November 27th 2010
Cyrus Rhodes - President IMD

MD How would classify your music?

KP I think my music is a mixture of folk rock based around a catchy melody and strong lyrics. Think of Rob Thomas, Train, the Jawhawks and Crowded House sitting down to write an album and it might sound similar to my stuff.

IMD Who are some of your top 5 musical influences as far as musical acts or artists go? Starting with the most influential?

KP While there are some new bands out there that are influential in my writing, the songs I grew up listening to as a teenager probably have the biggest impact. So, I’d say bands like Crowded House, Bryan Adams, The Waterboys, Beatles, and Counting Crows were pretty inspiring at the time.

IMD What inspired you to start singing & composing music in the first place?

KP Beach boys “Endless summer” and my dads acoustic guitar where always lying around the house. At age 12 I started trying to play those songs and it was almost simultaneously that I started writing my own stuff. Probably because it was easier that trying to figure out the chords to those songs by ear.　My friend down the road had a band and I wanted so bad to be in it. So I practiced hard and also brought some very bad originals to their jam sessions. That was enough to get me started, and the bug has been with me ever since.

IMD Is there on particular song of yours that really stands out as your personal favorite or most memorable piece? Why is that?

KP That’s a tough question. Usually my favorite song it the most current song I’ve written. Once they get recorded, the excitement kind of leaves me. You hear the song in the studio a million times as you try to craft it, that the vibe of the song usually slowly escapes me.　I suppose currently I really like track 2 off my new album. It’s called “I Remember”. I know it’s not most of my fans favorite but for me, I really enjoyed the way it turned out sonically.

IMD What is the best concert you have been to over the years?

KP There are two and they are extreme opposites. One was a Crowded House gig that was at an outdoor event. I thought the sound was amazing and they had great stage presence. They just had a way of interacting with the audience that made that show a blast. But the icing on the cake was sneaking back stage and eventually jamming with Neil Finn. The other was a singer/songwriter named Paul Kelly who captivated the audience with just his acoustic guitar and vocals. He taught me that if you can write amazing lyrics you don’t need a full band to push you through. It was a really intimate experience. He took each song and made them their own event. Something I try to do when I perform alone.

IMD I especially enjoyed the pieces ‘Airplane” & “You, the Melody” what else can you tell us about those particular songs? What inspired them?

KP Thank you very much Cyrus. “Airplane” was written with a play around some “E” voicing’s on the guitar. The lyrics are probably something many people can relate to if they’ve ever lived far from home for too long. Living in Japan has been a great experience but as the lyrics point out, sometimes there is no place like home and this song really rings true for me with lines like, “This city served me well, but I can’t stay”. “You, The Melody” came about after reading all the bad news in the world and realizing that we better get busy enjoying the moment. Then I took it a bit further and made it about trying to make the moment you spend with someone you truly love as special as you can.

IMD I understand you’ve spent some time in Japan over the last few years? How did that come about?

KP I was in a 3 piece band during my University days and when I graduated, I submitted a video tape of us performing and sent it to a Tokyo music agency. I always wanted to perform over here. Well, they unexpectedly showed up at one of our shows in Vancouver Canada and after the gig invited us to Japan. A week later we were sitting on an airplane to do a bunch of gigs all over Japan. The band members were married so after a couple months, their wives wanted them home. I however, was single and opted to stick around. Little did I know I’d still be here all these years later. Japan has been a wonderful experience musically for me. I’ve performed at least twice a week and in many cases 5 days a week, for over 10 years. I’ve been able to save money and continue to do what I love – music. But the downside of the whole thing is that deep in my heart I am still Canadian and I greatly miss western society. So, I continue to write songs and pray that someday, somewhere, somehow, the music I’ve made gets heard and liked enough to get me back home. A song in a movie, TV show, commercial, or whatever that could put that extra cash in the bank to make me say “Time to go home”.

IMD What’s the one thing you want fans to take from your music?

