The Unsigned Moan

I’m fed up of the noise.

2009-11-07T13:39:00.006Z

I’m fed up of the noise. I’m fed up of the same non-personalities being presented to us as the newest musical offering and I’m also annoyed that, seemingly, the understood alternative seems to be those artists who rely on ‘fashion’ alone (that is, arbitrary imagery that could be termed ‘random’ that is in fact nothing more than a desperate attempt for the artist to appear ‘original’ or indeed different, just by putting a hat on upside down, or wearing strange colours. Unless you have substance, the pictures are just a cloak to hide the artist’s lack of depth.)

Whilst the MySpaces and other sites no longer seem to command the channel to the masses as they once would have hoped to, the conveyor belt of ‘personalities’ offered to users on ‘featured artists’ are apparently only ever aimed at those people who can’t think for themselves. Until we consolidate a service that offers what we want, how we want, when we want, it seems that the white noise is going to continue. When people ask you to look something up on the internet, you no longer say “I’ll look that up online’, you say “I’ll Google it”… Until we get a music website where buying, browsing, discovery and spreading music is as well-known, established and trusted as Google is to searching for things, it’s going to be a rough ride for artists of depth.

Never before has being genuinely original, in a way that isn’t easily tangible, or replicated, been so important.

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

...Sometimes they find you.

2009-08-29T02:59:00.005+01:00

The desire for new music discovery is as strong as ever. But everything’s extremely scattered. A million sites, nothing’s really that intuitive, and most sites don’t really cater to genre specific perceptions of how music should be ‘branded’ and used/shared.

Blogs are good, but you’re reliant on the pace and choices of the blogger, so you can only get ‘close’ to what you’re looking for. As individuals I think we want to feel we’ve done some work in ‘finding’ new music, so blogs don’t fully satisfy our ‘browsing’ needs. Blogs are also full of white noise too, and you either have to download an mp3 to listen, or stream, rarely both are offered…

Indie music stores are dying. I think we need to try and mimic what was good about the indie store. The ability to browse at leisure. No real pressures, dipping in and out as you wish. Browsing the artwork too, or indeed other products on offer, t-shirts, mp3 players… a casual wandering. Maybe with a ‘radio’ stream in the background, that you can either block out or let play… a sense that you’re the boss and it’s as random or as specific as you want. You can either jump straight to that artist you’re after, and buy the CD and leave, or look to find something else… The ability to think “I feel like some acoustic music, with a hint of indie", and for that need to be met.

The major sites don’t really cater for the indie-store-browser. MySpace’s ‘top artists’ rarely change, or have any meaning… and we’ve all seen that ‘band photo’ on a ‘band feature’ on a million sites – you know, that picture with four guys looking sternly but cool, but with nothing behind the poses. Just ego and hollow melody.

PureVolume has a quite a nice idea when searching, where you tick box certain genres, and then bands (which can choose to call themselves three genres) are listed. You select A, B, C, genre, and bands with A, D, F, or B, C, G, appear. I’m also pretty sure you used to be able to exclude genre, maybe I’m wrong, but I thought that was handy.

So what does this mean for the unsigned artist?

I guess it means make yourself as indie-store-browser friendly as possible. Findable by the stumbling music discoverer. Broaden what you do out, then get specific. Try and reduce to what bits you are, what little bits make the whole. If you’re the Beach Boys, think, we sing about surfing, but not only that, surfing is a sunny feeling, hot weather, maybe we should look into that aspect. Surround yourself with similar bands by association. Your top friends on MySpace, (now I know you’re thinking, ergh, MySpace, but people still go to bands’ MySpaces) make some of the top friends ‘similar’ bands. But don’t over do it, only have a few ‘top friends’ a huge list does nothing. Not only that, when you are in conversation with fans, look at their profiles, learn the other bands they like, you might be able to recommend a band to them. Show them you add value on that score… or dare I even say it? Be human. As Andrew Dubber says it’s all about having a conversation.

On my MySpace page, I link to videos of my influences. This allows people to discover random artists, or allows them to think, ‘oh right, oh I do feel like some Green Day’ and clicking the link. (and whilst it technically is a ‘huge list’, it’s running parallel to my bio and info, so it’s more like on a music blog, or another area of content, rather than a long list of links…see?) It allows browsing people to jump around, follow their whim…. Just like in a music store…

…and just like in a music store, people don’t like to be bothered, or advertised at. Big displays get noticed, and largely ignored. If you find and know what your context is, you can better position yourself within it. Try and work out what makes up the artist you are. Mirror artists in your style area and try and offer value that’s not wholly based around you. That doesn’t mean copy them, but see the peripheral areas the ideas and music flow into. Learn where you fit.

