The Music Economy

Band Management: Blog 47: Screwing It Up

I am managing “Band A” for one year. (And I’m managing the release of “Pipe” by The Styrofoam Turtles on our label.) I am doing this because I think underground music is the best art form in the world – by far! – without a question!
I grew up in the 80s and it was clear that “indie bands” were the best and that “college radio” played the best music. The Cure, New Order, Fugazi, R.E.M., PIXIES, etc…
About a decade ago, it was clear to me again that the underground music scene was creating art so much more superior than the establishment. And one of the first bands I started following was The Pack AD. (Listen to “Haunt You” or “The Water.”) This is a band with such great songs and a following and label support, so that creating music is Maya Miller and Becky Black’s focus.
I always wanted to know how they negotiated the collapse of the music industry.
We played them on the podcast and then I set up an interview with Maya for our “4 Questions in 5 Minutes” series. She wanted to use WhatsApp for the conversation and then I also downloaded ApowerRec to record the conversation on my phone.
I screwed it up – I didn’t get the two apps working together correctly.
The thing about this blog is that I’ll totally fess up when I screw up. I chatted with Maya – who told me that neither of them knew how to play their instruments when they started, that they never made a conscious decision to have their lyrics be so dark (check out this band Ian Duvall and Jenna Duvall), that MySpace was really helpful when they started, and that Maya thought they’d have a tough time getting noticed if they started today.
It was great to talk with one of my heroes – and I didn’t record the conversation. Sorry. Sorry Maya. I’ve been too embarrassed to tell Maya my phone didn’t record the conversation. Everyone please listen to The Pack AD – “Needles” or “Yes I Know” – they have tons of great songs…

Song We Like: Inside Out by Moniker

The underground music world is funky – especially the groove of Moniker. These guys know how to write a song and they know how to write a great catchy chorus. Oh, it turns you inside out. It’s also such a nice arrangement and there’s a brain behind the writing of this song. The singer has a rich and sleepy voice – very cool and above it all.

Go listen to our #76 podcast at www.hlycrp.com.

Band Management: Blog 45: Slow Songs

The Music Economy

I am managing “Band A” for one year – as an exploration of the underground music industry – and now I’m also promoting The Styrofoam Turtles single “Pipe.” A couple of weeks ago I started to look into the underground music publications that reviewed our friends Crooked Ghost – like Big Takeover Magazine and New Noise Magazine – and I sent out “Band A” to their review sections. And they responded positively. We’ll see. I’m ready for a second round of sending “Pipe” to college and indie radio stations. College radio stations are into listening and playing new stuff because it’s a bunch of new kids who join the station each year. This also means kids graduate each year – so I’ve got to refresh my email list. I have that hunger of a Wall Street trader, a used call salesperson, a scammer on a Christian dating website, and I won’t take “no” for an answer. “Pipe” is a great song! And “Band A” are entertaining to me!!!
“Band A” is slowly slouching toward El Rancho Morbido Studios and recording in November. I want them to record a slow, moody, atmospheric, broken, love song. I don’t hear a lot of those in the underground music scene – which makes sense cause we’re all angry and obnoxious and fun and anti-establishment. I like that Kitty Tsunami and The Styrofoam Turtles write love songs. Probably SUSTO and “Havana Vieja” is the closest to this genre, and something we’ve played on the Holy Crap Records podcast. “Band A” is weirdly obsessed with Adalita (Adalita Official) and they have covered a bunch of her songs – and she gets moody and atmospheric. Still, most of “Band A” looks bored when I suggest a slow, moody, love song. My instinct says that an underground band can break-out by creating a great work of heartbreak and beauty.
(Thanks to Scott Sturdy for these photos. You’re the best.)

Band Management: Blog 44: Godless America Records Vol.6

The Music Economy

I am managing “Band A” for one year – and also somehow promoting “Pipe” by The Styrofoam Turtles. Before we get to the next page of this misadventure – I want to talk about mental health. If you’re really trying to do something as an artist you have these ups and downs. I know. Even as the boring band/label manager. Last Monday “Band A” was on WNCW and then played a killer fun show at Static Age-Records – I rode that wave of euphoria for 24 hours and then I could feel myself coming down. These ups-and-downs were so bad in my 20s that I spent my 30s closely monitoring my moods – if I was too down I’d work to pick myself up and if I was too excited I’d slow myself and keep life moving forward on a very even straight road. But I’m not sure this is the answer either – always working to stay steady. Maybe being a older I just watch it and understand it a little better. I’m only writing about this because I know some of my favorite artists/musicians in the underground music scene have this – and it is real and true and I don’t have any answers.
An artist just wants someone to like their art. That’s enough, most days. So, in this context, it was really so nice to get a message on September 30th from Jordan Duttinger from Godless America Records that “Band A” has a song chosen for their mixtape vol.6. (I know Jordan and his label and interviewed them for Holy Crap Records Podcast – but I used a different email so Jordan didn’t know it was me when I submitted “Band A.” Probably. Maybe.) Jordan and Godless America Records are the coolest. I was introduced to them because Tongues of Fire were selected for a mixtape release and then Godless America Records has distributed cassettes for the TOF’s “Everyone Hates Us.” I was totally intimidated by the utter coolness of TOF and Godless America Records, but now “Band A” is on mixtape vol. 6.
Also, here’s a photo of “Band A” from their Static Age Records show – thanks to the amazing photographer Scott Sturdy…

Band Management: Blog 43: Album Release Party!

