Punk Rock 77 Thru Today

Promote, Promote, Promote!!!

Tomorrow will be the second time I open my radio show to a guest band. The first band I worked with was Rex84. It worked out great, thanx to Skype. The greatest free tool out there. Skype actually works well will most DJ software so nothing is lost and if your PA has the option you can connect most phones and computers to it to perform live. So, tomorrow I am opening my radio show to Dogz on Parole from Houston. They are a great 4-piece punk band and I am excited to have them on the show. I would like at this point to extend that invite to other bands. I feel that with tools Skype bands can start using internet radio to Promote themselves. As a band, you have to use all the tools you have available and internet radio and interviews are where it’s at. We live in a world were most fans are too busy to watch more than 3 to 5 minutes of live video unless it has cheat codes for the latest Fallout or Halo game. The great thing is that they can tune and still game or do homework, etc and the message is still there for them to listen. Currently you can also get most internet radio stations on most phones. It is a great tool for people that work during a radio show or for people that are too busy to stay in one place. Technology is great if you know how to use it for the art of self-promotion. So, I encourage everyone to invest their bands time in internet radio and Skype. Get promoting, get your message heard. Connect me if your band wants to be on my radio show. Its the best 5 hours of every weekend day…. 

Misunderstandings — Fixed

My apologies to anyone who thought my last post was an attack on any one person or group of people. I have no beef with anyone person, but thanks for the misunderstanding. Simply put, banned from Punk Rock Club has nothing to do with Punk Rock-Club, notice the spelling difference. It was a play on song by a band called Crass. There are people out there the run Facebook.com pages/groups that remove posts from bands that are struggling real hard to make it. To these bands, they explain that it was accident and real an attempt to thwart people from posting links to random Youtube.com videos. I agree with the thinking, just not way it was done. If a band worked real hard to post make a video using their hard earned dollar, knowing that they will not get a dime of it back, I say post the damn video!! The other issue. There is a company that lists the blog as part of their PR service. Bullshit! I interview bands for free. No pay-to-play shit. 

It’s A Damn Shame

It’s a damn shame. Bands work really hard to get their music released and people with no intention on helping them start groups on Facebook.com for their personal gain without actually wanting to help bands. Punk is about expression and having fun. All to often people jump on the bandwagon with no real intentions. Their our tons of great bands out there with no real means of support and a lot of these bands I would love to interview, but people have used their groups as a means offering that help who have no real connections to me. It is just sad. If you wanna get my attention or you know bands that need my attention, please have them go to my Facebook page or email me punkrock77thrutoday.blogspot.com. If you post links to my page, please realize, I will download your music, play it on my radio shows and podcasts. Also I will post a link in a group called Banned From Punk Rock Club. Sad to say there are too many groups out there, so keep an eye out. Groups are also a place for people to start shit, so are chats. This is another damn shame. The internet is a safe-haven for people to say stuff about anyone and there are no rules. People who have been victims are their lives (really shameful) get to get back at innocent victims. More often these are bands. Happy surfing and cheers!

A Press Kit — Tutorial One

A press kit is your bands resume. It basically tells a local venue that your band is the greatest thing since Top Ramen. It tells the venue that if they don’t book your band all the kids in that town will egg and TP their house cause you are just that good. A press kit includes: (probably might keep it to one page)

1. Picture of the band. Hopefully, not nude or committing a crime. 

2. A list of the lineup.

3. A two paragraph summary as to why you are the greatest band since the Clash.

4. Excerpts from a record/demo/7”/EP review.

5. Excerpts or a whole band interview.

6. A recording.

7. Finally. Add something that will make the venue wanna read the press kit. A toy, a piece or last year’s Halloween candy, a Macguyver kit (rubber band, paperclip and piece or gum to which they can use to escape any capture). Something that makes your band standout.

Cheers!!

Dear SPIN, Rolling Stone, Alternative Press and Kerrang!

