That’s right first Washburn and now Randall. Recently, I took some time to hang with Jody and the good dudes of Randall Amplifiers while at Darkest Hour’s House of Blues show in Chicago. In this installment of Randall TV I go over the main features as well as little known secretes of the Randall MTS head, talk about my new love for the duel effects loop, and take some time to walk through the pedal board set up I’m currently running. If you see the Randall MTS in a music store try it out! But until you get a chance to hear how sick the MTS sounds check out the episode.

The Dude

Yeah, we’re stoked. We just got the band classifieds section up. Tired of shredding your life away in the basement by yourself? Want to kick out that lead singer but don’t know where to look for a replacement? Need that perfect guitarist to start your Van Halen tribute band? Any of these questions sound like your life? If so, then we’ve created a place for you to look for some solutions. Here you can start that search for the last piece of your rock puzzle by posting a classified add. Musicians of all genres are encouraged to post in the name of free exchange. When good dudes meet up, rock can’t be stopped!

So post at will if even one band or dude is helped then the ask the dude band classified experiment will be a success.

Tour is a crazy ride sometimes. Be back soon with new letters.

The Dude

Thrash and Burn Tour dates:

8/22 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit

8/23 - Houston, TX @ Java Jazz Outdoors

8/24 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

8/25 - El Paso, TX @ Club 101

8/26 - Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre

8/27 - Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues

8/28 - San Diego, CA @ Soma

8/29 - Bakersfield, CA @ The Dome

8/30 – San Bernadino, CA @ The Hudson Theatre

8/31 – San Francisco, CA @ The Grand

9/01 - Portland, OR @ The Hawthorne Theatre

9/02 - Spokane, WA @ The Big Easy

Yo Dudes,

Check out the next installment of Revolver Magazine’s, “Thrash and Burn Online Blog” written by yours truly. Tour is a crazy ride no matter what size band your in. Check out the online Blog and read about all the carnage. Two more weeks, see ya in the pit!

The Dude

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Dear Dude,

I have been playing in a Speed/Death Metal band that is signed and tours nationally. Recently one of our members has been taking the back stage partying to a level that seems unhealthy. Now I know that partying and rocking go hand in hand but it just feels wrong. So I guess my question is, what is the best way to know your fellow band member has a problem? What are the warning sings? You know being in a band is hard because not only are you always around drugs, alcohol, and partying but you’re also expected to live the role. And following that question what is the most democratic way to confront a member with such a problem?

Thanks,
The Party Police

Dear Party Police,

Alcoholism, drug use, shit, the list of vices that threaten musicians are endless and go hand in hand with what some people believe is the role of or rock star. Living this false identity is a fast track to self destruction. I have seen some really stupid band and personal decisions made by musicians who are struggling and suffering with substance abuse problems. In my day I have done everything from drive a fellow musicians to the hospital so dehydrated they can’t stand to even at one point calling a dude’s mom! But to get you some real perspective I contacted a good old friend of mine who has lived that nightmare himself.

Infamous as much for their touring antics as their crazy-ass live show, anyone who knows anything about the evolution of Punk/Hardcore/Metal in the mid to late 90’s has at least heard of Burlington Vermont’s, Drowningman. And no one can speak better on this issue than lead singer Simon Brody. Simon took some time to write about his perspective as shaped by a dude who has, well to put it simply, been through it all!

Simon writes:

“Living the role? Hmmm. I’m assuming that your band-mate might not be in the financial position to afford blood transfusions from 12 year old Filipino boys ala Keith Richards nor is in a situation where he can send his personal man-servant to pump gas for him at the local Exxon station between tours.

A lot of people in bands start living like a “rock star” a little prematurely. It sounds to me like what you might be talking about is having an impact on his life outside the band. This is the point where I tell you very clearly that thinking in terms of what is or is not “democratic” is not the way to go about this. You have to approach this person with concern for him as a dude. If it’s fucking with his ability to function, you or whoever is closest to him need to sit him down and express your concern for him as a friend and not make him feel like he is under attack.