If you make good music people want to find you. So get your music out there so they can. But know that they might just be browsing. Music is all about moods, even in the discovery stage. Be in and around the right context, for the browsers in the right mood for your music – then your music does the talking, but let the fan start the conversation hey? It’s not always about going to them… sometimes they find you.

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

Twitter – Are you all you’re cracked up to be?

2009-08-16T17:06:00.003+01:00

I doubt I use twitter properly. I doubt I’m alone in this.

I interact, I talk to people. I post tweets that have links in, some that don’t have links in, some that are ‘insight tweets’ (that is, “I think I’ll make some coffee now”), I’ve used hashtags, I’ve @replied to ‘famous’ people, I’ve spoken of content that’s not my own, I’ve RT’d people’s posts…

…and yet, I’m left feeling… what real value’s it added?

At the end of the day, it depends who’s listening. I know twitter has this and that benefit, but it’s white noise a lot of it, even if you follow good tweeters.

I see twitter as a catch 22. If you already have a network outside of twitter, or lean towards the techy side of things, it’s a nice little tool to give some quick ‘texts’ to the world about this and that. But if you enter twitter as a way of building from the bottom-up, it doesn’t really help you make that many connections. If I’m honest, I also don’t think twitter is all that good as a conversation medium; you have to limit what you say to 140 characters, make sure you put the correct @name within it, remember what you were saying before in another tweet you made,….blah bu-blah… Yes, yes, I’m sure you’re reading this thinking, ‘if you only did this or that, you’d get so much more out of it…’ Really? Actual real-terms, benefit? I’m not so sure. But anyway, that’s my point. I bet I’m not alone in this. I don’t find twitter that intuitive. I’m also unconvinced that following the bands I like adds much value, I think a blog on their website is much better. Is this twitter thing not just more needless transparency… silly information age we live in.

I’m also unconvinced that knowing about a new ‘demo’ a band is working on, or knowing a band is looking to record a new song, is that good-a piece of information. Am I the only one that prefers falling in love with the ‘finished song’ and then finding out about the process, or inspirations, or hearing the demo, or context AFTERWARDS?... When I’VE decided it’s worth delving into the detail?

It’s like band ‘bios’. I didn’t have one for a long time. I’ve since written a brief paragraph or too. But when I discover a new artist, I want first, very first, to hear a snapshot of a song or two, so I know where I am. Then, if I fall in love with the music and act, I’ll look deeper. I don’t want to have to wade through information to get the basics, not at first… and I sure as hell don’t give a shit about how old you were when you first started singing - I care about what the result is. If I like the music you make, I’ll then go looking for more information and history.

From a music/artist point of view, unless you actually respond personally to your fans on twitter, I think twitter is much like any other tech-fad. Bands will use it, but no real positive, tangible benefit will arise.

All this said; I have made some connections on twitter. But I’ll bet no more than any other similar forum might have helped make. I know it’s seemingly fashionable to either love or hate twitter… I just think, at least from the unsigned band perspective, it’s just another internet medium to get lost in. You’ll have some success, the harder you work with it... I think you’re better off concentrating on sending out demos and emails though.

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

Wait.

2009-08-10T12:34:00.003+01:00

Whilst looking for advice on how to progress as an unsigned artist it seems very common to find articles that say “10 steps to gaining radio play”, or some such article. Now, some of these articles obviously do have value and good advice. (Although, they’re always a nice round number aren’t they? That’s lucky.) There seems to be a lot of talk of “steps”, “Dos and Don’ts” although I can’t recall a “Dos and Don’ts” article that has a “Do” for one genre and has the same action as a “Don’t” for another genre. Is that not the problem with the discovery services too? Genres differ on how the fans need to be reached.

We all know the industry is changing. But I don’t seem to see many articles saying “Bide your time” or “Let the dust settle”. Things are cyclical, is that not the considered view? Then soon enough something will come along where the monetary value is back funding the industry again. Keep plugging away until the new systems kick in.

S’all dandy.

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

Local Radio Interview

2009-07-21T20:21:00.004+01:00

On 23rd Feb 2009 I had an interview on Spirit FM with Milly Luxford (On air (UK, Chichester) at 96.6, 102.3 & 106.6FM and online at spiritfm.net)

Here is that interview:

Part One

SpiritFm Interview with Stuart Newman (Part 1) by stuarttnewman

Part Two

SpiritFm Interview with Stuart Newman (Part 2) by stuarttnewman

SpiritFM: http://www.spiritfm.net/sn/features/studio-b2/

Motivation

2009-06-23T16:36:00.003+01:00

You gotta keep going. That’s the simple truth isn’t it? Motivation, you’ve got to find it.

