| ©Indietude.com 2008 |
| More Insightful Advice & Information from Sheena Metal |
Fan Etiquette: Are The People
Who Love Your Music Ruining
Your Band’s Reputation?
By Sheena Metal
They’re generous, they’re consistent, they’re giving…
and most of all...they love your music. They’re your fans
and they come to every one of your live shows, fork out
money for cover charges, CDs and t-shirts, bring your
band gifts, throw you house parties, and spread the word
of your music on the internet and beyond. Your fans are
the single most important ingredient to the success of
your band. Without them, you’d be rocking out in your
Aunt’s basement to an audience of none…well, maybe
her cat.
But there can be a dark side to the hoards of happy
humans drunk on your future #1 hits. Sometimes the
folks barreling in to see you play, or flooding your
websites with their online presence are causing more
harm than good to the reputation of your band. Rude
behavior, message board flaming, compulsive sticker-ing
and flyer-ing, may all seem like helping to your flock of
followers, but to club owners, industry and those newly
interested in your music, they may seem like trouble-
makers, belligerents and vandals.
It may be simply a case of over-exuberant fan zeal. Your
fans think they’re preaching the gospel of your
band to anyone with eyes and ears: by dropping your
postcards all over town like a bird with irritable bowel
syndrome, by filling up strangers e-mail in-boxes with
bulky MP3s and HTML photo-heavy notices about how
much you rock, and by yelling your band’s name at the
top of their lungs during another band’s set like a parrot
with Turret’s Syndrome. These unsolicited over
promotions…albeit well-intentioned…are hard for the
average person to separate from your band’s own
promotional efforts and may not be appreciated in the
way they were intended. On the other hand, it may be
that your fans are so revved up by the love of your music
that they’ve become arrogant, aggressive and just plain
out of control in any arena (or cyber place) your band
inhabits. At any rate, you may find that you need to dial
these folks back a bit to create a environment that is fan
friendly without comprising your band’s opportunities.
The following are a few tips that will help you to guide
your supporters in their quest to be adamant fans with
out allowing them to turn into an obnoxious, rowdy,
gang of rabid baboons.
1.) Communicate With Your Fans- A lot of problems
can be eliminated by simply setting up a line of
communication between your band members and
your fans. For instance, if you know that a particular
club forbids setting around flyers, postcards or other
promo materials, post it on your website with the
upcoming show info-blast. Set guidelines for your
band and for each individual show and let your fans
know that they need to follow these simple rules or
they’re no longer permitted to attend live gigs and
to post on your cyber message boards. A little
information can go a long way and your fans will
be happy that you let them know what they can
and can’t do at any particular show.
2.) Learn From Experience- Sad but true, often the
best way to learn what’s not appropriate at shows is
for inappropriate things to happen. When fans
begin their overblown behaviors, benign-intentioned
or not, you will learn by the reaction of the clubs,
the industry and your other fans what’s okay and
what’s not going to fly. A good example is this. . .
placing bumper stickers on club walls may be
encouraged at some places but forbidden at others.
The first time you get a call from a red-faced bar
owner screeching through clenched teeth that his
men’s room walls have to be repainted, you’ll know
that it’s time to email your fan base and let them
know to leave their reserve of band stickers at
home when the band plays that club again. In
another example, it may not occur to your band
that certain fans are behaving rudely to club
personnel or to your other fans, at your shows,
until someone makes you aware of it. At that time,
you may need to email your naughty fans and let
them know that certain bad attitudes are
unacceptable at shows, and on your message
boards, and that fans who can’t be pleasant will
not be invited back.
3.) Friends And Family Are No Exception- As awful
as it sounds, often times a band’s family and friends
are the most out of control and obnoxious at shows
and on the web. Maybe it’s because they’re more
emotionally invested in the band and its members,
or maybe because the musicians forget to remind
their loved one about fan etiquette. You and your
band mates may think it’s a given, but some of the
biggest jerks, idiots, and rebel rousers at gigs are
your loved ones. It doesn’t matter it’s the bass
player’s ten year-old brother to the drummer’s 60
year-old dad, you don’t want to be banned from
your favorite showcase venue because granny
kicked the bouncer in the shin. Don’t be afraid to
sit your friends/family down and spell out the live
show /internet rules for your band. Sometimes
you can’t control the fans you don’t know, which
makes it all the more important than ever to control
the fans you do.