If you are just concerned with him because he is your band mate and how he is playing and how it reflects on your band you’d probably be better off playing with someone else. Mike has said more than a few times on this site a band should be approached like a family.

People that make the best music or art are often hurting dudes inside. When my band broke up, I was unable to see how fucked up my behavior had gotten and all I was hearing was about how the business side of things were getting fucked up. What I really needed to hear was that the guys in my band were worried about me and cared about me as a person but by then I had made myself pretty difficult to have a rational conversation with.

I’m just saying how it was for me hoping that someone doesn’t have to make the same mistakes. I’m pretty proud of what I did when I was making music. I was a pretty angry person and the music Drowningman made showed that pretty clearly. It just got to the point where I was getting too drunk and high to play, because I was happy or because I was sad and sometimes just because I couldn’t think of anything better to do. Eventually that anger and energy got replaced by numbness most nights. I forgot who I was and I paid for it.

Showing your dude you care about him is the first step. Help him out, talk to him, maybe he needs more help than you can give him in which case you might need to see that he gets more serious help but do it with compassion and kindness.”

Simon’s advice comes from the heart and should be headed. Oftentimes dealing with band members or fellow musicians who have drug or alcohol abuse problems can be an uphill battle. You have to dismiss your fear of confronting said band member. Its not gong to be easy, they are probably going to react negatively at first and its going to take a bit of compassion, kindness, understanding, and whole shit load of patience. Don’t let your love for the band, or drive to make your band successful, cloud your ability to see if your band members need help.

Here is a brief list of symptoms you might observe if your dude has a problem. Keep in mind this is not a definitive list, alcoholism and drug use is a complex problem. This list of symptoms is also a good way to check yourself. Ask yourself? Do you have any of these tendencies? If so, do you have the ability to self regulate and change these patters?

Signs and Symptoms of potential drug or drinking problems:

- Continuing to drink even though you have health problems that are affected or caused by your drinking.

- Band member is caught driving while under the influence (DUI), or engaging in similar risky behavior without being caught.

- Missing band practice or shows, or showing up late due to alcohol or drug use.

- Feeling annoyed when other people comment on, or criticize your drinking habits.

- Continuously scheduling your day around drinking or drug use.

- Band member exhibits strong and overwhelming desire to drink alcohol at a specific time or even the next morning.

- Creating a ritual of having drinks before, with, or after playing and becoming annoyed when this pattern is disturbed or questioned.

- A tendency to drink more than intended to feel the same effect, or being unable to stop drinking once you start to drink alcohol.

- Consuming a large quantity of alcohol without appearing intoxicated.

- Not remembering conversations or commitments; sometimes referred to as a “blackout.”

- Losing interest in activities and hobbies that were once pleasurable.

- Focusing all recreational activities around obtaining alcohol, drinking or recovering from alcohol use.

- Drinking alone or in secret.

The following questions taken from www.helpguide.org are a good way to help give you perspective on this. I have reprinted the info here but feel free to check out the site. Other really good resources are the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism or the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Would you or your fellow band member answer yes to one ore more of the following questions in the past 12 months?

- Have you, more than once, driven a vehicle while you were drinking, or after having had too much to drink?

- Have you gotten into situations while drinking, or after drinking, that increased your chances of getting hurt—like swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or near heavy traffic?

- Have you continued to drink even though you knew it was causing you trouble with your family or friends?

- Have you gotten into physical fights while drinking, or right after drinking?

- Have you gotten arrested, been held at a police station, or had any other legal problems because of your drinking?

Would you answer yes to three or more of the following questions during the past 12 months?

- Have you had times when you ended up drinking more than you meant to, or kept on drinking for longer than you intended?

- Have you, more than once, wanted to, or tried to stop or cut down on your drinking but found you couldn’t?