I commend you for all those fine pictures and glossy pages for bands that I don’t listen to. You have many resources and every issue is filled with the latest information of all the popular bands. I would however wish to make one minor request. I run a small blog and everyday I get to read a Myspace, Facebook or Reverbnation page about a band. Each band has worked 10 times harder everyday to get a chance to play a basement, open a show at a 200 person limit Knight of Columbus hall or the 100 person limit at the corner pub. They have no fancy press kit or glossy photos. They play songs I can relate to. They use their PTO time to have a once a year tour or once in a lifetime chance to get in the studio. They are like me. They do a job and spend their nights and weekends writing and playing songs. Some go to high school and spent their part-time job money to get their equipment. Some go to college and used their credit score to max out their $1000 student line of credit to tour for week to down a coast. These kids and some parents (mostly single moms and dads) just play and record because they love what they do. So I would like to challenge you to give up a half page to cover the real musicians who are the punk scene that you ignore or figure will not sell ad space. Some you have even banned (Joey we all support you!). They don’t live in fancy houses or sleep with movie stars, but they support each other and we are asking for your support. Take a chance and support the punk scene. As a killer band once said ‘the list is thousands long…’. Thank you for your time.

To A Close Friend…

Do not go gentle into that good night, 
Old age should burn and rage at close of day; 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right, 
Because their words had forked no lightning they 
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright 
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, 
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, 
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight 
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height, 
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. 
Do not go gentle into that good night. 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

***Very Important, Must Read This Post***

First and most important. Thank you to all the bands that go out there at least twice a week and put your heart on your sleeve for a bunch of strangers. Thank you, without you we would not have a punk scene. I Have a lot of interviews that are still out and a lot of interviews to post. If you are still working on it KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. If you are missing an interview or you did not hear back. Check your spam and junk folders. Also, I am no longer using comcast and all email addresses for comcast have been deleted. I will get to all bands that are on my friends list. Good news. I now have SKYPE, Google Voice, AIM, Yahoo and MSN chat accounts setup for interviews or we can use Facebook chat. 

Secondly, there has been a few things that have come up. I will no longer post video links to Youtube on my wall. I will however start 3 new groups. Group 1 is for videos, if you are in a band, ask for an invite and you can post only your bands stuff. For example, if you are Tim Armstrong, you can post Operation Ivy, Downfall, Rancid, etc. Group 2, photos, I love to see photos of live bands and some group photos, fan interactions, etc. Some people had some rare photos in your albums, let the world see ‘em. Share ‘em, just ask for an invite. Group 3 is for show flyers. These are important and document both great art and the history of the punk scene. These will got published in books later on. 

Third, LinkedIn, yes we should help each other when it comes to keeping up finances to keep bands going. I am going to start a group and I think if we all LinkedIn it would be awesome. LinkedIn is also a great place for resume services, etc.

Fourth, Tutorials, yes folks. I am working on tutorials. How start a web page for free. How to get on Reverbnation, StudsandPunks.co.uk, Punkrockers.com. How start a mailinglist, how to start a Facebook page, etc. I am a web programer and have experience with Java, Javascript, HTML, AJAX, etc. I also offer deals to bands. Get in touch for deals.

Thanks and good night.

Pay It Forward

Not many people have heard of Doctor Strange Records. Bill is a great guy, he offers great deals on really hard to find demo tapes and vinyl. He as runs a great record label that is known to sign Phoenix area bands. A few weeks ago I got an email, yes I am very behind. He asking people to help out on Yelp.com. We live in a McDonalds economy that thrives on temp employees and contractors. We need to end this, so I am asking you to sign up for Yelp.com and spread the word about local small businesses like Bill’s Doctor Strange Records and others in your local area. If we are to stop the Thatcher/Reagan era for good, we need to get local businesses on the map. Use Yelp.com write about a local business and pay it forward. Who knows maybe there is someone like Bill in your neighborhood. Pay it forward. (Kevin Spacey is the man, lol).

New Family Member

I was looking for some really great stuff to add to my radio show since I had to build a laptop with an AV cable. I got some great gear from John at vinylonthe.net he goes all over the world to get this stuff. John, thanx for joining the family.

Did you register you band?

Hey mates… Did you register your band on studsandpunks.co.uk yet? It’s really a great place to get listed and build a buzz for your band…