KP With my latest two CDs, I’ve really wanted to give them the best I could. My Grandmother used to always say, “If you’re going to do something, you might as well do it right”. Of course with any form of art, that’s very subjective. However, I really do put my heart on my sleeve with these projects. I have pro tools, and I could have recorded the album at home like so many others are doing these days. But I always want the feel of a real band. I want to utilize musicians that know their instruments well. And I want the input of others ideas to be a part of the album. Because for me, at the end of the day it’s all about the song.

IMD What’s next for Kelly Pettit?

KP I am heading back to Vancouver Canada this winter to be with family and while I’m there I have booked some studio time to record two more original songs. This is new for me. Usually I wait until I have around 30 songs and then I go and make a 10 song album. But I want to keep the creative juices flowing and I’m looking forward to recording with some great music friends again. I’ll be sure to send the songs to you Cyrus when they are complete. And then if all goes well, I plan on making another album in late 2011 or early 2012. Thanks a million for the interview Cyrus. It means a lot.

Almost a Year Later 
November 26/2010



When you hit your 40’s like I have, you realize it is true what they say – Time flies! It was this time last year I was getting nervous, excited and stressed with all the details before my flight to Melbourne Australia. The little things like booking my flight and hotel or opening up a bank account in Australia and watching the currency ratings for the optimal time to exchange my money were not the things that were at the forefront of my mind. It was trying to find creative juices to complete unfinished songs and maybe write some lucky ones. I really leaned hard on some good friends like Mark Clay to try to co-write lyrics with. When you have a full time job, gig on the weekends, go to the gym everyday and look after a family, down time is hard to find.

There is something sad about looking back on great memories. I would love to jump on a plane and go back and say hello to the guys that made this dream a reality, walk down the same beaches where I tried to collect creative ideas and I’d like to talk to locals again about trivial things and swap stories. Fond memories are usually moments you would love to experience again. Like I said, it’s hard to believe it’s been a year. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons making a CD is something I absolutely love. It’s not just about the song. It’s about the whole journey. It’s about the hard work, the goal of making this dream a reality, the great friends that share the same interests, the challenges, the life long memories, and ultimately the final product that holds all of that in the palm of my hands. When I look at my CD, “These Days”, I just don’t see a disk full of music. I see a story. A challenge set out and completed. It’s an idea that started with a chord on a guitar, a melody in my head, or a lyric stolen from a street sign. I see a million small tasks that I must do for my dream to finally become reality. I see the inspiration of family and friends and above all, I see myself doing something that gives me a sense of self-accomplishment. When it’s finally done, there is an immense satisfaction I hold but at the same time a yearning begins to do it all over again and to always up the game. The yearning has begun yet again.

Hey you guys. Thanks for the answers.

Yeah, it's a very vague question isn't it?

The reason I asked was, in today's society, never before has music been so easily accessible. 50 years ago, you could finally take it home with you! Imagine that! And that was only a handful of artists. No wonder they all became HUGE. 

Then, the album was bought ... and read -  from front to back and then the band became iconic.  When the CD became a hit, record companies were in their glory. Making money hand over foot with artists they took under their wing and trained to become bigger and better musicians. Today, in my humble opinion, their is an over saturated market of mediocrity. That doesn't mean that there isn't amazing talent out there because we all know there is. But never in the history of music have we had it offered to us 24 hrs a day no matter where we are.

Are teenagers today just as passionate as we were? Because when I was a teenager, I listened to my favorite artists albums a thousand times! Where am I going with this? Right back to the original question. Has your support changed? I know mine has. For better or for worse, the industry is going through a revolution. Friends like Rob Koster would argue that the record companies were thieves, and I agree largely. But what a lot of people don't know is that they also worked with bands for years to craft their stage presence and musicianship and turned a lot of mediocre bands into top musicians. It's a deep conversation at the least.

Me, as an independent artist, never has there been a more golden opportunity to get my music out to the world. I am extremely fortunate and I feel lucky to have great fans. I feel great things are in the making. As a consumer mind you, music is just a click away.

So, with that in mind...... are you still a music fan?

Peace and thanks as always for your close support.

