Editor's Note:
Indietude is pleased to Feature Sheena Metal in this issue. Sheena is a prolific and informative
writer. While Indietude has been off-line for a while, Sheena never gave up the faith and has
continued to submit her insightful articles patiently waiting for our return. So for this issue, we
will run all of her submitted articles.
Sheena is a very active and influential member of the indie music scene as a radio host,
producer, promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her
syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 700 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
Indietude is pleased to Feature Sheena Metal in this issue. Sheena is a prolific and informative
writer. While Indietude has been off-line for a while, Sheena never gave up the faith and has
continued to submit her insightful articles patiently waiting for our return. So for this issue, we
will run all of her submitted articles.
Sheena is a very active and influential member of the indie music scene as a radio host,
producer, promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her
syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 700 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
| ©Indietude.com 2008 |
Stop Burning Bridges…Or Your
Career Might Go Up In Flames!
By Sheena Metal
Hey, nobody said the music business was going to
be easy. It truly is a jungle out there filled with: snakes,
rats, rabid carnivores, sharks…well, you get the
picture. In the course of your musical journey, there
will be confrontations, arguments, misunderstandings,
and mis-communications. You’ll get jerked around,
screwed over, ripped off and dis-respected. So, you
want to be a rock star? Welcome to your nightmare.
But this is also a business of good people, who’ll give
you opportunities and chances and help you out when
you least expect it. That’s why it’s so important that
you, as musicians and as a band, act professionally
and respectfully regardless of the behavior of those
you encounter. You don’t have to be a pushover and
of course, you have a right to defend yourself against
the questionable actions of others, but the music
community can be a very small town and the behavior
you exhibit will follow you throughout your musical
career.
On the flip side of that, there are musicians out there
who, either knowingly or unknowingly bring negativity
on themselves through their own actions. Short
temperedness, egocentricism, brazen entitlement,
compulsive lying and just plain old psychotic behavior
can brand your band as troublemakers and deprive
you of important opportunities that you need to move
forward in this business.
So, how can you make sure that you’re doing onto
others as you wish they would do onto you? What
can you, as musicians do, to eliminate aspects of
your personality that may be causing bad blood
between you and the people you run across on
your way to super-stardom?
The following are a few tips that may help you to
make sure you’re exhibiting professional behavior
at all times:
1.) Be Timely And Courteous - Whether you’re
playing out live or e-mailing booking inquiries from
home, there is never a substitute for courteously or
timeliness. At gigs, show up when you’re supposed
to, be friendly, treat others with respect, set up quickly,
end your set on time, break down quickly, be mindful
of other bands on stage, compliment those around you
and don’t forget simple things like, “please” and “thank
you.” When you leave a positive impression in people’s
minds, you’ll be high on their list when it comes time to
fill an open booking slot, recommend a band for a
review, etc.
2.) Make Sure Your Actions Match Your Words -
It’s such a simple thing but you’d be surprised how
many musicians seem incapable to doing what
they say they’re going to. If you book a gig, show
up and play. If you say you’re going to bring
twenty friends and fans to your gig, do it. If you
reserve an ad in a local music magazine, pay for
it. If you write a check, make sure that it doesn’t
bounce. If you say you’re going to send out a
press package or a CD, mail it. It is true that
many people in the music business are distrustful
of bands that they don’t know, and with good
reason in many instances. Build your good
reputation in the industry by proving that you
will do what you’ve promised. Start small. Once
you’ve gain people’s trust, you’ll see more and
more doors opening up for your band.
3.) Take The High Road - It may be tough but
there’s nothing to be gained from returning
someone’s improper behavior with a heap-load
of your own. That doesn’t mean that you need
to let every industry slime-bag from New York to
L.A. ride roughshod all over your music project
but there are ways to deal with the negative
behavior in this business without branding your
self with a label equally as negative. Sending
firm yet professional letters, making intelligent
and informed phone inquiries and, if need be,
taking legal action against those who have
acted inappropriately are ways to handle
unpleasant situations without drawing negative
attention to yourself. Public scenes, yelling and
screaming, long-winded and ranting emails,
threats and accusations and spiteful actions may
make you feel vindicated but it may chase away
the good people as well as the bad and that just
sets your band back.