- Have you found that you have to drink much more than you once did to get the effect you want, or that your usual number of drinks has much less effect on you than it once did?

- When the effects of alcohol are wearing off, have you had trouble sleeping, or experienced physical symptoms such as shaking, feeling nervous, nauseous, restless, sweating or rapid heartbeat? Have you sensed things that aren’t really there, felt bugs crawling on your skin, or had seizures?

- Have you taken a drink or used any drug or medicine (other than over-the-counter pain relievers) to avoid having bad after-effects of drinking, or to get over an after-effect of alcohol use, or hangover?

- Have you continued to drink even though you knew it was making you feel depressed or anxious, causing a health problem or making one worse, or has caused a blackout?

- Have you had a period when you spent a lot of time drinking, being sick, or getting over the negative after-effects of drinking?

- In order to drink, have you given up, or cut down on activities that were important to you, interesting or pleasurable?

Look, sometimes you maybe forced to cancel shows or even tours dealing with problems like this. It’s just important to keep things in perspective. Getting your band popular, selling records, pushing those CD’s, trying to build that band to get on the tours you want, trying to pull yourself and band out of debt, trying to fuck that super model, etc. All these goals are never more important then the health and the well being of your fellow band members. Don’t get so caught up in the game that you live with blinders on. Musicians are people first and entertainers second. Record labels, booking agents, managers, promoters, and even fans all have things they depend on or demand from bands and their members. The only people that have the perspective to be able to understand us fellow musicians are, other musicians. So it’s up to all of us as brothers and sisters of life on the road to look after each other and keep our friends in check.

The Dude

The first installment of Washburn TV featuring yours truly can be viewed at the Washburn TV You Tube page. The good people at Washburn Guitars came down to our Chicago, IL date with At the Gates to film some footage, do a short interview, and party down. Lets just say we got all three taken care of! 

The Dude

Dear Dude,

I have been playing in a recently signed full time touring band since April and recently thought of quitting. This was due to not making any money, having rough things going on at home, gear messing up…etc. Pretty much the standard rigors of touring. All the other dudes in the band have been playing together since they were sixteen and the reason I was chosen to play with them is because I was a close friend and could tour and handle the material. Their guitarist that I replaced can’t tour and has a college career, but still is friends with all of the guys and writes the majority of the material in the band. As a quick background on me, you should know I’ve been playing in about 3-4 bands over the last 7 years, mainly leaving bands because the people I’m in them with have drug problems, money issues, weird personalities. I’ve always moved on because I want this to be my career and with this band I thought I had finally found something that works. I brought them a Trailer, GPS, paid the van insurance since I joined, learned their songs quickly, rearranged my life and school (I go to college online now) and even moved closer so I could work with them. On the day that I said I didn’t know if I could do the band anymore, I had all of the normal tour problems plus they told me their old guitarist back home who is not touring will be recording their next record, so most likely the only money I would see from the band at all was the recording budget we didn’t use to be split up between band members and I wasn’t even going to see that. The other guitarist who is the unspoken leader of the band told me that it was a stupid move and I countered with that I could go play for other bands, because I’m a decent guitarist. I want to stay in THIS band though. He and the band took it as I was doing them a favor and taking what they gave me for granted. I stupidly then said that he doesn’t understand because he’s not the best guitar player and therefore couldn’t go to another band easily. BIG MISTAKE DUDE! So now he wants me out of the band and I’m pretty much stuck here on tour with them while they hate my guts. I didn’t mean it the way it was said, but it was still said regardless. Is there any way I can repair this band? Should I move on? I don’t want to lose friends most of all but cant help but feeling a bit screwed. And at the same time I feel like I shouldn’t have said such cruel things to my friends who gave me an opportunity. Help me dude!

Thanks,
Big Mistake?

