Q + A: Sandbox
Artists still sign up to SellaBand by the dozens every week. We are getting used to a very healthy increase in talent on our platform, but sometimes an artist can still take us by surprise. Such is the case with Sandbox, whose sense of direction and professionalism should not go unnoticed amongst our community. Hence the Q + A in this Tribune...
Who are the mysterious Sandbox?
“I think we have been perceived as ‘mysterious’ when really we are just letting our material do the talking. We have no time to duck & weave as we are always focussing on the creative process so we can deliver what is expected of us, innovative music and entertaining visual content. Sandbox truly appreciate the enigmatic label that has been attached to us, but the reality is that we are all business professionals that just happen to be very experienced & creative writers, designers & musicians.”
Is there a special philosophy behind the band?
“If Sandbox has a philosophy, it is that we will not pander to the commercial pressures of current markets. We see that choosing the path of least resistance as selling out, so therefore whilst we understand that appealing to the masses is necessary for success, we will be doing so on our terms.”
What made you join SellaBand?
“To be totally honest, in keeping with our focussed goals & objectives, it was the lure of networking with Ex Sony BMG executives and associated
A&R, producers, and studios that made our decision for us. Along with this, the opportunity to network & collaborate with other artists on a global scale and to create personal relationships with Believers was the perfect package for Sandbox.”
What are the band's ambitions?
“In short, Sandbox aims to bring back some of the magic that has been missing from the music industry for way too long. To do this, Sandbox will release a unique concept that consumers have been hanging out for.”
Do you already know what kind of Sella-Album you'd like to make?
“Yes, we already knew what kind of Sellaband album we wanted to make before we signed up. Sandbox are happy to disclose that our Sellaband album will be a comprehensive, multi media concept album with more bonuses & extras than ever seen on Sellaband before. More details to be released very soon in our Official Business Plan.”
What does it take to be successful on SellaBand?
“We are not sure that we are qualified to answer this question considering that we have not been on SellaBand for a month yet, but it seems to us that the ideals are simple. Original creative ideas, solid work ethic, accountability, integrity & delivering on promises seem to be the recipe for success on Sellaband.”
How much time do you guys spend online, on average?
Sandbox are very fortunate to have a dedicated, full time Sandbox marketing manager (SBM) that spends at least 4 hours per day online purely focussed on gaining exposure for Sandbox on a global scale. On top of this, each band member spends an average of 1-2 hours per day promoting & networking.”
Why should people Believe in Sandbox?
“If people want excellent R.O.I. they should believe in Sandbox. Sandbox provides the total package incorporating not just music, but a complete multi media marketing campaign that includes profit share on all merchandising (details to be announced in our Official Business Plan).
Remember... Everything starts in The Sandbox...”
www.sellaband.com/sandbox1
Inside The Sandbox With Paul McMaster...
Who are Sandbox?
Band
Steve Maher - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboard, Graphics
Jay Stenning - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Dave Pardy - Drums
Oliver Spencer - Vocals, Samples
Rex Bails - Bass
Marketing
Melanie Pitts IMBA
How did you come up with the name "Sandbox"?
The definition of a "sandbox" as explained by Wikipedia is; "a virtual container in which untrusted programs can be safely run" and "an online environment in which code or content changes can be tested without affecting the original system".
Steve had written the "Sandbox" demo with the addictive chant "Everything starts in the sandbox" as almost everything "virtual" begins trials or development in a sandbox. When Steve & Jay set out to name the band Jay suggested that "Sandbox" encompassed the concept completely so it was decided from that day the band would be named Sandbox.
How did the concept come about?
The concept was born upon the introduction to the eccentricities of the virtual worlds on the internet and the fact that some people live a "second life" with alternate identities in the form of avatars. This is something so far removed from having a "fake" myspace profile. There are people that spend a lot of time and money in these virtual lands and the concept is mind-blowing & intriguing.
The Sandbox concept is developed out of this scenario, but in usual Sandbox fashion, it is taken to the limit and the concept has transcended it's inspiration to become an epic journey that may never have a definitive end.
What is the concept?
The concept is a journey. One man's journey. They call him Name. Name awakens to find himself immersed in a strange world where fantasy is real and reality is just a fantasy. Name has actually become his assumed avatar. He has been reborn into a virtual world that now becomes his reality. Name's struggle is discovering and learning who he is, the entire time being controlled like a puppet by keystrokes and mouse movements. Name knows not why he does things or why he thinks the way he does he just knows that he has no control over anything and he must now live with the situation he himself has imagined and now has become his reality.
The concept, as it unfolds will take you on Name's journey of discovery and self realization. What will happen to Name? What will he become? What will he do? All will be revealed in time.
Who is behind all the amazing videos & graphics that keep flowing from Sandbox?
Sandbox is extremely lucky to have a hugely diverse range of skill sets on board. Steve Maher is responsible for all of the videos & images that Sandbox incorporates into our multi media marketing processes. Steve comes with a lifetime of experience and references that are undeniably formidable having previously headed up graphic design for artists such as Iron Maiden, Jimmy Page, Live Aid, Status Quo, Paul Rogers & Meatloaf to name just a few.
Sandbox focus heavily on visual content as an extremely important direction for expanding the scope for ROI as in today's market relying on music sales alone is a journey sure to disappoint. Having Steve's creative genius injections allows Sandbox the good fortune of having all our graphics done in-house. That is a huge advantage over most other projects and Steve is one major asset providing a critical element of the Sandbox marketing package.
New artwork is on the way with LE posters, DVD's, desktop wallpapers plus much much more.
