SellaBand All Access
Our most spectacular event yet?!
SellaBand All Access is only some 48 hours away and it could arguably turn out to become our most spectacular and exciting event yet. Here are 10 good reasons why this is an event that is not to be missed. And don't forget, it takes place this Thursday, February 7 at the Paradiso Club in Amsterdam. Showtime: 8 PM, CET!
1: Back to where it all began
Exactly 13 months ago SellaBand hosted its first ever live event in this very same room. 13 Months and 13 Recording Artists later, we return. So much has happened since then, but most of all we have something to celebrate again: over $1,500,000 invested in unsigned artists and three fantastic new albums that are (almost) ready to conquer the world...
2: Three very exciting live-acts
Cubworld brought people to tears when he first played the Paradiso. It will so cool to see him back on the stage where he made his European live-debut thirteen moons ago. Francis Rodino brings his full band to Amsterdam and plans to play his brand new SellaBand album in its entirety. And it'd better be good, because in between these two SAB Recording Artists will be hungry young Dutch band So What who have a great live reputation and also threaten to bring a bus full of dedicated fans with them from The Hague to Amsterdam...
3: Three album exclusives
Clémence, Lily and Mandyleigh will all be sitting comfortably in their areas of the world, but will be seen live on a screen via webcam. They will answer questions from the audience and will explain why they chose the three songs that they wanted to highlight from their albums on this special night.
4: Multi-media event
It is supposed to be an all encompassing event. There will be live gigs, album playbacks and artist chat session. And it will be taped and filmed as well, so basically this is a night of fun with great music, real people and a few surprises...
5: Live on www.sellaband.com
This is going to be our first gig that will be aired live via www.sellaband.com. With previous concert-nights you'd have to go to Fab Channel or other portals, but for this event SellaBand itself will be the place where you can watch it all. There will be a chat function as well and yes, we do have PC's at the venue, so direct contact can be made...
6: Your host for the night...
...will be none other than Mighty Maitreya. Currently putting the finishing touches to his SellaBand album, the Roadrunner has found the time to fly in from London (where he's mixing his album) to Amsterdam, to chat with the ladies, announce the bands and MC the night.
7: Film anything you like
That's right. SellaBand, the artists and the event's main sponsor XS4ALL encourage all visitors to bring your own camera's and phones. We need you to take as many pictures as you can, and film as much as you like. But don't sit on it, please spread around the net to make other people aware of what thev've missed. In short, there will be no filming/recording restrictions, so what's keeping you?
For those who can't be bothered to bring their own camera's (and for all other visitors as well), XS4ALL will supply all visitors of this event with a nice little present. Before you leave you will receive a special blank dvd-r disc with a special code. Go home, log on to SellaBand, fill in the code and you can download the entire event. For free. How's that for a cool, forward thinking giveaway?
9: Tickets are HOT!
We hope you can understand by now, why tickets for this unique event are so damn hot and difficult to come by. The good news is, a number of dedicated Nemesea fans have asked their money back (which they are entitled to) and as a result we can give away 5 x 2 extra tickets for SellaBand All Access. But you must act quick. And only if you know the answer to the following question: On which date did Francis Rodino reach the $50,000 mark on SellaBand. Send your answer to: ticket@sellaband.com and you will be notified asap.
Next week, starting on February 11, SellaBand will air short clips with the highlights of the event. Backstage footage, interviews, music etcetera. Each day of the week we will feature a different artist. Here's the schedule:
Monday February 11: Clémence.
Tuesday February 12: Cubworld
Wednesday February 13: Lily
Thursday February 14: So What
Friday February 15: Mandyleigh Storm
Saturday February 16: Francis Rodino.
Tune it to www.sellaband.com at 7PM Central European Time (that's 6 PM in London and 1 PM in New York) for the exclusive of these little movies, chat sessions and full album playbacks from Clémence (Monday), Lily (Wednesday) and Mandyleigh (Friday).
Question Time (1)
Our 3 diva's talk about their albums...
Three new SellaBand albums are about to see the light of day. Last week we revealed the first details, next week you will be able to hear the full albums online and this week, we try to wet your appetite with some short and sweet questions. If you want to find out more, please do not hesitate to tune in to SellaBand this Thursday (February 7), as we will be chatting with Clémence, Lily and Mandyleigh at the Paradiso in Amsterdam...
