How Your Band Can Make More Money Helping Other Bands And Indie Labels

By Mark Grove



Really smart bands out there are going the DIY way. With the advent of the Internet it’s been even easier to get your “stuff” online. But most can’t drive the traffic they need to generate any sales or interest. Going the major label route or even using an independent label is more risky than doing it yourself. You’re probably thinking, that’s bullshit Mark! Why should I take all the risk when someone else can do it for me. Yeah, that may well be.





“You can't wait around for destiny to give you what you think you deserve, you have to earn it, even if you think you've paid your dues.” ― Slash

But they usually end up taking half the profits and ask that you give their producers points on projects. Does that make logical sense guys and gals. Any band with a lot of drive and determination will do it the DIY way.         That’s the only way your band should be going. I talk about doing it yourself and you should be. You can set up a Myspace or word press blog and start plugging your band’s Mp3’s for free at first with questions for fans to answer.



Have band interviews done by other band members. Have a lot of how to stuff for other musicians and even get some rabid fans with a lot of drive to interview your band. Even set up a press conference at your gigs. Forget mainstream media. Remember what I said about mainstream media. Basically, Fuck them!


Look at college Radio and college papers and magazines. Part of that can be creating value for other bands by doing interviews with them and putting them on your blog. But the concentration should be helping your band and helping other bands as well. In another article, that can really help your band help others is: starting an A and R consultancy service for bands. That's Artist and repertoire. Don't ask me why. 



If you still don’t know what that is, bands send you their CD’s for a critique and what they need to do to tighten up the work or edit certain areas of their recordings. Interview these bands and put their MP3’s on your blog. But basically it's bands who send their material to a and r people hoping to get an album deal. This can lead to producing and selling that band’s CD’s off your blog. Interview these bands there by creating even more value for other bands. Besides selling CD’s off your site and offering free MP3’s, the majority of sales should be off-stage. Just think besides your band gigging, you could make a cut of CD profits from other bands on your roster. You could even book them and manage them as well.



If your band and other bands sell enough CD’s, start online affiliate programs where you get a cut of their sales. This helps both bands. But if you want to still get in on the independent label deals, offer to work with them selling their CD’s off your site. So offer to write articles for their musicians and do promotions for their bands. Actually be a writer for them first before offering some incredible deal that may not work. 


Your band and you will make more money on your own.  As well,this way your hand is in their cookie jar without having to do a deal with them that has your band lose 50% of their income. They might have a modern studio with Pro tools or top of the line recording equipment. By offering an indie label free services like writing and promo of their bands can get you more than you think, and eventually a cut of their band’s profits, not your band. Like I said do it your way. This is the only way a band should go.



Email me with your questions on this subject, or want your band interviewed in a DIY way.


mdgrove@rock.com




Mark Grove