4.) Lay Down The Law- Once you become aware
of the “problem” fans, it’s time to explain to them what
they can and cannot do at your gigs and on your
website. Before banning anyone from visiting the
band’s shows and sites, try sending out a polite,
but firm, email with some specific guidelines and a
serious warning that the next step will be cutting
these bad elements out of the band’s loop. It’s
important to try not to make the email too harsh,
as it may insight further acting up. So, just deliver
the message in a casual way, explaining that their
actions are hurting and not helping the band…a
fact that they honestly may not realize. Honestly,
you may need to give it some backbone so that
your jerky fans really understand that their jig is
up. If you’re having trouble with someone you
know well…a particular friend or family member…
a phone call or face-to-face meeting might better
do the trick. No matter how the message is
executed, it’s important to let your fans know that
certain behaviors will not be tolerated by the band
under any circumstance. Most fans would rather
shape up that be cut out of all of the fun, and the
band’s reputation will be safe from troublesome
followers for the time being.
It’s true that fans are a band’s biggest asset. But
left uncontrolled they can also be the biggest liability
as your band takes on the responsibility and reputation
for the antics that its fans pull at live shows and on
websites. Like crazed leprechauns, full of mischief,
each fan’s silly stunts and nasty attitude problems will
eat away at your band’s good name with tiny bites…
like a school of piranha in a stream eating a full sized
goat down to the bone in seconds…until your band is
left, a former shell of itself, wandering your town trying
to figure out why you can’t get booked and no one visits
your web- site. It’s not a good sign when you see a
tumbleweed blow through your music career. Nip it in
the bud now. Control your fans behavior. Trust me;
you’ll be glad you did.
Who Love Your Music Ruining
Your Band’s Reputation?
By Sheena Metal
They’re generous, they’re consistent, they’re giving…
and most of all...they love your music. They’re your fans
and they come to every one of your live shows, fork out
money for cover charges, CDs and t-shirts, bring your
band gifts, throw you house parties, and spread the word
of your music on the internet and beyond. Your fans are
the single most important ingredient to the success of
your band. Without them, you’d be rocking out in your
Aunt’s basement to an audience of none…well, maybe
her cat.
But there can be a dark side to the hoards of happy
humans drunk on your future #1 hits. Sometimes the
folks barreling in to see you play, or flooding your
websites with their online presence are causing more
harm than good to the reputation of your band. Rude
behavior, message board flaming, compulsive sticker-ing
and flyer-ing, may all seem like helping to your flock of
followers, but to club owners, industry and those newly
interested in your music, they may seem like trouble-
makers, belligerents and vandals.
It may be simply a case of over-exuberant fan zeal. Your
fans think they’re preaching the gospel of your
band to anyone with eyes and ears: by dropping your
postcards all over town like a bird with irritable bowel
syndrome, by filling up strangers e-mail in-boxes with
bulky MP3s and HTML photo-heavy notices about how
much you rock, and by yelling your band’s name at the
top of their lungs during another band’s set like a parrot
with Turret’s Syndrome. These unsolicited over
promotions…albeit well-intentioned…are hard for the
average person to separate from your band’s own
promotional efforts and may not be appreciated in the
way they were intended. On the other hand, it may be
that your fans are so revved up by the love of your music
that they’ve become arrogant, aggressive and just plain
out of control in any arena (or cyber place) your band
inhabits. At any rate, you may find that you need to dial
these folks back a bit to create a environment that is fan
friendly without comprising your band’s opportunities.
The following are a few tips that will help you to guide
your supporters in their quest to be adamant fans with
out allowing them to turn into an obnoxious, rowdy,
gang of rabid baboons.