Kelly

ARTIST ADVICE

Good self-promotion takes a lot more than a shout-out and a link to your MySpace page. One of the biggest mistakes we see artists making time and time again is how they approach media professionals via email. The next time you send an email to a booker, record label, promoter, venue, magazine, blog, or even a fan, keep in mind that practicing smart email etiquette can be the difference between getting a killer gig and a cold shoulder. Remember, the average Radio DJ, music editor, or publicist doesn’t have time to decipher or wade through a long or poorly written email – but neither do they enjoy the cryptic one liner: “check out my music!” So it’s important that your email says just enough and not too much. In order to help you send better emails that produce more favorable results, we pulled together some of CD Baby’s DIY experts to lay out the following guidelines to help you send emails that work. There’s no perfect answer of course, but hopefully these tips will help you avoid the dreaded “delete” button and see some results. Tips for writing successful emails that will bring you success 1. Know who you are e-mailing. Address them by name. Demonstrate appreciation and understanding of their role in the company they work for. 2. Keep it brief. If you answer emails all day (like us), you know that an email that spans more than a few paragraphs will immediately cause a gag reflex. Reading an email from a stranger is much different than reading a letter from a friend, so don’t bother talking about the weather or your last gig. It’s better to hit them hard and fast and leave them wanting more. Imagine you are an opening act: Play your five best numbers and get the heck off the stage, lest you make enemies instead of fans. 3. Use links that are direct and simple. Create a simple signature in your mail program, no longer than four lines and include one or two of your best links. If you have your own website, use that. People who work in the music business are not fond of wading through websites to find sound clips and neither are they fans of waiting for MySpace pages to load. So make sure the links take them to your music quickly. 4. Never use ALL Caps. It is the email equivalent of yelling. 5. Use spell check and correct grammar or you will not be taken seriously. 6. Include the thread of your correspondence in every email. Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for someone in the music industry to get a hundred emails a day. So always give them the benefit of what has been discussed in previous emails by including that text. 7. Have a plan. If they’re interested, you better be prepared to follow through with what is needed. 8. Be real. Don’t puff yourself up. Don’t put yourself down. Be kind, honest, and humble, even if you don’t get what you want. If anything, your attitude will be remembered. Here are a few of the classic email mistakes artists make over and over again: 1. The “what’s up!” approach This email normally sounds more like a text message to a friend than an email to a business professional. It’s usually hard to tell the point of the email and what the artist was hoping for from the recipient. 2. The casual compliment Better than the “What’s Up!” approach, but this email type still leaves a lot to be desired. It usually reads something like, “You guys rock! Let us know if you need an interview!” Chances are the recipient is too busy to figure out how you fit in to what they are doing. 3. The “Too Much information” (TMI) approach This email starts to look more like a ramble and not like a relevant introduction. If you’re heading into a third paragraph, you’ve gone way to far. Just include the important highlights that would be of use to the recipient.

Here are some interesting statistics about Social Networks and music.

*This year, 19% of those surveyed listen to music through SN sites. It’s up 4% from last year.

*Almost half of US teens surveyed listen through SN sites and that’s up 37% from last year.

*Among college aged fans listening to music through SN sites it’s 41%. Last year was 30%.

*The decline of CD purchases was most prevalent among teens and consumers over 50 years old.

The purchase of digital music was 8 million in 2007 and a staggering 36 million in 2009.

Recently, recession has made people buy one song instead of entire albums.

What do all these mean to me? If you are a musician you better make sure you are on all the great Social Network Sites because it’s pretty obvious that that’s where a lot of music lovers are hanging around, too.

I listen to about 14 different podcasts from time to time but these are my favorites for now.

I’m curious as to what podcasts you listen to and like?

Any recommendations?

My Favorite podcasts

1. Fame Games

2. Team 1040 “The Rick Ball Show”

3. CBC news: The World At Six

4. The Dave Ramsey Show

5. CD baby DIY podcast

6. Music Business Radio

7. The Musicians Cooler

8. The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos

9. Stuff You Should Know

10. This American Life

Holding duel citizenship in Canada and Australia, currently residing in Japan, and having spent significant amounts of time in several other countries around the world, pop / singer songwriter Kelly Pettit surely has a lot to write about. His song catalog most likely illustrates the richness of the cultural experiences he has been exposed to over the years. However, my favorite Pettit song is simply a story about a father and son. It’s called, “Stone After Stone,” off of his CD, FUEL, and it’s a great tune.

