how to make people give a damn about your band

[ryanstanley]

 

Originally posted by zachoff quick & dirty...

 

 

was this part a comment on the recording?

 

or a pretext to the comment?

[ryanstanley]

Originally posted by bassgirl9 Those sound like dangerous words to me. Be yourself, dude.

 

 

well that's exactly what im trying to work on

 

when i sound like myself, i sound more mature... but right now i just have so many bad habits from previous bands, it's hard to allow my natural vocal style to come through. i'm just so used to forcing myself into a pop-punk singer

[bassplayer7770]

Originally posted by ryanstanley wha? that's exactly what you're saying....

 

No, that's what you can think about outside the gig. Not necessarily while you're playing. Sometimes during gigs I DO try to think about when and how to interact with the audience, but that's only because it doesn't necessarily come naturally to me. We have tried to think of some ways to better interact with our audience BEFORE we get to the gigs because we need to work on that. It's a work in progress.

 

Ultimately, when the music you're playing is pleasing the listeners, then they might "give a damn" about your band.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by Wolftopus I couldn't disagree with anything more. Please everyone? That's like selling out for free. There is definitely a business aspect to playing in a band but pleasing everyone should be the last thing on your mind. Networking is important and establishing a good relationship with other bands doesn't hurt.

 

 

Keep in mind that the topic of this thread is specifically how to develop a following. How to please a large group of people is what is being asked here.

[Craig Vecchione]

Originally posted by ryanstanley ...the fact that we're still a little sloppy. which we're working on a lot.... we're taking a two-week break from normal songwriting to just practice and get better at what we've got--- i think it'll help a lot another problem is that our sound doesnt have much mass appeal and while people recognize that we're good at what we're doing and are pretty original, it's usually just not their thing.

 

Those are two rather big issues. Nobody wants to follow a band that doesn't play their "thing". And nobody wants to even stay the evening listening to a sloppy band.

 

Unless of course, it's the Rolling Stones.....(exception to every rule, eh?)

[ivanthetrble]

Originally posted by Craigv Those are two rather big issues. Nobody wants to follow a band that doesn't play their "thing". And nobody wants to even stay the evening listening to a sloppy band. Unless of course, it's the Rolling Stones.....(exception to every rule, eh?)

 

Maybe that is why Stones songs are hard to cover. They have a certian off-ness that is hard to reproduce.

[ryanstanley]

well i'm not saying it's a necessarily bad perspective, it just depends on what you're doing this for

 

and like craig said, you were only answering the topic

 

but still, that IS what you were saying, im just confused as to why you'd say you weren't, when we can all see you say it

 

and whether you think about it before the gig or during it is irrelevant... it's the concept of thinking about that at all that people might have a problem with

 

but whatever, it's pointless to argue about this, i appreciate your point of view

[bassplayer7770]

 

Originally posted by ryanstanley and whether you think about it before the gig or during it is irrelevant... it's the concept of thinking about that at all that people might have a problem with

 

 

You're obviously thinking about it. Why else would you have posted this thread?

 

"Everybody" probably wasn't the best word to use...

[ryanstanley]

Originally posted by Craigv Those are two rather big issues. Nobody wants to follow a band that doesn't play their "thing". And nobody wants to even stay the evening listening to a sloppy band. Unless of course, it's the Rolling Stones.....(exception to every rule, eh?)

 

well like i said we're working on the sloppy thing

 

and as for the other issue, what's a band to do about that? it's not like we're just going to purposely change our sound for the sole reason that people dont like it enough...

 

we can't exactly help how we sound, anyway.. we just kind of play what comes out, until we like something... then we use it. you know? i cant see any band actually just going "hmm, what would be real popular around here.... oh, i've got it! ok, i'll just do that from now on"

[bassgirl9]

Originally posted by Craigv Those are two rather big issues. Nobody wants to follow a band that doesn't play their "thing". And nobody wants to even stay the evening listening to a sloppy band. Unless of course, it's the Rolling Stones.....(exception to every rule, eh?)

 

There's a big difference between sloppy and loose. The stones are loose. I wouldn't say they were sloppy.

[ryanstanley]

Originally posted by bassplayer7770 You're obviously thinking about it. Why else would you have posted this thread?

 

well, i did say "some people" would have a problem with it... that didn't necessarily mean me

 

i think it's ok to think about that in a lot of areas, but i'm VERY against doing that when it comes to your style, overall sound, or philosophy in writing. when it comes to that, people just need to take it for what it is-- because THAT is the very part where any expression comes through in your music, and that should never be bastardized

 

but everything else is fair game in that department imo. whatever can get my music to more people

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by ryanstanley well like i said we're working on the sloppy thing and as for the other issue, what's a band to do about that? it's not like we're just going to purposely change our sound for the sole reason that people dont like it enough... we can't exactly help how we sound, anyway.. we just kind of play what comes out, until we like something... then we use it. you know? i cant see any band actually just going "hmm, what would be real popular around here.... oh, i've got it! ok, i'll just do that from now on"

 

 

Point being that these are two identifiable and possibly correctable issues standing between you and a good following. You can probably get tighter as a band. That's usually good, and most audiences will appreciate it. Whether you decide to go more mainstream or not is up to you, but at least this is something that you can point to as a reason for not having a following. You can address it by either changing some or all of your music, or by taking bassgirl9's path and searching out more-suitable venues that would appreciate your style.

 

Selling and selling-out are two completely different concepts.

[bassgirl9]

Originally posted by bassplayer7770 [snip] Sometimes during gigs I DO try to think about when and how to interact with the audience, but that's only because it doesn't necessarily come naturally to me. [/snip]

 

I hear what you're saying. It's not about putting on a new hat, selling out and changing who you are, it's about editing out the lame bits.