1.) Communicate With Your Fans- A lot of problems
can be eliminated by simply setting up a line of
communication between your band members and
your fans. For instance, if you know that a particular
club forbids setting around flyers, postcards or other
promo materials, post it on your website with the
upcoming show info-blast. Set guidelines for your
band and for each individual show and let your fans
know that they need to follow these simple rules or
they’re no longer permitted to attend live gigs and
to post on your cyber message boards. A little
information can go a long way and your fans will
be happy that you let them know what they can
and can’t do at any particular show.
2.) Learn From Experience- Sad but true, often the
best way to learn what’s not appropriate at shows is
for inappropriate things to happen. When fans
begin their overblown behaviors, benign-intentioned
or not, you will learn by the reaction of the clubs,
the industry and your other fans what’s okay and
what’s not going to fly. A good example is this. . .
placing bumper stickers on club walls may be
encouraged at some places but forbidden at others.
The first time you get a call from a red-faced bar
owner screeching through clenched teeth that his
men’s room walls have to be repainted, you’ll know
that it’s time to email your fan base and let them
know to leave their reserve of band stickers at
home when the band plays that club again. In
another example, it may not occur to your band
that certain fans are behaving rudely to club
personnel or to your other fans, at your shows,
until someone makes you aware of it. At that time,
you may need to email your naughty fans and let
them know that certain bad attitudes are
unacceptable at shows, and on your message
boards, and that fans who can’t be pleasant will
not be invited back.
3.) Friends And Family Are No Exception- As awful
as it sounds, often times a band’s family and friends
are the most out of control and obnoxious at shows
and on the web. Maybe it’s because they’re more
emotionally invested in the band and its members,
or maybe because the musicians forget to remind
their loved one about fan etiquette. You and your
band mates may think it’s a given, but some of the
biggest jerks, idiots, and rebel rousers at gigs are
your loved ones. It doesn’t matter it’s the bass
player’s ten year-old brother to the drummer’s 60
year-old dad, you don’t want to be banned from
your favorite showcase venue because granny
kicked the bouncer in the shin. Don’t be afraid to
sit your friends/family down and spell out the live
show /internet rules for your band. Sometimes
you can’t control the fans you don’t know, which
makes it all the more important than ever to control
the fans you do.
4.) Lay Down The Law- Once you become aware
of the “problem” fans, it’s time to explain to them what
they can and cannot do at your gigs and on your
website. Before banning anyone from visiting the
band’s shows and sites, try sending out a polite,
but firm, email with some specific guidelines and a
serious warning that the next step will be cutting
these bad elements out of the band’s loop. It’s
important to try not to make the email too harsh,
as it may insight further acting up. So, just deliver
the message in a casual way, explaining that their
actions are hurting and not helping the band…a
fact that they honestly may not realize. Honestly,
you may need to give it some backbone so that
your jerky fans really understand that their jig is
up. If you’re having trouble with someone you
know well…a particular friend or family member…
a phone call or face-to-face meeting might better
do the trick. No matter how the message is
executed, it’s important to let your fans know that
certain behaviors will not be tolerated by the band
under any circumstance. Most fans would rather
shape up that be cut out of all of the fun, and the
band’s reputation will be safe from troublesome
followers for the time being.
It’s true that fans are a band’s biggest asset. But
left uncontrolled they can also be the biggest liability
as your band takes on the responsibility and reputation
for the antics that its fans pull at live shows and on
websites. Like crazed leprechauns, full of mischief,
each fan’s silly stunts and nasty attitude problems will
eat away at your band’s good name with tiny bites…
like a school of piranha in a stream eating a full sized
goat down to the bone in seconds…until your band is
left, a former shell of itself, wandering your town trying
to figure out why you can’t get booked and no one visits
your web- site. It’s not a good sign when you see a
tumbleweed blow through your music career. Nip it in
the bud now. Control your fans behavior. Trust me;
you’ll be glad you did.
Every Song Tells A Story…
But Does It Need To Be An
Abstract Novel?
By Sheena Metal
For a musician, your songs are your art.
They are the physical embodiment of your
creative gifts. Every bit of anger, happiness,
angst, joy, pain, elation, knowledge or humor
goes into the story known as your song. You
write and re-write it, scouring over each note
and word…perfecting it for recording and live
performance.