Dear Big Mistake?,

Damn, shit can get hot on tour can’t it? Man if there is anyone who knows how to cut into you, it’s your band mates. Being in a band full time means you’re forced to deal with your band members full time. When you’re out there living on tour, grinding it out, you will learn all of your band mates’ weaknesses and neuroses. And although this dude is actually professionally trained in communication skills I still find myself in these types of situations all the time. Bands are like mini family units made of mostly brothers, and brothers do like to take the piss out of each other, and then some. With this in mind you will find yourself on both ends of some dirty comments. Its important to acknowledge that these things will happen and it’s also important to acknowledge that you may be at fault some of the time (how much, well that’s up to you). Its from the base of acknowledging that these altercations can and will happen that you must draw both patience and perspective in order to look at your problem in a way that will move you in a positive direction towards working things out.

Dude, you have yourself a bit of a mess. It sounds like the family structure of the band is all messed up. I have never seen a band have separate touring/writing members (some designated for touring others designated for only recording and writing) and do it successfully. That’s not to say it hasn’t happened, but in my 15 years or so of experience I have never seen it work, not once. Really the band needs to choose between you and the other member who is at home/college, but its obvious they have chosen that member over you, if they are planning on having that member write and record the next record anyway.

In this situation I think it’s in your best interest to bow out. You do have a history of flopping around bands so you should do some soul searching. Do you jump ship whenever it gets hard for bands? I mean all those “standard rigors of touring” are not going to change, they are constant and you will almost always be up against them in one form or another (shit it will probably get even worse!). Ask yourself, is there something about the way I interact with band members that has you jumping bands? You mention drugs and money which are always two ingredients needed to fuck a band up, so chances are you’re probably making the right move each time. It’s just always good to self check yourself. Is there something you can do in future that will make the inter-band dynamics better? You have to be able to ask yourself these questions as well as answer them if you’re hoping to grow as an artist, band member, and person.

It’s understanding (although not in your best interest) why you attacked your band mate (other guitarist) when he confronted you with the fact that the other member would be recording the record. Shit you could have been having the worst day on tour ever and then your boy drops this shit on you, it’s enough to make anyone say some dumb shit in defense. Of course it’s the dumb shit you said that will make it hard for you to see a return on the money you had invested in the band (IE trailer, GPS, etc).

Lets look at a more productive way to solve this problem. You need to communicate clearly! By the way your write this letter it reads like your on tour. Tour is the best place to resolve differences like this actually. It forces you and the other band members to interact as well as have to communicate, this means you have to at least find some sort of comfortable resolution so you can play shows night after night and not want to kill each other on stage. I would get the guitarist (unspoken leader) alone and speak with him one on one. You have to tell him that you understand that you made a mistake and shouldn’t have said you were not longer into the band. You should then apologize for saying that he was not a good enough guitarist. I mean this is petty but its good to acknowledge that you are sorry because right or wrong you definitely shouldn’t say shitty things to your dudes.

After you have apologized say that you understand your not working out in the band and that its clear they would rather work with the other guitarist who is not committed enough to the band to tour full time (that’s their loss). You have to convince him (the other guitarist) that the fair thing to do is at least compensate you for the time you have spent on tour and the other items you have purchased for the band. Now chances are there is no profit from tour, lets face it most of the time there just isn’t. This doesn’t however mean that the band should not pay you back for the trailer, GPS, and back insurance. Those are both separate business expenses that transcend the use of just one tour and therefore you should in all fairness be entitled to full reimbursement for these items. Tell the guitarist that you agree to fulfill any commitments that the band has already, you cant ask for your money back and then cut off their way to make money by leaving. Its really important that you stress that you care about what’s fair and that you care about making things right. I promise if you show you are willing to help them out by helping the band survive they will in turn reflect that by eventually paying you back. Oh did I mention it may take a bit of time to get money (especially for something as big as a trailer)? That’s ok, its just the nature how bands work financially, they are broke most the time.

