just music (or so i thought)

One of the things that we tried to while writing songs for the new album was to address some difficult societal issues that the five of us wrestle with from time to time. For us music has often been the great equalizer; a thing that allows us to relate with people and issues that we may have never gotten a chance to encounter otherwise. I think that’s why I (Joe) was particularly gripped when I heard the news today about a violent backlash that is happening in Mexico as I type this.

Apparently, kids in Mexico that identify with the emo subculture are becoming the target for violence simply based on the fact that people think that the music (and fashion) that they’re into is a bit effeminate. This isn’t just high school bullying I’m talking about…this is big enough news to get the attention of Time Magazine.

Here’s a video of the craziness:

Our music may not be anywhere close to emo (save the falsetto from time to time), but I’ve been to a Dashboard Confessional show or two…I’m really just speachless about all this. Here’s some lyrics from one of our new songs that I think captures the way I’m feeling right now.

we can only fight the fire with fire so long baby
till it all burns down, till it all burns down
what’s it gonna take to make us all stop now baby
till it all burns down, till it all burns down

staying organized with basecamp (pt 1)

People are often surprised to find out that the five of us don’t live in the same city, much less the same state (Joe and Russ in MO, Mark and Luke in IL, and Dustin in IA). There are obviously challenges to stay connected and organized when we’re all apart. One of the tools that we’ve found helpful in keeping us organized is a project management web application called Basecamp by 37Signals.

About a year ago we set up a Basecamp account and started with a single project: “winning a grammy” (go big or go home right?). One of our first goals as a band has been to release a new album with our current lineup of musicians that is more true to our live sound. With Basecamp we were able to set up a list of milestones and to-do lists that we would need to accomplish in order to complete that goal.

At this point, we’re almost finished with recording the album and we’re been using Basecamp as a central place to discuss things like an album title and song order. Basecamp has provided the means for all of us to have a joint conversation even though we’re living in different locations and keeping very different schedules. I’ll get more into some of the ways we’ve adapted the tools of Basecamp to work for us in the next post.

how to get a record deal

A great resource for independent musicians is a blog by a guy named Bob Baker called The Buzz Factor. Yesterday on his blog/podcast he dove into the subject of how to get a record deal. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom from the podcast (in my own words):

• Bring a lot to the table. Most record labels don’t have the time or money to invest in creating an act out of raw talent. If you want to get a deal you’ll have to have the music, the look, and a pre-established record of success that can translate to a larger audience.
• Have good info on your website. Many people (including industry types) will check your website for music, video, etc. to get a good read on what you’re about. If they can’t find that info on your site then they won’t find it.
• Do it yourself. Acts that don’t take control of their own careers aren’t going to get help from industry folks. Show that you can be successful without people’s help and they’ll be more likely to want to partner with you. Take control of your own marketing, promotion, sales, booking, etc.
• Be successful as an independent musician. The best way to be noticed is if you’re growing a large fan base on your own. Attention attracts more attention.
• Have a unique point of view. You know what your point of view is, your songs should reinforce that point of view, and you should know how to get your music to people who respond to your point of view.
• Be personable. If people don’t like working with you, they won’t work with you. Being a nice person can go a long way in convincing someone that they want to work with you.

Listen to the entire podcast now.

- Joe