Picket Line

Hello Crappy Indie Musicland!

I’ve been absent for a while. It’s true. It’s not that I don’t love you any more, I’ve just been cheating on music. I’ve been seeing comics lately and I have to say, I think we’re made for each other. I’m going to put a ring on it. That’s right. I’m marrying cartoons.

That’s not to say that music and I are done, I think we’ve got a lot more than drunk one night stands left. If you want to see what I’ve been up to you can come find me all over the Internets. This isn’t really about me though. It’s about the fusion of my favorite things, comics and music.

So if you didn’t know, Easel Ain’t Easy by Breena Wiederhoeft is the greatest thing in the world. It’s true. I’ve got facts and figures to back that up. FACT. (Don’t you dare dispute me). Autobio comics come in many shapes and sizes but this one nails me right in the heart. It’s honest, funny and strange just like a life should be. So she’s been up to a larger project too! Just when you thought there wasn’t anything greater in life.

Picket Line is an upcoming Xeric Award Winning graphic novel that tracks life, ecology, being strange, community, feeling out of place and being very human by following Beatrice and Rex as they navigate threats to the local redwood forests. I think the way of this is to not try. If you write a story and it falls that way that’s great. It’s forcing the themes into a story that make everything fall apart. These themes seem to have evolved very naturally out of the characters. I’m reaching here, I don’t have a Secret Advance Copy or anything. The first chapter is up to look through and I can see a lot of what’s in store in her process post.

I was already stoked about this book.

Today I learned that there’s a soundtrack to the book. It’s good. Not just “Oh that’s nice” good. I mean so intimately tied into the atmosphere that they cannot be separated. The essence of film score is to not only underpin the scene, but to entwine the music so deeply with the story that every time a listener hears a song they are immediately transported back into the film. This soundtrack has my head locked into the aesthetic of the book so completely that I can’t imagine the music without a pair of tiny arms. Even better, this has given me a great list of artists to follow up on. Especially The Recreation Station, because this song is so delightful it has made me dance around my job like it’s a parade every time I hear it. This is what I want to listen to every time the sun shines in Portland. Beardy biking music, you’re my favoritist.

The whole tone of the record starts here and continues on through the rest of the tracks. Every single track is bursting with sunlight filtered through the evergreens. It is a swirling dance through the inspiration that imagination brings. It’s a great feedback loop, comics sending love to music, inspiring more comics and more music and we’re all in the middle as the luckiest people. Listen to this. Read this book while you’re listening to it. GO CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.

Love,
Eriq

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Magical Christmas Sparkles Tonight: The Woods & Friends First Annual Holiday Special

Christmas music can be a terrible experience. I can clearly recall being horrified and permanently scarred by the repeated playing of the 'N Sync Christmas album at Tower Records. Eventually my mind snapped and I came to associate Christmas with mindless hordes of consumption hungry Holiday Zombies and prancing ninnies in tight pants butchering classic tunes. So join me for an evening of reclaiming holiday music as something other than replaying whatever fucked up memories you may have of Christmas' past. There is nothing better than well played music and beer. Especially at The Woods. Which is Very Fancy.

You'll spot me there, drinking beer with a smile on my face.

:: A night of holiday standards and favorites ::

*** DOORS 7pm, SHOW 8pm ***

A night of holiday standards and favorites from Laura Gibson, Musee Mecanique, Alela Diane, Michael Hurley, Lewi Longmire, Denver, Duover, Johanna Kunin, Dave Depper, Mike Midlo (of Pancake Breakfast), Quiet Life, Great Wilderness, Ezza Rose, Greylag, and, of course, other special, not-to-be-named guests! Only $5!

$5 in advance, $5 day of show

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The Coming of Tartufi

Tartufi "Fleet Week" from JH Lucas on Vimeo.

When a press release refers to a band as "the most powerful duo since thunder and lightning" and a "indie rock juggernaut" I am immediately struck by this vision:

Astride their golden chariots pulled by ten thousand dragons, the Tartufi rode down from the clouds where they make their home. As the creaking of a ship in the storm did one of their sandles alight upon the mortal ground and shake the birds from the trees atop the mountain ridges for miles around. The people of the nearby village fell to their knees and offered up the lambs, burned on the altars of their ancestors and sang their greeting songs high and proud.


The village elders approached the juggernauts feet with humility and offerings of wine and flowers.


"Why have you come, o Tartufi? Our humble valley quakes at the mere presence of your feet!"


Booming out of the heavens the Tartufi reply.


"We have come bringing beautiful explosions of song and sound to your temples."


The cheering of the villagers filled the empty spaces left by the fleeing birds. Tears filled the valley and as one they cried out:


"Tartufi, Tartufi lords of thunder and lightning! Bring us the power of the Indie Rock!"

Or maybe I just spend too much time reading.

It's not too far off the mark, I think Tartufi has tamed a sentient explosion of beautiful sounds and rides it as their primary conveyance. It must make some waves, a band just floating down the street on a cloud of beautiful and powerful music. They should come live in Portland, we're used to weird shit being perpetrated. Oh hell, they're San Francisco based. Never mind.

Their latest album entitled "The Goodwill of the Scar" is one 27 minute long track entitled "The Butterless Man". What balls! What giant, clanking brass balls I said. I will be reviewing this later and will post a link here when I'm done. I cannot fit this much radness into one post. Physical laws must be obeyed and all. You know...

This post is to inform you that we are the people in the valley. Tartufi will be playing in Portland on May 26th at Backspace supporting their mad vision of a record. I will be there, most likely engaging in some form of mouth breathing fandom. I'd like you to come along and dive into this pool of interdimensional sonic fuckery with me.

Please bring gifts of wine and flowers.

May 26th at an UNKNOWN TIME
Tartufi w/ Yeah Great Fine & O Bruxo
Backspace // 115 Northwest 5th Avenue // Portland, OR 97209 // (503) 248-2900

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It's hard to refuse the offer of makeup sex. A review of Burning Hank.

There is a large space in my music collection for music that makes me smile. Burning Hank makes me smile. They've got an approach to songwriting that is round, friendly and welcome at your dinner table.

"This song was the first one that we wrote together after Roger had joined us. It is about the common fear that your pet dog or cat will be abducted and used for cosmetic testing."

You see, this is what songs need to be written about. I have so many songs in my collection about the burning passion in my heart, the burning passion in my mind and the burning sensation in my pants. Bagh, I say. Give me songs about mild and rather forgettable earthquakes, socks, bisexuality and cats. I have filed these fine folks under "Awesome" genre tag. It's the same reason I am such a fan of Doctor Something. Maybe Burning Hank should write a tune about their own favorite Transit Center on a split 7"? I'd buy that to listen to on the Max.