The Music Economy

Holy Crap Records has become a label – and we have released two singles. One from the notorious “Band A” and the other is “Pipe” from The Styrofoam Turtles. (You can check us out over at bandcamp.com at the Holy Crap Records Label page.) And on Thursday night The Styrofoam Turtles had an album release party at The Mothlight with Tongues of Fire and Sane Voids. Gawd – I LOVE the TOF live show. Quality beer drinking, stage diving, and overall rock star moves. Just a great show. A ton of people showed up. Tristen Colby made fun of Holy Crap Records and the fact that he tricked us into being a label – which is perfect. And the single “Pipe” sounded so good – totally catchy and true from the stage.
So what now? What does a label do with some high quality music? And a total grifter who runs the label? Well, on Thursday, I sent off the song to 31 college and indie radio stations – which is where I had surprising success for “Band A.” Belter Radio got back in touch and asked me to upload a mp3, but then they sent a follow up email that said – resend after October 15th – because they were on some kind of hiatus as they move from internet radio to real radio.
And then I decided to research what Asheville bands were having success in terms of publicity? Secret Shame has had great success with their publicist. Crooked Ghost works with Shameless Promotion PR – and so I wrote down all the publications and podcasts and radio stations that Crooked Ghost has been promoted and played. And Melted Magazine did a great Q&A with Kitty Tsunami – and then followed up with a great piece of photo journalism with Eli Raymer. I think Eli is an amazing musician – playing with a ton of great bands, touring all the time, making his own great music as Good Trauma.
Anyway, I’ve made that list of platforms and publications and I will send them “Band A” and The Styrofoam Turtles. Let’s see what happens…

Band Management: Blog 42: Hear it on the radio…

The Music Economy

I am managing “Band A” for a year – to see how far I can promote this band within the music industry. On Monday evening I got a message from a friend that WNCW had announced they were going to play “Band A” during that hour. “Band A” is a little out of WNCW’s genre focus – but the band can write songs and WNCW plays songs. I’d sent the station a CD in the summer and they’d already played one song in August.
So I was driving with Cinnamon Kennedy down i40, at 8:30pm on Monday, still some light in the western sky. I felty uncomfortably nervous. I had never heard “Band A” on the radio. We listened to WNCW play all these Americana and blues and folk songs and they sounded so rich and full on the car stereo. Finally, I heard the opening chords to “Band A’s” song. It wasn’t a song I would have chosen. It wasn’t a song I’d been promoting. It was a slower song about one brother leaving town and the other brother being left with all the family ghosts. And it sounded true and real.
Everything stopped and goosebumps rose up on my arms. A massive smile fixed on my face – and I had this surge of endorphins. I want everyone who makes music to have this blast of positive emotion.
This how it happened: I wrote an email to WNCW and Joseph Kendrick responded. Then I sent in a CD and Renee Denton with “Local Color” played “Band A.” That was it. I know radio is really intimidating – but people who are involved in radio love music…
The evening was great. “Band A” played at Static Age-Records with Klazo – one of their best shows. Scott Sturdy jumped on stage to play some bass, and Sophie Hull made sure the sound was great and the smoke machine was cranking.
In other news – Holy Crap Records has released a single from “Band A” and a single from The Styrofoam Turtles. Whereas I am not naming “Band A” I am all about promoting The Styrofoam Turtles. They are having an album release party at The Mothlight tonight, 9pm, with Tongues of Fire and Sane Voids. This is the best of the best of underground music – and these bands put on wild live shows. Also, the Styrofoam Turtles write GREAT songs!
(Photo of “Band A” by Scott Sturdy.)