Clémence
Can you describe your album in one sentence?
"To me, this album is a jewel; it has been made in wonderful work conditions and the result is exactly as I hoped, fresh, sensual, in a great musical quality, and it keeps all the authenticity and the "intimate and personal" side that I wanted."
If push came to shove, what would be your absolute favorite track from the album?
"My favorite song on the album is maybe 'Bewitching'... That's why the album is also entitled 'Bewitching', but I like so much each song! 'Où es-tu' is also one of my favorites, so I must mention that one too..."
What are your ambitions with this album?
"It is the first time I've recorded songs in English and my ambition for this album is that our wonderful work gives me the chance to become an international artist. I am really excited about the idea of performing on stage throughout the whole world. For sure, I dream of immense success, which will be the best reward for all the believers and SellaBand."
Lily
Describe your SellaBand Album in one sentence, please?
"An album full of stories sang in a groovy, energetic Latin Pop/Rock kind of way."
If push came to shove, what is your single favorite track on this album?
"I've thought about this question for a while and I still don't have the answer. Each song is a different baby to me, each one is unique in its own way. I really can't choose one."
What are your ambitions for this album?
"Latin Grammies. I'm heading for the top! I have a good team behind me and I have all the confidence that this is very possible.:)"
Q + A
Sunsoma
In one of the threads on the Forum there was a discussion about 'underrated artists below 5K'. One of these so called hidden gems definitely has to be Sunsoma. Not only a great live act, but also forward thinking marketeers and class A songwriters. The first 5K should be well within reach after lead singer Mel has answered this Q + A...
Who are Sunsoma?
"I started the band 8 years ago- I remember how we met for our very first practise. It was in a church- it was cold, noisy, chaotic and yet amazingly exciting too- SUNSOMA had begun! The name actually comes from a Greek word meaning 'unity' which kind of fits us, as working so closely together can be an intense experience and you all need to get on! Since then the band has been through a number of line up changes- artistic differences usually being the cause, but as I write this, we've never been in a better place- the guys are 100% dedicated to the band and the chemistry is definitely there between us all."
What's been going on in your world, lately?
"Since Hel our drummer, Lee our guitarist and Mr. A (our keys player also called Lee!) joined the band, we made the hard decision to postpone gigging for a while so that we could focus on our song- writing and start to record some demos in preparation for our album- it really is the only way to be objective about your music , the 'record' button never lies, whereas when you're playing live, you can convince yourself that it must all be sounding amazing simply because you're so into it!! It feels like we've gone underground over these last few winter months, but in reality there's been an enormous amount of developing and experimentation going on. We WILL emerge..."
What made you join SellaBand? Any regrets?
"We first heard about SellaBand through a friend who used to be involved with web design, and he suggested that we get our tracks out there and give it a go. It can only be a good thing to receive as much exposure to your music as possible, so we have no regrets whatsoever about joining the site."
How do you try to stand out in a country with such high musical standards as the U.K?
"The U.K is known for it's abundance of great bands, and yes it can be tough to make your mark, but we simply are who we are- we have no time for gimmicks or hype, or trying to jump into the musical 'slipstream' of the latest No.1 hit- we are told time and time again that we have a really original, yet accessible sound, and that's good enough for me!"
How tough is the Road to 50K?
"I will make no bones about answering this question- we are a very British band and SellaBand is a very European site. We are under no illusions that our sound is possibly a little more unconventional for some tastes- even my 'ballsy' vocal style is a million miles away from the majority of female artists that I listen to on the site. So, yes, that road continues to be long and definitely winding for us, but I know it will happen- (quicker though if you buy some parts!!)."
What are your ambitions?
"Hmmm, ambitions....well it goes without saying, obviously to make an album (followed by several more!) that we are all deeply proud of, and to continue writing and performing as full-time musicians. Personally, I'd love to sit in a movie theatre one day, watching the latest blockbuster ,with one of our songs as the title track, and not only that, but the audience all stay till the credits roll up on the screen because they want to find out who the music is by so they can go and buy the CD on the way home! Ian, our bass player (and my husband) says he would love to walk into pub and hear a band playing one of our songs, and to see them all wearing SUNSOMA T-shirts! Hel wants us to play at Wembley, so we'll have to see if it can be arranged..."