"How many hospitals have your body parts? you are incomplete. Got your tonsils out in Tokyo and your head kicked in in Greece."

I think these people have been on tour.

"And Norma Jennings makes a damn fine cup of coffee
Take off those 3D glasses please Doctor Jacobi
And what the hell does Harry see in Josie?
And what the hell does Shelly see in Bobbie?"

A song about Twin Peaks pointed at this blog is just not fair. What's next Burning Hank? Are you going to send me a song about Bikes, Coffee Shops and Being Snooty? Alright fine, you can come play in Portland. We love you.

Musically this record is a mixed drink of jangle, rock, a touch of folk swing topped with synth trumpets on a swizzle stick. Much like their lyrics, it is simple and approachable. You could drink this record all night and not get too drunk. I keep wanting to hear more extensive instrumentation in these tunes though; that touch of swing just screams out for a lap steel. Seriously, if you guys read this review think of "Keep Digging" with a bouncy steel solo somewhere in there. It's pretty obvious that they can play their instruments but I feel like they're holding back a bit in this record. I bet their live act kicks fucking ass though. I'll put my $5 down on that.

On the balance I'll give it a 12.876 out of π. Which is pretty good. Verging on rad. I don't do numbers. Listen to their record on Bandcamp and make up your own damn mind.

Oh, and this from their Bandcamp page made me smile. I'll bet it makes you happy too.

"It was nice to see Dick Cheney in ill health and we wanted to keep the memory of that evil prick in his wheelchair alive for the next time we felt down."


Me too Burning Hank, me too.

-Eriq

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Suburban Home Records

Growing up as I did in the East End of Henrico County, Virginia I have had a complex relationship with country music. For most of my life it represented everything I stood against. Racism, ignorance and the leering macho horseshit of my fellow residents. The twang of the slide guitar was a surefire sign that I was about to be fucked with by a bunch of hormone addled teenagers in a pickup truck that were drunk on Budweiser and vicious pack mentality. There was copper in my mouth every time I heard a Southern accent in a song.

    You see, my parents are The Gay. I don't know if you're familiar with America or not but there's a large chunk of our population that has a problem dealing with the fact that gay people exist. It's one of those things I've just never been able to understand. Something about some old book or something. More than that, I was kind of a weird kid with too much book smarts and no sense of how to blend in or when to shut my trap. I was a teenage gladiator stuck in a suburban arena with country music as the backdrop to my own grapple with puberty. So I was left with this association of country music as being a harbinger of terrible things to come. Mind you, what I considered country at the time was just Pop With A Twang and the same mindless drivel that vapid morons use to fill in the spaces between mouth breathing and pummeling anything different than them. Alright, I can admit to some remaining prejudices. The illusions of memory and the bitterness of adolescence take a very long time to work past. It helps to have some contrast.

    Flash forward 5 years to the Tower Records at Willow Lawn. Here now is a young clerk stocking Jazz CDs late at night, all alone in the room. The shuffling playlist has been going on for about an hour, he hardly notices the time or the music as it floats around him. His hands reach into the understock and it happens. The rolling waves of spectral, haunting, tear inducing beauty roll over him. It's powerful enough to knock over a few CDs and he leans on the bin to steady himself. He looks around, wondering where this sound has come from, what confluence of powers led to something so gorgeous? Staggering under the weight of a thousand emotions he makes his way to the CD player and reads the name; Emmylou Harris: Wrecking Ball.

    I had my contrast.

    I had never heard anything remotely like Emmylou. No one ever spoke of her to me, no mention whatsoever from fans of country music. Nothing. Was it some deep mystery, reserved for this moment of transcendent beauty? I still don't know how I managed to avoid her works for so long. It was the beginning of a new perspective on country music. From that album I came to know what I had been missing. The giants like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn all the way to newer artists like Sleepercar, Mary Gauthier, Jim White and Tift Merrit. It was nothing less than a revolution in tastes. I felt like an ass for missing out on so much incredible music. But hey, you can't grow if there's nothing left to learn.

    So we've grown closer now, country music and I (I've had some damn good nights with Johnny Walker and Johnny Cash ya'll). Recently though, things had been a bit stale. I'd gone through the 30's forward, gotten familiar with Lost Highway, fell in love with Calexico and worn through my Neko Case records. It was almost time to move on, not forever but I could tell things were getting a little stale. Then the indomitable Ian Graham dropped Suburban Home Records in my lap. I discovered the G-Spot of country music. Suddenly things were hot again. I was excited every time she got near my ears. Thoughts of moving on vanished.

    The name Tim Barry rings clearly in every ear in Richmond. Avail was a big part of putting RVA on a map that didn't just say: Civil War Battlegrounds Hereabouts. "Dixie", shitty weed and PBR tallboys at the river made up a good chunk of high school for a lot of RVA kids my age. This isn't about Avail though. This is about Tim. He writes in a way that is so raw and personal that it's sometimes uncomfortable to hear. "Church Of Level Track" will drop you to the floor, pick you back up, slap a beer in your hand and send you home. The first time I heard him play it live I welled up with tears. It's serious shit and it has a physical impact on the listener. Is it country? Does that even matter? There's some recursive post-post-hardcore-post-folk-post-punk-retro-blah blah tag out there for what he's up to but it really doesn't matter. I call it country. He pours his blood into his songs, doesn't worry about complex arrangements and uses fiddles, dobros and slide guitars so I call it country. Tim isn't trying to impress you and I find that leaves a very large impression.

    If this wasn't enough then Suburban Home has another massive dose of reality for you; Austin Lucas. Austin pulls his entire life out of the murky depths of memory and filters it through a poetic asceticism that leaves nothing superfluous at the edges. "Go West" is an amazing song and is a good example of this ability. He reminds me that well written music can be intelligent without succumbing to the dangers of needless verbosity and overly complex schemes. Look at the arrangements and later work of Leonard Cohen. There is nothing inaccessible about his poetry; it's not glossed over with too many classical references, not so tied into his inner mythology that it's not available to the reader. This is the same way I see Austin Lucas. I'm interested to see how he evolves as a songwriter. If my instincts are correct then this man has a long and extremely influential future ahead of him.

    There's this perpetual struggle between artifice and authenticity in culture. I invariably find myself on the side of authenticity. How the hell do you know if something is authentic? Well, does it seem right? Do you look at the guy and say, "Yeah, I think he's being honest."? That's the best criteria there is. Why choose authenticity? Because it is the harder path, but much more rewarding. I see these guys, I listen to their music and I can feel their soul coming through the speakers. That's the personal connection I love about music like this. It's not relegated to one form, to one person, to one style or era. It's out there in every kind of music and it brings me no end of joy to find it in a style I have so frequently maligned and misinterpreted throughout my years. I love to be proven wrong.

