Vol 3, Issue 2: Musicians with Brains: I Never Knew the Two Could Co-Exist!

While conducting research for this piece, I stumbled upon a posting in which a blogger adamantly declared that musicians have NO right to speak out for causes they support, and that they should solely stick to music on account of the fact that they have no post-secondary academic training, and therefore are inadequately equipped to contend with such global issues. 

While by all means I encourage the expression of individual opinion, I do not condone speaking on subjects about which you have little to no knowledge such as the above described individual has, because in fact, he couldn’t be more off-base.

Not only does this blogger fail to acknowledge that it is more often media personnel cornering musicians into situations in which they are forced to speak out on these types of issues, rather than the musicians making these efforts on their own (perhaps with the exception of someone like Bono), but on top of that, this blogger is clearly unaware of just how many of our talented songwriters are, in fact, schooled in far more than just how to play a 12-string.

From Dexter Holland’s (Offspring’s frontman) Masters in Molecular Biology to Mick Jagger’s degree in business and economics to Huey Lewis’ Ivy League record at Cornell to David Draiman’s (Disturbed’s frontman) triple university major in business admin, poli sci, and philosophy, clearly our rockstars are more intelligent that the average person gives them credit for.

Now, I completely understand musical preferences and one’s right to their own tastes. In fact, these days, there are few bands that are able to generate universal appeal. But, the next time that you even contemplate having an opinion on an artist that goes beyond your sheer sonic partiality for or against their genre, I suggest that you do some background research on that artist so that you do not end up looking like an ass, just as our “friend” above has. All of this buildup, of course, brings me to the issue at hand – that of rockstars with academic credentials.

Though this is not a subject that is often touched upon by most music media, I think it is important to demonstrate that even people who have achieved rockstardom at its pinnacle assessed the extremely low likelihood of their careers being successful, and thus planned accordingly just in case. I know many of you do not want to hear about the importance of having a “plan b”, because I too, was once in your shoes arguing with my parents that no matter what, music was my life, and I was born to rock. However, after actually going through the industry, and experiencing first hand all of the crookedness and the false promises, I gotta tell you – I’m forever indebted to my folks for making me stay in school.

Had I not entered the industry with my strong background in PR, negotiations, and entertainment-related business know-how, there is no way that I would have been able to accomplish the well-respected reputation for being a “professional” that I have. Further, without this training, I indefinitely would have found myself the victim of a lot more entertainment industry scams.

Most importantly though, if being a professional musician is truly the path that you desire to pursue, you need to recognize that fame is transient, and that musical fads come and go. If you want to be able to maintain career longevity, similar to the artists that I have mentioned, you need to know a thing or two about how to stay as a leader in the pack, and procuring a good education is definitely a good start.

Lastly, there’s always the fact to consider that after you’ve had your stint of fame, perhaps you’d like to move onto other ventures – it wouldn’t be the first time. Did you know that, for instance, Craig Ferguson, host of NBC’s Late Late Show was originally the drummer in a Scottish punk band known as “The Bastards from Hell” or that Mike Rowe, now the MC for Discovery’s Dirty Jobs, started out as an opera singer or that there was a time in history in which Henry Rollins actually played music? The point I’m trying to make here is as follows: it is possible, even though I know you likely won’t believe me, that once you’ve worked in the industry, you’ll come to the conclusion that it wasn’t all that it’s cracked up to be, and so a career change will be in order.

Though school will always be there, I’m sure most of you don’t want to end up in your late 40s still living at home with only a highschool diploma in hand waiting for your rockstar dreams to come true. Trust me, I’ve met people like this, and it ain’t a pretty picture!

To summarize, think of it this way: knowledge is a weapon, and the more you have about your craft, and the industry itself, the better able you are to protect yourself. Plus which, from a sheer songwriting perspective, the more worldly and cultured one is, the better his/her songs will be and the greater good he/she can do with his/her influence.

Vol 2, Conclusion: Counting Down the Top 20 Sins Committed Against Musicians By the Music Biz

First off, I’d like to thank all of you for sticking with me for another year. I hope that reading my column proved to be an educational and insightful experience. Although I bitch a great deal about the music industry, there are a lot of amazing people out there working on all aspects of the business to make it more artist-friendly. I urge you to follow your dreams if it’s music that is truly in your heart, I simply hope that my column has been able to provide you with a more realistic perspective in terms of what you will encounter. As you follow your path, and begin to gain success, you’ll learn soon that it’s really a love/hate relationship, and it’s definitely not as glamourous as the media would like you to believe. Irrespective of this, there’s something about rocking out on stage to a sea of thousands of people that is untouchable in terms of the euphoria it produces. 

To help you along your journey, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be returning “back in black” to charm you all a third time come September, and “So You Wanna be a Rockstar?” is promised to be bigger, and better than ever.

Last week, courtesy of Henry Rollins, you caught a sneak peak of what is to come with my new monthly featurette interview series, “Hear it From the Pros”. To further help me cater my topic selection to areas about which you’d like to learn and/or if you have suggestions for potential interviewees from whom you’d like to hear, please visit my myspace page (www.myspace.com/soyouwannabeinarockband) and fill out the readership survey. I would love to hear from you!

Without further adieu, to end off the year in an must-read obligatory countdown, I’ve compiled a list of the top 20 sins that the music industry has committed against artists over the years. My intention in doing so is to not only inform you of these atrocities, but as well, hopefully compel you to speak out against them.

In the current climate of the music industry, indie musicians have the ability to take back the power, but this can only be achieved if we unite together, and fight for what we deserve: that is, to be treated as professionals. I once read that the first step to change is through enlightenment. I’ve given you the power, so now let’s see you use it.

