Darron to be Different Music Blog – July 12th
For those reading my blog, I thank you very much for the support. If you are interested in contributing a column for Road Trips or From The Crowd, or if you would like a band's music featured in my Six Pack, please just drop me an e-mail here on MySpace. This column is dedicated to helping out independent musicians throughout the world and is fueled by your participation. Big or small, my weekly music blog is out there as a resource to get the word out about your music or what you do for music.
Road Trips
Experiences of a Modern-Day Metal Band: Formation
By: Steve Anthony, Co-Founder, Myth Not Man
www.myspace.com/mythnotman
Forming a metal band these days is as easy as slapping a bunch of friends together, grabbing a twelve pack, and pissing off the neighbors for a few evenings out of the month. At least that was the approach that Myth Not Man took (at that time, Paradigm Shift). There was no way to know that the onion effect, like a stalking predator, was silently hiding in the wings somewhere. Then before we knew it, one day, everything was different.
A couple of co-workers found each other in casual conversation and then found a few people that were willing to take strides toward getting a project set up. Over time we became relatively successful at keeping everyone coming back from one practice to the next and realized that maybe something was coming together. That wasn’t the end, though; it had to build even further over time. Over the next 2.5 years, we saw the arrival and departure of more than a few members (14 to be exact), but we finally settled with this line up. Now, the only two core members are the bass player, Brandon Ice, and I, Steve Anthony.
We all know that chemistry is what makes a good band. Unfortunately, it’s not always right on the surface. Just because you have a decent, civil relationship with one of your band mates, does not mean you need to make music together. It’s closer to the other way around. It’s hard to explain as both qualities go kind of hand-in-hand. Once the chemistry fits, the music can have its own sound, its own voice, and its own progress. THAT is when it hits. THAT is when genius can take hold. Respect for your band mates is right up there with chemistry - both as people, brothers/sisters and as musicians. Passion sparks drive. Most people get hung up on the romantic part of that statement in that love/passion should prevail…understood, but not always the case as we all may know. It’s like a marriage, all parties have to work towards a goal for it to work. So drive is what brings it all home.
Road Trips
Hell Rides North
www.myspace.com/hellridesnorth
From the get go, HRN put in a ton of work for the 89X Battle. Right away, we were promoting and telling everyone about it. We passed out fliers all over the area.
Promoting is the key to even have a chance to win. The competition is stiff. So many phenomenal bands, it's not a walk in the park. You can't show up to a battle like this with only a couple shows under your belt.
You need to have somewhat of a fan base and make sure they know all about the online voting and the show itself. Also, you got to have the tunes! If you don't have the music, there's no chance. Then there's the stage performance, you have to tear it up on stage and force the fans to beg for more.
So, to have a chance for the 89X I'm With The Band Battle... Work hard, practice harder, promote til you pass out, bring it on stage, and pray.
You can vote for Hell Rides North in the 89X I’m With The Band Battle at http://www.myspace.com/89ximwiththeband.
Truth or Darron
If you have a few independent bands in your friends, obviously you have seen how your comments section has become an advertisement for their music – and most of all, their contests.
My page’s involvement in music usually leads to a good amount of band comments. Most invite me to check out their music and let them know what I think – usually, if they make my Six Pack, that is a ringing endorsement for their music.
Lately, though, bands have taken the time to promote any upcoming contests they hope to win – and they hope you will take the time to help them out. Truthfully, I get about five contests per day on my page or via e-mail asking me to visit a page, add a widget or some other download or means to help them out.
Even in this week’s Road Trips, I’m helping out some local friends by allowing them to put a plug about the 89X radio contest for Hell Rides North. After a few rounds of qualifying, Hell Rides North finds their band going head-to-head with other local Michigan bands in hopes of winning $10,000 and other benefits.
While most people might seem skeptical about such contests, I am here to tell you to take a minute and support these bands’ efforts. Believe it or not, bands have qualified and won these contests to the point where it helps them toward their goal of a national recording deal.
Heck, some bands even benefit from LOSING these contests as their music is heard. One such example involves last year’s Make Rock History contest with Motley Crue. The eventual winners involved The Last Vegas, who toured and gained a following from winning.
Two bands in my friends, though, also benefitted from the contest. No Justus from Michigan and Of Broken from Maryland both qualified with other 28 bands. The reward included an all-expenses paid trip to California to perform a song.
Not only did these two bands get to meet and hang out, but they also received feedback on their music and ideas on what they could do in terms of constructive feedback from music veterans. I talked to members in both bands and they still couldn’t believe how they qualified out of thousands of bands for this once in a lifetime experience!
I guess my message for this week involves support. How long does it take you to click a link? 20 seconds? Take the time to support your local acts by helping them out when they swing by and drop a comment on your page.
Why? The band took 20 seconds – or more – to post a comment on your page so can’t you return the favor???
Six Pack
* Shaman’s Harvest, “Dragonfly”; www.myspace.com/shamansharvest
* Cold Driven, “Heavier Than Heaven”; www.myspace.com/colddriven
* Forsythe, “Save You”; www.myspace.com/forsythe
* Smash Into Pieces, “{Fading}”; www.myspace.com/sm4shintopieces
* Channel Eight, “Getting Nowhere”; www.myspace.com/channeleightband
* F5, “The Reckoning”; www.myspace.com/f5thebandaz
Post, Boast & Toast!
For every person that comments a June/July blog from Darron to be Different, you will be entered to win a signed Folklore & Superstition CD from Black Stone Cherry! Thanks to Heather from Shauna’s Street Team for the donation (www.myspace.com/shinedownaddict). So post away people! I encourage anyone reading these blogs to 'advertise' their upcoming events and services in this blog!