Interview with Raj of: GUITAR TONE TALK
For many musician’s deciding which guitar to buy can be the first decision in deciding what kind of music you want to play. Too much twang in your guitar and it might ruin your dreams of becoming a punk rock prodigy.
When I was a Senior in High School I attempted to learn the Guitar. (I had already failed at learning drums, clarinet & singing.) I always thought it was my calling to be the guy that always pulls out his guitar at camp fires, on the beach, at tail gate parties. (Also… he’s the one that gets the ladies… right?) After one year of lessons I realized I sucked at playing the guitar.
Touring Advice Journal
What I’ve learned while on tour.
1. It is impossible to avoid Fast-food, be smart.
2. You’re going to eat a lot of Fast-food, practice variety. (I like Ian’s advice… STAY AWAY FROM FAST-FOOD… Try and eat Subway or something) (Isn’t that fast food?)
3. Find popular hangout before your show… invite those people to come!!!
(It will increase the cool kid count)
TOURING ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom
When you’re on tour you suddenly realize how much you value sleeping in a bed, eating food at home… and having the ability to take a shower every day if you so choose. I quickly discovered the pleasures of a baby wipe shower, a gas station sink for brushing my teeth and variety within a fast food menu.
GLASS ELEVATOR ON SURVIVAL
With no further delay … all the way from Olympia Washington, I present: Glass Elevator.
Does your band get together and plan?
There’s really only one plan: to make music. As simple as that is, this is easy to forget. But life to us seems best to take it as it comes, and we make plans and change plans all along the way. With an album and our first West Coast tour on the horizon, we see the fruition of plans hatched yesterday and continue to make new plans for tomorrow.
THE FANCY DAN BAND ON SURVIVAL
article by: Stefan – SF Intercom The Fancy Dan Band is “singing to survive.” I caught up with them in order to bring you their take on Survival in SF. Does your band get together and plan? We do a lot of planning at band practices, just trying to get ready for our next show. [...]
THE SHANTS ON SURVIVAL
article by: Stefan – SF Intercom photo by: Lauren Wiest Back from tour…and here to shine a little on what bands should and shan’t do…THE SHANTS!!! Does your band get together and plan? We generally start our rehearsals with a quick band meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page about upcoming shows, [...]
STEP 5 & 6 OF PLANNING
The 5 P’s of survival are Plan, Personify, Promote, Plug-in and Play. You have survival tips 1-4. Today I give you #5 and #6.
5_DON’T BE CHEAP OR YOU’LL LOOK CHEAP: Everything costs money. Some things cost more money than others. This is why many bands lean towards using cheap alternatives to the more costly commercial products. The down side is… You look cheap! You didn’t realize you were being judged but I received your lame flyer/cd/poster and instantly judged you. Consider this the next time you try and save a couple bucks.
INTERVIEW PHIL MAVES – THE ACTORS
drawing by: Stefan – SF Intercom article by: Phil Maves – The Actors Bands book live shows every month, yet complain on a regular basis that they don’t have access to high quality recording equipment or can’t afford studio time. Didn’t you just book a show with a sound guy and thousand dollar equipment? Why [...]
STEP 3 & 4 OF PLANNING
article by: Stefan Aronsen The 5 P’s of survival are Plan, Personify, Promote, Plug-in and Play. In January I gave you the first two survival tips of Plan. Today I give you #3 and #4. 3. KNOW WHO YOU ARE BEFORE YOU TELL OTHERS WHO THEY ARE: Does it annoy you when others tell you [...]
MYSPACE INVITES SUCK
photo and article by: Stefan – SF Intercom I received 11 new e-mails in 7 days and none of them were specifically addressed to me. STOP SENDING ME INVITES… IT MAKES ME WANT TO HATE YOU! There is a reason myspace has an option allowing fans to block bands from adding them. Yes! Your stupid show [...]
PLAYING TO YOUR AUDIENCE
This sorority would’ve liked Wes Leslie and Jhameel better if we just played Taylor Swift covers. photo and review by: Wes Leslie This is such a simple idea, but one that a lot of bands overlook. In the music business (and you need to realize that there’s a business component involved with your music), not [...]
WHAT IS SF INTERCOM
SF Intercom is a survival guide for bands!!! The advice on SF Intercom comes from people who know. If you’re a fan, band or Industry professional we want you involved! If you have experience being in a band, being an uber fan or are or have been a professional industry person, we’d love to hear [...]
NO CD NEEDED
photo by: Boy in The Bubble
review by: Stefan – SF Intercom
Do CDs have a future? What is the record industry going to look like in the coming years? Can you still make money selling CDs? What is the next big trend?
NOISE POP SCHEDULE – STEFAN
Noise Pop 2010 is suddenly upon us. I’m super thrilled… but at the same time find myself with a lot less money than I had last year. Thus… listed are the shows I recommend… keeping in mind you and I are both on a budget.
ANXIETY
Photo by: Stefan Aronsen Article by: Stefan Aronsen In life… there are a lot of things you can control. Anxiety is not one of them. I started this article feeling a little deflated and overwhelmed… Then realized there is a lesson in it. I’ve spent my life specializing in graphic design. I take a lot [...]
SHOULD YOUR BAND BECOME AN LLC?
A brilliant, young, affordable media attorney offers his take on the costs and benefits of creating business entities.
EVERY MONDAY NIGHT
Photo & Article by: Stefan Aronsen Monday night is not the best night for social in the mission. In my opinion there is only one place to go: Amnesia for Bluegrass. Well that is all changing. Last night I was walking from Gestalt towards Amnesia. I was with my friend TJ, we were starving and most [...]
DEAR pink house rEcords
Photo & Article by: Stefan Aronsen DEAR pink house rEcords, It is with great excitement that I have discovered your 20 track cd. One does not generally find such listening pleasure on a rack designed for visual pleasures. Sincerely, Stefan I spend a lot of time at Atlas Cafe, my art studio is barely a rock [...]
CRITICISM AND ADVICE
Photo Courtesy of: Josh Draluck Article by: Robert – Body or Brain One of my favorite things in the world is meeting new people. In playing a band, I meet people, and connect with people very often. Hand shakes, hugs, and high fives are always flowing around. One thing I also enjoy, if not more [...]
STEP 1 & 2 OF PLANNING
article by: Stefan Aronsen The first step of being a more successful band is to create a plan. However within planning there are a lot of details you must consider. Listed are 2 of the 10 most important tips to consider. 1. CREATE A GAME PLAN: Do you know what it is you want to [...]
IT’S THE LAW BABY
drawing by: Casey Koerner article by: Kendal Dix I tried to write this specifically but I think the specifics will really depend on the situation, so I wrote this more as a generic scare tactic type of thing. Planning is probably the most important thing in the legal industry, and it pays to be obsessive [...]
PLAN, PERSONIFY, PROMOTE, PLUG-IN, PLAY
article by: Stefan Aronsen Specifically, Buzz targets emerging indie musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area. More broadly, however, Buzz will find an audience among musicians in every genre, as well as with players at every level of the industry. The core of a successful career in music is also the core of a successful [...]
BUZZ – SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR BANDS
article by: Stefan Aronsen The title “Buzz” has been chosen for its numerous layers of connotation. First: the slang meaning of buzz is an excited interest or attention surrounding a socially popular topic. This book will promote the Bay Area music scene, delivering what is socially popular directly to those most interested in it. Second: [...]