    If country music is going to survive the endless barrage of clone stamped Nashville pop stars, orchestrated over produced $10,000 boot wearing assholes, fucking retarded music and every other plight that can befall a genre; it is going to need more people like Austin, Tim and the folks at Suburban Home. The best part about it is that they don't have to do anything out of the ordinary. As long as they continue to write, record and play their music they help us all fight the endless tide of committee approved culture. This is the true strength of indie music; it isn't here to change the world, but it does anyway.

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Musical Etiquette: The Fine Art of the Myspace Page

Dear Musical Etiquette:

My band has tasked me to get our Myspace page set up and get a million profile views. I've never set up one before but I've been on Myspace for a long time and I know how other bands do it. Is there any advice you can offer me?

XXXXX

Myspace remain relevant as a great resource for musicians to post and promote their recorded music and keep their fans appraised as to new shows and happenings within the band. Where else can I see blog posts about a bands crazy next door neighbors and house pets? As far as I can tell that is all that remains at Myspace, ten million bands all promoting the crap out of themselves to other bands, promoters and music bloggers. There is some competition to Myspace that I can recommend. Last.fm provides good media management tools and purchasing links for the interested musician. Facebook has some rudimentary tools for musicians but as I've never used them, I cannot either recommend them or throw them into the flaming pits of hell. I digress.

Myspace is a pit of despair.

As previously mentioned by fellow blogger Amber Dawn, there is a dangerous tendency towards ocular mugging in the creation of a Myspace page and the hand of restraint is needed. Make sure that your page is simple, easy to read, easy to find the relevant information and that the color scheme doesn't cause your viewers vertigo or projectile vomiting. Here's a partial list of things that should never occur on a Myspace band page:

• Fucking Animated Glitter
• Blinking Logos
• Autoplay
• Webcam Bio Pictures
• Pleading
• Last Login January 15th, 1857

Please use it and respond

As to that last point above: If you are going to go through the trouble of creating a Myspace page use it. For fucks sake if I send you a message and it takes three months to get a reply I will never look at that page again. You don't need to hang out all day like a 12 year old with a crush but DO look at the thing at least once a week. As I've said the only possible use of Myspace is for music promotion and if you don't actually do any interaction..... well that's not really promotion is it?

Everyone is influenced by Radiohead

It's true. If you have touched an electric guitar at any point past February 1993 you are probably influenced by Radiohead. It's alright. Even you Utter Snobs who hold them in the lowest possible opinion have got a touch of it. You can't avoid it. Please don't bother to mention this. Everyone already knows.

So who are you influenced by?

If I like the "soulful aching harmonies of Elliot Smith" will I like your band? Maybe. Music is funny that way. Be honest about your influences (exception: Radiohead) and try to represent them honestly. If your Myspace page tells me that your primary influence is the Pixies and you sound like every other shitball radio friendly Disturbed clone I will laugh so hard you will hear it clear across the internet. On the other hand, tell me that Mudvayne is your fucking hero and I might believe you. In fact, you just won a little respect in my eyes. Not many people are willing to own up to this being their primary influence.

Update Your Music Please

If you are interested in repeat visits to your Myspace page, add new songs on occasion. Refresh the list and provide the visitor with something they can't get anywhere else. Upload your drunken practice from last night, a song your wrote on the front porch with some friends, it really doesn't matter. Remember that the entire point of social media is to make a real connection with people and if you don't break out of the traditional top-down media distribution methods then you aren't using these tools to their fullest extent. Give me something unique and I can guarantee I'll be back to listen.

Focus on the music

The tendency with these things is to go all out. You hire a PR firm to design a logo, pay an ITT graduate to build your profile and then get yourself 30,000 followers. All this cost you the entire sum of money you had earned from two years of shows, the 5 large your Mom lent you and every penny earned from part time jobs. On the other hand you have no gas money for the van, no money to cover beer and haven't recorded or written anything in the month since you decided to be "big time". You, my friend, have just made a very large mistake.

I listen to music. It's a thing I'm into. When I go to a bands Myspace page I load it in the background and listen while I work on something else. The music is the only thing I pay any attention to and if it fails to impress, the slick background image you've uploaded won't do anything to change that.

In summary:

• Keep it simple
• Use an eyeball friendly color scheme
• Don't waste your money on crap
• Respond to people
• Rock on

Until next time sweet music fans,

Eriq Nelson


Do you have a burning question in your heart? I have Tums. Hit me.

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Musical Etiquette: Dealing With The Musically Challenged

Dear Musical Etiquette:

I love my sister. I just wanted to put that out there. I swear I cannot understand her shit musical habits! She listens to the worst crap I have ever heard; pop radio trash, shitty nu-metal and a smattering of nostalgia fueled boners from the 80's. Every time I try to introduce her to new music she acts like its an attack on her! What can I do?

Help me please!
XXXXXXXXXX

I am so sorry to hear of your troubles dear reader. If it were anyone else I would tell you to simply walk away, but as it is your sister you have little choice. We are not required to like our family, but we have no choice but to be related to them. Fear not, my loyal reader, I can assist you in these difficult times and have you coming out smelling like blooming roses and being a better human being all at the same time.

To the broad minded music listener there is little worse than someone whose tastes are not only narrow, but of little lasting cultural merit. Where are all the large stone statues of Lipps Inc? Where is the Bruce Willis fan club now? Even if the person in question has decent, but narrow, tastes it can be extremely frustrating. Every attempt to broaden their horizons can be seen as a cruel act, but you must first get into their mind.

But I Like This Music!

To those of a narrow taste in music, there is a profound emotional attachment to the music they listen to and any attempt to broaden the field feels like an attempt to take away their security blanket. We all have music that is as comfortable as an old robe and makes us feel good, secure, and comforted. For my own part, I need a healthy dose of Iron and Wine every week to feel normal. For you, it may be a particular song, an artist, an album or even just a genre that you come back to. It's the musical home that we come back to after 6 hours of digging through Weird Ass Jazz. Recognize this common bond with your musically challenged sibling. The first step to broadening her horizons is showing how similar you are. Show your sympathy and let her know you're not going to try and take away her limited edition Seether CD. In the fullness of time, she will put it to rest.

This Is Advice.