In order, based on YOUR ratings, starting with the #1 voted most “sinful of the sins”, here goes:

1) The media’s commitment to focusing more on the personal mishaps of celebrities, rather than remembering them for their artistic contributions

2) Allowing lipsynching and advances in technology to make up for a lack of talent

3) The creation of reality TV karoake contests to discover the next popstars

4) The music biz’s emphasis on marketability over talent

5) The government and music industry’s creation of misleading grant programs that fail to fulfill mandates to provide indie artists with necessary funding

6) The lack of governance over bogus battle of the bands contests and “pay to play” scouting events

7) The music industry’s ongoing attempts to maintain a closed network based on who you know, NOT how talented you are

8) The allowance of our standards to drop so low that cliche love songs, and raps full of profanities which fail to inspire and rather encourage degradation, violence, and discrimination receive airplay

9) The lack of implementation of pay equity scales for touring bands

10) The “successful” separation of music from the people

11) The employment of musically uneducated and ill-researched staff to conduct concert and album reviews

12) The creation of double standards for acceptable sexual expression among male and female artists

13) Radio payola scams

14) The commodification of music

15) The perpetuation of the “overnight success” myth

16) CTRC’s refusal to implement legislation regarding illegal downloading

17) Allowing “artists” to illegally sample music

18) New artist campaigns that overmarket their artists so excessively that we end up hearing the same song(s) on the radio upwards of five times per hour

19) The music industry’s belief that they (the labels) can dictate to the public what music is worth listening to by throwing money at it

and finally…

20) The ridiculous amount of legal battles that exist between bands trying to earn a decent buck for their talents, and record labels trying to rape them for everything they’re worth

Vol 2, Issue 4: The REAL Deal on Record Deals

I remember the day that my band ANTI-HERO announced that we signed a distribution deal and how much it got blown out of proportion. Friends of ours began writing us letters wondering when we’d buy them each a hot new sports car or generously donate money to their cause? My response to them and anyone else who seems to be under the misconception that we are throwing parties just to roll around in our billows of cash is this: just because you sign a record deal doesn’t mean that all of your prayers have been answered.

For one thing, there are different kinds of deals a band can sign which may or may not include thousands of dollars being paid upfront to the artist. However, even in this “best” case scenario, what the music industry doesn’t tell you is that if your act flops, you will now owe that money back to your label. Don’t think that this is an uncommon dilemma in which bands find themselves. You just never hear about it because it would ruin our idealistic view of what “being signed” really means, thereby encouraging more artists to go at it independently further crippling the major labels and their stronghold on the industry.Now, not to get into semantics, but let me clarify one thing.

The word “independent” and/or “indie” is commonly used incorrectly when referring to artists. Contrary to popular belief, “indie” is NOT a genre, but rather it refers to the independent status of a band meaning that they are self-managed/published artist, and that they embrace the punk slogan D.I.Y. as their mandate. Even if an act is signed to an indie label, what one needs to understand is that all indie labels have an major label affiliate for distribution purposes, and usually a booking/publicity company affiliate, so further, the lines between major and indie become blurred. In my opinion, a true indie band is one that provides its own booking, management, publicity, distribution, and struggles its way to the top without any label support.Thanks for letting me get that out of my system.

Let’s now go back to the types of deals a band may be offered, so that you can establish which type of agreement would best suit your act’s needs.

1) Distribution: A distribution deal will make your album(s) available in retail stores, downloadable on sites such as iTunes, and/or online for purchase. The availability of your album in stores in various territories will highly depend upon your act’s touring history. With a distro deal, no upfront money is offered to the artist. For that matter, your act may be required to take money out of its own pockets to pay for the re-pressing of your cds with the distributor’s logo and copyright information. In addition, your distributing label will receive a substantial cut of the profits from all of your cd sales including your off-stage sales (the cds you sell at shows). If your cd is recalled or returned, again you will owe your distributor money for the inconvenience you have caused them. So, be sure that your cd is gonna sell.

Pros: Having a major distributor affiliated with your band may assist with publicity and bookings. Having your music worldwide will assist your act in widening its fanbase.

Cons: In-store cd sales are at an all-time low (in fact, many major labels are switching to cataloging only), and with illegal downloading programs such as Limewire, it’s difficult to make any money from online sales. In addition, you will now be sharing your profits providing your act with less money to spend on other areas that need development.

2) Indie Label Representation: Signing to an indie label will provide you with distribution (though it may be limited to the areas in which your act tours), and likely booking and publicity services. However, booking and publicity services may be charged as extra expenses to your act. In addition, you will likely be required to continue to perform several of your own management functions to assist with the label’s efforts. There may or may not be an offering of upfront money, however, funds are limited so likely, it would not be a large amount. Indie labels often book tours and do promotions in which all of their artists are grouped together.

Pros: Less pressure to conform to current music trends. Higher likelihood of getting approved for grant programs.

Cons: Less funding for booking, and publicity than what a major label could provide you. You could get stuck in the stigma of only being successful when in conjunction with the other artists on your label. Competition is steep.

3) Major Label Representation: With major label representation, you get to focus on just being a musician. Your booking, management, and publicity is all taken care of. Your albums are available worldwide, and you will be provided with great opening and festival opportunities. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get signed to a major label as their funds have diminished significantly due to illegal downloading. They are becoming more choosy with the artists that they represent, and are more likely to sign acts that mimic what’s currently popular on the airwaves producing short-lived careers for their artists. If music is your livelihood, becoming a one-hit wonder would be devastating.

Pros: Unlimited opportunities in terms of marketing, and promotions. Worldwide touring opportunities, and distribution.

Cons: Loss of control over the marketing of your act’s image and sound. Due to the extensive rosters of major labels, your act may be shelved for anywhere from a few months to a year. If your act flops, you will be required to pay the label back all of the funds with which it provided you for marketing, recording, and promotion etc.

4) Strictly Booking or Publicity Deals: If an act wishes to continue to be independent, but requires additional booking or publicity services, they can sign agreements with independent firms that will assist with booking or publicity for a monetary fee and/or percentage of your earnings. Most bookers and/or publicists are unlikely to work with bands that are unestablished and do not already have record deals or at least distribution.

Pros: Several venues, festivals, and/or media outlets do not accept unsolicited materials from artists, and therefore having an agent work on your behalf may open up some doors.

