Polish Invasion
Meet Miss Marcell, the media magnet…
Fact: last Sunday one third of all visitors on SellaBand came from Poland. We’ve seen a sudden spur of new Bands & Believers from a specific country before, but this time it is different; more than anything it was caused by the success of one particular artist. Julia Marcell has been in the press (including the Polish Cosmopolitan, how ‘stylish’ is that?) and on the radio and now she has been on national TV as well…
Julia will be meeting with her (potential) team of SellaBand Experts sometime next week, but until then the girl has no time to rest on her laurels. Polish media are all over her. And thousands of Polish musicians and music fans came to check out SellaBand after her appearance on a national TV show. The whole item looks quite exotic to us and we couldn’t understand a single word, but Julia herself came to the rescue.
May we suggest the following experiment for your entertainment: watch this beautiful piece of television and read Julia’s account of events as you go along…
Here is the link to the show.
Says Julia: “The theme of the conversation was the alternative ways to get money to make your dreams come true. The show hosts - Kinga Rusin and Marcin Meller - were talking to me about how SellaBand works and what am I doing there. As you can see Kinga is very excited with the idea and explains it to people who never heard of it. They ask how much money did I make and what's going to happen now. I say that now I get an A&R manager to help me plan the budget for my album, choose a producer, studio, we'll be thinking about the cover, a music video, further promotion of the CD and such. Then we talk about how I found out about the website, that I put songs from my ‘Storm’ EP on my profile. Then Marcin is happy that I remember the exact date of when I signed up for Sellaband (2nd July! :)
They ask me if I was surprised that I got so many Believers so quickly (I was! and very!) and then Kinga says "I know that not many artists agree to do that, but could you sing for us a little piece of what made so many people buy your Parts?" I totally didn't expect that, so I sang the first thing that came to my mind - a tiny piece of "Accordion Player". Then Kinga says I'm being compared to Tori Amos, but she's sure that soon people will compare other artists to me.
Marcin asks how soon the first money came to my account after I signed up (only few minutes after!), because I was saying I was afraid that no one would become my Believer and I wanted to put some money on myself. Kinga asks how much money people were investing in me and I reply that from $10 up to $2,000 and she's asking if they will earn the money from the sales of CD and I say yes. "What a fantastic idea this is!" she adds. Marcin is in awe himself and congratulates me. Then they ask me to say what upcoming artists with no record deal should do and I say they should sign up on Sellaband (of course!) and try their luck on the internet, because it gives a lot of opportunities for creative people. They end the conversation asking me to promise that I'll go back to show them the final Sellaband CD when I record it already.”
Artist Adventures
From time to time we’ll ask one of ‘Recording Artists’ to update you on their whereabouts and recent developments. The place to share it with all of you is the Artist Adventures section in the Tribune. This time none other than Cubworld took the time to report on what’s going on in his… er, world.
“Hello Tribune readers. A couple things have been moving forward so I thought I'd stop in and share. With the recent changes to the SellaBand concept I have been really motivated and encouraged with promoting myself because I feel I have a team of people pushing the idea of CUBWORLD now. I kind of went through a funk about a month ago as things just moved so fast all the way from making 50K to making the album to taking my very close friends to Amsterdam to play such a fun gig. It felt as though we reached "the top" and I needed to start over. So my way of starting over was getting back to what I feel I have more control of and that’s playing shows with just me and my guitar. I love it! I hit up some open mic nights and house parties over the last months and it energizes me to keep the dream alive. I've been talking to some people about management again as the first manager just didn’t have what I needed.
Crazy how many people tell me I should move out of Utah to become "Huge" LOL. No matter where I am I'll still have to travel if I want to be "huge" so I’m sticking to home plate for a while till I feel like things are rolling better. One person I was real stoked to hear from (randomly) was the lead singer from one of my favorite bands (no joke) Nine Days, Brian Desveaux. And I quote from my myspace page: "Dude you friggin rock!!! and I don’t usually give compliments lol, get out of Utah and come to NYC, or go to LA or Nashville, be heard! you're gonna be huge!" I about flipped when I found out he actually wrote me. Another star I keep trying to touch base with is Jack Johnson. I've been joking about this since day one on SellaBand but I really think it would be great to be connected with Jack. In April he usually puts on a huge festival called The Kokua Festival and also around that time Maitreya and I plan on hitting up a Hawaii New Zealand tour and it would be mega if we could get on that stage. I am working different angles to see if we can’t open on that stage :). At any rate Maitreya and I are really excited to try our hands at making that tour happen and taking our music back to our home islands.
