10 Key Steps you must take to Succeed in the Music Business
Finally, we get to launch the site.
It’s taken at least three months longer than expected and it may well be a little wobbly and scruffy for a while whilst we get our heads around how Wordpress works!
Bear with us, please. It might not look like we have done a lot, seeing as this is a simple blog with just the one post so far. But, I promise, we have done a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes and have written around 100,000 words of advice to publish here, in email newsletters and eBook guides as we move forward.
Please check the ‘About’ page and the ‘Why’ page for more background about what this is all about.
Then, please go and download the free guide from the sign-up box on the right. In many ways, that is what the work we have done to get this site up is all about. It only exists as an avenue for us to pass on advice and that eBook is the first bit. I’m really proud of it and think that there’s a lot of wise words that you won’t often hear from people in the Music Business. It’s solid straight-forward advice about what you need to do to make it as a musician and artist.
Once you’ve read it, come back to this post and leave a comment. We really value your thoughts and will do our best to find the time to respond and give as much advice as we can.
Go on – download the free Guide now.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Ian,
But, the VOICE………. (‘Can’t get no satisfaction’ playing in head)
While I didn’t WANT to agree with everything in your ‘10 key steps you must take to succeed in today’s music business’, I couldn’t disagree, even when I wanted to. Yes, even about having an attractive lead singer. I would add a refining point, however. Thinking back on Clay Aiken’s success, the first thing American Idol did after he had proven he had talent was to make him more ‘user friendly’. While he’ll never be handsome, he turned out pretty cute in an offbeat way. IMHO his rise to prominence on AI should be a model to others who aren’t traditionally attractive. An easy exercise as it was broadcast to us, week by week. As a final point, each person’s definition of attractiveness is varied. One man’s meat is another’s dog food. Speaking of dog food, I’ve never understood Mick Jagger’s appeal to members of my gender. Ew…….
And, I’ll end with that, IMHO THE definitive ‘hook’ song.
Molly
March 19th, 2009 at 2:47 am
So if you’re not traditionally attractive let slip your dream of being a lead singer? I think there were some good ideas in your book but this was really a bit discriminating.
March 19th, 2009 at 8:26 am
I’m not saying that you can’t make it without a traditionally attractive lead singer – there are plenty of examples where someone different, quirky or even downright odd, has made the grade. But….if you aren’t attractive, then, to have your best shot, you need very special attributes to compensate. I don’t like it any more than you do, but it’s an unfortunate truth in this very nasty and shallow business.
The point of the book is to try to set out the things you need to do to have the very best shot, and that would be one thing I, as a manager, would be looking at. I suppose the real bottom line is not, ‘is this person attractive?’, but more, ‘is this person a star?’
April 21st, 2009 at 9:44 am
Ian,
I like that better re: “Is this person a star.” Charisma is what people respond to more than looks, IMHO.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Hi,
I have found your information very useful. Some of your advice I was or I’am aware of at present. I think its a great thing you guys are doing, sharing valuable advice to muscians.
June 1st, 2009 at 9:32 am
When i read your 10 keys steps, i realised i had actually done about 8 of them…..and i’;m definately in agreement with them…..
I find all the e-mails you send through, regarding various things like social media sites and going about utilising them to the utmost , very helpful and intersting!!! thanks guys!
June 8th, 2009 at 8:40 am
We’ve received sound advice from these guys (’scuse the pun) and we’ve seen our fan base building up gradually thanks to the Myspace tips, it is definitely worth $17 (that’s just over £10 to us Brits).
Most of the advice though is free and you can’t complain at that!
June 14th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
All things we had already worked out.
But if you want to save time, plus trial and error.
JUST READ THE GUIDE !
Not realy optional these days if you want to make it.