4.) You Can’t Undo What You’ve Already Done -
It’s much harder to undo past bad behaviors, or
reverse negative reputations than it is to foster
positive ones. It’s best when starting out to avoid
acting rash as a rule. If you have a band member
that is incapable of keeping his or her cool,
perhaps it’s time to rethink his or her place in
your group. The entertainment industry has a
long memory and a spiteful tongue. Make sure
when people speak of you, they’re speaking well.
This may all seem like such common sense that it
isn’t even worth mentioning but you’d be surprised
how many shows, interviews, tours, and record deals
have never materialized because of burned bridges.
You may have talent and great tunes, but if your
attitude sucks you’ll get passed over time and again.
No one wants to work with rage-aholics, egomaniacs
or crazies. Don’t let anyone think that’s what your
band is about. Sure it’s important to be creative
geniuses but if no one likes you, you’ll be performing
your masterpieces in the garage for grandma and her
Pomeranian. Get smart and treat people right and
you may find yourself rockin’ all the way to the bank.
Career Might Go Up In Flames!
By Sheena Metal
Hey, nobody said the music business was going to
be easy. It truly is a jungle out there filled with: snakes,
rats, rabid carnivores, sharks…well, you get the
picture. In the course of your musical journey, there
will be confrontations, arguments, misunderstandings,
and mis-communications. You’ll get jerked around,
screwed over, ripped off and dis-respected. So, you
want to be a rock star? Welcome to your nightmare.
But this is also a business of good people, who’ll give
you opportunities and chances and help you out when
you least expect it. That’s why it’s so important that
you, as musicians and as a band, act professionally
and respectfully regardless of the behavior of those
you encounter. You don’t have to be a pushover and
of course, you have a right to defend yourself against
the questionable actions of others, but the music
community can be a very small town and the behavior
you exhibit will follow you throughout your musical
career.
On the flip side of that, there are musicians out there
who, either knowingly or unknowingly bring negativity
on themselves through their own actions. Short
temperedness, egocentricism, brazen entitlement,
compulsive lying and just plain old psychotic behavior
can brand your band as troublemakers and deprive
you of important opportunities that you need to move
forward in this business.
So, how can you make sure that you’re doing onto
others as you wish they would do onto you? What
can you, as musicians do, to eliminate aspects of
your personality that may be causing bad blood
between you and the people you run across on
your way to super-stardom?
The following are a few tips that may help you to
make sure you’re exhibiting professional behavior
at all times:
1.) Be Timely And Courteous - Whether you’re
playing out live or e-mailing booking inquiries from
home, there is never a substitute for courteously or
timeliness. At gigs, show up when you’re supposed
to, be friendly, treat others with respect, set up quickly,
end your set on time, break down quickly, be mindful
of other bands on stage, compliment those around you
and don’t forget simple things like, “please” and “thank
you.” When you leave a positive impression in people’s
minds, you’ll be high on their list when it comes time to
fill an open booking slot, recommend a band for a
review, etc.
2.) Make Sure Your Actions Match Your Words -
It’s such a simple thing but you’d be surprised how
many musicians seem incapable to doing what
they say they’re going to. If you book a gig, show
up and play. If you say you’re going to bring
twenty friends and fans to your gig, do it. If you
reserve an ad in a local music magazine, pay for
it. If you write a check, make sure that it doesn’t
bounce. If you say you’re going to send out a
press package or a CD, mail it. It is true that
many people in the music business are distrustful
of bands that they don’t know, and with good
reason in many instances. Build your good
reputation in the industry by proving that you
will do what you’ve promised. Start small. Once
you’ve gain people’s trust, you’ll see more and
more doors opening up for your band.
3.) Take The High Road - It may be tough but
there’s nothing to be gained from returning
someone’s improper behavior with a heap-load
of your own. That doesn’t mean that you need
to let every industry slime-bag from New York to
L.A. ride roughshod all over your music project
but there are ways to deal with the negative
behavior in this business without branding your
self with a label equally as negative. Sending
firm yet professional letters, making intelligent
and informed phone inquiries and, if need be,
taking legal action against those who have
acted inappropriately are ways to handle
unpleasant situations without drawing negative
attention to yourself. Public scenes, yelling and
screaming, long-winded and ranting emails,
threats and accusations and spiteful actions may
make you feel vindicated but it may chase away
the good people as well as the bad and that just
sets your band back.