In other news :) Victor from BHG PR in New Jersey called me up and said "I got you an interview...with BILLBOARD MAGAZINE!" Awesome. Almost right after we talked a reporter from Billboard called me up and we talked SAB. As a SAB Missionary :) I had nothing but good to say with CUBWORLD enthusiasm. It was a good interview and I am crossing my fingers this one gets printed. It is so awesome to know that these kinds of doors are being opened for us with the added touch of an awesome PR company. So I feel I am still in a transition time but just know friends that I am very involved and motivated. I have been writing a lot of songs I am proud of lately and trying to make my way into the local scene on my way to taking over the world LOL. Stay tuned to the news, go download Harlem Streets, and drop by my profile to stay updated with what’s good with me. Much love everyone. ALOHA!!”
VOTES NEEDED!
SellaBand has been nominated by NIMA (the Dutch marketing institute) for "Best Marketing Campaign Award 2007".
From the 1,000 votes already cast, we sit alongside such established giants as Unilever and Philips in the short list.
So, now we need your help to win!
It couldn't be easier:
- go to the following link
- click on "stem" next to SellaBand
- an email will pop up - no need to fill in anything - just click Send
....and your vote is registered.
Thanks and fingers crossed!
Q + A
Man Made Ivory
Back in January, after the really big wave of publicity in the Netherlands, so many bands signed up and quite a few of them have become indispensable in this community. We thought it would be appropriate to catch up with one of them for this Tribune, so please read on if you want to find out more about good and honest rockband Man Made Ivory…
What makes Man Made Ivory different from other rock bands?
“We focus on that 90’s grunge sound. It is really funny to see how a younger generation responds to our music. They did not have the 90’s, but do like bands like Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. Now they see a band with a similar sound and they really dig it! Grunge rock will be back in the charts someday, that is inevitable.”
Why did you join SellaBand?
“Our drummer Jordi Langelaan read this article about SellaBand and thought it was worth a try. So we signed up.”
What do you like most about it?
“We really like getting in touch with people that like our music. And being independent is a good thing. There are some great bands here like Cloon and the guys from Wetwerks who make excellent music and know how to put on a show!”
And what is the downside?
“It’s hard work to stay in the spotlight, it’s hard work selling Parts. Sometimes it almost seems like the more chit chatting you do online, the more Parts you sell. We totally agree that you just can’t sign up and sit and wait to get that 50k, but we simply don’t have the time to become friends with everyone out there and hope that eventually they will buy Parts because they like us. It’s the music that counts.”
How much time do you spend on SellaBand?
“We’re here every day of the week. We try to keep our account up-to-date, check the charts, reply to our visitors and leave a note here and there.”
50K is still far away. What keeps you motivated?
“Looking at the amount of sold MMI parts we can’t be all too happy to be honest. Maybe SellaBand just doesn’t work for us. We really don’t know. We will see what happens, we’ve got time. It’s not like we can’t do anything without 50k. We started off in January as a new band with only one song (Collaborate). And now after 9 months working our asses off we can say that we were booked by Mojo Concerts for our first gig in a fully packed Melkweg supporting Biffy Clyro. We’ve made a music video for Collaborate, directed by the talented guys at TwoThings, and we’re recording our first Sample CD in our own studio. Although the selling parts thing here is going slow, things are actually looking quite good for Man Made Ivory. And we’re damn proud I tell ya!”
What are your ambitions?
“Touring! And rocking on stage for our Believers at a Sellaband gig”
What if a major label came round to sign you at 40K?