I know what you want to do. You want to drag all of her friends into the living room, your parents and a psychologist and discuss her "problem". Your dad will try and talk her into listening to some classic rock albums, you will put on a Daft Punk CD saying "See, there is better dance music out there!" and her friends will offer to drive her to the record store for her very first piece of Arrogant Vinyl. This is not how it will happen. In all likelihood she will sit sullenly and either break out into extreme violence or resent you and your high handed approach until you die. Who wants that?

Advise her. Do not present her with a challenge, do not confront her in the least. If your sister likes Shitball Nu-Metal offer her some Hardcore. Then a little Punk. Not too much. Don't take her way back right in the beginning. Not many people who listen to over compressed modern recordings can handle what second wavers like The Wipers did to audio equipment. In pop music you will have an easier time. Try moving backwards through pop music until you hit a point she really resonates with. Branch out from there. This is a long process and it's going to take some effort on both of your parts to make it through without hating one another.

In fact sometimes that's not right to do.

Slow and steady is the key here. You can't throw a casual listener or someone with limited scope into Miles Davis. It's just wrong. The same is true for Mike Patton, Buckethead or John Zorn and a vast array of other frankly advanced musical ideas. This is akin to taking the training wheels off of a kids bike and shoving them onto Interstate 5 in the middle of LA rush hour while sentient bowling balls with tits are trying to bore into their flesh. Bad and wrong, bad and wrong.

So What Should I Put In Her Ears?

I can list a great deal of specific artists that can lead her out of the darkness and into the light of the vast cornucopia of music in the world. Frankly, this would be a disservice to you my fine friend. This is a chance for you to grow closer to your sister so engage her and learn something new yourself. A good teacher is a good student. So spend some time exploring music yourself and take your sister with you. That's the real key to exploring music, never think that you know it all.

If you don't know enough about the genres she's interested in, ask for advice from a friend who does, hit the intertubes and find out what you need to know or just put Pandora on for nine or ten hours and find out more than you ever wanted to know about the influences of Bon Jovi. Make this fun for both of you, show her that finding new music is awesome and if she can catch your enthusiasm then you have succeeded in your goal. I've found that the vast majority of people with narrow tastes have them only because they've never been exposed to other cultures. Praise the Tiny Gods of The Internet that it has become so much easier for people to experience different cultures.

Winning and Losing.

Please realize that this may not turn out the way you wanted it to. If your sister discovers that she is a huge Bee Gees fan and you can't stand it, you have to accept the outcome. The point is not to make you happy but only to broaden her tastes. They may broaden in ways you never anticipated and in the end may overwhelm your own curiosity towards music. Be happy for her.

In much the same light please realize that some people are just miserable cunts. They'll never stop listening to the music they found in high school and no amount of exposure will alter their perspective in the slightest bit. They'll even argue about how much better music was in "Such and Such a Decade" until they're blue in the face. There are assholes in the world and as indelicate as it may be to say so, your sister may number among them. Prepare for the worst.

Other people are so awesome in other ways they've never had the time to develop a broad musical taste and for some of them music just isn't that important in their lives. There are also people who have fairly broad tastes but simply no real passion for it or the drive to get out and discover. There is no winning or losing here. Discover where music fits into your sisters life and focus on growing that into whatever it was meant to be.

Remember that if everyone was as into music as I am, no one would have food to eat.

Until next time you beautiful bastards,
Eriq


Confused by a situation? Send me your questions!

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Musical Etiquette: Opening The Show

Dear Musical Etiquette:

We've been invited to open up for XXXX, which as you know is a big deal for us. They're one of our biggest influences and we've jokingly talked about opening up for them for years. Now that it's finally come we're a little apprehensive. What advice can you give us?

Thanks for your help!

XXXXXXXX

Congratulations! This is a huge opportunity for your band to gain new fans, spread the music you've worked so hard to wrench from unwilling instruments and meet some of your musical heroes. Don't fuck it up.

You're A Handjob, Get Used To It

You are not the main attraction. Everyone came here to see Big Ass Band and you're pretty much an annoying distraction. This is not all bad, you can play it to your advantage. There's ten thousand fans waiting to see your favorite band too, so be excited about it! You are a part of the crowd waiting to see them play, make sure the audience understands this. Get them connected to what you're doing on stage instead of ignoring you and going to buy another beer.

Remember to breathe. Relax and enjoy your set. Don't worry about putting on a perfect performance, this will just lead to more mistakes. This show is like any other; if you make a mistake just laugh it off and keep playing. Too many times I have seen the stress all over the face of an opening act turn into anger onstage and more problems after the event. Music is supposed to be fun people.

Logistics

Logistics are always important in live event production but in this instance it becomes more important than remembering to eat. Getting in the way of the headliners set time will not ingratiate you with their fans as you attempt to garner their affections. Here's some things to keep in mind.

• Get onstage fast
• Start on time
• Prepare for the worst
• Extra water, beer, cables, picks and drumsticks everywhere
• Triple check your equipment
• Check it one more time
• Pay your roadies well
• Break down as fast as you can

Now Is Not The Time For Your Rant

Do you have a pet cause? Do you think that whale fur harvesting should be illegal? Good for you! You're a real human being with opinions. Now keep them to yourself. There seems to be this strange middle ground where it's not alright to promote causes and go on strange rants about esoteric causes. At a small enough show, people are generally familiar with you (friends, family, other musicians) and your Stop Whale Fur Campaign is not only well known, but encouraged. At the Giant Fuck All Stadium level you can be Bono and no one can stop you even if they don't like it because your robot army will level all of their homes if they do not immediately contribute to Stop Whale Fur International. For whatever reason it is the rising star that gets no chance to speak their mind. Don't ask me to explain it, that's just the way people seem to be. Keep your peace until you have such an enormous platform (and associated robotic army) that no one can tell you to be quiet.

Don't Run Over Your Set Time

That is all. It's just really important and needs to be said several times.

Sell Some Merch

I really hope that this is obvious but you need to bring as much merch as your friends can carry to this venue. In fact, double that amount you just thought was needed. It won't kill you to take home a few extra boxes of t-shirts if they don't sell and you don't want to run out if the demand is high. You might want to knock a few bucks off of your normal price to increase your chances for a sale and take advantage of the scads of people walking past your booth. I say run the thing yourself after your set is up, get a chance to be face to face with the people you want to have as fans. It's the personal touch that'll bring them back.

If you're a clever marketer you'll have a tour specific range of Thingies for your fans that did come out to get their hands on.

Don't Suck Up

Be sure to thank the headliner for the chance to open for them and the chance to meet them. Whatever you do, don't start waving incense over them and chanting about how fundamental they are to your sound, how you lost your virginity to their music and you would have killed yourself if it weren't for their second album. Don't shy away from telling them how much you like their music, just leave the crying and kissing of feet for another time. Seriously, it's weird.

