| Indie musicians are sprouting every second in | | | | “please buy our CDs. We’ll do everything |
| every corner of the world so in order for a | | | | to please you”. |
| musician to become established, he should not | | | | 3. Have a fashion statement |
| only possess great talent but he should also be | | | | Okay this may sound silly but what can we do? |
| wise and charming at the same time. If you are | | | | People are visual creatures. They care about the |
| an indie band, here are some basic but very | | | | packaging as much as the music. Whether you |
| sound tips that will help you get to the top. | | | | are pop, metal, punk band, you should have a |
| 1. Never quit your day job. | | | | fashion statement. It should grab attention and it |
| Unless you are already sleeping in a bed of cash | | | | should be effective in creating a good recall to |
| or your parents have saved up enough money to | | | | first-timers. You do not have to go out of your |
| give you a trust fund, it is wise if you do not quit | | | | way and have a stylist dress you up every time |
| your day job just yet. We know how challenging | | | | you have gigs, you can just choose a simple item |
| it is to earn from music alone especially with | | | | that you wear everytime so that people will |
| what’s happening in the industry today-tough | | | | identify you. Lady gaga and her gaga outfits, |
| competition with lots of indies sprouting, decline of | | | | Marilyn Manson and his pale face, Jason Mraz and |
| CD sales, piracy, etc. Be a wise artist. If you really | | | | his fedora hat. Come up with your own and claim |
| love it so much, you can manage to multi-task | | | | it. |
| and deal with the boredom of your day job. In | | | | 4. Connect with the right people |
| time, when you have saved enough to feed you | | | | I am not saying that you morph into a |
| for 6 months and when you already profit from | | | | pretentious socialite who goes out of his natural |
| your music, maybe you can consider quitting. For | | | | self just to get up there. I am saying be with the |
| now, be as dedicated to it as your music because | | | | right people because you will help each other in |
| that’s what feeds it. | | | | this tough business. Develop good ties with other |
| 2. Try really hard but do not show it. | | | | bands, managers, record label owners because |
| Don’t you get turned off when you know | | | | you will surely need each other. They will give you |
| someone tries too hard to get our attention? | | | | some tips, recommend CD Manufacturing houses, |
| Even if he’s really great but the moment we | | | | and maybe give you a back rub when you feel |
| notice his great efforts just to please us, we | | | | like giving up. |
| smell desperation and just lose interest eventually. | | | | 5. Get as much exposure as possible |
| That’s how our brains are programmed I | | | | Press release, radio and TV interviews, blogs, |
| guess. There is an art to attracting someone | | | | music videos, social networking sites. Exhaust |
| without looking pathetic-it’s called charm. This | | | | each one of them for your band promotion. No |
| takes a lot of work than you think. Everyone likes | | | | matter how great and unique your music is if no |
| “effortless”—effortless beauty, | | | | one knows that you even exist, it would be |
| effortless fashion, etc..but the effortless effect | | | | useless. You must never come to any interview, |
| takes a lot of effort. I think the best way to do it | | | | or make music videos and websites that are |
| is to genuinely have fun. If you feel good while | | | | mediocre and half-baked. Each of them should be |
| performing onstage, if you have fun creating your | | | | really polished and very entertaining otherwise it |
| photo shoots, then I bet the message you are | | | | would still be useless or worse, it would turn-off |
| giving them is “ We don’t care if you like | | | | some of your fans. |
| us, we just love our music” and not | | | | |