“We’re experienced enough (unfortunately) to avoid the pitfalls. There are a lot of details that need to be checked and considered before signing anything! And there are also a lot of different deals you can make. Good distribution, for example, is one important aspect. Good promotion and touring is another one. Nowadays these things all come separate. If we can sign a decent distribution deal now, we would probably do it. It would definitely be profitable for us as a band, but also for our Believers. It doesn’t necessary has to be one way or the other. But on the other hand, doing it all by yourself is really fulfilling when you pull it off!”
Why should people Believe in MMI?
“We are hardworking musicians who most importantly believe that we have something to say. We believe that we’re talented enough to be on that stage and blow people away. We believe that we can put Man Made Ivory on the map. We believe that we are proving all these things right now. So why not?”
Adam’s Apples
What a great week - three excellent bands for your consideration from Poland, the UK and the USA. All are very special and completely different, so go and discover them for yourselves if you haven't done so already.
Snowman
Hot on the heels of Julia Marcell's breakthrough comes this six piece band from Poland, who have recorded a totally stunning piece of music in "Complain". Their recipe is the edgier side of rock, jazz and experimentation but there's nothing that's too off the wall. There's plenty of beauty as well - the sax solo on "Milky Way" is sublime. And that photo of the guitar player so reminiscent of the famous Dexter Gordon Blue Note shot. A coincidence? I think not.
Playlist: "Complain".
The Spring Heeled Jacks Original Swinging Jass Band
A "fun and eclectic musical experiment" centered around guitarist/vocalist Nathan Dunton and composer/arranger Josh Morrow, helped by their local community including 30 amateur musicians and actors. The tracks here are from the resulting concept album "The Dicky Comstock Show", and are truly original and refreshing, with a great deal of humour. Think Van Dyke Parks meets the Prarie Home Companion, but do make sure you listen.
Luckyhorse
There's something quintessentially English about the excellent songs of Simon F. Baker, and he performs them with excellent support from guitarist Keith Osborne and producer "Big Johnny Winfield". His vocals are little short of astounding, with echoes of Bowie and Ray Davies, but always sounding his own man. Not often that something this good comes along - too many superlatives I hear you say, but they're all justified.
Playlist: "Right Side Of Your Brain".
Feedback: adam@sellaband.com
Weekly Update
Chart analysis
There’s a new queen in town (or should we say ‘reine’?) and her name is T-ka. This is her first time at #1 on the Weekly Charts, so congratulations and can you please let us know if it is indeed lonely at the top? The Biggest Gainer of the week finds himself at #2, as he jumps from #17. Francis Rodino gave his budget a very nice boost by announcing his ambitious 50K plan. Personally we can’t wait for him to get there and welcome him as a Recording Artist. That is a status that BPM already might have reached, if it hadn’t been their dearest wish to become the first ever act with 1,000+ Believers. They are still at #3 this week… Highest new entry is Argentina’s Gisel de Marco who, like many before her, seems to benefit from her Q + A in the Tribune last week (sorry, just had to pat ourselves on the back there…). Gisel comes in at #5. Quintus from Brazil are a ‘first timer’ on the Weekly Chart (#15), so we welcome them to the wonderful world of SellaBand, and the Special Mention of the week is for Parisian sound wizards Equation, who have been absent from the charts for quite a while but are back in at #10 this week and have just arrived on Page 4 of our Artist Search…
SellaBand in the media
Last week SellaBand's UK Publicity company held a so called 'round table' to discuss the potential role SellaBand could play in the future of the music industry. Selected UK-media representatives and bloggers witnessed a discussion led by none other than producer extraordinaire Tony Platt. SellaBand's Managing Director Johan Vosmeijer represented the company itself, while the point of view from a management perspective was presented by David Arden, recently appointed as Nemesea's new manager. Adam Sieff spoke about the new meaning of A&R that SellaBand can bring. As one journalist said: "There's a couple of centuries worth of experience in this room, as an artist I would feel intimidated." Not so Mark Maclaine, spokesperson for Second Person, who painted a very colourfull picture as an artist during the conversation. The first reviews of the round table can already be found online, more will follow later in newspapers and magazines.