Cons: This is often an expensive endeavour and firms cannot provide a guarantee that their services will assist you. Just because your act is offered a show and/or press through one of these firms, it does not mean that it is guaranteed to be favourable.With any opportunity, there will always be upsides and downfalls, but knowing what risks your act is willing to take, and what services best suit your needs will assist you greatly in choosing an appropriate career path.

Irrespective of what any record deal promises to deliver, remember this: just because they say they will provide you with all these wonderful services doesn’t necessarily mean they will. Most acts are so overwhelmed at the very proposition of being signed that they put themselves in a scenario in which they can easily be taken advantage of. As most artists do not have the funding behind them to go through legal proceedings in the event that their label screws them over, labels are aware of the fact that they can away with making empty promises.

Although the workload of self-management is overwhelming at times, I find myself satisfied in knowing that what my band has accomplished is entirely in thanks to all of our hard work. Being a true indie band is something that has worked for us, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s been an easy road.

However, on the other side of things, I hope that you all now understand that just because an act is signed, it doesn’t mean that a) they no longer have to work hard and/or b) that their career will be well taken care of. Perhaps I’ve become jaded from my experiences in the music biz, but I personally would never put my life into the hands of another to sit back and watch it run its course. My life = my music, and I don’t feel that anyone is capable of truly understanding what that means to me except for me.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 3: A Possible Solution to Digital Thievery: Well…not quite.

Continuing on with last week’s assessment of our music market and digital piracy concerns, it’s important to note, that although still rudimentary and somewhat flawed, new technologies are currently being refined in order to battle the formidable foe of major record labels: the internet. Whether or not, they will serve to be a permanent solution to this problem is yet to be determined. (I still argue that we’d be better off creating a new medium that cannot be read by computers, but that’s an entire issue on its own.) However, if you are an aspiring artist working on material in hopes of releasing an album one day, I would suggest keeping yourself apprised of such developments as they may prove to strongly influence audio formatting policies in the future.

A few years back, upon the brink of Napster’s short-lived popularity and lifespan as a free file-sharing service, British innovators at Fortium Technologies (previously First4Internet) seized an opportunity. Unlike the major labels who believed the issue of digital piracy would find a quick resolution commencing the shutdown of Napster’s services, the technologists at Fortium prepared for what they predicted as the inevitable future: a music industry falling victim to Napster copycat programs in desperate need of an audio-content protection solution. What has come to be known in today’s industry as XCP (the extended copyright protection system) evolved from Fortium’s initial efforts which took form in the highly controversial “rootkit software” of 2005.

For those of you unfamiliar with rootkit, here’s a brief history: Sony-BMG, completely enthralled by the very thought of an attempt to kick this “illegal downloading thing” where it hurts, preemptively jumped on board releasing over 50 titles (from various artists) with this relatively untested technology included on each disc. When a customer purchased one of the rootkit enhanced discs, and placed it into their computer drive, a software component named “Media-Max 3D” would, unbeknownst to them, be automatically installed on their computer. The purpose of Media-Max 3D was to prohibit consumers from reading the disc with any other music player such as iTunes or Windows Media Player which in turn disallowed the possibility of cd ripping, and limited cd burning so that users could only create about two extra copies of a given disc for personal use.

Although, I’m fairly certain most of you would be familiar with how P2P content-sharing systems work, the importance of Media-Max 3D’s function is this: by disabling the ripping process of a cd, a user is unable to retrieve audio tracks from that disc, convert them into mp3 format, and upload them to a file-sharing server, thereby (in theory) eliminating the possibility of illegal file-sharing/downloading.

Now here’s where things got interesting. Consumers began to notice malfunctions with their Windows operating systems shortly after listening to one of these enhanced discs on their computers. It was later concluded that Media-Max 3D was responsible for installing spyware (a malicious computer virus portal) onto all desktops with which it had contact.

Although this scandal remained fairly “hush-hush” to the wider population, several lawsuits were filed against Sony-BMG for privacy invasion, all of the catalog releases (estimated over 500,000) that included this technology had to be recalled and exchanged for standard discs, not to mention Fortium Technology’s name change (which couldn’t have occurred at a more opportune moment) which resultingly, deflected a great deal of the blame off of their company.

Since this unfortunate series of events, Fortium has made alternations to their digital content-protection software re-launching it as XCP. Though Fortium has assured both consumers and labels interested in licensing this software that, “the control program provided as part of the disc management system only resides on the CDR media and does not install any programs on the PC, ” potential users and buyers remain skeptical at best.

Irrespective of Fortium’s claim to having the grandiose solution (for a whopping $10,000 per license, and that’s not including tax, or manufacturing costs, mind you), another major issue in the fight against music piracy is still going unaddressed: that is, preventing users from uploading purchased songs from legitimate online music stores onto illegal P2P free file-sharing servers. There is NO way to police this, and all it takes is a single user to purchase tracks from a legitimate online music store, and allow access to his/her music library free of charge via one of the many (and growing) population of P2P servers. Additionally, recent reports have revealed that computer “hackers” have discovered a way to steal music directly off of licensed programs such as iTunes, so it would seem to me that Fortium’s invention really only solves a small piece of this highly complex puzzle. What’s worse is that as a globally interacting planet, we cannot seem to establish some sort of agreed upon method for internet governance or regulation. I hate to say it, but the solution seems very far off indeed.

However, the internet is NOT all bad. In fact, it has served as an invaluable tool to the benefit of many artists, especially independent ones, including myself, and I can sincerely say that a great deal of my band’s accomplishments would not have been possible without its advent.

Now, I hope that this further reflection on the current music industry has not dampened your spirits too much because in fact, right now is a very exciting time period for indie artists. I welcome you to check back next week to get the scoop on why it’s a much more lucrative and rewarding business when you decide to go it alone.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 2: Who’s Really at Fault for Declining Sales, Heightened Piracy & Lower Standards of Music as an Artform?

When The Police have to cancel tour dates due to poor ticket sales, and Bon Jovi holds the top position on the weekly Soundscan charts for the number one selling new release with a mere 7,000 discs, it’s safe to say that the music industry is in quite a pickle. While the record companies are quick to point the finger at the escalating rate of illegal downloads as the primary cause of their dismay, there’s truly more going on here than meets the eye. If I can offer you, my fellow aspiring artists, one piece of solid advice, it’s this: go indie, or go home. Before I begin providing you with steps on how to attain a successful status as an independent musician, I feel it is essential to evaluate the current climate of today’s music industry.