But when you play it for others, you’re not getting
the reaction you expected. Your friends, fans and
family seem less than enthusiastic as they dully
respond, “Yeah. That was… um… good.” How
could this be? You poured your
soul into this piece. This was your “Stairway
To Heaven”! This was your “Smells Like Team
Spirit”! It’s a lyrically amazing ode about the
persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut
tribes! It flows, it breathes, and it’s seven
and a half minutes of pure musical perfection!
Whoa. Stop right there, Mozart. You wrote
a seven and a half minute song about the
persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut
tribes and you’re wondering why you’re thirteen
year-old cousin fell asleep in the middle of the
fourth verse? You wrote a seven and a half
minute song about the persecution of pagan
midwives in grass hut tribes and you’re
confused as to why your drummer’s girlfriend
began calling her friends on her cell phone
before the song had reached its bridge?
It may be hard to believe when you’re
penning an opus such as this, but the normal
human brain is wired a little differently than
an accomplished musician’s, like yourself.
And although music is art, it’s also popular
culture and the goal should be for others to
enjoy your creative efforts as much as you do.
So, how can you make sure that your writing
experience is as positive as your audience’s
listening experience? What can you, as
musicians do, to eliminate aspects of your
songs that may alienate, confuse or just
plain bore your fans?
The following are a few tips that may add
success to your songwriting experience:
1.) After Four Minutes, It Becomes Back
ground Music- Music aficionado’s aside,
the average person has roughly the
attention span of a young adult humming-
bird. As a songwriter, you need to grab your
audience’s attention and hold it until the end
of the song before they flit off to something
else more interesting to them. Although
four minutes (or less) may seem like the
blink of an eye when a songwriter is story
telling, it’s a very long time to expect your
run-of-the-mill club-goer or web-surfer to
stay fixated on your music.
2.) Tell Your Story As Directly As Possible-
We all love allusions, allegories, vague
references, and subtle metaphors but use
them sparingly or become a beat poet. A
little abstractness goes a long way when
writing a popular song. Song lyrics fly into
people’s minds as quickly as the bassist
plucks out quarter notes. If you make your
lyrics too complicated, then your audience
may still be trying to figure out the verse
when you’re already playing the chorus.
This could prompt the average listener to
tune out your masterpiece, order another
beer and switch on their I-pod.
3.) If English Is Your First Language, Use
It In Your Song- It’s great that you’re an
educated, cultured, artistic intellectual
sponge. But remember that most people
who hear your music are not bookworms
or art whores. Big, involved words make
for memorable song lyrics but use them
occasionally. It’s good for your fans to
ponder the meaning of a particular lyric
but give them too many to ponder and
they’ll get so caught up in the words that
they may forget your song.
4.) Obscure Musicality Can Be Confusing
Too- Lyrics aren’t the only way to confuse
the average listener. Obscure time
signatures, discordant instrumentation
and avant guard drum lines may seem
like genius to your fellow musicians, but
if your listeners can’t tap and/or hum
along, you may find yourself only invited
to perform in underground opium bars
where the audience members have all
had one too many hash brownie.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start simple.
Write a short, but sweet, song that packs an
emotional punch in a universal way. Write
about something everyone is familiar with: love,
politics, lifestyle issues or the sociology of being
a human being on the planet. Once people have
fallen in love with your music, it will be easier to
get them to give the extra listen to your more
complicated, artistic pieces.
Remember that just because a song is popular
or easily understood, doesn’t mean that it’s not
good creativity. Art is subjective, and truly in
the eye of the beholder. Your least favorite
song could be someone else’s favorite. You
never have to stop being creative or artistic,
just acknowledge that there’s an audience out
there that wants to hear what you have to say…
but, they’ll need to be able to comprehend it
first.
But Does It Need To Be An
Abstract Novel?
By Sheena Metal
For a musician, your songs are your art.
They are the physical embodiment of your
creative gifts. Every bit of anger, happiness,
angst, joy, pain, elation, knowledge or humor
goes into the story known as your song. You
write and re-write it, scouring over each note
and word…perfecting it for recording and live
performance.