It’s getting harder to get noticed (see my previous blog). So if you give up, the other artists fighting to get heard move one step further ahead of you. Sure, it’s still possible for opportunities to come your way, if you leave your MySpace up; occasionally reply to messages, there’s still a chance you’ll succeed. Not likely though is it.

Think how many ‘nearly’-music-history-makers there are. Think how many Kurt Cobains, Eminems, Johnny Cashs, John Lennons gave up, unknowingly, right before a big break. Think how many bands like REM nearly formed, but didn’t. Think how many brilliant songs we’ll never be able to hear, because they were never written. The context never materialised. Do you want to be one of the ‘never rans’?

Not only that, would you want to see a mediocre band take the place of your band in the music universe? Just because you didn’t reply to those emails or reply to those fan messages, but they did with theirs? If you believe in your talents in music, you have to work hard to get them heard. Go the extra mile.

A lot of times you’ll feel like you’re talking to a wall. No responses. You’ll be ignored. Feel nobody cares. So what? Keep going. If you believe you’re good enough, and your voice must be heard. Keep going. There will be times when you will be answering emails or fan comments, where you don’t think it’s worth your time and effort. Maybe in hindsight it will have been a waste of time. So what? It’s your passion isn’t it? Either you want this or you don’t.

I’m not saying it’s easy. But that’s the point. Think of the satisfaction if you get there. You’ll have put in the work, and it’ll have paid off. For every artist who found success easily, there are fifty that worked damn hard, just to get a chance at something, maybe, possibly, happening for them. You’re working damn hard to get a chance. That’s all. A chance. Luck is still a major player in that first big step. But you’ve got to be in a position for it to occur.

So what’s my advice on gaining the motivation and resilience you need? You can head over to musicthoughts.com A website started by Derek Sivers, which contains a few quotes here and there about music and things. A few of the phrases might help inspire you. You should also do your best to find the songs that ‘reach you’. The one’s that make you go and do something. Maybe put them on a playlist for you, for when you feel beaten. Just think, what would the ‘hard working me’ do for my music today?

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

Special Offer

2009-06-19T14:44:00.004+01:00

Getting noticed. That’s got to be one of the hardest things to do in music today. The barriers to entry are basically gone. No new thoughts here, we all know this is true. So you’ve got to be able to create yourself the opportunities. You’ve got to create the attention… oh, and shouting and being crude is unlikely to work. How many rappers are there on MySpace saying they’re the best rapper ever? 20 moronzillion? Please [insert the old familiar suggestion here] (A term mentioned here by Paul Simon)

Shouting ‘listen to me I’m brilliant’ doesn’t work. Maybe it worked when we all had one TV channel, but now, a million channels, a million ‘who cares?’.

So, you need to be as creative in promoting yourself as you are with the art you are offering to the world:.

Even with creativity in your promotions, nothing is guaranteed. You can’t guarantee they’ll open your package, or listen to your songs. You’re playing the odds. The more you put out there, and the more innovative the ideas associated with it, the more chance you’ll get some sort of feedback. Also, to refer to my previous blog, the more ‘quintessentially you’ it is all is, the more it’s likely to gain you some sort of feedback. Although, beware of ‘gimmicks’. It sets a precedent for your music. If you give away free albums now, or give away free t-shirts etc, it may be expected later on. Decide what is appropriate for you.

One of the common complaints being unsigned for most people (I would imagine) is being ‘rejected’ by labels and people. If you’ve had the experiences I’ve had with it, rejection is a luxury. Sure, you get some responses, but not very many. At least if they reply to your email or that demo you sent, you’ve had some feedback! Never hearing back from the endless emails and demo-sendings is more annoying than rejection, trust me. Being rejected gives you information. If you don’t want my music, reject me please! Sure, it might tell you, you suck. Good, I’d rather know that now than 20 years time. Hell, I want to be a success, of course I do. But, whilst music runs through my veins, and it’d be great to work in music, I’m not going to waste away as a result, if I’m not good enough. I’m fully behind me and my music, but it’s not all I offer. Whilst I’m trying to succeed in music I’m going to make an obsessive look like a part-timer. It’s damn competitive out there, and there will always be somebody putting in a little more effort here and there. So whilst the dream is still there, I’m working at it on the front burner. Sure, you can carve out a career if you want to, taking years and years, plugging away - go for it. Good luck to you. I’m fully aware that it’s not all going to happen overnight, and it takes effort and commitment to succeed. But I’m damned if it’s the source of all my talents. Judgement is as important in all this as anything.

