Toby L and Tim D, founders of the deeply cool indie label Transgressive Records (home to Regina Spektor, Ladyfuzz and The Young Knives, fact fans) phoned us to give us their definitive, step-by-step guide on how to get your music noticed.
If you’re looking for love from a record label, the press and the music-buying public, this is where you should start.
It’s The Music. Not the band.
The most important thing if you’re in an unsigned band, or indeed if you are an unsigned musician, is to believe in the music you are making. If you don’t believe it’s the best thing since sliced bread on wheels, you’re not going to convince anyone else.
Develop your sound.
Write and record between 25 to 150 songs so you have a strong catalogue. There’s no point just recording say, six songs, or enough material for one album, because if your band does get signed, you won’t be able to survive if you don’t have the music to back you up.
Set up your own record label.
If Big Bollocks Record Corp isn’t going to sign you, set up your own record label to distribute your music. You can guarantee artistic freedom and even try signing up other musicians or bands that you rate.
Create a buzz.
This can be done in a number of ways. The virtual approach involves building your own website, which can act as a platform to promote your band, or creating a web page on a music hosting site like Myspace. Alternatively, you can go down the word of mouth route, which involves your music after seeing your great live performance. There is nothing better than personal recommendation.
Have a party.
Literally. Get your music heard at any level. Throw a party at a local venue: it could be your local pub, town hall, record shop or even your own living room. You might be headlining at Bunfluff Town Hall to three distinterested freaks, but at least your music is getting heard.
Set up a regular club night.
This could be done either on a weekly or monthly basis, and worth the hassle of being an all in one promoter/door whore/live act/DJ for the chance to get your music judged by paying customers.
Create a blog.
An online diary allows fans to keep up to date with your band’s day to day activities, and it will go some way to build up a “following”, but hopefully not in a date-rapist, stalker-walker kind of way.
Email songs.
This is a quick and easy way of getting people to listen to your latest song or debut album. Obviously don’t spam anyone or bust inboxes with 2000mb files, just email a select few and with any luck, they’ll forward your song onto their mates and this the chain of lurve begins.
Discussion Forums.
Invite an online audience to share their opinions of your band by setting up a discussion forum either on your website or on the web page of the music hosting site. This encourages fans and non-fans alike to keep the buzz alive.
use the media.
Approach TV and radio stations sympathetic to your cause. London’s Xfm has a slot on their station for unsigned bands. MTV2 is always keen to listen to new music and it only costs around £60 to make a digital-tyle demo which the powers that be can watch/listen to.