Well, we made the top 100. Which was great. (Couldn't of done it without the support of many people here.) But after that, we didn't make it past the next round. I can't really figure why we didn't make it past the judging round, but I'm happy we got as far as we did. I hope to be playing tours like that based strictly on merits and not on contests, but still -- it would have been sweet to win. The band is moving in the right direction. We're trying to compile enough material to record a full-length CD. I look forward to that. Hope to see you at a show sometime. Make sure to stop me if you show up. I'm the guitarist in the band.
Sounds like to me you need a great marketing plan, and starting it now would be a good idea for next year. Maybe you need to build a gigantic mailing list to get the word out for next time. Why not try all of the festivals that are held all over the country? Just keep hitting it hard. Marketing is the key. Write ups would be awsome! I have a friend who is a folk rock singer, who's dream was to own her own bus and travel the circuit around the country. She was very good and very hip (still is) and did play with a few big names and got very well known locally. She even had one of those contracts with Starbucks for a few years, but then she got into some trouble with the breast cancer thing. She's all fine now, but after years of hitting it and trying to make it big(ger) she basically called it quits in light of her situation. I know she had a manager or two, who tried to market her, but personally I think that's where the problem was. It is' possible to have a marketer that with all good intentions, can be just hitting the wrong targets. From what I observed, I think that's what happened. You have to be astute of people working for and around you. Look for the passion. I do a bit of eBaying myself and I'll tell you, from something like that, you learn ALOT' about marketing & sales. In that business (most businesses) it is very, very important to be on top of selling. Few are very successful at it. Others are good at it and the rest, well' they never get to the next level because they don't find out how it works, which is usually driven by the fact that they end up not giving two-****s about the fundamentals. Find out why' those judges passed you by. It's just like a job interview. If you don't get the job, you can ask what you didn't do that could've have landed you the job. You are an artist, but now you have to be a business man, to get the edge for your creativity. I have a few philosphies myself. Sell what you love, sell what you know but first and foremost, love what you do before you sell it. That will at least keep the music real. I see people go for the money all the time and they end up missing the whole thing. I wish you and your band luck. Anyway, sorry for babbling. Hope that helps.
Oh and I'll bed sure to say hello, whenever I get the chance to see you guys play.
I'll never trust this' team again.