Cheers
June 17th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Hi, I have to say I am learning a lot from the emails and the guide – I’m ramping up a major new project and after years of watching them fizzle out after a while I am determined that this one is going to have the energy to get somewhere. To that end I am trying to make maximum use of every resource I can… but having limited time, I have to be as efficient as I can with where I put the time and energy I am able to budget for promotion. Getting a couple of focused, tested tips once a week or so is a great help, so I’m quite glad I signed on. Keep them coming!
thanks again,
tobias
June 29th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I do agree an attractive lead singer is a plus, we are lucky enough to have 22 year old male lead w/ blond hair and blue eyes, about 6 foot, I do see one thing that glares at me w/ a lot of local live acts I have seen. That is that they come to their gigs dressed like they just came from a backyard barbecue, Sandals, shorts, wife beater t-shirt.! Now I am not so old as to forget grunge but, I believe that including having a great tight sound you have to remember that when non musicians come to a show you are presenting yourself as one or more of their fantasies. It is not enough.IMHO, to play extremely well, you also have to present an aura of being something they are not.! I don’t mean this to sound as though we. as musicians are better people than our audience, I mean it in the sense that when you see a great musician play, say for example, Stevie Ra y, or Steven Tyler, I know , I date myself but, the point is, when either of them were in the studio, they were in say, jeans and a t, and all the movement and expressions are not there. I can tell you, as a guitar player of over 30 years that I do not need to strain to bend a string 2 octaves but, when I play live I make it look hard as hell. The dress, the movement, the interaction w. your audience needs to be honed as much as your playing ability and you can watch video of any of your favorite icons and find that this is absolutely true. Our studio has a wall of mirrors built into it just for that purpose, to see how we look to our audience. No mirrors, find a video camera. I know this is a long winded response but eh,! you asked for it, and I truly believe the show is a major part of the success. If you are not gorgeous, You should at least dress to the part and move w/ the music. Watch an old Temptations video, you think those guys just moved like that naturally, HMMMMM.?
July 27th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Man this guide is awesome! Some of the material I have always known but I love the refresher course as well I was able to show others that I wasn’t making this shit up. Everything discussed in the manual is pertinent. I Manage a recording Studio In Scottsdale Arizona (Crush Recording Studios) and almost every band that comes through the doors wants me to help them take it to the HNL so I just sit them down in front of the guide and tell them to read this first then we can discuss a strategy. It’s been a life saver. I look forward to the updates and add-ons sent to my e-mail as well.
Keep up the good work.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Well, thanks. We do try to tell it like it is and give great advice as much as we can.
Ian
August 5th, 2009 at 3:03 am
thanx for the great advice, most of it i thought was basically common sense but i did appreciate being reminded of some key points like networking and band image et al, i’m the oldest member of our band but one of the youngest looking members (i’m blessed with good genes)i’m 35 but am constantly mistaken for being mucho younger, 22 was the last incorrect guess of my age, i’m not really bothered about this as i’m the drummer an i don’t think my age will be a problem i notice lot’s of bands nowadays have a much older member, my experience has gained us loads of gigs and i have a good rapport with promoters, sound engineers etc, anyways the advice you give is fundamentaly very good, keep it coming my friend, alex
August 5th, 2009 at 3:10 am
i’d like to add as Sibling Rivalry said, the information u provide is invaluable and i really appreciate the fact you are sending it to me for free, cheers guys, keep it comig and check out The Katet. alex inferno
November 12th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
I’m not young, and no longer wishing to make it in the conventional sense – but have found the tips and emails from Ian & Amanda useful and a means to concentrate my mind on what I can do. Further (and maybe this is my lack of attention) it would be great if they tackled “making it” from different perspectives (such as song publishing)…I’ve been lucky in that an ageing geezer like me can write, perform and record songs quite easily these days – my only problem seems to be making a true living out of it!!!! Thanks again Ian & Amanda and for taking the trouble to respond to my emails.
November 12th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Thanks for takin the time and effort to share your wisdom and experience.
November 20th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Your blogs and information are extremley helpful in starting up a music company. Please continue spreading the knowledge. Louis
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:37 pm
hey ian i enjoyd the new letters ive joind a band in my area and the drummer only wants to play out twice a month & me & the lead singer wants to play out every weekend
im learning lots from the letters
the band im in the drummer & lead guitar player only wanna play classic rock only
songs they chose are way out of date & me & the singer we have current songs
im talking bout cover songs ……
me & the singer wanna play goth style music but the other 2 members are in there 50s
me & the singer are in our 30s cause in my area the clubs & bars are where people in there 20s 30s go to 2 listen to current cover songs by a band theres not any goth clubs or bars here in my area …..so should me & singer stay with this old band or move on….
February 24th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Joe
That’s always a tough choice and only you can know whether the band you are in is going to give you what you want – whether that’s regular local gigs and a little beer money or some big commerical success.
It sounds to me like you’re thinking that a new line-up with some younger guys into the same style is what you want.
If it is, then I’d go for it.
Ian