As always, rock on people, rock on.

Eriq Nelson

Send me your questions! musicaletiquette@gmail.com

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Love and Loch Lomond

I love the Penny Jam. Right before I moved here I spent a solid day just listening to all the artists they've worked with and their selections are almost entirely inside my tastes in music. I decided to drop in today whilst perusing the intertubes and came across these guys.

Loch Lomond has got a great sound, mixing folk and acoustic instrumentation with a definable modern sense of rhythm and composition. There are some very tight vocal arrangements here and I'm very impressed with their live sound. I can't wait to hear what they sound like inside a studio with time to overdub and noodle about with levels.

Side Note: Right around minute three I swear I can hear a DC hardcore breakdown coming and I have to admit, I kind of want to remix the tune to include it.

Loch Lomond at the Ace Hotel from The Penny Jam on Vimeo.

Loch Lomond returns to Portland on February 4th, 2010 at the Doug Fir Lounge.

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An Interview With The Greatest Music Writer Alive

In light of Gulbranson's wonderful interview I thought it wise to seek out my own exclusive interview.

Interviews are fantastic. It gives the reader access to a life that seems distant and brings it right to your face. At best it is a dialogue that enlightens the reader and reflects a persons achievements and thought processes. At worst it is knob slobbing and ego pandering to a celebrity that hardly needs it and could only be described as a waste of good letters; or the meandering musings of someone who is clearly in need of a mental health professional.

Given the breadth of music that I enjoy and the variety of people out there producing, reviewing, critiquing, performing and involved with music; I've had a hard time figuring out who I would like to interview. There is a list of musicians and producers (mostly dead) that I have running in the back of my head but most of them I have the same chance of interviewing as say, Buddha. When I narrowed the list down to living people there was only one person I could think of that I needed to interview. The most handsome, dynamic, creative and all together talented human being to ever grace the face of this planet.

Me.

I was at first trepidatious when I made my decision. Writers are notoriously cranky and reclusive creatures with a penchant for sudden mood swings and violent alcohol fueled depressions. This writer in particular was a prime example of highly irascible mega fauna. I knew that setting was everything, so when I called his agent I asked if we could meet in his local coffee shop. Writers are all addicted to caffeine, I knew it was a sure thing. The agent agreed, the venue was set and I was in business.

Coffee Time is at 21st and Irving in Northwest Portland, a large dimly lit cave takes up the entire back end of the shop and that is where I found my quarry; surrounded by reference books and twitching from his first gallon of caffeine slurry. As I set my backpack down at the opposing seat he did not look up from his laptop at all. I attempted to introduce myself politely and received only a wave of the hand and a incomprehensible grunt. Was this the famed writer or simply some technology obsessed troglodyte? He continued to fiddle with his laptop aimlessly and I eventually got up to leave.

"Wait, get me some more coffee. I haven't shed my human form yet, one more cup and I'll transcend reality. Make it strong and black man."

I set my back down and nodded. The counter was busy, people jostling each other for a chance at awareness. 15 minutes later I returned to the table in the back with two absurdly large cups of brew. I sat down and opened up my laptop. He looked down into the steaming mug and a brief smile rumbled through his beard.

"Ahhhhhhhhh. Practically orgasmic. My thanks sir."

I nodded and fired up my question list.

ME- So Mr. Nelson...

MR. NELSON- Eriq is fine.

M- Eriq then. I understand you've recently moved here to Oregon. How do you find it?

E- Fantastic, actually. I'd been planning the move for a number of years and it would seem that it does not disappoint in the least. The weather suits my clothes.

M- Is there anything that sticks out in your mind? Why Portland instead of say, Eugene or one of the coastal towns?

E- A whole host of reasons. Public transit is near the top of the list. I hail from Richmond, Virgina and it is not a town that is conducive to walking around. You really can't get around that town without a car. I am a big fan of natural preserves and having one in my back yard is a big bonus. Powell's is probably what put it over the top. Easy access to the biggest used bookstore in the world is worth moving across the country. There's an actual literary scene here. Richmond has a one man literary scene. Don't get me wrong, Preston is a great fucking guy but I need more. That and the coffee.

(He pauses, downing an entire 24 oz. coffee in one long smooth pull. I sit, my jaw agape.)

M- Ahem. So how was the trip, did you fly out or drive?

E- I drove with my friend Mabel and I taking turns at the wheel. I rented a U-Haul, packed all of my feces into one receptacle and hit the road. I wanted a physical experience of distance. I feel like moving this far should be accompanied by some grueling physical torment and extreme psychological states. It would cheapen the moment, I think, to make it a one day proposition.

M- How long did that take you? That's what, 3000 miles?

E- Just about. 2,906 miles without detours or stops. All things told it took us 5 days from RVA to Stumptown. We took a few detours to see friends on the way out here in St. Louis and Boulder. All in all a pretty smooth going deal; no bat shit insane moments or breakdowns. Wyoming is fucking terrifying though, there's no actual ground in Wyoming; just wind and rocks. I got airsick about three hours into that chunk of the trip. I didn't even think that I could get motion sickness in a truck. Absurd.

M- So you've been here a few months now, what's next on the agenda? What mind shattering awesomeness will you unleash upon the unworthy?

E- Oh, how you flatter sir. Do go on. I'm just now getting back to my writing habits, working on music reviews again and gearing up to polish off a collection of short stories and my first novel. I've been thinking about playing some music, maybe with friends maybe something more serious. I'm not sure yet.

M- A novel? Are you willing to share any details?

E- No. Fuck off.

M- Fair enough. How about the short stories?

E- There's some stuff up on the web. I don't feel like explaining it to you.

(Awkward pause.)

M- I'm interested in your music writing. How do you approach the topic of review? What is the process?

E- Any music review should be embedded in culture and personality. To try and present a technical analysis alone leaves the reader bored stiff and leads to lifeless prose. I feel like that kind of dry academic writing is pretty much relegated to reference books and material for other reviewers to read. My fellow bloggers at CIMTB do a great job of keeping life flowing through the veins of their writing; that's why I continue to write with them. Excellent folk the lot of them.

(His notes on criticism he e-mailed me after the interview. A transcript is here.)

M- And the process? Do you have any rituals?

E- There's no real mystery here. I simply put away distractions, put on some music and start writing. I generally jot down a great deal of notes and impressions and later go back and organize it into some sense of narrative. I never finish a review in one listen. I like to get comfortable with a record before I pass judgment. Goldie has a great bullshit filter so I generally end up with some pretty fucking fantastic music to listen to. That helps.