But when you play it for others, you’re not getting
the reaction you expected. Your friends, fans and
family seem less than enthusiastic as they dully
respond, “Yeah. That was… um… good.” How
could this be? You poured your
soul into this piece. This was your “Stairway
To Heaven”! This was your “Smells Like Team
Spirit”! It’s a lyrically amazing ode about the
persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut
tribes! It flows, it breathes, and it’s seven
and a half minutes of pure musical perfection!
Whoa. Stop right there, Mozart. You wrote
a seven and a half minute song about the
persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut
tribes and you’re wondering why you’re thirteen
year-old cousin fell asleep in the middle of the
fourth verse? You wrote a seven and a half
minute song about the persecution of pagan
midwives in grass hut tribes and you’re
confused as to why your drummer’s girlfriend
began calling her friends on her cell phone
before the song had reached its bridge?
It may be hard to believe when you’re
penning an opus such as this, but the normal
human brain is wired a little differently than
an accomplished musician’s, like yourself.
And although music is art, it’s also popular
culture and the goal should be for others to
enjoy your creative efforts as much as you do.
So, how can you make sure that your writing
experience is as positive as your audience’s
listening experience? What can you, as
musicians do, to eliminate aspects of your
songs that may alienate, confuse or just
plain bore your fans?
The following are a few tips that may add
success to your songwriting experience:
1.) After Four Minutes, It Becomes Back
ground Music- Music aficionado’s aside,
the average person has roughly the
attention span of a young adult humming-
bird. As a songwriter, you need to grab your
audience’s attention and hold it until the end
of the song before they flit off to something
else more interesting to them. Although
four minutes (or less) may seem like the
blink of an eye when a songwriter is story
telling, it’s a very long time to expect your
run-of-the-mill club-goer or web-surfer to
stay fixated on your music.
2.) Tell Your Story As Directly As Possible-
We all love allusions, allegories, vague
references, and subtle metaphors but use
them sparingly or become a beat poet. A
little abstractness goes a long way when
writing a popular song. Song lyrics fly into
people’s minds as quickly as the bassist
plucks out quarter notes. If you make your
lyrics too complicated, then your audience
may still be trying to figure out the verse
when you’re already playing the chorus.
This could prompt the average listener to
tune out your masterpiece, order another
beer and switch on their I-pod.
3.) If English Is Your First Language, Use
It In Your Song- It’s great that you’re an
educated, cultured, artistic intellectual
sponge. But remember that most people
who hear your music are not bookworms
or art whores. Big, involved words make
for memorable song lyrics but use them
occasionally. It’s good for your fans to
ponder the meaning of a particular lyric
but give them too many to ponder and
they’ll get so caught up in the words that
they may forget your song.
4.) Obscure Musicality Can Be Confusing
Too- Lyrics aren’t the only way to confuse
the average listener. Obscure time
signatures, discordant instrumentation
and avant guard drum lines may seem
like genius to your fellow musicians, but
if your listeners can’t tap and/or hum
along, you may find yourself only invited
to perform in underground opium bars
where the audience members have all
had one too many hash brownie.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start simple.
Write a short, but sweet, song that packs an
emotional punch in a universal way. Write
about something everyone is familiar with: love,
politics, lifestyle issues or the sociology of being
a human being on the planet. Once people have
fallen in love with your music, it will be easier to
get them to give the extra listen to your more
complicated, artistic pieces.
Remember that just because a song is popular
or easily understood, doesn’t mean that it’s not
good creativity. Art is subjective, and truly in
the eye of the beholder. Your least favorite
song could be someone else’s favorite. You
never have to stop being creative or artistic,
just acknowledge that there’s an audience out
there that wants to hear what you have to say…
but, they’ll need to be able to comprehend it
first.
Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter,
music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist
and musician. Her syndicated radio program,
Music Highway Radio, airs on over 2,400 affiliates
to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians’
assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over
10,000 members. She currently promotes
numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles
Area, where she resides. For more info:
http://www.sheena-metal.com
music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist
and musician. Her syndicated radio program,
Music Highway Radio, airs on over 2,400 affiliates
to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians’
assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over
10,000 members. She currently promotes
numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles
Area, where she resides. For more info:
http://www.sheena-metal.com
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