With the recent closings of both the Sam the Record Man & Music World retail store chains, and the now defunct (once mighty) Castle Records, obviously credence must be given to the fact that illegal downloading is affecting retail sales in a major way. For that matter, the music industry, as we once knew it, is scrambling to invent new technologies in order to battle piracy, when truly, it would be a much wiser idea to accept the fact that things have changed, and that they will never be as they once were. Instead of challenging the movement towards digital, I’d argue they’d be better off embracing it, because one thing is for certain: the youth generation, the force driving this movement, is only getting larger, and more powerful.

However…we all knew this day would come. Not to get politic, but this situation, to me, is reminiscent of when Bush completely ignored the signs indicating the imminent threat of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, acted mystified by the event, and then once it was too late, tried to pick up the pieces acting as though everything could quickly retain normalcy by affixing a band-aid. Well, I hate to break it to Bush, and the traditionalist label owners still clutching tightly to their memories of vinyl, big hair, and sold-out concerts, but change is unavoidable, and as Darwin put it, “only the strongest, and those able to adapt to their new environment(s) will survive”.

But… how did this all get so out of hand in the first place? Why is it that music lovers are no longer willing to pay for what was once a precious commodity? Simply put, because it’s NOT worth it.

As a musician, and a music consumer, I have the unique perspective of seeing both sides of the argument. While I don’t agree with stealing (that’s what piracy is folks, whether you want to admit it to yourselves, or not), I also am sympathetic to the needs of the music consumer, and I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t bought a new album in about 10 years. Why, you ask? Because the quality, talent, and songwriting of our modern-day so-called “artists” does not even register in the minor leagues compared to what the musicians of the past were required to deliver. But…don’t be so quick to blame the artists themselves. It’s not as though the potential for genuine talent simply disappeared from our generation. The sad fact of it all is that music is no longer about music (read that line again if it didn’t make sense the first time).

Music, a once well-respected art form in which songwriters created stories about their experiences and offered inspiration, hope, and comfort to their listeners is now a commodity – a slickly pre-packaged trinket oozing with marketability and emulating every current trend in society from black eye makeup to disgustingly pretentious bad-ass attitude. The problem with this of course is that it lacks originality and genuine substance (the very things that good music is made of).

It’s All About the Money
It’s become painful to listen to modern-rock radio because you can’t tell one band from the next, the general consensus in terms of acceptable lyrical subject matter is appalling, well moreso pathetic, and everything just seems so damn predictable as though each song selected to be a single had “insert catchy hook here” and “time for a guitar solo/breakdown” slated in the sheet music before the piece was even composed. The rationale behind all of this was, of course: to make money.

Record labels believed, that if they continued to hire copy-cat artists who simply acted as puppets in their greed-driven attempts at success, that we, as consumers, would be too ignorant to notice. While it is unfortunate that many independent, and truly talented bands are suffering in the crossfire, I feel no sympathy for the record labels as truly, they are getting their just desserts. If they feel there’s nothing wrong with exploiting young naïve artists, and then shortly thereafter, ending their careers to make a quick buck, then there’s nothing wrong with stealing from major companies who could care less about the negative effects their messages, and efforts have had on society.

From a consumer perspective, I can appreciate the fact that shelling out the cash to buy an album doesn’t seem worthwhile when there are only three decent tracks on the entire thing. However, what consumers don’t realize is that the cycle of releasing sub-par music is being perpetuated by their very actions.

Underdeveloped Talent
Because record labels are losing so much money at such an intense rate, artists, are being forced to release new material more often, and consequently, the songwriting quality continues to diminish because musicians are no longer being granted time to develop their skills, and their art. It wasn’t uncommon five-ten years ago, for artists to wait anywhere from three to sometimes even seven years before issuing a follow-up record (which of course gave allowance for artistic development and experimentation). But, because of the industry’s threatening financial situation, record labels do not have the time, nor the patience to care about such things, and thus, will settle for what they can get.

Market Oversaturation
Further, there’s another force influencing this situation which I like to refer to as “the convenience factor”. Society, for whatever reason, (blame it on the media, generational differences, or a combination) continues each year to become more and more obsessed with the, “bigger, better, faster, now” mentality. Advertisers have noted that our attention spans are shortening, causing us to become bored and/or distracted at a quicker rate, thus propelling the need to consistently obtain new material items. Keeping this in mind, it’s no wonder that record labels expect new albums out of their artists every year, sometimes even every six months because what’s “new” doesn’t stay “new” for very long in such an oversaturated and overplayed market.

So how can artists contend with all of this when the labels, the ones with the money and manpower, are losing their stability? Well, no one said it would be easy, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

If major labels continue to plummet, no longer will our airwaves be flooded by the same ten bands that all sound like Nickleback. Musicians, again will have to pay their dues, win their own fans, independently promote their concerts, and earn every bit of their status by themselves.

Look at it like this: it’s a purification process, and a much needed one at that. Though “rockstardom” will likely never be as it once was, our current climate demands change, which I believe could be the beginnings to a major overhaul which will re-introduce art to music. Here’s hoping I’m right. I know there are more purists, like me, out there.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 1: A New Year, a Lot More Experience

Another year has passed, and though I’m only a little bit older, I’m a lot more experienced. Much has happened, some for the better, some for the worst, but either way, I’m here to share my experiences with you, so that you will be granted adequate and realistic knowledge regarding whether or not the pursuit of the “rockstar” dream is truly what it seems.

For those of you just joining me, I’m sure you’re curious as to what makes me an expert? Well, as could be expected, I was once just like you: a dreamer who wanted nothing more in the world than to rock the masses as my day job. Though in theory, it sounds monumental and insurmountable to say the least.

