My blog home has found a new address.  You can read and subscribe to my blog here:  http://www.samsongs.com/blog2

Tell all of your friends.  Looking forward to changing the music business with you.

Peace and one,

Sam

See you there!!

Sam

samsongs.com

Please cruise over to: http://www.samsongs.com/2009/07/band-with-a-mission-not-a-chance

and continue the dialog!

I must have hit a nerve.  As you recall a few weeks ago I wrote a blog entry about Band With a Mission, a company that purports to provide worthy bands and artists the opportunity to showcase for industry professionals.  My original post had more of a somber tone because at the time, I felt that all of my years of touring and recording still did not put me out of reach of the few companies scouring Myspace and Sonicbids to dupe unsuspecting, eager musicians looking for their slice of the pie.  To recap, I was sent an email “form letter” about how much Indevo Records loved my song and that I should come showcase in Nashville.  I went online to register for the showcase and saw that I had to pay $199 for the “privilege”.  After I turned it down, I was contacted by phone at which point I turned the offer down again.  It seems my hard work and songcraft still meant that I had to pay Band With a Mission $199 to showcase in Nashville.  I politely explained that I’d played several showcases, been signed to two separate record deals and that paying for a showcase didnt make sense and hung up.

Fast forward.  Many of you have emailed to thank me for my candor and insight into Band With a Mission.  Some have posted comments.  Well lo and behold the good folks at Band With a Mission found the blog and felt inclined to post a comment with upwards of 20-25 different grateful testimonies from the bands they’ve “helped” with their insightful feedback.  Here’s the deal folks:  if you go to a showcase to receive insightful feedback, you’re not ready.   First and foremost, showcases dont happen much anymore.  Bands cant afford to travel the distance and labels are scaling back A&R costs, meaning travel expenses are all but dried up.  That means that the A&R rep is not coming to see you play at your local Wild Wing or church youth group retreat.  Labels are signing bands now on a referral basis.  A producer may take a stack of cds he’s just finished to the label to listen to.  A band may build some ridiculous level of buzz that would warrant label attention or the band has an in with an industry insider.  That’s how it works nowadays.  Ask Andy Hull from Manchester Orchestra.  I watched that tidal wave happen first hand and I can promise you Band With a Mission had nothing to do with it.  Aaron Shust is another one.  He came into the studio to make a worship record for church.  He walked out and sold 3000 copies to the congregation.  The producer believed in the album, passed it along and viola.  Now he’s AARON SHUST.   There are always exceptions so Im sure someone can and will prove me wrong.  But there wont be many.

Let me be clear, I dont think its bad to seek feedback for your craft.  I am just insulted that companies like Band With a Mission seek to profit from it.  There are many very good ways to seek feedback and development advice without paying a dime.  Make a contact at your local radio station that plays your genre of music.  Ask them if they’d be willing to offer any critique.  Find a local producer who’s making lots of records and ask if he/she will have a listen.  Play open mic nights at respectable venues and pass out comment cards to the audience.  All of this will get you the same information that it seems everyone is paying Band With a Mission for.

And lets talk about what a band needs to really, really be label worthy.  Its simple.  You need a song or ten that truly moves the room.  This song sticks in everyone’s head from the first note to the coda and causes an emotional response.  Think Switchfoot’s “We Were Meant to Live” or John Mayer’s “No Such Thing”.  See?  You’re singing them both right now.  Thats the kind of songs you need.  Next, you need a ridiculous stage presence.  Whether youre standing on stage strumming your acoustic guitar or you’re pogo jumping like Toby Mac, you need the skill to instantly engage everyone in the room.  Musically, you need to be spot on, never miss a note, perfect.  If you’re not, practice until you are.  The words, “I played these songs fine last week when I opened for Casting Crowns” should never cross your lips.  Every performance has to be other-wordly level good.  Also, hone your craft.  If you sing, get voice coaching.  If you play piano or guitar take as many lessons and classes that you have time for.  If you only know one instrument learn another one.  You wouldnt want a plummer to fix your leaky pipes if the only training he had was fixing his pipes at home.  You want a pro.  Pros know their craft and then some.  Berklee School of Music offers online courses and summer classes if you’re the student type.  If that is all together.  You need a GREAT BAND NAME.  A name that is catchy, fits your sound and is easy to design graphically.  For all you Christians out there, calling yourselves “Higher Calling” is all well and good but it doesnt say much and is even harder to put on a tshirt.  You need a brand.  Think “Starfield” or “Manchester Orchestra”.  After that, you need a real web presence.  Not Facebook or Myspace.  Those are ancillary social platforms.  You need a website with your own domain name.  The site needs to be well developed and easy to navigate.  It needs to include your incredible songs and aweome logo of your unforgettable band name.  It needs to have your direct contact info.  Once you have all of that, I promise promise promise the right folks will find you.

If you get an email from Meagan at Indevo Records or Band With a Mission.  Delete it.  Save your money, get back in your garage, third bedroom studio, or practice space and keep plugging away.  Your time will come.  From time to time I’ll post articles that I think will help up and comers hone their craft.  I will also create a page that will house resource information to assist you on your journey.  Feel free to contact me directly if you have an urgent question.  If you get contacted by Band With a Mission definitely contact me before you spend a dime.  Now Im on a mission.

I’ll always be here to help.  And it wont cost your one penny…

Sam