After you have had your sit down with the (unspoken) leader of the band your going to have to talk to the other members. Again its good to talk to them when they are alone, each person acts differently to stuff like this so its good to have these type of conversations one on one. You need to reiterate to all the members that your not pissed, you are bummed you have to leave the band, but your going to man up have fun on what’s left of the tour and make sure they are taken care of so that they can take care of you.

Is there any way you can repair this band? Probably not, but its not impossible. I have seen bands bounce back from some pretty insane fights. One of the nice things about arguing like brother is that usually shit can be dropped or squashed easily. Most of the time band members grow thick skin to protect themselves and that’s kind of a must for tour life. But I think the real question is your second, Should I move on? In summery, yes I think you should move on. It just seems too unhealthy and unorganized. Its not worth putting all the time and effort to grow a band if your not writing, recording, or at least participating in the musical side of the bands life. In addition, you may be good friends with the band mates but its really not worth putting yourself through the emotional roller coaster of being in a band if they would still rather have someone else write and perform on the record.

Move on take your ambition and find a band that is ready to focus on touring, recording, and playing shows, that’s where all you and your band mates attention should be right now anyway. Good Luck out there.

The Dude

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Dear Dude,

I’m 19 and still pretty much a virgin to the music industry. I play in a punk rock band that I started a couple of months ago. Recently I insisted we start practicing with a metronome every time we jammed. Now we are starting to gig out and I am wondering if you think it is better to use a metronome live? How many professional touring bands have you seen play live to a metronome? And how would you go about it if you did decided to use a metronome live?

Thanks,
Tempo Tyrant

Dear Temp Tyrant,

Using a metronome (or click as I hear it more often referred to) should definitely be reserved for those ready to attend Advance Concert 501. And while it is both tricky and much harder to do then jamming without it, running a click live can give you some distinct advantages.

First, here is my two cents. I have never played in a band that used a click live. Yes, I have experimented with it but almost every time decided that it wasn’t right. The reason I don’t like the click live is for one main thing, control. See ideally the rhythm and tempo of a song should be controlled by the drummer, not a computer or click track. I mean the idea that a song shouldn’t shift tempo here and there is stupid. A lot of modern recordings are done to a click because it just easier all around, not because it necessarily sounds better. Regardless of my opinions, the click is really a useful tool and a lot of amazing drummers use it.

So, here’s the full story. The main reason why almost every professional touring band (I have observed) uses a click is to allow for the addition of samples and backing tracks. Using a click or metronome live is the only way to go if you’re going to be using keyboards, samples, loops, or backing tracks and using a click live will defiantly give your live performance a feel that is closer to your record (that is if you used a click on the record). The click is nice for keeping everyone from speeding up. It’s a common tendency amongst most metal bands to speed up in the middle of their songs so a click can keep everyone under control. This in turn allows the guitar players, bass player, and singer to perform their parts at the appropriate speed. This will hopefully make the overall sound of your band cleaner, and more produced sounding.

Here are some ways to run a click live:

iPOD IT: This is the easiest because it just involves your drummer needing only an iPOD. Your going to need to make an MP3 of the click tracks for every song. You can do that with just about any computer recording program (garage band, Pro Tools, Cake Walk, etc.). Make a playlist on the ipod in the order of the set, if you need to have tempo changes in a song make sure to map it out a head of time and give yourself count in clicks so you will always know where to start. The iPOD technique although cheap and easy is really only good for curing your drummers crazy tempo problems or just keeping the overall tempo of the band under control. If your going to use loops, backing tracks, and samples I suggest the next option.

