Howie Day * John Mayer * Dispatch * Granian * Pat McGee Band * Fighting Gravity. Virginia Coalition *... Who? Exactly. You have probably heard of one of those bands. The name sounds familiar, but you are oblivious to what the music sounds like, and cannot name one of their songs to save your own life. So why am I bringing these names up? Well, these are the guys that are doing it right nowadays, without the "sell-outs" label stuck on their foreheads! Let me explain...

Some 4-5 years ago, with the re-emergence of "Boy Bands" (originally a concept introduced in the '80s, do I hear a New Kids on the Block?), MTV found a new source of wealth. Cute boys, dressed up in snazy clothes, single, flavored personalities, covering a wide range of appeal to teenagers. So, they clogged the air-waves, whether on TV or the Radio, the point where you can change the dial on that radio and still get the same song on 6 different stations.

To the point.
Some bands emerged. Bands that liked to play their own instruments, write their own music, and did not care much for lip-singing. Bands that did not depend on selling CD's, rather, depended exclusively on a mid-sized van on which they logged thousands of miles every year. The focus here was the fan. The age of holy, untouchable rock stars is long gone. These bands talked to the fans. Made their audience part of the experience. The music was the journey, that many were now inclined to follow, because the music was given to them, and now it was also theirs.

Some of the bands I mentioned go as far as creating " Rep Programs". A Rep Program is when you have your fans sell your CDs for you. What do they get in return? Special treatment, guest-list spots, good music and good times. The loyalty of the fans is at a all-time high. They are willing to travel the miles.

The Rep Program is not it. As a band, you have to be active online. What I mean by active is jump on mailing lists. Offer to send sample CDs to people. Network. Play with other bands in your area, but don't limit yourself to your area. Look for tapers. Have them tape your shows, that's how music is being spread these days. Sam Goody, Tower Records and Virgin Store are not your friend, they foster the pretty boy and pop-delicious divas.

To sum it all up, do not look for a connection to the fans. Look for the fans.

lizard