Either I’ve been so busy to realize that this label come together or it just started, but I’d never heard of Pick The Band until 1 minute ago when I was browsing MySpace and saw a banner ad for it. Reading the About Us section, I’m getting the feel that it’s OurStage meets SellaBand. There’s voting like OurStage, but no $$$ exchange between fan and musician like with SellaBand.
However, I this quote was rather paradoxical if you ask me:
Bands, you will still have creative control over your music. Actually, more than ever before. No “suit” is going to tell you what your public wants. Your fans will tell you directly what they like and what they want. You will just do what you do best…make music!
No musician should ever have to think about what a fan wants while in the creative process of making music. Musicians should have yellow tape that says “Studio Session: Fans Do Not Cross”. It’s a part of music, that fans should never be a part of.
I always try to hold my tongue when I hear pre-mastered demos. I’m not in a band nor am I a musician. They make their art and then I judge it after its been made. However, that’s not to say that what songs a band plays live shouldn’t be dictated by what fans want to hear, which leads me to the next startup.
While I was trying to search if Pick the Band got startup capital, I stumbled on pickRset. I love the concept of fans picking setlists, but the actual aesthetics of the site sucks. It’s got a similar layout to JamBase, but not as well designed or as clean as JamBase. Also, I think it’s geared more towards Heavy Metal. My suggestions for them: spend the money on a good designer and then focus on a handful of bands who you’re passionate about and grow with them symbiotically.
In summation, these tough times are making people think outside the box and I like it, but the follow through of ideas into reality is the true test for an entrepreneur. Afterall, everyone’s got ideas.
High School Teacher turned Rock Star millionaire aka FREE is the new standard
31 01 2009I didn’t know Corey Smith existed until I clicked on this Hypebot headline in my inbox, but boy am I glad I know now. For those who are too lazy to read the story, Corey was a high school teacher gigging on weekends until his manager thought of the idea to give away his music for free and, as a result of his use of the The Grand Unified Theory on the Economics of Free, he grossed $4.2M last year, primarily from touring.
The thing about his shows are that he offers pre-sale tickets for his fans for $5! How much do you wish one of your favorite bands charged $5 to get in. I tried this with Nick’s Birthday and 149 people showed up with 3 days notice. Think how many more would have came if I had a month’s notice? With this tactic, you can unfamiliar people to check you out as well as get more repeat concert attendees, which leads to a rollover benefit — a larger venue the next time you play that market.
Be creative. Be bold. Try new things . If not, you’ll be left in the dust.
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