 

Example: Song # 14 doesn't go over well. In fact, people seem to hate it and everyone gets up to leave when we play it. Perhaps the 7 minute solo could be clipped a bit? or maybe everyone wouldn't leave if we decide not to play that song again. Let's keep it as an "album only" song.

 

Or: Hmmm 3 ballads in a row seem to bore everyone and suck the energy out of the room. Perhaps we should split the songs up and place them in between with the faster ones.

 

Song #3 is a huge hit. Everyone loves that song... what did we do there that seemed to make everyone get up and dance? Oh it was 160 BPM and the chorus was really catchy. They seem to like songs they can sing along with... lets write a few more of those kinds of tunes to place in with our branier stuff.

 

 

If that's selling out, then I do it all the time.

 

It's not like I sit and think... Hmmm, well, Nelly Furtado is a really big hit right now, maybe I'll try to sound exactly like her so everyone likes me more. That to me is selling out.

 

Going out of your way to play stuff that people obviously dont like just because you wrote it and therefore think everyone deserves to hear it is kind of immature IMO. I'm here to entertain, not to force my music on others. Otherwise I'd go into teaching.

[ryanstanley]

i see what you guys are saying

 

well i'll have a talk with the band, and see what they think

 

maybe i'll show them this thread

[bassplayer7770]

Ryan, did you get my PM?

[Wolftopus]

Originally posted by bassgirl9 Going out of your way to play stuff that people obviously dont like just because you wrote it and therefore think everyone deserves to hear it is kind of immature IMO. I'm here to entertain, not to force my music on others. Otherwise I'd go into teaching.

 

I don't know if this is directed at me but if it is that isn't what I was getting at whatsoever, song order and crowd energy at a show is important of course, but the idea of pleasing everyone is pointless.

 

You guys are making this whole thing sound really difficult. Being in a rock band should never be this confusing. Just play what you enjoy and be honest with yourselves about what is good and what isn't. Ask friends who are honest about your sound and what they think, find out what they don't like about the tunes, you don't have to necessarily change based on other's thoughts but take them into account, you may find that you'll agree on what some of your weak points might be.

[ryanstanley]

 

Originally posted by bassplayer7770 Ryan, did you get my PM?

 

 

yeah.. thanks for that!

[Bassopotamus]

Honestly, alot of it is just random, right place right time kind of stuff. Some comes from there being some sort of scene in a city and being part of it. It can be hard to not fit to that. My band in high school was kind of a funk/rock/metal kind of thing, but the scene at the time was more punk/ska/emo (this was 1993, when emo meant something). it was pretty frustrating not having more of a following, but a few of the tunes weren't bad in an HS kind of way.

 

One thing to think about is how to define success. Are your goals reaslistic? I always approached original bands from the perspective that if I was enjoying what we were doing, and at least a few other people were (and maybe the beer was free), that was pretty cool. No illusions of contracts, world tours, roman orgies under the stage, etc.

 

Hell, one of the best shows I played in terms of pure enjoyment, was a house party at 4 in the morning. It was pretty much us and the people who were too high to find the stairs. And you know what, it was a blast. We rocked it, they seemed to dig it, a good time was had by me, and that's pretty much enough.

[collinwho]

What seems to work well around here (minneapolis) is to try and book shows with other bands that you like. It seems like there are fairly definite "scenes" so the best way to get people to a show is to figure out which scene you fit into best and start going to a lot of those shows. Get to know those bands. Invite those bands to your shows. The great thing about being a music fan is that there is no limit to how many bands you can like, so it is completely acceptable to "steal" other bands fans, because really, you are just borrowing them.

 

 

 

On a side note, Ryan, I added your band (oh myspace) a while ago when I first heard it, I'm a big fan. Were it not halfway across the country, I would be at your shows.

[bassplayer7770]

 

Originally posted by Wolftopus but the idea of pleasing everyone is pointless. You guys are making this whole thing sound really difficult. Being in a rock band should never be this confusing. Just play what you enjoy and be honest with yourselves about what is good and what isn't. Ask friends who are honest about your sound and what they think, find out what they don't like about the tunes, you don't have to necessarily change based on other's thoughts but take them into account, you may find that you'll agree on what some of your weak points might be.

 

 

I said please "them all", referring to the venue owners and his audience (the customers). If he wants people to "give a damn", he needs to play gigs, and he needs people to enjoy what they hear/see. There's simply no way to please everyone. Find your audience. Brainstorm on fun ways to interact with the audience.

 

I don't disagree with what you've said here...

[max maroon]

'how to make people give a damn about your band"

 

I 've been struggling with this for a long time and I finally figured it out but I'm not telling.

 

 

...Seriously though I checked out your stuff and I like some of the ideas and stuff, I would just keep playing, learning, and most importantly havin fun and don't worry aboot the thangs you can't control...ie. peoples tastes, etc... Any success you have will be the result of the energy you put into it, if you want ALOT of success you must put in ALOT of energy.

 

 

...and play every note like it's your last with all the love inside of you...it took me almost 20 years of playing and I'm finally figuring this one out.

[bassgirl9]

Originally posted by Wolftopus I don't know if this is directed at me

 

Oh, no. I wasn't saying you in particular were immature or anything or attacking you.

 

I was just backing up bassplayer7770, and I get on these rants sometimes because I came from the grunge era in music and ran/run into the attitude I was describing an aweful lot. I've had a lot of bands break up over this very conversation. Most times they used the term "selling out" by way of avoiding professionalism and compromise within the band.