O.K. how about for now we put aside the Limousine, the Hot tub parties & Playboy Mansion Invitations, and set a much more realistic goal for yourself. Let’s start by making a career for yourself an Independent Artists first and foremost. If your band does not gross a million dollars on the local live circuit does that equate to failure, absolutely not. Setting realistic “milestones” or goals for anything you do is a stepping-stone to success.
In any line of business you can expect a certain degree of failure along the way. Tiger Woods once said he failed more at Golf than he succeeded. Could this be the secret to his success? Or why he seems to win so frequently? Film Composer Marc Ferrrari said; “during my first licensing deal the production company released the movie “Son of Darkness 2” then they went bankrupt, what a bummer. But since then I have synched over 1,600 pieces of music into film and built an awesome reputation and solid relationships with a lot of people within the industry.” It’s true that hard work and persistence usually always pay off in the end, but if you’re just getting it can be an uphill battle because no one really knows who you are yet. You know you have a demo to make, and many shows to go play, and you don’t have a whole lot of cash on hand. You wish someone would just come in and make all your dreams come true, right? Unfortunately but you have to prove yourself first, before the professional take notice of your operation. Does this sound like you? Below is a realistic set of goals to begin making a career for yourself as an Independent Artist within your local area. Now that you have a more realistic mindset moving forward, your chances of success are realistically greater than they were a few minutes ago.
– Release Industry standard DEMO, CD, EP, or musical production.
– Get a Booking Agent, or join a Join a Booking Agency.
– Perform live locally 5-10 times a month.
– Begin building loyal fan base within a certain city or locale.
– Generate local buzz factor surrounding your music & live performances.
– Document all musical successes & “hard numbers” on URL, My Space Page & your Press Pack.
– Become networked with the who’s who of local bands, booking agents, and club owners.
– Attempt to establish a “genuine” friendly working relationship with everyone connected to the local music scene.
– Make contact with a few local labels. Send them care packages with a personal invite to a live performances.
By: Cyrus Rhodes