Let me tell you this:
1) there are no get-rich quick schemes in this industry
2) the only person you can put faith in is yourself
3) And finally, everything you think you know about the music biz, whether you were taught in school or you picked it up from some MuchMusic or MTV program, is either complete and utter BULLSHIT, the entire story is NOT being told, or you’ve simply become the victim, like myself, of wanting a dream so passionately that you have been blinded by your own naivety.

So back to the part about what makes me an expert? To get it out of the way, let me first explain that I would never claim to know all that there is to know, but I do feel that my personal experiences, both successes, and failures have provided me with concrete knowledge that I would like to offer you. Obviously, no two cases are alike, and there will always be exceptions to the rule, but, if I do know anything (which I hope I do), it’s this: I wish to god that someone would’ve given me the honest truth when I was started out, like what I’m doing for you.

So am I a philanthropist, a martyr, or is there something in this for me? Why am I offering such priceless knowledge free of charge? Well, what it comes down to is this…All I’ve ever wanted was to change the world in what little way that I could. Through my art, my music, offer some kind of hope, comfort, or inspiration to those in need, like my favourite musicians have done for me. While I realize that some of you may love me, others (likely more of you) will hate me, as long as I can help at least one of you with what I have to say, I’ll know that I was a successful artist at the end of it all. If not for art, then what for?

So, if you’re intrigued to read on, you’ll learn quickly that I’ve been a performing musician since the age of four, I wrote my first song at seven, I’ve fronted two successful bands who garnered significant industry interest and record deals, toured extensively across North America, started my own record label at 15, and did I mention I did this all on my own? I scratched and fought my way to the top against every feat you can imagine from inner-band quarrels to financial ruin to emotional despair to sexism. All of this I tell you so that you will understand two things: I’m quite serious in what I have to offer, and I’m not just some unqualified wannabe piddling out dribble who has nothing better to do that bitch and complain about the unfairness in the world.

I’ve held every role in the industry from talent to publicist to booker to legal advisor. So, if YOU wanna be a rockstar, keep reading, you may just learn something.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 1, Conclusion: Breaking Down the Most Influential in the Music Biz

I’d like to start out by thanking all of you for taking the time to read my column weekly. I hope that amidst my many rantings about the music industry that you’ve managed to gather a tidbit of wisdom here or there.

Below I’ve compiled a list of artists who have made the industry what it is today by becoming leaders in revolutions of sounds, imagery and artistic movements. You’ll notice that very few contemporary artists have made the cut, and that is for one reason, and one reason only…Since the death of the grunge period in the late 90s, there remains a void in music history.

Everything you currently hear on the radio has been stolen from someone else – someone great from the past – and next to no artists, in the last ten years, have risen to the challenge to create something that can be considered “true art.”

So I leave you with this – if you truly aspire to become a musician – to offer this world music with meaning – art that makes a difference in people’s lives — look up to these greats, gather inspiration from them, and start a revolution. Every serious songwriter should own at least one album from every artist on this list.

I would like to note that although many may consider my choice to exclude artists such as Elvis or Frank Sinatra, a crime, I do have good reason – neither of them ever wrote a song throughout their entire careers. This list is made to honour musicians who actually deserve the title, “artist.”

In no particular order…

1. Madonna: Her longstanding title as the most famous woman in music isn’t mere coincidence. She is the queen of reinvention and an icon in leading social trends.

2. Sex Pistols: The world’s first and only true punk band. It wasn’t about the talent, it was about the attitude.

3. AC/DC: Very rarely can a guitarist outshine his own lead singer, or for that matter, create nothing, but catchy songs.

4. Kiss: A band that has truly discovered the secret to branding and merchandising. Take a lesson from their savvy businessman Mr. Simmons.

5. Jimi Hendrix: A whole lotta blues, a whole lotta rock’n’roll and imagine most of his material was written on an acid trip.

6. Aerosmith: Steven Tyler is the iconoclast of what every lead singer should strive to be.

7. Bob Dylan: Amazing songwriter. His tracks will continue to be covered by other artists ‘til the end of time.

8. The Beatles: Talk about universal appeal. A band that not only possessed two uber-talented songwriters, but as well, was able to grow and redefine themselves with every album.

9. The Beach Boys: Sugary harmonies that any band would envy. Leaders in the ‘Surf Rock’ movement.

10. Buddy Holly: Who thought that ‘Nerd Rock’ would ever catch on?

11. The Smashing Pumpkins: Truly original melding of discordance with melody.

12. Nirvana: The voice of an angst-filled generation.

13. John Lennon: Was never afraid to speak his mind.

14. Chuck Berry: The true ‘King of Rock’n’Roll’.

15. James Brown: He isn’t called the ‘Godfather of Soul’ for nothing.

16. Michael Jackson: The first black artist to ever receive airplay on MTV. He had the moves, the style, the talent – the whole package.

17. David Bowie: A gender bending leader in ‘Glam Rock’. Again, a great example of an artist who possesses the ability to reinvent himself.

18. Black Sabbath: Like demons caught on vinyl. This band surely scared the shit out of your parents.

19. Marvin Gaye: Spoke out for what he believed in the most.

20. Neil Young: Couldn’t sing a note, but his songwriting is untouchable.

21. Ray Charles: Helped to break down racial barriers in music.

22. Little Richard: Way before his time.

23. Alanis Morissette: Gave women a whole new confidence in telling off their ex-boyfriends.

24. Queen: When Broadway met rock, and with a set of pipes like Freddie Mercury, it couldn’t have been a better combination.

25. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Their unique style of mixing funk, rap and rock has been imitated by many imposters.

26. System of a Down: Inventors of music for people with ADHD.

27. Bob Marley: Brought reggae to the mainstream.

28. Deep Purple: Wrote one of the simplest and most repetitive three chord riffs in history, but somehow managed to make it a hit single. That deserves props big time.

29. The Jackson Five: The world’s first boy band.

30. Janis Joplin: The ultra blues mama who wasn’t afraid to bare it all and I mean that in every sense.

31. Henry Rollins: Not just a musician, but an inspirational speaker. One of the smartest people in existence, hands down.

