Before The Music Plays

Every musician starts off as an independent artist whether they care to admit this or not. Show me one artist who says that they instantly became an overnight success and I'll show you someone who is either telling a lie or who has been brainwashed by someone, somewhere along the line.

I'll shoot for the moon and use The Beatles as my first example. For quite some time they were hailed as an overnight success when 'Love Me Do' hit the charts. There was no mention of their time as Johnny and the Moondogs, The Quarrymen or The Silver Beetles.

The only mention made of their past at the time was that drummer Pete Best had been replaced by the older and more competent drummer, Richard Starkey, aka Ringo Starr. They also used the fact that they had been playing in Hamburg for some time; eight hour sessions, seven days a week. As Gerry Marsden of Gerry & The Pacemakers. said of this era, "You either got good or you got out." The Beatles got good.

By the time they came to record their first album The Beatles were such a tight musical unit that the album was recorded in its' entirety in eleven hours. It was also recorded under the watchful eye & ears of Sir George Martin who was more familiar with recording music of a classical nature. Irrespective, Sir George was more than impressed with what he saw and heard. The band was cohesive, professional, had a fierce determination and such strong yet unassuming faith in themselves that Sir George could not help but be impressed. It was recorded on two tracks using two overhead boom microphones. That was how scant technology was back then.

A mere five years earlier, John Lennon was writing comic strips, which he distributed at school to his friends, writing poetry well beyond his age and practising his 'look' in front of a mirror with his acoustic guitar. I think most young aspiring guitarists have done this. They were playing at local community events, basically to a crowd of their school friends.

After The Beatles became an 'overnight success' Brian Epstein entered as their manager, finely grooming their 'image,' putting them in suits with Grandad collars, the haircuts which would soon become known as 'moptops.' Prior to this The Beatles were 'teddy boys,' dressed in leather outfits, brothel-creeper shoes and Elvis-styled hairdos.' Epstein also made the band as accessible as possible to the fans who desperately wanted to not only see and hear them but to meet them. This was a masterstroke when it was possible.

There is a myriad of differing views on the treatment of a musicians fans by the musician today.
When at the grass-roots level, musicians are generally playing to crowds largely made up of people that they know by one or two degrees of separation. It is at this early stage where a musician or band can make or break themselves.

To my mind this point in ones' career is crucial. The opportunity to interact personally with people who have gone to the bother of seeing what you have to offer carries so much latent support down the track. Early followers of your music are far less likely to follow you further afield, if that opportunity arises, if you isolate yourself from them when they're right in front of you. A few kind words, a smile or a handshake goes a long way. Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising. Hold that thought and make it work for you. Just because you can't see or hear it doesn't mean it's not happening.

How many stories have you heard from early Beatles fans where they took the time to sign an autograph, even before they were 'big', or stop & have a chat, albeit brief.

Most musicians who 'hit the big time' have gone through this very same process. Showing genuine interest & appreciation of those who, in effect, helped create them. Unfortunately, these days, bands are able to skyrocket to commercial success in a relatively short period of time and are unable to enjoy the 'personal' aspect of interaction with supporters. There are the artists who, for some reason, totally blow this opportunity by having the mindset that they are doing people a favour merely by their presence. More often than not this results in the artist continually playing for their friends.

It is also worth noting that supporters like consistency from bands that they follow. This doesn't mean play the same genre to the point that after the third song it all sounds the same. Additionally, pay attention to your image. People don't want to see their band on stage as if they've just walked off the street. It takes only a small effort to dress for a gig in a manner that suits your music. You are the best judge of this.

With the internet as it is today there is no reason that a musician at is not able to communicate personally with their fans. This is where independent artists really can come to the fore. There are so many music sites available that it's worth spending time researching each one in order to avoid spreading oneself so thin that keeping up with every site simply isn't feasible. Make your sites of choice known to your supporters and make it known regularly without bombarding them.

The opportunity is there for every independent musician at any level, irrespective of location or genre.