starting out right

i am in a band that has been playing and writing for the past 6 months.we think we are ready to start playing shows and have actually had bands ask to open for them. when we practice we have 15-30 neighbors stop by and stand in the driveway to listen and they always ask us to play more. basically i am wondering the right way to start out and not flop. we are thinking about recording a quick demo first so we will have something to give people that want to hear more. is that a good way to start? how should we go about promoting ourselves? should we play shows or record a cd first?

I would suggest playing a few free shows first, to see what kind of real draw you get. Neighbors coming by are okay to gauge your audience by, however people that spend money on you are totally different. Once you have a few shows and see that there is some kind of a market for your band, then I would consider hitting the studio.

One thing I do recommend for a brand new band is dealing with the money of the band. I would set up a specific bank account for the band's funds to keep it separate from your personal money. That way you can see how well the band is doing financially at any given moment. Plus you have it ready for those emergency situations where the Bassist's cab blows a speaker, or you need gas money to get to a gig, or whatever...

how would you go about setting up a bank account? what i mean is do you make one person in charge of the funds or set up a joint account?

I dont think an actual account is as important as keeping track of every last dime. If you just keep the money in a money box, and have an accounting sheet, it might be less trouble than an account. especialy since you are a new band. a joint account could be a nightmare if you are gaining/loosing members etc.

I agree with what Joe said about the bank account, even after I first suggested it. What I meant more was again, what Joe said. Keep the money separate. Don't mingle your money (personal money) with the Band Money. You never know when you are on the road in your van and you blow a tire, or a speaker at a show and have to replace it, or any number of other things. Keeping the band money separate helps you to see how well you really are doing. A bank account may not be 100% needed.

I'd suggest you to start gigging as an open act.

You'll probably get som egood contacts and even good gigs from that.

And try to record one of those gigs on video. Much better than a CD, in my opinion.