“Stone After Stone,” is a well-produced and recorded song with a great storyline. The lyrics describe how a young child, who spends time with his father, will someday grow up to be a father himself and possibly be able to return some of the wisdom the elder gave him. In one of my favorite verses, Pettit sings, “I’ve wandered the world for some time now. Rumbled, tumbled and tossed. Looking to share what my life had to bare. Many times lonely and lost. But old man like you I’m complete now. Got a life with a wife and a home. So the river can bend or go straight to its end. For I’ve got me a son of my own.”

The “river” is what Pettit is comparing life to, and he references it throughout the song. Pettit handles this comparison creatively, and quite impressively. The chorus goes, “If everyone’s lives like a river, a river we each call our own. A past left behind, a future to find, rolling on stone after stone.” I think comparing the river to a “past left behind” and a “future to find” is quite an illustrative and innovative way of looking at things. That’s what hooked me in.

Pettit is a multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, guitar, and harmonica) with strong, smooth vocals. He’s recruited a very professional team of recording engineers and musicians to assist him with this recording, and their efforts are paying off. Pettit's CD, FUEL, won him top honors in the Ultimate Band Contest at UBL.com out of a field of 2,000 other bands from around the world. He’s also had some of his music on TV and radio.

You should check out Kelly Pettit’s music for yourself, especially my favorite of his tunes, “Stone After Stone,” off of his FUEL CD. The music is great, the storytelling is moving, and the chorus is fantastic.

Listen here

Canadian native Kelly Pettit knew from a young age that music was his passion. After playing in numerous bands and releasing CDs independently, his journey in pursuit of his dream eventually took him clear across the globe to Japan where his star continued to rise. As a member of the UBL.com musical community he entered the site's Ultimate Band Contest in 2007 competing with over 2000 other artists for the chance to be chosen as the #1 artist on the network. After thousands of votes were cast, Kelly emerged as the victor, giving him exposure to many more potential fans through a promotional partnership with ARTISTdirect. We tracked the singer down in Japan to discuss his musical career to date, his work with UBL and his plans for the future.

Tell me a little bit about growing up. When did you know that music was your passion?

Music was always around the house—my dad played guitar. There was always music around. I had a lot of friends that were musicians at the time. At, probably, 13 or 14-years-old I started rocking out the guitar. I started writing songs and they were really bad at the time. We formed a lot of really bad garage bands. It's a typical story, like most musicians at the time. When I was 16-years-old, my friend got a hold of a 4-track. I don't think anyone knows what that is anymore. It was from 1984-1985. We were like 15 and 16, just writing a bunch of songs. I started recording in a bigger studio, when I was 18 or 19-years-old, and recorded a couple of songs. I moved to Australia, my father's an Australian, and I moved around a bunch of studios over there. I was recording, and singing backup, for a bunch of studios as well.

And as all musicians know, it's never overnight.

Yeah, it's never overnight. You do it because you love it, that's the bottom line. It's been 21 years of experience. I wish I could pack it into a couple of years—the knowledge has taken a long time to accumulate. It's a long process, and hard work at the same time, but it's been fun.

So what bands were you listening to when you first picked up that guitar?

There are so many. I'm from Vancouver, Canada, so Bryan Adams was big back at the time. I was a big Beatles fan, because of my father; and early Rod Stewart. The weird thing, for me, is that I always had a taste that went all over the place. The Cure, Billy Joel, Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album—all that stuff really got under my skin.

All great bands. Did you find when you moved to Australia that making music was different there? How was the transition?

Well, for me, I don't know if there was a transition, being so young. It was just sort of one big event. I was just learning all the time. The music was big—bands like INXS. In Australia there were bands like Cold Chisel—all these bands I'd never heard of. I was introduced to a whole bunch of Australian music like Split Ends and Crowded House. In particular Crowded house and Neil Finn's songwriting styles were something I fell in love with.