4.) You Can’t Undo What You’ve Already Done -
It’s much harder to undo past bad behaviors, or
reverse negative reputations than it is to foster
positive ones. It’s best when starting out to avoid
acting rash as a rule. If you have a band member
that is incapable of keeping his or her cool,
perhaps it’s time to rethink his or her place in
your group. The entertainment industry has a
long memory and a spiteful tongue. Make sure
when people speak of you, they’re speaking well.
This may all seem like such common sense that it
isn’t even worth mentioning but you’d be surprised
how many shows, interviews, tours, and record deals
have never materialized because of burned bridges.
You may have talent and great tunes, but if your
attitude sucks you’ll get passed over time and again.
No one wants to work with rage-aholics, egomaniacs
or crazies. Don’t let anyone think that’s what your
band is about. Sure it’s important to be creative
geniuses but if no one likes you, you’ll be performing
your masterpieces in the garage for grandma and her
Pomeranian. Get smart and treat people right and
you may find yourself rockin’ all the way to the bank.
Get Up, Get On and Get Off: The
Early Bird Catches The Record Deal!
By Sheena Metal
Imagine this…you’re in the local hospital’s pre-op ward
waiting for the removal of your pesky rupturing appendix.
You wait and wait in side splitting agony while your doctor
chats it up with the nurses, gathering phone numbers
from the hot ones. After what seems forever, he gets
you prepped and begins the surgery. What should have
been a 20-minute procedure turns into two hours. He
cracks jokes and talks about his cherry red Ferrari, while
you’re lying unconscious with your abdomen split open.
Finally, you’re sewn up and ready for recovery but super
surgeon and his crack anesthesiologist are having a
heated discussion about the science of their golf games
and have seeming forgotten you’re passed out underneath
them with tubes stuck in every orifice. If this were your
surgery experience, you’d freak out, sue the hospital and
your hot-shot doc would wind up cleaning bedpans at the
state convalescent hospital.
Sadly, like our skirt-chasing doc, many musicians think
that the consequences of their actions are immaterial and
treat their audience with the same lackadaisical disregard
that the before-mentioned doctor treated his poor patient
with. These selfish creative types show up to gigs late, set
up at their own leisure (roughly the same pace that a 100
year-old tortoise would run the Boston marathon), play as
long of a set as they please (regardless of their designated
set time) and break down/clear the stage at their own whim
with little or no regard to the club’s schedule.
However, if you asked any of these artists, they would
say that they consider music to be their career…and
shouldn’t a career be treated with the same importance
and professionalism whether you’re a budding rock star
or an established surgeon? It should, but often it’s not
and bands then find their reputations are tarnished with
labels like: slow, lazy, and irresponsible simply because
they seem unable to get their show on (and off) in a
timely manner. Get branded as a slovenly flake and
watch the music industry folks jump ship faster than the
rich ladies on the Titanic.
The following are a few tips that will help you to get up,
get on and get off in a timely, professional manner that
will impress the powers-that-be and leave your fans
wanting more:
1.) Have Everything Set Up Before You Set Up -
It’s not like you just found out you were playing five
minutes before. Gigs are booked days, weeks or
months in advance so there’s no reason not to be
well informed and well equipped prior to your arrival
and set up. Guitars and drums should be tuned,
drum kits and guitar pedals set up and dialed in, and
song lists printed and distributed so that set up time
is minimal. Once the stage is free, a professional
band will simply haul their gear on stage, plug it in,
and do a few last minute tweaks before they’re ready
to rock and roll. The ancient tortoise rockers, how
ever, will plunk the road cases down on the stage
and then force friends, fans and industry alike
twiddle their musical thumbs in anticipation while
each piece of gear is pulled out, unwrapped, wiped
off, place into position and screwed in slowly but
surely. Truthfully, it’s about as interesting as
watching paint dry without the guilty pleasure of
getting high off the fumes.
2.) Sound Check/Line Check Is Not A Mini Concert -
You may view your sound check as the concert
before the concert but you’re not making any
friends dragging out your sound check to an hour
and a half while bands are lined up out the door
waiting to set up their own gear and check their
sound. Same goes for the line check. You may be
surprised to know that audiences aren’t all that
excited to sit and listen to you work out your live
sound in front of their eyes and on their time. Save
the lengthy tune-up and checking for the Making of
The Band video. Get your levels quick and get to
rockin’!