Going to radio
Exciting times for Nemesea, Cubworld and Second Person as their albums will ship to the central warehouse of Rough Trade early next week for an in store date of October 26. We've always said that it's not really a problem to get albums in stores, but the real challenge will be to get them out of the stores again, i.e. consumers buying them. Promotion is key and on top of sending out copies to media for review, setting up interviews and competitions (giveaways) we will be taking the music to radio as well. 'Plugging' as iit is called is one of the most crucial, yet also unpredictable and non-transparent jobs in the music industry. Our kick off to Dutch radio should be fun, though: Our very own Pim, the man with the plan, will, symbolically, take the music that is more or less the result of his dream, to radio next week to launch our media-assault. We plan to serve radio with multiple singles in the coming months, but the initial focus tracks will be:
Nemesea - No More
Cubworld - Rocked Out
Second Person - Wood
Harlem Streets is out now!
The first sign of life from Maitreya was released last Thursday. Except for one little dilemma (does he belong in the 'Recording Section' still, or should he be filed under 'Free music'?) 'Harlem Streets' was greeted with positive comments and happy feet tapping along to the grooves. The song is an appetizer for the upcoming album which should be ready for release by the end of November and can be downloaded for free on his profile page. Maitreya himself is pitching the song and his story to media in his native New Zealand. We're expecting a lot of things to happen, but among the first results is a great piece on a major site called the thread, who inform their readership that Harlem Streets is an account of an inspirational journey from an ambitious compatriot. Here's the link to the full story.
The Week That Was
It was the week in which Jonatan Cerrada Moreno decided to leave us after all. As much as he wanted to stay on SellaBand, he just couldn't get himself to start from scratch again with different songs and a new team of songwriters. We wish him all the best in the future, and who knows he might return someday when he has found the confidence to write his own music as well. Another French act decided to call it quits too. Emily's Playground, often described as an acquired taste write on their profile page that SellaBand is basically too much of a hassle and high maintenance. Perhaps even informing HQ that they want to leave the site is too much hassle because we have yet to receive an e-mail from this otherwise fantastic group of musicians.
T-ka on stage (photo by Sarah Bastin)
Some nice 'landmarks' this week as well. T-ka is over $35,000 in budget and as her Believer CyLu annouced in French: la décompte a commencé. Nearfield have been with us exactly one year and passed the 20K mark on their anniversary. Jon Robert is over $10,000 in budget, and became artist #30 to do so. In fact, the positive developments are too many to mention. One element we should not overlook is the courageous attempt Bulletproof Messenger are making, to become the first band to have more than 1,000 individual Believers. The band are encouraging people not to buy more than 2 Parts and have requested their ‘big spenders’ to even withdraw Parts. The way things are developing now, there may be room for another 1,000 Believers, but let’s wait and see what happens in the next week(s). Will they be band number 10 to reach 50K as projected by many, or will we be in for a French surprise by T-ka…
A Word From Our Biggest Fan
This week we had the pleasure of watching a video message from Pieps. Unfortunately this great man has only 33 Believers, so the important message he wanted to send out would be missed by the vast majority of our community and frankly that would be a real shame. So, without further ado, please sit back and enjoy this entertaining gem. Oh and we almost forget: Have fun!!! Yours, the SellaBand Team
Quote of the week
It's not a regular feature in the Weekly Update yet, but who knows... Sometimes we run across a statement or quote with regards to SellaBand, that we simply have to share with you.
Take this one. It comes from a piece, done by a journalist from vnu.net, who investigated SellaBand and approached a few people from the traditional music world. A senior manager from Universal Music in the U.K., who wishes to remain anonymous said: "It's an interesting model. People are going to be watching it to see if the principle works and could well be adopting a similar model if it does. But it would mean a rejig of our entire business and that's not something that can be done lightly."
If you happen to come across other newsworthy statements or comments about SellaBand, do drop us a line and perhaps 'quote of the week' will become a regular feature indeed...
Office powerplay
This week we have been listening to:
Alix: Blackjack - Wonderful Disease
Chris: The Spring Heeled Jacks Original Jass Band - Garden Of Roses
Dagmar: The Spring Heeled Jacks Original Jass Band - Garden Of Roses
Dolly: Snowman - Complain
Johan: Kontrust - Chameleon
Pim: Face Moni - All over Di World
Rey: Snowman - Complain