Describe the sound and style of SUNSOMA in one sentence, please...
"I'll try to be creative here: Unique yet strangely familiar, a brooding moodiness that eventually surrenders to it's smile, a rocky interface punctuated with footholds of tenderness, with potent melodies that insist upon inhabiting the very cavities of your head, and lyrics that offer friendship to the longings of the soul. Hey a sentence of 51 words- I am secretly impressed."
Why should people Believe in Sunsoma?
"Because they'd be mad not to! Yes that's it."
Another Friday night Special
Thomas Boissy: "This was a grande finale!"
A $6,000 increase on a single night, that is quite an achievement. Somehow we knew that Thomas Boissy's final run wouldn't take very long. Backed by loyal supporters and an increasing number of resident Believers, the French chansonier took a little over 3 months in total to make his dream come true. This is the story in his own words...
By Thomas Boissy
"The past three months have been amazing! To be honest, when I joined SellaBand, I told everyone I would hit 50K before Christmas... I knew it was not realistic but I wanted people to be involved from the very beginning. I sent more than 10,000 mails and 1,500 sms and I had to call many people to explain them how SellaBand worked and to tell them that they could use their credit card on the net without any problem. (We're not really used to that in France…)
My family and my friends have been with me on this journey and I have been very moved to see people joining us from different parts of the world. (sometimes without understanding the lyrics to my songs.) Last Friday, I had dinner with my family and asked my friend to join the countdown chat. When I say that we had dinner, I mean we tried to have diner with a computer on the table, sending messages and keeping an eye on the parts sold! Many people, Artists and Believers, joined the chat and it was great to talk to them in real time. I was used to receive and send comments but it was the first time I could have a conversation with them. (even though my English is still not very good!)
My brother, Mathieu, who was the first to buy parts, wanted to be the last one… Everybody was so excited! When there were only 35 parts left, my mother bought 10 parts, and when we came back to my profile my brother, who was a little bit disappointed not to be the last one but also so happy, shouted : « 50K ! 50K ! You hit 50K ! » We celebrated it with champagne and my phone began to ring… I sent a message to all my Believers, and I would like to thanks them again for their support and tell them I hope we'll meet soon. I can't wait to work with the Sellaband's experts. We'll probably begin to talk about the next steps together this week.
One more thing, I would like to say thanks for all the comments and congratulations I received this week-end. I wasn't able to send personal answers to everyone but I'll keep on being active on SellaBand. I'll update my profile as often as possible and as a Believer, I will continue to support other artists! Thanks again ! The story begins…
Weekly Update
Chart Analysis
A spectacular week. Not only because Thomas Boissy waves goodbye to the Weekly Chart in style (at #1 and with a whopping $8,000+ in budget), but also because no less than 7 artists gained over $1,000 in budget these past 7 days. It includes the usual suspects Mysti Mayhem (#2), Confused5 (#3) and Kaitee Page, but also Angie Arsenault (Biggest Gainer of the week, from 20 -5) and Natalia Safran (from 10 - 6) who enjoys an excellent second week on SellaBand. Even more impressive is the first week that the UK's Ellie Williams can boost: a brand new entry at #4 and our very own Adam Sieff among her early supporters. Also brand new is guitar wizard JoOp Wolters at #10 and some more unfamiliar faces: The Average Person (#12) and Anja (#16). They are not new on the site, but are showing some serious chart-activity this week. And so is the lovely and colourful Lady Haidee who storms back in at #9, earning herself the honorary title of Special Mention of the Week...
January revenues & Payout
On Friday February 1st, we issued the second payout. Since we started this program in July 2007, over $40,000 in earnings has been transferred to the 4 participating artists accounts and their Believers. This does not yet include January '08 earnings. Now that we have a number of third party agreements in place, it is going to take a bit longer before the results come in and we can add them all up. For those of you who are as curious as we are to hear about Amazon sales figures, this will be reported on a monthly basis, and the first albums have only been out for two weeks. What we did receive from Amazon.co.uk was the following statement: "Nemesea were the most watched artist on the Amazon.co.uk Media Player last week with more views than Adele, Duffy and Jack Johnson." Lastly, a total of $4800 will be added to Artist & Believers totals from January ad revenues. The next payout will be on April 1 (no joke.)
