This is a short list of the traits that we feel are essential for an indie artist to have in their band. Notably, not one person needs to possess all of these traits. A band can divide tasks based on ability/interest or hire support staff to help - i.e. business managers, lawyers, computer wiz, etc..
Traits of Successful Indies:
- Write Great Songs: There is an unbelievable amount of music being recorded and disseminated every single day across the globe. People know a great song when they hear it, and in the age of digital music and the Internet, they don't have to sit through your crappy song to hear something else. If your music isn't that good, then people won't spend their time or money on it. You don't have a major label and major label money working for you in an effort to convince the public that you're worth $15.00 a ticket.
- Ability to Connect with Fans: The days of the brooding artist are over. With the advent of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites, fans expect to be able to reach out and contact their favorite artists in an instant. Moreover, they expect a response. You aren't the Beatles, the Eagles, Aerosmith, or even Brittany Spears. If someone likes your music enough to send you a personal message, then expect you to spend the time to send them a personal message back. Yes, it may take away time that you would otherwise spend on your music, but if you don't get back to them, chances are that they won't come back to you. If you don't like communicating with people, find someone in your badn that does or hire someone to run these fan portals.
- Legal Knowledge: We aren't advocating that you send someone to law school, or recruit at the Bar Association for a bass player. However, the band needs to possess a basic understanding of your rights as a musician, including copyright, trademark, contract law, and torts. The information is out there - go do your homework. If you don't have the time, patience, or just plain don't understand, spend the money to consult with a lawyer. AND LISTEN TO HIM/HER!
- Computyer Savvy: It is 2009, not 1994. People expect to sleek, fast websites that deliver content immediately. They do not want to see blink text, garish color schemes, or to wait on long load times. If you don't know anything about basic web design, find someone who does - FAST! The Internet has the ability to level the playing field for indie bands ... or it can make you look like completel amatuers and cheapen your hard work
- Business Smarts: Someone in the band must take the lead in forming and fostering business relationships. The same was true 50 years ago, and is still true today - who you know can make or break your career. Make those connections, and present a professional business attitude. Have an idea of what constitutes a good deal vs. a bad deal. Again, do your homework, as knowledge about a particular deal can make all of the difference. How much do bands normally get paid at this venue? Do you pay for gas money for out-of-town acts? What's the difference between a "point" and a "percentage" and "gross" and "net"?
- Unexhaustable Work Ethic: When we sign a band to our publishing company, we look for people who cannot sleep at night. We want them to be so concerned about their career, selling their music, and promoting their brand, that it literally keeps them up at night. Those are the people that stay late at venues shaking hands and handing out business cards. They are up at 3:00 AM sending MySpace messages and hand writing thank you letters. Remember, your art and your talent is a gift, but that gift is nothing without investing hard work to nurture it.
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