Band Management: Blog 41: “Band B”

The Music Economy

Holy Crap Records Podcast has been interested in running a label. I just don’t know how. But I want to be a good label and do something that helps bands. So the plan was to use “Band A” to explore the current music industry and also interview all these other labels, publicists, publications, and bandcamp to actually find out what’s happening. And when I got to Blog 100 I’d know something.
I feel like I’ve done a disservice to “Band A” this year – because every time they’ve had success (being played on KPSU, WNCW, Belter Radio, reviewed by Divide and Conquer, on Kafadan Kontak Records) I’ve never named them.
So Holy Crap Records became a label this week, and we signed “Band B” – The Styrofoam Turtles. We put out a single by “Band A” and “Pipe” by The Styrofoam Turtles. Cinnamon and I were playing the new song by The Styrofoam Turtles on the podcast and Tristen Colby wrote: “We’re releasing our BRAND NEW single “PIPE” September 17th exclusively with Holy Crap Records!” Which is kind of bold. But we were like – alright – let’s just do this – we’re starting a label.
I’ve seen Tristen and Josh Davis (and now Colm McKeon) around the Asheville music scene for a couple of years. They’ve got that ambition. They have a live show inspired by the small town professional wrestling circuit. They’re put together a couple of tours, they’re always playing, and if they’re not playing they’re out watching other bands.
Most importantly they write songs. The Holy Crap Records Podcast loves punk, post-punk, garage rock, surf rock, indie rock, blues, country – but we’re really about SONG. The understanding of song. Verse-chorus-verse. Melody. Catchy hooks. And actually saying something that’s true. If we play you on the podcast we ADORE your song.
The Styrofoam Turtles write great songs. Holy Crap Records will only release singles, this single. I want to send out press releases and emails to college radio stations and see if I can replicate the small success of “Band A” with The Styrofoam Turtles. I’ll grift. I’ll see where I can put these two bands and see what works and what fails.
You can find “Pipe” by The Styrofoam Turtles on the Holy Crap Records label on bandcamp: https://holycraprecords.bandcamp.com.
And you can find the single on the Holy Crap Records website: https://hlycrp.com/the-label

Band Management: Blog 40: Kafadan Kontak Records

The Music Economy

I am managing “Band A” for one year, as an exploration of the current underground music scene. This is the hard truth: few bands make money.
Everything from the old infrastructure of selling music has been destroyed. So now everything is new again. Lawless. Wild West. Brimming with possibility. A place where a good grifter can build an empire. You can make up your own underground music scene. Make up your own magazine. Your own publicity company. Your own label. Your own podcast – for f*cksake.
My friend Tolga Ozbey is in the band Reptilians From Andromeda and also manages Kafadan Kontak Records. I imagine he wakes up and drinks a coffee and searches bandcamp and the rest of the internet for new “garage rock” releases. If he hears something he likes he reaches out to the band and asks them to share a handful of songs for his label. It’s not so much – but when you get that email out of nowhere it is so nice…
And then Tolga comes back around: You want to be part of a Suicide compilation album? Can we release a live album?
He just has a fresh energy. No one has written these rules. Why not suddenly put together a massive catalogue of your favorite garage/punk bands from around the world? Why not put out compilation albums with these bands? This is just about having the biggest set of brass balls in this brave new world.
I’ll say this much about “Band A” – they’re kicking ass on the bandcamp game. I didn’t do anything here – and this is the truth. “Band A” put out two EPs on bandcamp and they ended up with a third EP on Kafadan Kontak Records, a music review on Divide and Conquer, and publicist reaching out to us…

Band Management: Blog 39: The Publicist

The Music Economy

I am managing “Band A” for one year, as an exploration of the music industry. And I promise to tell you the complete truth….
“Band A” has a pretty good recording schedule. Every six months or so they go into El Rancho Morbido Studios with producer/engineer Edward Madill and record a 5-song EP. They usually have around 20 songs they’ve played live, so they can be picky. But this also means they have to keep writing…
I went to their practice space yesterday and there were only three of them messing around with a couple of new tracks. They were good – that new wave garage rock sound. Good melody line. Sing-a-long choruses. But it doesn’t really sound like “Band A” unless all five members are involved. The drummer makes sure nothing gets too poppy or singer-songwriter – and smashes everything back into garage rock. The rhythm guitarist probably has the best ideas on hooks and making catchy stuff – but he wasn’t there either…
The rhythm guitarist hurt his hand making a KRAKEN. He and his wife make the best Halloween decorations and this year they’re making massive tentacles of a KRAKEN to rise up from a hole they’re digging in their front yard. For real. Two of the other bands members are planning to make a three mast ship as a costume, and then will walk down Cherry Street in Black Mountain and fire cannonballs on the KRAKEN. Sometimes I think I’m managing a gang of very smart and devious 8-year-olds.
The very same day a publicist reached out to “Band A” – “Hi Johnny, wanted to quickly introduce myself; I work as a freelance publicist, was recently turned on to “Band A” and just wanted to offer my services if you’re ever in need of PR. Cheers!”
My first reaction was – aren’t I doing publicity? I’ve got “Band A” on three radio stations and one write-up by an underground music magazine??? But I also read the article by Alli Marshall in Mountain Xpress about Secret Shame and how a publicist really helped them out. Secret Shame is a great band with great songs, and it was helpful to have people in the industry hear them…
So yeah, sure, I’m going to respond to this publicist. Best thing about this blog, this story about managing “Band A,” it gives me an excuse to explore everything about the music industry… so yeah – hello publicist…

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