The Sandbox style is quite different from anything else out there at the moment. Where do you draw your influences?
We are influenced by things that do not exist yet. We are driven to create something new so I suppose our influences are change, diversity, creativity, forward thinking & originality. We have no interest in wanting to sound like anyone else or try to emulate the success of others. We believe 100% that what we are doing will be successful because as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, we are definitely not the only ones that are sick & tired of the songs you hear on commercial radio every day. It's time for something new, something fresh, something fun yet intellectual – it's time for Sandbox.
Your music is very well produced. How does Sandbox bring it all together?
Again, Mr. Steve Maher wears many Sandbox hats and his production & engineering skills are just another string to his bow. Sandbox keeps the entire process as simple as possible. Backing tracks, including samples & instruments, are tracked and then vocals are laid down. The next step is probably the most tedious & time consuming for Steve and that is getting the mix fine tuned. When it comes to mixing Steve and Jay lock themselves in the studio and do not emerge until the mix is to Sandbox demo release standard. Then you all get to check out the track on Sellaband.
You seem to be producing videos with each song. Is this something that will continue?
Yes. Every song will have its own video. We are producing all the Sandbox videos in house at our own expense and we all think Steve is doing an amazing job. Imagine what we could do with the right backing.
What type of Sellaband CD do you hope to achieve?
Without giving too much away just yet, we will be delivering a content rich CD that will be value added like none before it.
Describe your time on Sellaband so far.
It's been the trip of a lifetime already. Man, the ups & downs the tears & laughter – it's a lifetime within a lifetime. The relationships that we have forged are amazing. We feel extremely lucky being involved with so many talented creatives and just great people in general. We have made friendships on Sellaband that extend outside Sellaband and these will last our lifetimes. For all that Sellaband is and all that Sellaband is not, it IS a very important platform for exposure, networking, friendships, and for newcomers to the game a great learning ground for promoting & marketing. Sandbox are truly honored to be a part of it.
We are regularly blown away by the generosity & support that we receive from all over the world and we send out sincere massive doses of love & appreciation to everyone.
Collaborations seem to be a big part of your plan. Will this continue?
Sandbox will definitely be doing more collaborations subject to the availability of time. We are currently working on our second collab track with Nearfield and we're in talks with AOIOA.
Your business plan is very well thought out. What can believers expect in the future?
Our business plan was developed with a professional approach and will evolve in that same manner. Believers can rest assured that as we move forward the business plan will continue to be assessed and manipulated to best increase potential ROI. That is our main goal for our business plan. There are many other ways to ensure a worthwhile return than just music sales and we truly believe that with a professional marketing campaign we can provide a healthy second income stream for our believers via profit share on merchandise sales…for life.
As numbers are finalized we will release details & figures regarding profit share percentages, qualifications, and cash flow projections. High on our agenda is continuing to develop our model for selling LE CD's for our believers.
Closer to reaching 50k Sandbox will make a huge announcement regarding our merchandise concept. We cannot say any more on the topic right now as we are in the process of IP (Intellectual Property) protection regarding trademarking & copyright.
How will you take your music & visuals to the stage when touring?
When Sandbox tour there will be 2 distinct scales of shows to accommodate a wide range of venues. There will be the stripped down version with the 5 piece band plus DJ (more a live rock show) and there will be the complete Sandbox Show presentation incorporating a full stage show with elaborate lighting, lasers & video screens plus some other surprises but you will have to come to a show to find out what they are.
How does Andy James fit into the equation and how do you keep him under control?
Andy James is like the friend that we all have that drinks too much and can't keep his hands off the ladies. Andy is like the breath of fresh, beer laced air that blows through the Sandbox story for comic relief and a little reality check every now and then. Andy will be there until the end and you will see Andy James merchandise at some stage but we are keeping the details close to our chest for now. Some of you already have the Andy James theme song ring tone "Cellphone City" on your phones.
When it comes to keeping Andy in line we have found that it's easier to let him keep partying until he falls asleep. Then we work as hard & as fast as we can before he wakes up and begins to disrupt everything again. He is great to have around but it's like a holiday when he leaves.
What's next for Sandbox?
More of the same. We are in the engine room stage of our 50k campaign and will continue to build a worthy library of both audio & visual content so that when the 50k moment comes we will have a plethora of material to choose from & work with. We will be making some huge decisions regarding our business plan and most importantly, its continued implementation as anyone can write a great business plan but it is another thing entirely to apply it and make it work. In summary, we are busy working on the product, on the back of which, our believers will make money so this stage is extremely important.
Sandbox seems to put a lot of emphasis on merchandising. What's the plan?
Sandbox is made up not only of musicians and creatives but also business & marketing professionals so we are quite aware of the value of marketing and branding. We are building the Sandbox brand which in turn builds the value of the brand resulting in better ROI.
We believe that to embark on an endeavor to market & distribute music for a financial gain in today's market is almost impossible but for a select few with access to big budgets. By incorporating a targeted marketing campaign with easily accessible, affordable, contemporary merchandise it moves the focus from just the music and allows the weight of the burden to sell to be spread across a range of products. Again the fine details of our marketing model & merchandising will be released at a later date when we can be assured of IP protection.
In closing, Sandbox would like to offer our sincerest thanks & appreciation to Paul McMaster (our number 1 Believer) for the time and effort to put this interview together. Thanks Mate.
Sandbox - Jay, Steve, Dave, OJ, Rex, Melanie
Music downloads
T-shirts
Cds
![Nearfield [The Nears]... Eternally grateful](/nearfield/photo/search.jpeg)