You obviously play guitar. I read you also play bass and fiddle as well.

Guitar is my first instrument. The others, I've learned not that very well, to be honest, except the mandolin. I was in a really cool band when I was in Canada going to University. We had an upright bass player, another guitar player, and fiddle player and we traded back and forth. He actually plays in Kelly Clarkson's band now, and was in Shania Twain's band for a while. He's an extremely talented musician. So we were always trading different instruments. I would get lessons from him all the time, the poor guy. He taught me the cool tricks. I never considered myself a fantastic guitarist or instrumentalist. I always thought my strength was in my songwriting. That's always been where my heart has been.

I saw you made your first album back in '97. What was that experience like when you first got into the studio to record a proper album?

I was really lucky, as I mentioned earlier. I was in a three-piece band. We used to be street performers. Long story short, you had to audition for a city to get a permit to play there. We used to go down there on the weekends and play this really cool spot. People from all walks of life would pass by and take this bus from one part of Vancouver to another. Another group down there had a young guy that was studying to become a recording engineer. He found us and asked us if he could do his master's degree with the three of us performing. I came in with a handful of songs, and we recorded eight songs for free. About six months later, I recorded another five or six songs with my own money. Then I sat back, scratched my head, and said, "I've got 14 songs here, I can put a CD together." That's how my first CD came about. It wasn't a plan from A to B.

When you were making those records, did you plan to produce and distribute independently, or did you plan to shop majors?

I never shopped majors. I don't really know why. Maybe it was a lack of knowledge, or a lack of exposure. The first CD came out just before I came to Japan. When I came to Japan, I had the CD with me, and I was performing all these gigs in Japan. The CD was selling like hot cakes and that's when I said, "This isn't a bad little business I started here." I was going to write a CD and see if I could do things on a bigger scale. As you know, this business is changing every day, and it seems as if the majors aren't the way to go anyway. I've kind of been doing these last three CDs in a revolutionary age, where your music evolves to be independent now. You can actually make a living now being an independent artist, whereas 10 years ago you couldn't. It was a lot harder.

It just speaks to the way that you promote. You work hard to promote your music in order to get it out there, especially with this UBL contest you wound up winning.

Yeah, that was tough work. I had a lot of great staff, and a lot of great supporters on board to really help me out with that. Mind you, one of the hardest things about being a musician is that once you have a product, you have to turn around and be a businessman. You've got to buckle up and see if you can make a business out of it. That's what I try to do with the CD, promote it and push it. It's a tough thing to do. Living in Japan, I've got a little bit of a bonus over here because I speak the language, but I have a hard time dealing with a lot of North American stuff at this stage.

When did you first decide to pack up and go to Japan? How did you get into the scene there?

Our band was playing a nightclub, and a Japanese agency approached us and said, "Do you guys want to come over to Japan?" To make a long story short, we packed up and flew over here. We did a six week gig at a couple of different venues. One was a theme park, and one was a five star hotel. It was really cool at the time. A couple members of the band at the time were married, so when the six weeks expired, they went back to Canada. I said to the agency, "I just graduated from university. Do you want me to stick around? Is there anything I can do?" I signed a different contract with them, and that lasted about two or three years. Then I went out on my own. Now that I can speak the language, I've just been marketing myself over here. Between you and me, I'm looking to get back to North America in the near future. I mean Japan's been a fantastic ride. I just feel that, emotionally, I'm at the end of it. I am from Canada, and ten years is a long time to be away from friends and family. I'd like to find a way to get back. I made a lot of connections in Japan being here the past 10 years, and it'll be a tough thing to throw them away, but I need a good kick in the butt anyhow, and a good challenge again.

The adventure is half the fun of being a musician.

Yeah, it is. I mean, it's kind of scary. You wouldn't recommend it to your friends unless they absolutely love it.

Talk to me about the movie scores you worked on.

That was just me trying to network, putting my music out there as much as I could. Some filmmakers put a pretty good movie together—it put a smile on my face. I emailed them and said, "If you guys have anyplace where you need some backup music, give me a call." It was another two or three months before I got an email back from them. They just gave me the feel of the movie. I had to write music without seeing it. I recorded a bunch of stuff, and gave it to them. They threw it in, and it was a good experience. It wasn't a Hollywood movie, but you've got to start there and work your way up.

