers.

Back home I made a phone call to my son (who is in his twenties) and convinced him and his friends to listen to the CD and help me out. His friends have always thought my son had a very cool mom...so it wasn't too had to convince them to give the band a try. I also called my niece in Alabama (who just graduated high school last year and is in her first year of college). They have all promised me to turn on their other friends to it and stop in at the local happening music store to talk it up a bit.

So I perfectly understand your thoughts about the band and attracting young ears.

[radioclash]

Polarfan or whoever can answer -

Gaia posted this on another thread

gaia said:

Re: CDs, some fan (Bronte) put her CD in the video player of an electronics store and left it there! So I guess that's one way to spread the love

Is it possible to convince those working at Circuit City or other stereo stores to play the CD if we supply it. It doesn't have any parental advisary stickers or anything. Just wondering if that is worth a try. I personally think it was a very cool thing to do

[polarfan]

HI
Large stores like Circuit City, Best Buy, FYE, etc what they play over the speaker system is based on what's on the charts and what's being featured in the sales paper that week.

Smaller places like the independent mom and pop music stores, and specialty like Warehouse ( I don't if any of those still exist in other parts of the country) it's up to the manager and/or the employees on duty. So that would be the best bet to chat up the worker or manager and ask if they'll play it.

And a SERIOUS WTF?? to another post I read where radio stations are replying "I'd play it if I had it"??!! My stomach lurched when I read that. They should've had it before it was officially released.
I wouldn't want to do anything to step on the record label but jeez people ....maybe we should take it upon ourselves and send it to the stations that respond that way.

[polarfan]

And thanks Cindy for reading my original post, I appreciated it!
I myself am no "spring chicken" (I prefer to think of myself as an early summer chicken ;D )

So I'm taking advantage of the fact my very pretty, very out going teen age god sister loves Marty and utilize her in my ST'ing

I also have a friend's 7 year old who is willing to make the supreme sacrifice and drop out of school so she can promote the band full time

[radioclash]

polarfan said:

I also have a friend's 7 year old who is willing to make the supreme sacrifice and drop out of school so she can promote the band full time

LOL - She's got the right idea

Thanks for answering my question, too!