3.) Plan Out Your Set Time Well Before Your Set -
The key to a tight set is the prep work that goes on
before the night of the gig. Many artists believe that
the longer they’re on stage the more the audience
gets revved up, but there is something to be said
about “too much of a good thing.” Plan out your set,
time it and then time it again and make sure that it
comes in a few minutes under your designated set
list time. Little passive aggressive tricks like cramming
in two or three extra songs at the end of the set or
coaxing your friends into screaming for an encore
only serves to enrage your sound man and confuse
your crowd and extensive tuning and chatting amongst
yourselves and audience members in between songs
is just plain tedious. The tighter your set is the more
professional it sounds to the ears of your audience
and the happier you’ll make your bookers, promoters
and club owners.
4.) Tear Down Should Be The Quickest Of All - If you
thought your set up was quick, your band’s tear down
should be lightning fast in comparison. So much time
is wasted every night at a music venue as musicians
dawdle after their sets, drinking and chatting with
friends, while their gear lies piled up on stage,
preventing the next artists from getting set up. Pick
up your instruments, haul them of stage, and take
them outside or into the green room. There you can
wrap your gear up, clean it off, and pack it away into
cases and into your cars. Then, it’s time to toss back
a few beers and gab with the masses until closing
time, without interrupting the flow of the evening.
Imagine this…you’re in a local club waiting to check out
an act your label has sent you to scout. You wait and wait
in growing more bored and more drunk while the band
you’ve been sent to see chats it up with the women in the
room, giving t-shirts and CDs to the really hot ones. After
what seems like forever, the bands takes the stage and
begins their set. What should have been a 30-minute
showcase turns into an hour or more as the band plays
a loose set, stopping often to tune, complain about the
sound, yell to the bartender for drinks and crack jokes
with select audience members; while you sit unimpressed
trying to get a feel for the band’s style. Finally, their set
ends and you wait to approach the band on behalf of
your label but these super rock stars are still on stage
wrapping up endless cords and wiping down each piece
of gear while they chat with each other about how much
their set rocked. If this were you’re A&R experience, you’d
give up waiting to speak with these lazy musicians, go back
to your label and tell them to forget about this particular
band and these hot-shot rock stars will wind up working at
Starbuck’s until they go on Social Security. This doesn’t
have to happen to you. Learn to get up, get on and get
off. You’ll soon have the reputation as an easy-to-work-
with, professional, reliable band. After all, you never know
who might be in the audience to see you on any given
night.
Early Bird Catches The Record Deal!
By Sheena Metal
Imagine this…you’re in the local hospital’s pre-op ward
waiting for the removal of your pesky rupturing appendix.
You wait and wait in side splitting agony while your doctor
chats it up with the nurses, gathering phone numbers
from the hot ones. After what seems forever, he gets
you prepped and begins the surgery. What should have
been a 20-minute procedure turns into two hours. He
cracks jokes and talks about his cherry red Ferrari, while
you’re lying unconscious with your abdomen split open.
Finally, you’re sewn up and ready for recovery but super
surgeon and his crack anesthesiologist are having a
heated discussion about the science of their golf games
and have seeming forgotten you’re passed out underneath
them with tubes stuck in every orifice. If this were your
surgery experience, you’d freak out, sue the hospital and
your hot-shot doc would wind up cleaning bedpans at the
state convalescent hospital.
Sadly, like our skirt-chasing doc, many musicians think
that the consequences of their actions are immaterial and
treat their audience with the same lackadaisical disregard
that the before-mentioned doctor treated his poor patient
with. These selfish creative types show up to gigs late, set
up at their own leisure (roughly the same pace that a 100
year-old tortoise would run the Boston marathon), play as
long of a set as they please (regardless of their designated
set time) and break down/clear the stage at their own whim
with little or no regard to the club’s schedule.