DIGGI 002 it: On our last European tour the good dudes in As I lay Dying used a Dig Designs (DIGI 002) to run an entire Pro-tools session live during their show. The click is built into the session so along with the drummer being able to hear the click he or she is also given the ability to not only hear but see when the backing tracks and samples are going to happen. This technique also allows for the soundman to have a one designated signal for all these loops and tracks. Using a Pro Tools session like this gives you the piece of mind that the loops and backing tracks will always happen at the same time, same place, and the same way every time. This also allows for the drummer to not have to think about when and where samples will come in (as he or she would have to do if you used some kind of sample machine or other prerecorded sampler). This is not easy and takes time to perfect so if your going to go this rout you might want to make sure you try it out a few times before you try it live.

So what’s my advice for you Tempo Tyrant? Well you mentioned your band is, Punk Rock and now a days that can mean anything. I am going to have to say that unless your playing supper intricate fast punk (IE Propagahndi, Bad Religion etc) you will probably be better off performing live with out a click. Chances are your not going to be using backing tracks and loops, so running the click live will probably be more of a hassle then anything else. As a punk band your probably going to want to have the freedom to change the set list up on a dime and running the whole show to a click will definitely change how the overall set flows. Although I do not suggest you use it live, I do suggest you shred it out in the practice space to the click as much as you can. Running a click with band practice is an amazing way to get everyone in the band to feel the right tempos of the song. By practicing to the click your drummer (and band) will develop better overall natural timing and this will improve the overall sound of the band without making your drummer slave to the click!

The Dude

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Dear Fellow Dudes and Dudettes,

This week we have been making much needed improvements and updates to the Ask the Dude site. Although these improvements might not rear their head for a bit you can rest assured that the dude will be back next week with more advice and help for all you rocker’s grinding it out!  

Dear Dude,

First off HUGE fan!

I play in a Psychobilly band. We had to cancel the last 3 practices because our guitar player went out of town / anniversary / Lyle Lovett. Now he’s saying that he doesn’t like the band anymore and doesn’t feel like were going in the “direction” he wants. He claims, “were too hard to be a Psychobilly band.” When it’s he that writes most of the songs. He would rather play Honky Tonk Rockabilly and as of last month started drumming for a band that plays that style but only does covers. Anyways what do you think we should do, besides break his face?

Thanks,
Psychobilly Freak Out!

Dear Psychobilly Freak Out!

First of all breaking his face is not an option, physical violence against band members no matter how drunk, high, or angry the parties are should never be entered in the equation. With that out of the way, I can say there have been more then a few times I have wanted to “break some faces!” Music is personal, music is emotional, and music involves artists injecting part of themselves into the overall product. These three things can lead you to think emotional and irrationally about the predicament of your band. So lets try to tear away all the emotional garbage and take a look at this problem.

Ok, the main fact here is he is the main songwriter. This causes a huge problem for you and the other band members if he wants to leave. Its funny that he says its not going in the direction he wants it to while he is the main songwriter but thats not uncommon. I mean maybe he just doesn’t understand the style you really want to do, or maybe it just seems different to him when your band jams, or maybe its because he would rather play drums then guitar and not have the burden of songwriting on his hands. Whatever the reason (and I am sure I could list 10 or 15 more) his heart is not in it anymore and he is choosing to walk away from the band.

Now you are confronted with a choice. Let him leave and break up, or replace him and move on, The one thing that is clear is the current band climate is not working. So what’s The Dude’s advice? I say let him leave. Tell him you wish him luck and hope to play with his new band some day. There is no reason to fight his leaving. If he is not going to practice and doesn’t feel the music it will be a waste of time for to go forward with him. But this does not mean break up? Shit it’s just a minor bump in the road. You know how many band members I have had to replace? If I had a dollar for each time I could retire and just write advice for free all day! I have seen other bands go through major line up changes and still survive.

My advice is find another guitarist who understands the style you’re trying to rock. Shit replacing a guitarist is the next easiest thing to replacing an amp. Hopefully you will have no problem finding that dude who will fit in. I know it seems scary but move on, and most of all don’t give up. It’s a tough road but, you can and will survive, for those who try to rock, I salute you!