32. Joan Jett: The Queen of PunkRock.

33. The Pixies: Failing to achieve major mainstream success, this band still remains one of the most credited bands in history in terms of influencing other artists.

34. Alice Cooper: The precursor to our Marilyn Manson.

35. The BeeGees: Any men that can sing that high deserve to be on this list.

36. Steppenwolf: Creators of ‘Biker Rock’.

37. Rolling Stones: Great songwriting, but we much prefer when their material is covered by other artists. Sorry Mick.

38. Van Halen: For popularizing the guitar technique, “tapping.”

39. Eric Clapton: How many major bands was this guy seriously a part of?

40. Metallica: When metal went mainstream for all of us to enjoy.

41. Guns’N’Roses: Axel Rose and Slash? Enough said.

42. Led Zeppelin: Hold the record for the longest breakthrough single, “Stairway to Heaven.”

43. Bjork: Too damn weird to ignore.

44. Pantera: As evident by the recent demise of Dimebag, this band has had a major impact on underground music listeners everywhere without meriting any mainstream radio play what-so-ever.

45. Johnny Cash: The man in black who made country music cool.

46. Prince: The male equivalent to Madonna.

47. Heart: Our first glance at what dual female fronted action can deliver. Barracuda anyone?

48. Kraftwerk: Synth-pop artist extra-ordinaire: the precursor to industrial.

49. Tom Petty: Who doesn’t know the lyrics to “Free Falling?”

50. The White Stripes: Simplistic, but in just the right way.

51. Pink Floyd: Until you’ve watched Wizard of Oz while listening to “The Dark Side of the Moon”, you will not be able to understand their significance.

52. Abba: A great example of gender equality and cross-over success.

53. The Who: Creators of the first rock opera, “Tommy.”

54. Muddy Waters: Haunting, soulful, and real.

And finally…
55. Cher: For having the most farewell tours the world has ever seen. We appreciate her persistence, but she should really learn to give credence to Neil Young’s words, “It’s better to burn out, than fade away.”

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

 

Vol 1, Issue 17: Getting Signed – More than Putting Pen to Paper

A good friend of mine once told me a story about how his arrogant youth led to the moment in which he permanently jeopardized his music career. Believing that his act had reached its pinnacle and could not improve upon “perfection,” he haphazardly organized a showcase event where his band was to demonstrate its abilities to all of the leading Canadian record labels. Fast forward about ten years from this showcase, his band remains unsigned by a major label, and additionally, has undergone several lineup and image changes in an attempt to re-emerge in the industry. The moral behind this story is to explain to all of you “overly anxious to-get-signed musicians” out there that you will only get one chance. So, in the words of Jack Sparrow I suggest that you, “wait for the opportune moment.”

Despite all of this, my friend has still managed to do well for himself on an independent level, but when he sat me down to tell me this story, his voice took a stern tone and I knew that he did not want to see me making the same mistake that he did.

From this story, along with the many horrific tales that I’ve been told about young eager bands getting royally screwed from their first record deals, I’ve learned that taking your time to educate yourself about the various options is essential for survival. I highly suggest NOT signing the first proposal that comes your way. If a record label really wants you on their roster, they’ll be willing to negotiate to suit your needs. However, if you appear too anxious to close the deal, you will likely find yourself in a situation in which they’ve taken advantage of you. Get a lawyer, get everything on paper, and only commit to a contract that you feel is mutually fair. I don’t suggest signing a 10-album deal right off the bat, as it is difficult to predict a band’s longevity and you don’t want to find yourself paying off your record label for the rest of your life because your bandmates weren’t in it for the long run.

Aside from all of the precautionary advice, in terms of approaching labels for roster consideration, there are some things you need to know. As previously mentioned, record labels receive countless artist submissions on a weekly basis. Therefore, if you decide to take the standard route of mailing out press kits to your desired labels, you need to make your band stick out from the rest, and I’m not talking just music here. Professionalism, and stylish packaging will go a long way. A growing cutting-edge European trend is to construct interactive DVD press kits; instead of inserting paper copies of your band’s bio, touring engagements, press write-ups and notable accomplishments into a standard folder and mailing it off.

An interactive press kit will include all of the aforementioned typical contents, but will also give bands a major advantage. By including live footage, personal interviews and band member biographies, an interactive press kit allows record labels to truly get a sense of a band’s personality and marketability.

If you do chose to undertake the standard snail-mail route, you better have a lot of patience. It can take anywhere from two months to a year for your material to get reviewed, and remember that labels will only contact you if they are interested in learning more about your act. Be sure to direct your package to a specific person or at the least, the A&R department to ensure that it does not get lost in the mail. I recommend following up with the specified label representative a few months after issuing the press kit to ensure that it was received and to inquire as to whether or not they’ve had the opportunity to review your material.

Along the same lines, another increasing trend is the solicitation of online electronic press kits (EPKs) through popular sites such as http://www.sonicbids.com/. Although these press kits are a great way to organize your band’s accomplishments and are accessible worldwide (which cuts down significantly on mailing costs), I have found their use to be more successful among bookers and festival coordinators, as opposed to record labels.

The last and (in my opinion) most effective way to appeal to record labels is to either take part in a showcase event such as Canadian Music Week (CMW) or South by Southeast (SXSE) or to host a showcase event of your own in a industry-directed city like Toronto, New York or LA.

With events such as CMW or SXSE, it is easy to get lost amongst the other 500 competing for the attention of the industry bigwigs. I recommend sending out personalized invites to your labels of choice at least a month in advance, trying to generate pre and post media coverage for your appearance and promoting your show as much as possible to ensure a strong turnout. There would be nothing more devastating than playing one of these events with record execs on-site and no crowd to play to.

In terms of hosting your own label showcase, again an act needs to promote, promote, promote. On any given night in Toronto, NYC, or LA, there are hundreds of events vying for the public’s attention, and you will need to make yours intriguing and something to remember. Ensure that you have provided a guest-list outlining all of the record label representatives you have invited, as you do NOT want to make them pay to see your performance.

