Posted: Apr 16, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Imagine Dragons blew up to become a huge band last year and that took plenty of time and seasoning. Their manager, Mac Reynolds, knew from the get go that the bread and butter for many artists is touring both monetarily and in terms of exposure. Building those touring chops though is a tough cookie for plenty of bands. First, you got to hone your skills, then hone your hometown, and work around from there. Mac talks about what Imagine Dragons did to hone their live performances along with how this paved the way for how they played shows live when they were huge and had all the eyeballs on them. Mac is a firm believer that you don't have to be in either LA or New York to be successful, and he illustrates how a band can use their hometown (Vegas being very unique in this instance) to an advantage. If you are just starting out playing live, watch this video for great strategy on how to round out your own live set!
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 13, 2013
Category: Live Performance
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**Guest Post by Bret Alexander of The Badlees and Saturation Acres.
"When navigating the long and winding road to rock and roll success, you will encounter many, varied species. Some friendly, some not...So, in this week’s entry, I decided to write about a few of the most common species I have encountered out there. [Afterall], like bird watching, a lifetime of rocking takes patience and stealth. And the more information you have going in, the more pleasant your journey will be."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 9, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Tom Windish heads up The Windish Agency as President, representing one of the most diverse and eclectic rosters in the music business. Operating on gut and killer instinct, Tom moves fast and snatches up his talent early. That can be both wonderful and intimidating all at the same time because The Windish Agency gets the chance to develop their touring plan and add value to the band before they take that leap to the next level. But, what is their strategy to develop and build that band on the live side? Sometimes, their acts haven't even played a live show yet! So, how do they get the band the necessary reps to build up and deliver a mind-blowing concert? Find out right here with Mr. Windish!
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 8, 2013
Category: Online Distribution
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Hear a new song you like? It can be yours in moments. It just takes a few clicks of the computer mouse or swipes on a smart device to find the song online, purchase and download it, and hit play. Is your music available for the instant gratification of your fans? If not, you could be missing out on potential sales and NEW fans. While iTunes dominates digital music sales, you can usually land your songs on Amazon, Google Play, and others at the same time. After all, the more places that people can find you, the better the chances are of them downloading your music.
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 2, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Evan Lowenstein started out in the music business as an artist with his brother, and they produced a top 20 single in their hey day. However, Evan felt a calling to something bigger than just his career as an artist. He wanted to help other fellow artists knowing what the struggle can be to even succeed in this business. Therefore, he decided to dive in and create a company that could serve as a platform to benefit all artists. This was the genesis of StageIt, a virtual interactive platform on the web where artists could sell their live performances. In this clip, Evan explains how he started this project and what to expect when developing your own entrepreneurship!
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 1, 2013
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Nifty of Music Full Time.com.
By the end of this post, you might be annoyed with me. And that’s good. It means that you’ll be making money very soon.
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 23, 2013
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest Post by Bret Alexander of The Badlees and Saturation Acres.
"When I started producing records, almost every band I worked with talked incessantly about getting a record deal and “making it”. Now I almost never hear that discussion. And that, for me, is a welcome development."
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 21, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Renman asks Drew Simmons, manager of Young the Giant, what his thoughts are regarding the artist development process. On a prior episode of Renman Live!, Steve welcomed Bruce Flohr onto the show from Red Light Management, and Bruce proposed the notion that it takes 10 years for an artist to truly develop and grow into their own skin. That’s on many levels: as a touring act, a recording act, and in terms of finding their True North to properly tell their own story to the world. Drew had the opportunity to work for Bruce at Red Light Management and offers his own thoughts on the artist development process!
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 18, 2013
Category: SXSW
**Courtesy of rollingstone.com.
Dave Grohl delivered the keynote speech at SXSW this year and hit on some very important topics for the independent music community and the DIY ethic. "The musician comes first." says Grohl. Read the complete speech text here...
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 17, 2013
Category: The Lefsetz Letter
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**Guest post from Bob Lefsetz of "The Lefsetz Letter."
Bob Lefsetz is the author of "The Lefsetz Letter." Famous for being beholden to no one and speaking the truth, Lefsetz addresses the issues that are at the core of the music business: downloading, copy protection, pricing and the music itself. His intense brilliance captivates readers from Steven Tyler to Rick Nielsen to Bryan Adams to Quincy Jones to EVERYBODY who’s in the music business. Never boring, always entertaining, Bob’s insights are fueled by his stint as an entertainment business attorney, majordomo of Sanctuary Music’s American division and consultancies to major labels.
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 12, 2013
Category: Live Performance
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**Guest post from Jordan Gaw of Final Drive, a Metal band from St. Louis, MO.
As an independent band, we all play countless shows in small venues and DIY spots with local promoters and club owners. Communication, respect and networking are essential for getting the most out of every gig. Gaining new fans, establishing relationships and executing an amazing show, that not only sounds, but runs smoothly, is your mission (should you choose to accept it).
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 4, 2013
Category: Music Festivals
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A community of music lovers, all escaping to a picturesque spot to immerse themselves in a concert that lasts for days...there is just something magical about a music festival. Whatever your genre, from jazz to rock to alternative to bluegrass, there is a festival out there for you. If you're booked for an upcoming festival, follow these tips to make the most of what can be an amazing experience.
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 4, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Everyone wants to know how to get in front of the eyes and ears of A&R, managers, agents, etc. Each of those individuals are foundational members of the team around the band, but getting any or all to join your team is always the big challenge for any artist. But, before you convince them to join your team, you got to get them in the room with you first! This is exactly what one of our RMB callers asked about: how to best draw the attention of booking agents at festivals like SXSW, or even just locally in the artist’s hometown. There is no one answer to that question, but Kyle offers his advice on how to best get in front of a booking agent!