SellaBand in the media
Due to Nemesea's tour cancellation, the band's performance at popular Dutch tv show De Wereld Draait Door had to be postponed. But, while he is in the Netherlands, Cubworld will guest at breakfast TV show Goedemorgen Nederland on Friday February 8.
Also this week, leading news station CNN will air a report they recorded last week in London. Second Person will be in there and so will be our man Pim. The show is called CNN World Business Today and should air around the globe, starting today, Tuesday February 6.
The Week That Was
It was the week in which we welcomed Recording Artist #14, Thomas Boissy. Mind you, next to the USA France is now our most productive SellaBand country. It has not only produced the biggest number of SAB Copycats so far, but also no less than 3 Recording Artists. But, with the speed Mysti Mayhem is sprinting towards 50K, the USA may soon be in the lead again. As far as being active is concerned, the UK should not be far behind, either. We salute Dreb and his band Sheet Metal and Dave Patrick from Roxx Clayton-Scott's band for setting up (and promoting the hell out of) SellaGig UK and SellaGig Sunday respectively. Our spies tell us these were very inspiring events and have grown the bond between Artist and Believers across the pond.
Sheet Metal pictured by Martin Nicholas
Adam's Apples
Ellie Williams
This young singer songwriter from deep in England's west country was once fatefully saved from the jaws of a major label deal. Ellie may not have seen it that way at the time but surely will, and the suits' loss is destined to be your and SellaBand's gain. Three great songs full of emotion, recorded simply with care and honesty, and that voice! Believe today - I already have.
Playlist: Fin's Song
The Serendipity
Scandinavian pop rockers with a strong 'modern classic' identity forged by tight arrangements and great vocals. But it's their ace songwriting skills that make all the difference, and everything comes together beautifully on "No Way That You Are Right", a midtempo rocker full of killer hooks that satisfies on every level.
Playlist: No Way That You Are Right
JoOp Wolters
Nothing gets worse press than instrumental/rock/fusion as many rock journalists think great musicianship is uncool. They couldn't be more wrong and here's proof - JoOp is a terrifying guitar player and excellent composer who deserves to share his music with a bigger audience. Go listen, then show him some love.
Playlist: A Way Home
Boom Goes The Dynamite
When Bulletproof Messenger blew the roof off London's Gibson Guitar Studios last year, their guitar player Scott Martin was one of the main reasons why. Here's Scott's side project with three fellow Long Islanders that's a great deal of fun and kicks some serious butt. Only one song here (as on their myspace site) but it's a corker. Light the fuse and retire safely.......
Playlist: Not Waving, Drowning
Feedback: adam@sellaband.com
Office Powerplay
Dolly:Bim - A Loving Side
Boudewijn: Natalia Safran - Malenka
Dagmar: Ellie Williams -Fin's Song
Pim: Ravi - Watno Door
Chris: Ellie Williams -Fin's Song
Alix: Ellie Williams -Fin's Song
Anna: Civilized Tears - Breath in the Ash
Johan: So What - Keep On Running
Rey: Kontrust - Fat Dog Symphony
Question Time (2)
Mandyleigh Storm
Describe your album in one sentence, please.
"A rootsy, modern hippy, 60`s/70`s approach and feel with a blend of jazz, soul and funkiness."
If push came to shove, what is your single favorite track on this album?
"Extremely hard question to answer. Each song and story means different things to me. 'Deep Sea Green' and 'Cry Hard' are top for me. If you are pushing and have the chains on me... I`d have to go with 'Cry Hard'."
What are your ambitions for this album?
"This album means a future for myself and my beautiful family. For me, music, making songs and singing are deep within, it makes me whole. I have everything in my life that I could want and this album will supercede anything else that I could ever achieve in my life. I feel positive that "Fire & Snow" is my stepping stone onto the bigger music platform. I have been so blessed to have a supportive, loving family helping me reach my dreams, many faces all over the world believing in me allowing me to make this album, working with Mick Glossop and the team of brilliant musicians. I am blessed with another baby on the way who I have shared this experience with. I want to tour firstly after the birth of my third child, promote as much as possible to make this a success and work with Mick Glossop again. I want everyone to know who 'Mandyleigh Storm' really is.