The people that I look up to the most, seem to be those that if they weren’t utterly brilliant in their known field, would be great in another. Just look the strings to the bow of Robin Williams, of Stephen Fry, of Kevin Spacey (All non-music I know, but I’ll elaborate further about this later). If Kevin Spacey wasn’t known for his acting and theatre work, wouldn’t he have been brilliant in something else. As an impressionist maybe? It might not have been his chosen calling, his passion, but he could have made a career from it potentially. As it is, (from what I know of Kevin Spacey), the impressions and his story telling in interviews just helps create what is Kevin Spacey. Great additions to his character that help him not only seem ‘fuller’ and more remarkable as a person, but demonstrate the tools that allow him ‘add value’ to his craft.

Music doesn’t operate in isolation. It’s a commenter on life. It explains things we didn’t know we felt, or explores ideas, or phrases we didn’t know we needed. Without the parallels to draw on within your life, music would be hollow. Not only is music a product that comes out of life and living, music gets absorbed and becomes an ‘inputter’ to you life.

Because music doesn’t operate in isolation, don’t forget about the other bows you might offer. I for one have tried to add a bit of ‘digital art’ to my ‘brand’ as a songwriter. I haven’t yet released an album, but do I have ideas for the artwork? Damn right I do. In these days of DIY and low barriers to entry, you’ve got to show what else you offer, if you can. Don’t forget subtlety though. Music has always been as much about how you say things, as well as how and what you don’t.

It’s these opinions that make me think that as a songwriter you should be branching out with your ideas. Seth Godin (‘Seth’s Blog’) writes short emails/blogs about marketing. It’s not usually about music, but it makes you think a little differently. TED.com, videos and lectures about ideas and innovations. Again, not about music, but damn thought provoking.

It’s about building your arsenal. What you offer. See this man, Will Smith: (see: 23.00, about wall building, and see 48.50 for his comments on what he offers):

Now whilst Will Smith doesn’t agree he’s ‘the best’ at anything, it’s the whole package that makes him great. We are talking about synergies here. You can have success with a few strings to your bow, but if you have multiple strings, you can cross over and overlap your talents and potentially enter areas of greatness. As Smith says, build each brick.

If you start becoming successful within music, you’re likely to run into actors, writers and so on. These people MAY become people within music and the arts that you’ll want to know. We still live in a ‘you scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours’ world. If you hold the door open for people now, it might open doors for you later.

It seems to me that, it comes down to what your ‘special offer’ is. What are you offering me that I can’t find better, in that combination, elsewhere? Learn and pool your talents, and if you can condense greatness into a song or two, awesome.

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

Being me, being you, aha.

2009-06-18T17:51:00.003+01:00

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you fell into the idea of songwriting. I didn’t plan each stage. I didn’t plan ‘what am I going to achieve’. I wrote a few songs, then a few more, and now we’re here. But things evolve and you learn a few things. Who you are. What you stand for. There’s also an idea floating around that it’s as important to know what you’re not, as what you are. You will never please everyone, so don’t try to. Derek Sivers (CD Baby founder) features on a number of videos on YouTube talking about such things. Here are a couple of examples:

I think there are a number of ways you can go to be successful and also be true to the art. Be entirely yourself, or become a persona you understand 100%, a persona you are under-the-skin of. This can be for your career or just an album (as Derek says in the video). You need to know what you offer and how you offer it. You need to be able to know the essence of what you are offering. If you are trying to be someone you’re not, or a persona you don’t fully grasp, you’re likely to fail. Simply because you won’t have the soul of who you are, or the persona you play, pouring out of you in every aspect of your musical endeavours. The intangible incidentals of who you are need to be present. It’s the little things that will back up the big picture. ‘Being sustainable’ seems to be an idea buzzing around. Sure, you can fake it for a hit or two, but if you want the career, I think you need more. Johnny Cash lived his music. Johnny Cash WAS his music. You’ve got to learn what is quintessentially you, and how that applies to other aspects.

In this next video, Derek talks about ‘The Pitch’. A concise phrase that sums you up. Sums you up enough, and captures your essence enough, to create enough intrigue that the written or spoken word that talks of your music entices somebody to go looking for your music:

I took this advice of getting a ‘pitch’, because it helps you nail that quintessential essence of who you are. (Here comes some more shameless plugging of my music, deep breath). Below you can hear my music. I’ll then let you know what phrase/pitch I decided upon for my music after you’ve had a chance to sample it:

<a href="http://stuartnewman.bandcamp.com/album/single-but-defective-unreleased-demo">51st State by Stuart Newman</a>

I decided upon two phrases. “Mellow musings that resonate” and “A Beatley Nick Drake”. The first phrase was formed by repeatedly being told by fans I have a ‘mellow’ sound and that my words ‘resonate’ with them. The second phrase was given to me by a fan… they said “hey, you sound like a Beatley Nick Drake”. So, I take my fans word for it, and I use that too. I’m never going to be able to 100% separate my internal views on my own music enough to see myself through others’ eyes, so the fans know things about me I don’t, so that view seems a good one to me. Listen to the fans feedback and put it in the pot.