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 27, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Troy Carter blew Lady GaGa up into the biggest pop sensation in recent memory, but people tend to forget that she didn’t start out that way. Stardom was not automatic. She had to grind away just like everyone else, and she played more than her fair share of small gigs as a support slot for bigger acts. Through developing her career, Troy certainly has picked up pearls of wisdom that can help bridge a support slot on a tour into being a headliner eventually. Often to do that, the support slot needs to connect with the fans of the bands they open for. A RenmanMB member asked Troy what his thoughts were on how to best establish that connection in order to create new fans, and Troy obliges with his thoughts here!
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 26, 2013
Category: Online Distribution
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The internet has effectively leveled the playing field in the world of music. Music lovers no longer have to rely on radio djs at a handful of stations for exposure to new music; there is a seemingly limitless stream of great music available online all the time. The internet radio powerhouse Pandora, for example, played 1.39 billion hours of music for its listeners in December alone. And as most of you know, the great thing about Pandora is that it recognizes the user's taste in music and suggests new songs and artists they are likely to love, making it an ideal platform for exposing new listeners to your work.
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 19, 2013
Category: Merch
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Sure, we all know that releasing a CD allows you to take your music from the stage to the hands, homes, and ears of your fans. And having a cd with your best work on hand is also crucial when meeting and networking with a talent buyer, producer, or agent. But what if you don't have the budget to print a large run of your album, or even a place to store the inventory? Well you've got options...check out these on demand printing outlets so you can print just the number of cds you need, when you need them.
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 18, 2013
Category: Websites
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**Guest post from bandzoogle.com.
During the last few years, musician website and marketing platform Bandzoogle have reviewed thousands of musician websites, and often, the same issues come up over and over again. So they've released a free eBook called "Quick Fix! 12 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Band Website".
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 13, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Grouplove calls into the broadcast to chat with Renman and Nicky Berger, their manager, about how their paths intertwined to create the foundation that is Grouplove. For each member of Grouplove, how that person came into the fold was uniquely different, yet their chemistry developed quite organically. In this Renman Live! Highlight, Renman talks with Hannah Hooper, Christian Zucconi, and Sean Gadd from Grouplove about their individual connections to the band and how that evolved to create a strong bond and camaraderie amongst the band. Nicky Berger also chimes in to elaborate on why that bond has become as strong as it is!
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 12, 2013
Category: Twitter
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**Guest post written by Chris "Seth" Jackson, a bass guitarist and composer, and founder of HowToRunABand.com.
Twitter for Musicians is a 30 day guide to kick ass and take names using Twitter for your band.
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 5, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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Troy Carter is a new breed of manager, who is taking the Music Industry by storm. He currently reps artists like Lady Gaga and John Legend and heads multiple companies, many on the tech front. Troy likes to keep ahead of the game, and if the game does not suit his interests, he invents a new technology or collaborates with individuals who can reinvent how the game is played. When asked about his mindset of breaking down the Status Quo, he attributes that facet of his personality to growing up immersed in the hip-hop culture. Listen to Troy tell it best as he encourages you to keep challenging the norm and disrupt the Status Quo!
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 29, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
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As a Manager, a lot of responsibility falls on you to help get your band out there. If you want your band to break, that band needs as much as exposure as possible. A lot of that exposure comes from touring. Putting together a proper touring plan for your band is key. But how do you strategize the tour for your band? What are the right venues and size capacity for your band to play in front of? If your band is unknown, how do you pair them with someone who already has good exposure? Dalton Sim, Manager of Fun., knows how to break a band, and in this segment, talks about how he put together a touring strategy for Fun. which ultimately helped to break the band!
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 26, 2013
Category: Facebook
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Social media sites are great places to spread the word about your music, interact with your fans, and promote your tours and recordings. But what do you do when you're ready to move beyond your friends, family, friends of friends, and real life acquaintances? Facebook Advertising can be an effective and inexpensive way to help you expand your social network, but it needs to be done the right way to truly be effective.
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 24, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
lady gaga producers publishing
Lady GaGa did not start out as the Pop Powerhouse Machine that she currently is. Before she was Lady GaGa, she was Stefani Germanotta. She started from the same humble beginnings as all artists do. She hustled and played her ass off live in New York on Bleecker Street and the Lower East Side where she caught the eyes of producers. After recording her songs with the backing of connected producers, she still could not break in to get a publishing deal. Jody Gerson, Co-President of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, tells the story of how GaGa came to her office and how this influenced her decision to sign her!
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 16, 2013
Category: Renman Music & Business
RenmanMB begins “Breaking Bands” Week by welcoming Drew Simmons, the manager for Young the Giant, which has become a recent success making waves touring, on radio, and even having songs placed on TV shows and in commercials. But, how did they get to that point? First, they needed to get management on board who believed in them and their music. Drew recounts how he first noticed Young the Giant (at the time known as The Jakes) and what led to his decision to represent them. If you are a hot young band looking to get representation, Drew has some words of wisdom for you!
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 13, 2013
Category: Merch
**Guest post written by Ari Herstand, a DIY singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, CA with 500+ shows under his belt, as featured in his blog Ari's Take.
When you're on tour, merch is your #1 income generator. This can't be stressed enough. Believe it. Bands stress over their guarantees and door splits and turnouts. If you want to survive financially with your music you must understand the importance of merch sales and approach it as such. I've played shows where 10 people showed up, but they had such an amazing time and I stressed the merch to them that all 10 people bought something averaging about $15. That's $150 in merch sales. That's good for any night.
View Full Article