Record execs often do not reveal their identity at these sorts of events, but rather contact you afterwards to inform you of their attendance, so your band must be on its best behaviour treating everyone in a professional manner. After your event, send out thank-you notes to all of your invited representatives (even those who did not make an appearance) for the opportunity to showcase your act for their roster consideration. If you are unsuccessful in your attempt to get scouts to come to your event, my only suggestion is to keep trying. Persistence does get recognized in this industry.

Take Joan Jett, for example. The record labels all agreed that she had talent, but no one would sign her because of her hard image and pushing the envelope style. She established her own label, BlackHeart Records, and sold her first albums out of the trunk of her car. She currently remains signed to her own label, and just this past year headlined Warped Tour. If they didn’t want her as she was, she didn’t want them either. Take a lesson from Ms. Jett, she’s not called the “Queen of Punk Rock” for nothing.

 

About the Author:Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Vol 1, Issue 16: Making Merch

Have you ever noticed that it’s the 14-year-old high school bands who are totting around the best gear at shows and are stocked up with a full selection of merchandise? Perhaps these purchases were graciously donated through the generosity of their parents, or maybe a collection of the profits they’ve earned from babysitting gigs fronted the bill. It’s one thing to have top of the line gear, what musician doesn’t want to rock out like the professionals do? But, to travel with a mini retail store of your band’s paraphernalia before your band has even developed a reasonably sized fan-base or released an album, well, that’s just foolish.

From my fun and not-so-fun manufacturing experiences, I’ve learned a couple of things about developing merchandise that I’d like to share with you.

#1) Do not, I repeat, do not order any merchandise without proof that you are getting exactly what you requested.
A few years back, I decided to order some t-shirts for my band for the first time: a relatively simple design with two colours. I ordered both male sports tees, and female baby tees, which ended up costing me a few hundred dollars (which would not have been a problem seeing as I priced it out so that profits could be made). However, upon the much-anticipated delivery of my t-shirts, I noticed a critical issue when opening the package. Despite several attempts for clarification on sizing on the women’s style, I somehow ended up with 50 child-sized tees that were UNSELLABLE! Considering that I, myself, am a petite woman, and I was not even able to get my head through the neck hole of any of these shirts, I’m sure you’re getting the picture. I pleaded with the manufacturer explaining that he had made a huge mistake with my order, but guess what? He had already been paid, and therefore, could care less about my complaint. Luckily, I was able to salvage some of the funds through creative innovation. However, we still lost a substantial amount of money on that purchase, and suffice it to say that I will never work with that manufacturer again.

So, what I learned from that experience is this: Prior to finalizing any merchandise order, ask your manufacturer to send you a sample of your desired item to ensure that it is properly sized and has your desired appearance. Photos are not accurate representations of products. If your manufacturer refuses to comply with this simple request, I suggest you take your business elsewhere.

#2) Try to stick with companies in your region.
At first glance, many of the per-item rates that U.S. manufacturers charge for merch products seem substantially cheaper than that of the Canadian companies, and in some instances, they are. However, one must realize that customs, shipping and taxes are being left out of the equation. From my experiences working with both sides of the border, I’ve learned that there are hefty tariffs placed on imported resale goods. Thus, sticking with local companies will guarantee that your band will be able to profit with its sales, instead of just breaking even.

#3) Do a test run first.
It’s hard to predict what your fans may or may not be into in terms of merchandise. Asking their opinion is one thing, but the proof, as they say, is in the pudding: what are they actually willing to spend their hard earned money on? Because it’s difficult to judge this in even the best of situations, I recommend that bands never place bulk orders on new items. Even if all of your band mates agree that your new idea to get customized wristbands is fantastic, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your fans will buy them. As a good starting point, I recommend getting no more than 25 – 50 copies of a new item (generally the minimum amount that can be placed in a merch order for a reasonable price). This will allow you to gauge an item’s popularity without taking a huge financial loss if it doesn’t sell.

#4) Be as specific as possible.
When placing orders with manufacturers, it’s important to provide as many details as possible to avoid errors and potential delays. For example, the difference between vinyl, litho, latex and thermal stickers may seem trivial from your point of view, but it can substantially affect how a design will look once it’s printed, as well as the longevity of a product. Being knowledgeable about different stocks (the materials on which items are printed) is therefore extremely important to ensure that your order precisely matches your idea.

#5) For all of you black fans.
This is a tricky one. Although black is a very popular colour used amongst band designs, trying to find manufacturers that will print colour on black backgrounds is more difficult than one would anticipate. As an added bonus (note the sarcasm here), all products with black backgrounds are always more expensive to print than products with white/transparent backgrounds. No one likes sacrificing their design scheme because of cost issues, therefore being aware of this fact while developing a logo/concept for your band is essential. To help minimize what I refer to lovingly as the “black factor,” sticking to companies that regularly deal with band merchandise as opposed to generic screen printers is recommended, as they will be more sympathetic to your situation.

Manufacturing merchandise is a big step for any band, and something I do not recommend until you are in both a financial and professional situation to do so. Also, remember to always provide manufacturers with two weeks to a month’s leeway time in the event that there are complications with your order. Bands tend to overwhelm manufacturers in the springtime to prepare for summer touring, so getting in before the crowd will ensure you don’t find yourself on the road with nothing to sell.

Some great (and reasonably priced) merch manufacturers that I regularly work with and strongly recommend are:

CDS
Indiepool
http://www.indiepool.com/

T-SHIRTS
Last Man Standing Clothing Supply
http://www.myspace.com/lastmanstandingclothing

STICKERS
JDBuilt Signs
http://www.jdbuilt.com

PROMO PHOTOS
Forest City Image Centre
http://www.imagespin.com

About the Author:

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest. 

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

 

Vol 1, Issue 15: The Rules of Rock

Your albums are your livelihood, your art, your creation. Inspired by your feelings and decorated with your thoughts. They are you in a musical form: a reflection of what you stand for, what makes you tick, what breaks your heart and what will repair it. A simple compact disc can embody one’s full range of emotions: the good, the bad and most certainly the ugly. Because of its power, due time and consideration must be taken when getting ready to record your masterpiece. Whether it’s selecting the right producer, or deciding which songs should make the cut, taking your time will be time well-spent. If you want to release an “all killer, and no filler” album, then I recommend taking the following rules into consideration.