The Dude

Dear Dude,

My band just finished recording a full-length record and since it’s our first and we are unsigned, we have printed 300 copies of it independently. We have booked a big CD release show with bigger signed bands in a large local venue. We have enough CDs printed to last us a while, but we’re stuck with the hassle of having to get everything pressed and packaged at our expense. We’re attracted to the additional organization, promotion and “backbone” that a label can offer us, but the few deals we’ve been offered don’t seem proportionate to the amount of work/money we put into this record. What do you think the best approach to formally releasing a record in this day in age? Do you think it’s worth singing with an indie label that’ll “loan” us the CD printing, but take a lot of our profit and get us slightly better tour packages? Or do you think it’s better to keep it DIY until we find the “perfect” deal, without the hype factor and resources that a label has to offer?

Thanks!

Unsigned and in a Bind

Dear Unsigned and in a Bind,

This is a very interesting and complex question. In an effort to answer this in some kind of reasonably short fashion let me just preface what I am about to write by saying there is no one correct way to release a record (regardless of the era or state of the music industry). Different bands choose different paths and, just for the record, this Dude does not judge. That being said to DIY or not to DIY has always been a burning question. In 2008 a lot of the rules have changed and doing a record on your own can be both profitable and easily obtainable. So lets dig in!

I’m afraid there are really two questions: one - what do I think the best approach to formally releasing a record in this day in age is, and two - what do I think you should do in your current situation. Since the latter is more important, I’ll just get the first question out of the way. I believe that in the 2008 music industry climate current artists can have success releasing their own material or playing the music industry game. It’s almost an open market, I have seen bands have success both ways and both have their advantages. With the exception of Fugazi, I have yet to see a band self release material and sell more then their contemporaries who are signed to labels (sure bands like Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead are self releasing records but these bands have already reaped the benefits of the label game). At the same time I can tell you for a fact that I would have made more money in the long run if I had not signed to a record label and rather self released all the material. So, in a sense you have to pay to play the game. Both have their distinct advantages but this brings me to my answer and more importantly my advice for you. My suggestion isn’t to pick a side but rather play both games. I think that the best way to grow a band in 2008 is to follow both routs and in turn use the strengths of both systems.

Look, you already have your record recorded, laid out, and pressed. You even already have a CD release show set up. At this point a record label can’t do much for you except promote the release. Honestly you could hire an outside promotions company to do the same thing and probably make more money. The real thing you don’t have that a record label can offer is distribution. You are not going to be able to get those CD’s in “real” stores and honestly it really shouldn’t matter that much at this point. To me the CD is a dead medium. You got to start thinking MP3’s if you want to move into the future and get your record up on the internet! Release it on iTunes, Music Exchange, or shit, even build a way to buy it right of your myspace page! You have to make that record available to as many people as possible, and with no record label involved you have to cover all the basses yourself. As a DIY artist the MP3 digital version of your record is way more cost effective. Think about it, no more pressing CDs, its all virtual and that means a bigger profit margin for your band.

I think your best bet is to continue playing shows and selling your self produced record while also pimping the music out over the web . The worst thing you could do right now is sign to a record label out of desperation. This has been the downfall of many a band. I say take your time, keep playing shows, sell your own product, and most importantly create that buzz! Because it’s that buzz that is going to attract a record label who will offer you a deal to do it right.

Don’t be afraid to do things for yourself in the beginning, you may just find the skills you learn are going to help make your band bigger but also keep you from getting taken advantage of later. There are many advantages to being a signed band and working within that world. You mentioned touring that is probably the one place that being signed is the most helpful. Not to mention the built in promotion that comes with record labels advertising your band along side of other established bands. But it’s by building your band, its fan base, and its integrity that you will be able to survive and take advantage of the things you will be exposed to and offered when you start playing the “signed band” game. The DIY skeleton you build is going to work as a base for everything forward and your going to need it to survive life under the iron fist of a record label.

The Dude