M- Do you read a lot of other music reviews? Are there any writers in music you admire?

E- I read a great deal of music "reviews". A lot of music bloggers seem to think that posting an MP3 with a sentence qualifies as a review. Horseshit. Said The Gramophone has a wonderful method, it falls somewhere betwixt prose and poetry. The Pop Filter (Rahawa Haile) is one of my favorite folks on the web. His taste and interests are as broad as mine and we have a great deal of fun on Twitter. I'd say that by far my favorite writers are at Crawdaddy. They're the oldest and in my opinion the best of music review and criticism resources there is. Their recent savaging of Weezer is fucking inspirational. I would dare say Gulbransonesque.

M- Just so we're clear; I'm sitting here interviewing myself in a coffee shop. Isn't that a bit insane and kind of an ego trip?

E- Yes, yes it is.

At that he signaled the end of the interview by yelling at me incoherently and demanding a solid gold pool full of coffee to swim in. Writers are a tough interview (I had to get a skin graft after the hot coffee he dumped on me treated me like a batch of dumplings. A small price to pay for the chance to be in his presence.) I hope that I've brought a little more insight into the mind and life of this most essential part of American music discourse.

History will remember him like this, twitching from a near fatal blood/caffeine ratio, fueled by mystical visions of literary immortality and so high on his own ego he can't seem to stop touching himself in public.


'Till next time gentle readers.

Eriq

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CIMTB blogger update

I'm "working" on a FUN music project directly related to The Great Northwest and Eriq Nelson is moving to The Great Northwest, Portland to be exact, for shizzy.

from http://logicalawesome.com

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Album Review: Blindfold - Faking Dreams

Icelandic music makes me want to go to Iceland. It must be a landscape of endless ice castles and sparkling sunlight. Around every corner is some mythic beauty that causes you to weep on your knees for the ruined fate of our species. They know with a certainty that the world is beautiful and we are only getting in the way of this. Blindfold wraps this ethereal image in pop music and sends it running over an endless field of compositions that fill the entire room with their sound.

This is a rich, layered, spectral and occasionally melancholy pop music that makes me smile and cry at the same time. I am a sucker for reverb and the production value on this record sets the level just right, neither blurring out the structure or letting you back down out of the clouds for too long. It is deft and classy arrangement showing a long familiarity with the band and what they're going for. I've spent some time looking for production credits out there on the tubes and I can't find any. If you know who produced this, I'd love to hear from you.

There is an element that I find lacking in a lot of music that I get in spades here. Dynamic range. I like the big, swelling crescendos, the long build up and the feeling like a wave of music just took your feet out from underneath you. Quiet moments in the record where all the clouds part and you can watch a single bird fly across the sunlight. Loud, angry thrashing guitars that threaten to break down the walls of your mind. I like range and Blindfold has delivered it to me.

Caffeine and Sleeping Pills is my favorite track so far, though I think that had more to do with my intimate familiarity with that particular sense of surreality than anything else. They do a great job lyrically and tonally bringing me to those horrible and glorious 5 AM moments where you don't know if it's more coffee or more drugs that you really want.

I am an admitted fan of music that sounds like its name. Their songs are descriptive tone poems that are drawing out a long night spent watching the river flow by and wondering why you haven't slept in a week. There is a constant sense of the distant horizon always beckoning as an escape from whatever nightmare has you in its clutches and you want to go there. It is potential, it is potent and it is persistent. It is worth listening to, preferably alone during that mysterious hour of 4 AM, watching mists and drinking something unbelievably alcoholic.

Faking Dreams will be released on August 1st, 2009 directly from the band.

Check out Blindfold on Myspace or Last.fm.

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Not dead. Totally not dead.

Hello everyone. I assure you that I'm not missing or dead. I've been getting my life in order to move to Portland this summer. Things will be a little sporadic, but I assure you that Musical Etiquette will be back shortly and full time in the fall. In the meantime, here's a video I helped make with some friends earlier this year. That's me in the Monster Hoodie. The band is Hot Lava, go buy their record right now and say "Squeeeee!"






Till next time!
Eriq.

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T-Shirt Etiquette

Much has been said on the topic of selecting t-shirts. The modern hipster finds themself awash in an endless sea of choices. Vintage or artificially aged? Is American Apparel still hip after more than ten years on the market? Does anyone else own this shirt? Should I wear a band shirt to a different bands show? Are V-necks sexy? Is it too soon to wear a "Eat My Shorts" t-shirt ironically? Will anyone notice that I bought this Count Chocula t-shirt at Target?

Calm, my loyal readers, calm. These are complex questions to be certain, but as we've learned, nothing is too complicated when armed with knowledge, logic and your parents credit card.

On The Subject Of Band Shirts.
Many an hipster has been made aware of the fundamental error in wearing a band shirt to that band's show. Somewhere in the depths of the collective unconscious, such a thing has been declared "lame". Scientists have yet to make a determination as to where this split in reasoning occurs, but most agree that it was sometime in the late 80's or early 90's. One segment of the population continued to treat their concerts like sporting events and "show the flag," whilst the other segment declared such activities "square" and began the Great War Of Who Could Care Less; this war has continued through this day, and bodies line the streets of our Great American Culture.

It should suffice to say that the selection of shirt for attending a concert carries with it a different set of guidelines than normal, day in, and day out wearing of shirts. Nothing carries more fear and indecision than this moment in a hipsters life. Well, perhaps making mixtapes. ...or vintage underwear. Whatever.

Hipsters! Be cautioned, the wearing of a bands t-shirt to their show may very well lead to your imminent social demise and an utterly horrifying set of insults from your PBR swilling peers. There is little else that can ruin your tenuous grasp on popularity faster, save being caught actually enjoying music.

As for the rest of the world, rest easy. The choice to wear or not to wear is really a personal decision and carries with it no real effect one way or the other. Do not concern yourself overmuch with the petty antics of small minded people. It's just a show, it's just a shirt, just enjoy the fucking show.

Concerning Irony.
In many ways, I find myself at odds with the concept of irony. It is a word much bandied about in the vaunted circles of culture, one I find lacking in relevance to the topic at hand; in the most literal of senses, comedic irony requires the knowledge of the viewer in order to have its intended effect. I would posit that the wearing of a Lucky Charms t-shirt does not qualify as any kind of irony. From the outside looking in, there is no way to tell if someone is not a life long aficionado of that vile chemical and agricultural byproduct stew. For all I know, the gentleman wearing that shirt may have neon blood and Type 2 diabetes.