Rule #1: Don’t be in a rush to record.
There’s nothing worse than an album that grabs your attention immediately with its screeching distortion, but come track five has lost you somewhere in the translation. To avoid finding yourself in this scenario, I would advise you not to be too anxious to get into the studio. The best art, like a fine wine, grows in taste and refinement as it ages. So, take your time and make sure that every single one of your tunes is sickeningly addictive, gets stuck in your head on repeat, and makes you want to partake in a full-body gyration before you book your studio time. There’s nothing wrong with having a token soft acoustic track in the mix to demonstrate another side to your act, but for the most part, I’d recommend sticking to what you do best. Additionally, there’s no faster way to piss-off a producer than to go into a studio unprepared, but hey it’s your money, so if you want to waste it, that’s your prerogative.

Rule #2: The first 30 seconds will make or break you.
Because of the overabundance of artists vying for the attention of few labels, your act is left with very little time to make an impression. When labels receive artist submissions, they hold listening sessions in which they listen to hundreds of bands back-to-back in order to make their roster decisions. Due to the design of this process, it’s extremely easy for bands to get lost amongst one another. After listening to music consistently for hours, one’s ears start to get tired (especially if the music is poor in quality), and thus, one’s attention span is shortened. I cannot state enough how important it is to be able to grab your listener’s attention the moment the disc begins to spin. Every song needs to have a strong catchy intro, and it is recommended by musicologists that the vocal melody of a track kicks in no later than the 30-second mark.

Rule #3: Always put your best song as track two.
Rarely do labels listen past the second track on your disc unless you’ve truly peaked their interest, and even still, time constraints may prevent them from doing so. Therefore, the first track on your album is designed to act as an introduction to your band. Ideally, it should be a strong song that demonstrates a synopsis of what is to come. It shouldn’t be too heavy, or too soft, but rather right in between. This opens the door for your act to be able to expand in either direction, without having the listener form too many preconceived ideas of how the rest of your album will sound. Your strongest and/or title track should follow closely in line as the second track in rotation. This allows listeners to get a sense of your act’s full potential from the very start. As record execs don’t have the time or patience to go through a half hour of your music in order to find your band’s high points, I recommend using this formula if your intention is to solicit your material to labels.

Rule #4: Come prepared.
If you are recording with a professional producer, it will undoubtedly be expected of you to arrive with new strings for your guitars, new skins for your drums, and your vocalist well-rested. Your gear and your band members need to be in tip-top shape to be fully productive and to work to their full potential. Make sure you get plenty of rest, eat well, and don’t overexert your energy. As for your gear, revive what you can. It is not expected of you to purchase brand new studio equipment, but considering that gear undergoes wear and tear from practicing and touring, a band needs to ensure that their equipment is as fully restored to new as possible. If that means spending a couple extra bucks bringing it back up to par, I assure you its worth it. Don’t just trust me, trust your ears: you’ll be able to hear the difference.

Rule #5: Bring your producer a CD by a familiar artist that illustrates how you want your album to sound.
This is especially important if this will be your first recorded album, and if you are working with a producer who is new to your material. By bringing along an example of a disc that demonstrates the production quality you wish to obtain, you are creating a framework for your producer, and also likely setting your budget. When it comes to selecting an appropriate example CD, it’s clearly important to consider the production/technical side of things, but as well, finding an artist that is similar to your act in sound will assist in this process greatly.

Rule #6: Just because it’s free doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bargain.
In my opinion, there are certain jobs that should be left to the professionals, and recording/producing a band’s album is definitely one of them. No matter how many recording programs you’ve managed to illegally download onto your computer, you need to face the facts, basement and at-home recordings simply cannot render the same quality as a professional in-studio recording. Aside from the disc’s sound quality, a trained sound engineer will be able to pick up on things that you may not even notice. They are educated to be sticklers for perfection, so if you want your band’s album to be able to compete with the big leagues, hire a professional. However, not just any professional producer will do. Do your research, know which bands your producer has worked with in the past and be sure you are selecting the man/woman you feel is best suited to the job.

Rule #7: Your producer should NOT be the same person as your mixing engineer. The more the merrier is definitely an expression that is fully embraced when it comes to recording. Because it is such a tedious endeavour that requires listening to the same sections of songs over and over again, it is strongly suggested that several engineers are hired to work on your full-length as opposed to just one. Producers are only human after all, and the more that they hear something on repeat, the less likely they will be able to pick up on imperfections. Therefore, hiring at least three different people to cover the jobs of producer, editor, and mixer/masterer will ensure that your album is as close to perfection as possible. As a bonus, producers often have their own staff with which they work or at the least will offer you a referral to a sister-company that handles the aspects of the production that they cannot.

Rule #8: Be in the studio at all times.
Even if you’ve already recorded your instrument, it really makes no sense to abandon the studio. Not only it is disrespectful to your fellow bandmates that waited patiently for you to lay down your tracks, but as well, this is your art. If you take off in the middle of recording, you might as well sacrifice your say in terms of how you want the album to sound because if you were not there, then you’ve got no business complaining about the results. Some of the best ideas for albums have spawned purely from being “in the moment” or on account of a minor suggestion from a producer. So, if you want to see the magic as it unfolds, I recommend sticking around. I wouldn’t want to leave my art into the hands of others, so why would you?

And finally…

Rule #9: Have fun.
Recording can be a stressful experience if you let it, but truly, it’s meant to be satisfying. Let your creative juices get flowing, and experiment with different settings and effects. Ask your producer questions, get involved, take pictures and make it something to remember. If you’re getting worked up over a note you just can’t hit, relax, take a break, and let someone else take over for a bit. Don’t rush yourself, you can take all the time you need. It’s your album, you set the deadlines. Never record for more than twelve hours straight, and if you aren’t happy with something, speak up. Remember, your producer is there to work for you, not against you and your vision.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, “Unpretty” is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band’s accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/