You've got to find your way in. There's a first step for every journey.

I did a lot of little things like that. I went back to Canada in the summer to promote the CD, and do a thank you tour for the UBL contest that I won. I was in the local news, and in the papers. I did a free show at an outdoor theater. A ton of people came down for that. UBL was great to me, and the contest was tough. I was in a tight race for first place. I had a crew and a team help me out. From Canada to America and Australia to Japan, I had people all over the world cheering for me. When I won, it was such a thrill that so many people put all this energy in it for me.

It's all about the fans. Anything you want to say to your fans now?

Anytime you're in Japan hit me up, KellyPettit.com or myspace.com/KellyPettit. You can also go to CDBaby.com to purchase the CD. iTunes and any other digital serving company out there have my CD as well. If you want me to play in L.A., someone contact me.

—Chas Reynolds
09.18.08

Manage my e-team?

www.kellypettit.com

Not everyone has what it takes to be a street teamer. It takes a loyal and dedicated fan to be a true street teamer. In many cases it also involves having people skills. You can be shy and run away from people. You have to be a little more upfront than that. But just because someone is shy doesn’t mean they can’t help your band.

Welcome to the concept of the e-team. The idea of an e-team is pretty much the same as a street team except e-teamers spread the word online rather than on the streets. This tends to be a little more accessible than a street teams. Fans can now do most of the work from their computers. It’s also a cost efficient alternative to a real street team.

Street teams require a budget in order to print out stickers, send out posters, give away cds, ect… E-teams don’t require you to break the bank, although if there’s any way to pump some money into your e-team efforts, I would suggest that you do.

There’s a lot of avenues for promotion online. You should not take this point for granted. Conducting an e-team doesn’t cost a lot, is relatively easy to do, and can be very effective in promoting your band.

So what should you have members of your e-team do for you? The major thing I would suggest getting your e-teamers to do is to request your song or video to as many stations as possible. If there are video and radio stations paying your song, I would find out if they have a website and special request page. If they do, provide a link for it on your e-team page.

Another suggestion would be to get your e-teamers to spread messages on various music forums. Most forums/message boards are divided by region or interest. A search for key message boards or forums online would be nice. Sometimes this can be a very long and tedious thing to do. Allows your e-teamers to explore and hit forums that they might already be familiar with. Chances are, someone in California visits different forums than someone in New York.

If your fan base consists of mostly teenagers, then there’s a good chance that they chat online with friends that are not necessarily in the same country. So get them to chat about your band.

Distribute MP3s of your best song. There’s a large debate amongst people on whether they stand to benefit from giving their song away. Sit back and think for a minute. If no one hears you, can you still get famous? Give away MP3s of your best tunes to your e-team. This way they can burn their own copies or email your songs to their friends. Yes, the very friends that they might be chatting with from across the world.

These are just some suggestions on what you can do, but sometimes it really depends on the type of band you’re in. Use your own creativity and judgment when making e-team missions. Remember, don’t give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Always clearly suggest what to do and never assume anything of anybody.

Keep things fun and interactive. Nothing in life is free. Don’t expect people to anything for you if you don’t do something in return. Give e-teamers stickers and/or CDs. Email them about shows in advance and put them on your guest list. If you have posters, get the band members to sign them and send those out too. Remember, there are a few costs involved. There will always be costs involved but, if you don’t bother to invest in yourselves, no one else will.

If you’re interested in joining my e-team to help out, please go to www.kellypettit.com

Thanks for reading!!

~Kelly Pettit

As I get older and pick up more responsibility, I find myself working harder to secure a good life. This involves hours of implementing and employing new marketing strategies to make money as an independent musician.

One of the new ideas I have turned into reality has been organizing my own concert and drumming up people to come and watch.

As opposed to getting hired to play a gig somewhere (which can still pay well), I wanted to set the bar higher and take control of the whole concept.