Wikipedia gives a fairly succinct definition to work from:

"The simplest definition of irony is 'the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning: the irony of her reply, “How nice!” when I said I had to work all weekend.'"

Without the knowledge that one band or another is currently residing in the "hip list" somewhere in the blogosphere, it is difficult to determine if someone is honestly into White Snake or is making some pedestrian and ill conceived attempt at irony (the recent ironic popularity of mullets further complicates this individual example). I tend to assume that people are fairly direct and if I find you wearing a NKOTB shirt, I will insult you promptly, viciously, and without cease. That is of course, my choice. Irony is an art best left to those capable of wielding the subtle knife of literary device.

High minded and vaguely elitist observations aside, I find it difficult to endorse ironic t-shirts as a whole. They fail as often as they succeed, and as such I consider them not worth pursuing. I find myself firmly on the side of authentic cultural expression and this obsession with "ironically" embracing a shitty pop culture as some vague attempt to point out its absurdity ends up just reintroducing it to a whole new generation of people. In essence, you end up supporting by advertisement what you claim to detest. This is irony defined- surreal, absurd, and true.

In The Interest Of Authenticity and Commerce.
I see the entire subject of one primarily of fashion. Appearances mean a lot to a great number of people; this may not be the most enlightened way to run a culture, but it's the the damning truth of this place in time. That with which people adorn themselves defines the first meeting to an extent that most people are not comfortable admitting. To this end I advise all of you dear people to be as honest with yourselves as possible whilst perusing your t-shirt collection one Saturday afternoon. We are defined in those first few moments by our appearance and no amount of enlightened reasoning will change centuries of cultural training and the inherent reliance on aesthetic sensibilities of the human animal, i.e., Me Like Pretty.

One of the biggest reasons that the t-shirt has so much prominence in culture is the financial support that it lends musicians and artists. The profit model constructed by the Dinosaur Labels dictated that band merchandise profits remained largely in the hands of the band direct while they consumed any album sales profits en masse. Strangely enough, the advent of the freely piratable MP3 has made this profit model hold through into the beginning of the 21st century. The only real difference is that Dinosaur Labels aren't sucking up nearly as much profit. Bands are still doing OK, and in a lot of instances are actually doing much better. So we music fans should continue to show love at live shows, buying stickers, vinyl and t-shirts direct from the musicians we appreciate. The best way to show your support, easily enough, is to give them money.

Full Disclosure.
I am a huge webcomics fan, music dork and utter geek. So I shop at TopatoCo. These folks are among the funniest and most honest people on the interwebs and I try to keep them making the funny by buying a bunch of t-shirts from them. There are a few other key resources out there but TopatoCo (based out of Northhampton, MA) has a perfect combination of characteristics for me. They're funny, printed locally on American Apparel, and the majority of the profits goes to the webcomic artists that design them. I've been looking for something similar for music shirts and I haven't really found anything that hits the same level of authenticity, responsibility and quality. There are a lot of really shitty merch companies out there and if anyone knows of a good Portland local shop I'd love to hear about it. If there isn't one, there's a market sitting out there for a TopatoCo of music.

In Closing.
T-shirts are really not that complicated. Find ones that are comfortable and speak truly of your proclivities. If the bullshit at Hot Topic really speaks deeply about the nature of your being, by all means, get on it. Who am I to stand in your way? Be honest folks, that's all anyone can really ask for in the end, and don't worry too much. Fretting over the choice of a shirt means that you've failed to be honest when buying, and honestly your worrying won't do you much good now. At the risk of sounding cheesy, just feel the vibe. If you can't throw that shirt on at any time and feel comfortable with it, don't buy it.

Now go out and make some local band happy, buy a t-shirt.

Stay classy internet.
Eriq Nelson

Queries? Questions? Quandries? Quench your thirst. musicaletiquette@gmail.com

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Musical Etiquette: Be Kind To Retail Drones

Dear Musical Etiquette:
I work at a local music store and I've got some problems with my customers. They come in and treat me like I have no idea what I'm talking about. I've been working here for ten years and I play in three different local bands. Please help me with these people. I can't take it any more.

XXXXXX

I am a founding member of the Society For The Ethical Treatment of Retail Drones so I'm considered an expert in the field and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to share some of my experiences with you. The SETRD was founded by a like minded group of ex-Retail Drones in the summer of 2004 and acts as an advocacy organization to promote the proper understanding and appreciation of the foundation of this capitalist nightmare. Though they are the lowest rank of Drone, they serve a vital purpose in the acquisition of Shiny New Things and the onus is upon us to treat them kindly.

Alright people it's time to learn how to treat your Retail Drones. Despite their appearances, they're people too. There's a whole lot you don't know about them and if you take to time to find out, it'll make you appreciate them a whole lot more. So let's start with that basic fact, and we'll work out from there.

They're People.
Sometimes we forget this, we pass our whole day treating people like ATMs and never really stop to see who they are. In general, this is a harmful and dissociative practice that can do a lot of harm to your world view. In particular treating your Music Retail Drone like this makes you miss out on one of the best resources there is. I don't know about you but I don't spend all day reading up on the latest pickups and amp heads out there. Even when I'm getting ready to buy new gear, I haven't hit every resource there is and it's nice to hear an informed opinion on what I'm buying.

Morons.
On the balance, these folks are informed. You might find one or two slack jawed yokels drooling behind the counter of your local guitar shop but I can guarantee you, they wont last long. Managers and owners of music shops know that they have picky, self important customers who demand only the best of service. They will cater to you and these idiots won't last more than a week in a good shop. If they're still around after a couple weeks you're either dealing with a really dumb owner or flat out nepotism. I'd say avoid these shops, it'll just piss you off in the end. You can judge a music shop wholly by the quality of the counter staff.

Information Available Here.
Now that we've eliminated the true dross of the retail world, what we're left with are some incredibly well informed people and for the most part they're willing to share that information. The real key is respect. If you respect their knowledge, then they're more likely to help you out. Don't be condescending to them and don't act like you know more than they do unless you really do. On a similar note, don't be shy. If you hand built your own distortion pedal and you can keep up with that conversation, geek on my friend, geek on. Even if you're not deeply knowledgeable in the area of their expertise, it does you well to have some familiarity with the topic. Do some background research first, familiarize yourself with the topic and you'll get past the first layer of Retail Drone defenses.

Let's Be Friends.
There is nothing better than a friend at the music shop. They'll clue you in on choice used gear, tell you about sales and clearance items and occasionally sleep on your couch. The vast majority of people who sell instruments are musicians and they've often been doing it for a long time. You can pick up a lot of really valuable information from these folks. If you're just getting to town it's one of the best places to meet other musicians and get a feel for the place. Even if they're not going to be your best man at your fifth wedding, or help you bury a body, keeping a good relationship up with the people at the shop is key. Especially when you're in need of repairs.