More of these videos of Derek Sivers can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ArielPublicity . These videos are thought provoking, even if I’m not 100% behind everything mentioned in them. Only you can decide what applies to you and your music.

Learn who and what you are. Learn what you’re not. Understand how to convey the essence that is you, and let it evolve.

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

Unsigned = freedom

2009-06-18T15:33:00.001+01:00

Being unsigned. Or is it ‘being independent’? Does it matter? What matters is being internally validated. Seeking external validation by ‘getting a record deal’ is likely to cause you problems, and maybe make you compromise. It would still be great to be signed though, right? I’ll admit, I’ve thought having a record label association would help my own validation….make you a ‘proper band’. But I don’t have one and times are changing. The point at which you need one has moved up stream, you can damn well paddle further than before on your own. Unsigned = freedom. Nowadays, the ‘record label’ isn’t what it was.

If you’re unsigned, right now, you can create anything. No obligations. No ‘previous album’ to influence your work now. In fact, as a songwriter, you should be creating entire catalogues of albums in your mind everyday. Some you will never see or hear from again, because you won’t capture them. But at the unsigned stage, anything could be just about to happen… Being called ‘unsigned’ isn’t a problem. Being unknown is. But it’s not all bad. Being unknown means your mistakes are unmonitored. If you put out a crappy demo and it sucks, so what? You haven’t got a reputation yet. One thing’s for sure, if you’re not behind what you’re doing, your chances of success are halved:

I watched a Dustin Hoffman interview on ‘Inside the Actors Studio’, and at one stage he quoted Picasso: "At one point, he said, 'If they took away all my paints, I'd use pastels, if they took away my pastels, I'd use crayons, if they took away my crayons, I'd use a pencil. If they put me in a cell, and stripped me of everything, I'd spit on my finger and draw on the wall. ' ” (The gist of the quote)

You’ve got to have that in you. Sure, some people have succeeded without it, but would YOU want to? I for one want to be known for writing THAT album, or writing THAT song. Is success really worth it, in soul-nourishment terms, if you’re mediocre, and are only successful because you were in the right place at the right time, to fulfil some marketers idea of what sells if people are bombarded with adverts and have that band shoved down their throats? Gimme anonymity over that. I want to be too good for my success to be doubtful. Give me Eminem forcing his way onto my MP3 player, give me Radiohead saying -screw your idea of what a ‘song’ is-. Make my music into something people can obsess over should they wish to. Make luck something you attract, not something you randomly find.

In today’s world 15 minutes of fame is generous. If you’re a one-trick pony, good luck.

I suppose what this blog is all about, is just to give a perspective from someone who’s been unsigned for a little while, and to point out a few things I think I’ve learned and a few resources I’ve found. The ideas I write about in this blog won’t all be original thoughts, of course they won’t be. The majority of the thought-provoking resources I’ve been using are below:

Artists House Music
Derek Sivers
Lefsetz Letter
New Music Strategies
Seth's Blog (Marketing)

These are people to subscribe to and read. I’m just trying to help point people towards those resources and to offer a few of my own thoughts and opinions.

(If anybody feels they want any of these ideas referenced etc, to works previous published by them, just let me know. My resources and main references of ideas are listed on my blog. So any ideas you want linked from these sites, just let me know. I’m passing on ideas I’ve come across and I’m adding my opinions to the mix.)

Unsigned (Poem)

2009-06-17T20:24:00.002+01:00

They aren’t what they were, man, they’ve changed,

I still have their early stuff, but man, that’s lame.

So they put in that effort, so what? Press skip,

Hours to connect with fans, and really, that’s it?

Who do these guys think they are, aspiring with art?

Putting it out there, who cares if it’s smart?

All that crap music I wish I could ‘unfind’,

Man, life’s a bitch when you’re being unsigned.

Get a label? Or stay on your own?

Hey, while you’re at it, let’s all have a moan.

Stop stealing my music, stop stealing my pop,

Well, offer fans better and then maybe they’ll stop.

So make kick-ass tunes and they’ll come around,

Fans are still fans, and they’ll still want your sound.

Welcome the change, hell why not indeed?

The old rules are over, listen, music’s been freed.

by Stuart Newman