However, if you asked any of these artists, they would
say that they consider music to be their career…and
shouldn’t a career be treated with the same importance
and professionalism whether you’re a budding rock star
or an established surgeon? It should, but often it’s not
and bands then find their reputations are tarnished with
labels like: slow, lazy, and irresponsible simply because
they seem unable to get their show on (and off) in a
timely manner. Get branded as a slovenly flake and
watch the music industry folks jump ship faster than the
rich ladies on the Titanic.
The following are a few tips that will help you to get up,
get on and get off in a timely, professional manner that
will impress the powers-that-be and leave your fans
wanting more:
1.) Have Everything Set Up Before You Set Up -
It’s not like you just found out you were playing five
minutes before. Gigs are booked days, weeks or
months in advance so there’s no reason not to be
well informed and well equipped prior to your arrival
and set up. Guitars and drums should be tuned,
drum kits and guitar pedals set up and dialed in, and
song lists printed and distributed so that set up time
is minimal. Once the stage is free, a professional
band will simply haul their gear on stage, plug it in,
and do a few last minute tweaks before they’re ready
to rock and roll. The ancient tortoise rockers, how
ever, will plunk the road cases down on the stage
and then force friends, fans and industry alike
twiddle their musical thumbs in anticipation while
each piece of gear is pulled out, unwrapped, wiped
off, place into position and screwed in slowly but
surely. Truthfully, it’s about as interesting as
watching paint dry without the guilty pleasure of
getting high off the fumes.
2.) Sound Check/Line Check Is Not A Mini Concert -
You may view your sound check as the concert
before the concert but you’re not making any
friends dragging out your sound check to an hour
and a half while bands are lined up out the door
waiting to set up their own gear and check their
sound. Same goes for the line check. You may be
surprised to know that audiences aren’t all that
excited to sit and listen to you work out your live
sound in front of their eyes and on their time. Save
the lengthy tune-up and checking for the Making of
The Band video. Get your levels quick and get to
rockin’!
3.) Plan Out Your Set Time Well Before Your Set -
The key to a tight set is the prep work that goes on
before the night of the gig. Many artists believe that
the longer they’re on stage the more the audience
gets revved up, but there is something to be said
about “too much of a good thing.” Plan out your set,
time it and then time it again and make sure that it
comes in a few minutes under your designated set
list time. Little passive aggressive tricks like cramming
in two or three extra songs at the end of the set or
coaxing your friends into screaming for an encore
only serves to enrage your sound man and confuse
your crowd and extensive tuning and chatting amongst
yourselves and audience members in between songs
is just plain tedious. The tighter your set is the more
professional it sounds to the ears of your audience
and the happier you’ll make your bookers, promoters
and club owners.
4.) Tear Down Should Be The Quickest Of All - If you
thought your set up was quick, your band’s tear down
should be lightning fast in comparison. So much time
is wasted every night at a music venue as musicians
dawdle after their sets, drinking and chatting with
friends, while their gear lies piled up on stage,
preventing the next artists from getting set up. Pick
up your instruments, haul them of stage, and take
them outside or into the green room. There you can
wrap your gear up, clean it off, and pack it away into
cases and into your cars. Then, it’s time to toss back
a few beers and gab with the masses until closing
time, without interrupting the flow of the evening.
Imagine this…you’re in a local club waiting to check out
an act your label has sent you to scout. You wait and wait
in growing more bored and more drunk while the band
you’ve been sent to see chats it up with the women in the
room, giving t-shirts and CDs to the really hot ones. After
what seems like forever, the bands takes the stage and
begins their set. What should have been a 30-minute
showcase turns into an hour or more as the band plays
a loose set, stopping often to tune, complain about the
sound, yell to the bartender for drinks and crack jokes
with select audience members; while you sit unimpressed
trying to get a feel for the band’s style. Finally, their set
ends and you wait to approach the band on behalf of
your label but these super rock stars are still on stage
wrapping up endless cords and wiping down each piece
of gear while they chat with each other about how much
their set rocked. If this were you’re A&R experience, you’d
give up waiting to speak with these lazy musicians, go back
to your label and tell them to forget about this particular
band and these hot-shot rock stars will wind up working at
Starbuck’s until they go on Social Security. This doesn’t
have to happen to you. Learn to get up, get on and get
off. You’ll soon have the reputation as an easy-to-work-
with, professional, reliable band. After all, you never know
who might be in the audience to see you on any given
night.
2
3