Retail Drones are easy to understand if you think about how their day goes. The vast majority of retail life is spent in a mindless haze answering boring questions about prices so striking up a conversation about the relative merits of hum-bucking pickups really will brighten their day. If you can wake up a Retail Drone from their slumber you'll find that there's a human being under all that boredom and they are honestly willing to talk to you. So be kind to your Retail Drone and they'll be kind to you. Remember though, sometimes people are just having a shitty day and there is honestly nothing you can do to make them interested. Also, some people are just dicks. There's not much you can do about that one.

Eriq Nelson.

Keep 'em coming folks! musicaletiquette@gmail.com

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Musical Etiquette: Approaching A Label

Hey Musical Etiquette:
I've just wrapped up the mastering on my latest album, XXXXX. I've been sending demos out to a bunch of different labels and I haven't heard anything back. I've been sending full press kits, demos, glossies, DVDs and t-shirts to every label I can think of and I haven't heard anything back. What's going on here? Why haven't any of these labels written me back?

Help! XXXXXX

Approaching any record label, corporate or indie, requires a deft hand. You are entering into the mysterious paradox of humility and arrogance that is music promotion. Often times the path seems unclear, should you send a follow up? How long should you wait? Should you send a full album or just some samples? Should you send a video along? How about a hat? Approaching a label is like courting a lady. Every one is different and you will need some experience and confidence to get this done. A fur coat isn't going to impress PETA girl.

Indie labels in many regards are no different than huge, soul sucking, evil corporate monstrosities. They both publish and promote music and are constantly looking to expand on their catalog. An Indie label generally has two or three people working part time and digging through your full press kit is simply not a priority. They have to answer email, go out and buy lunch, ship product and go to the restaurant to pull some extra shifts to make rent. Giant Art Destroying Corporation has just as busy of a schedule, but it looks very different. A major label rep has to set up appearances on the Disney Channel for their latest Clone Rock band, testify in a copyright infringement hearing against a three year old with the wrong IP address and kick at least a dozen puppies before lunch. Suffice to say, puppies don't kick themselves and Mr. I'll Sign Anything That's Called "Core" is very busy.

First Off, Fuck Major Labels.
The fact is you don't want to sign to the One Label To Rule Them All. Take it from me, you'll never achieve anything remotely close to artistic or financial success on that sinking ship. Stick to the indies, they'll treat you like a human being and you won't be crying yourself to sleep every night. Besides, the chances that one of these dinosaurs will notice you is directly proportionate to the amount of beautiful, absurdly trendy looking people that comprise your act. Unless you're prepared to completely reinvent your clothing, sound, lifestyle, ethics, equipment, finances, family, and hairstyle you're better off without these people running your life. Honestly, fuck these people. So let's get you signed to an indie label.

Postal Etiquette.
Look, this is really about music. It's not about how much money you've spent on things that end up in the recycle bin. If you've ever seen the inbox of an indie label you'd understand why. It is a never ending stream of posters, promos, announcements, solicitations and weird shit that makes no sense:

• A hand made promo cover that looks like someone let their three year old do it.

• No track listing on a burned CD.

• A CD mailed with candy. (Seriously, this happened to me. The candy sat in the office for three weeks labeled "sketchy".)

• A DVD containing a fluff piece arranged and produced by the band.

• Forty glossy fliers in a package with no music.

• Air in an envelope.

I can personally guarantee you that most of this crap never gets a second glance. Only the truly absurd even pops in on their radar and you really don't want to know what people say about this stuff. Ask me about "The Print Shirt Crew" sometime.

Give the People What They Want.
What anyone who spends a lot of time listening to demos really wants is an accessible format. They're not interested in clever packaging or a book of bio and promo material. Get to the point and give them what you're selling. Music.
Mailing CDs:

• Clearly labeled, burned CD with track listing and times.

• No extra material on the disc itself, no one is going to watch your video, no one will dig for hidden tracks.

• If it's a sampler and not a whole record, come on strong and don't let up. Put your best song first.

• If you want to include a bio sheet, make it one page, laser printed and without any flashy crap all over it.

• Don't expect this to be returned.

• Make sure it will survive the hell that is the postal service.

Internet media:

• Do not send obscure file formats. FLAC might be better, but not everyone will be willing to figure out how to play it.

• Send MP3s, 320k stereo with correct ID3 tags and album art in a single folder. If this is a language you don't speak, consult a geek.

• Send an email that is concise, short and well formatted. Do not fill the thing with ten thousand links or a hundred pictures.

• Feel free to send along links to your Myspace page, but make sure it's properly formatted. If your Glitter Bomb crashes my browser, you've lost my attention. Again, ask a geek.

Don't Be Pushy.
Now that you've gotten the music to the label it is your job to wait. Patience is essential at this point, it may take several weeks for someone to get around to listening to your work and harassing them about it will not endear you to them. As I said, a lot of indie labels are tiny and there are times when the two people who actually pay themselves to do this are simply far too busy to get around to the promo stack or the Inbox Monster. It is perfectly acceptable to send a follow up email or note after about two weeks to ensure that they received your package or email. At these times it is best to be polite, concise and professional. A simple "Did you get this?" is sufficient. For the love of all things holy, don't accuse someone of being a dick if they don't start slobbing on yours. It might be the most brilliant thing ever conceived and yes, it's gathering dust. Be patient grasshopper.

Prepare For Rejection.
The fact is, you're not going to get picked up by the first label you inquire with. You probably won't get picked up by the 15th. Keep working, keep pimping as hard as you possibly can. Send requests and demos to everyone you can think of. Send in a demo to a label you think you'd never have a chance in hell of getting on. Be bold but never obnoxious. Thank people for their time if they send you a rejection notice and listen to what they have to say. If a label that you thought you were perfect for rejects your demo based on some artistic differences, learn from the experience and try to find one that matches what you're up to. This is a long process but eventually you'll find a group of people in promotion and distribution that you really want to work with.

Indie music isn't a top down process, you'll be getting to know these people pretty well and working alongside them to achieve what you both want. They're not your boss, they're not your employees, they are your partners and if you treat them well in the query process it'll pay off down the road. Treat them like what they are, busy people who would love to listen to your band when they get a chance and they'll give it a fair shake.

Good luck finding your label!
Eriq Nelson.

Is your band suffering a complete meltdown? Awesome! Tell me all about it:
musicaletiquette@gmail.com

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