Thanks to some great advice on the internet and support from friends and fans, I have successfully done this 2 times now.

Here is a stripped down version of some of the major details required to hold a live concert.

1) Find a great place to hold it.

You need to find somewhere convenient and make sure it has the acoustics for great sound. I chose a local community theatre here in Japan that has an amazing stage already equipped with lighting, speakers, and all that jazz. It’s also relatively cheap since it belongs to the community.

2) Design the tickets.

I made sure to design some tickets that look professional. The cheaper they look, the less professional you appear also. Do these properly and people will feel like they’re going to watch the real deal when they pay for one.

3) Getting the word out.

This is probably the most important and most difficult part of the whole process. You must do everything in your power to find people to come to the event if you want a successful show. Here are some things that I did.

a) make colour flyers

b) make posters

c) make small pass-outs

d) ask for a radio interview. I went into the local radio station with two other members and performed live.

e) Make an audio commercial about 30 seconds long that you can use on the radio (if you want to pay a small fee for air time) and also you can burn it onto a CD rom with three songs from your CD and pass them out. This was quite successful. I passed out a lot of CD’s as PR and with three free songs and a quick spiel on the upcoming show.

f) Get a street team together. Ask band members and friends to help out. I promised some fans they could come for free if they help sell tickets. You’ll be surprised what a lot of fans will do because they believe in you. I also promised the band two different guarantees. I told them I’d pay them “X” amount of money more, if we sold over 80% of the tickets we made. I was really surprised at the effort they put into helping out.

g) Make sure you start the campaigning a good 2 months in advance. People need time to plan and spread the vibe of the event.

h) Talk about it all the time. Don’t push it in peoples faces but there are ways of talking about the event that don’t come across as sales. “I went to bed late last night because I was rehearsing with the band”. You never asked anyone to come but you refreshed their memory that you’re working hard towards the gig.

i) Offer prizes like t-shirts (if you have them), or free CD’s.

j) Ask local shops if you can put a poster on their window.

k) Play at local CD stores for free.

4) How can you make the show unique?

In other words, how can you justify charging people to come to your show? For me, since this was my second time doing this, I wanted to step up the game and make it better than the first time. The first concert I held on my own consisted of 4 band members. This time, I invited two friends (who are pro musicians) to come spend some time with me in Japan and do the gig making it a 6 piece band. They wanted the holiday/experience and the Japanese were thrilled to have two professional foreign musicians adding heaps of colour to the show. I should point out that I held this concert in a relatively rural area. This was to my advantage because more of the local people don’t normally get an opportunity to see a rock concert so close by. It was easier to convince people that they’re about to see something normally held in Tokyo.

5) Practice.

Let’s face it, if you want to impress your fans and make them leave the concert feeling they spent their money wisely, practice hard and make the band tight!

6) Please those around you first!

If you want to do this again in the future then your name is important. Don’t get too greedy and try to keep every single penny you made from the gig. You might want to do this because you worked 99% harder than anyone else did to make this happen. However, paying the right people and doing it fairly is good business. They will be willing to do more for you next time and you’ll even find more doors opening for you.

7) Make a to do list.

Organization is key to everything running smoothly. I had several lists and still found it hard to keep everything running well.

8) Day of the gig.

Check your lists. Be prepared for things to go wrong. Try to stay calm and don’t snap at anyone. If you’re going to have a moment, find a place to chill for a minute.

9) Showtime!

Get out on that stage and play like there’s no tomorrow. Do your thing and do it as best you can. Don’t leave anything behind because this is your moment to prove that you’re worthy to be there!

10) Sell CD’s.

Sell them at a low price and come out into the lobby with the band and sign them. Chat and take pictures and be personable! Leave a sheet they can sign with their email address and contact info. This is really important for future contact.

11) Next day.

You’re still not done. Now, you have lots of thank you’s, and last minute payouts and things to do. Don’t just leave your fans forgotten. They are your bread and butter so personally thank as many as you can!

I’m sure there are other things that I’ve forgotten to mention but in general these are the basics. For me, the key to success is not leaving it all to the last minute and more importantly, making sure that everyone is happy.

Go get ‘em!