Nemesea: What happens next?
History in the making, so we wrote in a press release on Thursday afternoon. World famous press agency Reuters put a news-piece on their wire, but before people could actually respond it was all over. What we are referring to? Nemesea’s grande finale of course. Also in this update: what happens next?
Nemesea's parts rocketing towards the 50K
The bets were on at SellaBand HQ. On Tuesday morning, shortly after ‘A Real Believer’ from China emerged and bought 300 Parts in Nemesea, we suddenly realized that there were only 1500 Parts left, before the band would become the first ever group to raise $50,000 on SellaBand. “It could all be done in a week or so”, SellaBand- creator Pim Betist said. “They could be there before November 15”, reacted our Music Director Dagmar Heijmans. Ever the optimist, Managing Director Johan Vosmeijer concluded that it will definitely be done before the end of the year. Little did we know. Wednesday November 1 around noon, the band passed the $40,000 mark. And on Thursday evening around 6 pm (CET) there were only 400 Parts left.
$4.000 in 30 minutes
And then it was all over. 400 Parts ($4,000) in less than 30 minutes. You could say Nemesea’s finish caught us all by surprise. We did launch the ‘fireworks banner’ in time, though. “This is just so unbelievable”, singer Manda Ophuis yelled over the phone. Several people started sending out e-mails to us, asking, no, begging to be able to buy Parts, but the gate was closed, no more Nemesea-Parts for sale.Discuss the timeline
We’ve also been getting a lot of e-mails with questions about what happens next. Well, here’s a little more information for you. On November 17, Nemesea will come and visit us in Amsterdam to discuss the timeline and who will be on their production team. The band are currently very hard at work, writing new songs and preparing for live-shows in the New Year as well. “We know what we want and how we want to go about”, explains guitarist/songwriter Hendrik Jan de Jong. “I’ve said it before, that we are perfectionists. We want to make an album that is as good as it possibly can be, so we know for sure that we are not going to rush things.”
Keep a diary
Which gives us time to prepare things as well. Nemesea and SellaBand have already decided that we will keep all the Believers (and other interested people as well) updated on what’s happening. We will let you know in due time who will produce the album, where it will be recorded, etcetera. “Perhaps we can keep a diary, or something like that”, says Manda. All these things will be discussed on November 17, and you’ll read about in the Tribune and/or on Nemesea’s page.Downloadportal
In the meantime, SellaBand will also prepare the creation of the so called download portal. This is the area where Nemesea’s music (and of all the other future recordings made with SellaBand) will be downloadable. This is also the time for us, to actively start working on the advertising section. We will keep you all posted as we move along, we might even pass along the designs to you all for approval;-)
Introducing (2)... Symeon Cosburn
The United Kingdom has an impressive musical heritage. Fertile grounds for any kind of music, including the sophisticated, jazzy and intricate sound of Symeon Cosburn, who is very determined to make it on SellaBand.
Who is Symeon Cosburn?
“Although I was born in Essex, I moved to Wales as a young boy and spent most of my early years there. I’ve always loved music and I have been singing for most of my life. I started writing my own material around 1997, mainly pop songs, but it wasn’t until 2000 when I was performing in Europe that I started to alter the style of the songs that I wrote, into the style of songs that I really enjoyed listening to – jazz, funk and swing. Due to the terminal illness of my mother, I returned to London to help nurse her and found some occasional work around town. Luckily, I was spotted by the manager of jazz singer Ian Shaw. This led to meeting Ian, and opened up a whole new world to me – the UK Jazz Scene. Since then, I have worked with many respected UK jazz musicians such as Claire Martin, Lea Delaria, Dave O'Higgins, Janette Mason, Liam Noble & Sam Burgess to name a few, and I’m putting together a permanent band for next years’ touring.”
Why did you join SellaBand?
“I came across SellaBand by accident and just thought what a great idea it was. So many music based websites only really concern themselves with mainstream genres and it was just so refreshing to see that artists from all styles could showcase their music to everyone on an equal platform and let the listener decide if they believed in you enough to help further our careers.”
What are your ambitions?
“Having made my debut album ‘Breakfast With The Blues’ with a very small independent record label, I know without doubt that I want to continue in this business. My only real passion is my music and I would love to be able to make more records and go out on tour around the World. I like nothing more than performing live. I’ve been very fortunate and have performed at many great venues around Europe already, but a tour of the great Theatres and Halls with a new album would be fantastic.”
Do you have any special plans to raise the $50.000 on SellaBand?
I’ve recently taken on a manager who is also really into SellaBand. He’s great at coming up with ideas and I’m sure we will think of some interesting ways to attract Believers and generally help bring SellaBand to a wider audience.”
Why should our community 'Believe' in you?
“I think the music should speak for itself. I’ve already been amazed and honored by the people who Believed in me so quickly. I had only been on the site for a few hours before someone put some money in and started the ball rolling. All I can say to other potential Believers is I’m 100% committed to my music, I love what I do and I hope they will just spare a few minutes to listen to the demo tracks and make up their own minds. I will also be posting my latest songs on the site very soon.”
www.sellaband.com/symeon-cosburn
Introducing (3)... Tom & The Western Willbillies
Countrified punk folkmusic. That’s how Tom & The Western Willbillies like to describe their bled of country, punk and eh... folk. From the American heartlands comes a band that is hardworking, honest and good. That’s exactly what we at SellaBand HQ like.
How did you find out about SellaBand?
“We ran across SellaBand by following a link from Nemesea's MySpace page.”
Why did you join our program?
“After seeing how well Nemesea had progressed and reading about what SellaBand could offer we quickly signed up hoping that we could at the very least get some more exposure to our unique style of music.”
Give us a bit of history on yourself and the band, please?
“Since Glenn (bass) and I are brothers we've been playing together since we were kids. Our father played guitar in country cover bands in northwest Oklahoma and continued to play until his death in 1987. We played in different garage bands off and on during the nineties. In 2004 Glenn bought an acoustic/electric bass for what he called an "investment" and I bought a new acoustic/electric guitar as well. We started playing our originals at some open mics in Oklahoma City and Norman just after that. Anitra (my girlfriend) went along playing percussion and doing some backing vocals. After Glenn got married we got his wife, Julia, to play drums. Both Glenn and Julia were asked to play in the Oklahoma City gig every Thursday night backing the other open mikers. The Norman open mic was sponsored by the Nashville Songwriters association and was great exposure to other songwriters. We are currently in the process of rehearsing and getting more gigs in clubs around the University of Oklahoma campus as well as always writing more music.”
What's the music scene like in Oklahoma?
“The Oklahoma music scene is great. Given a chance it could be just as big as Athens, GA or Austin, TX. We have a low cost of living here which makes it that much easier for starving musicians. We have lots of success stories in every genre. Hinder in rock. Toby Keith, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire (to name just a few) in country. Norman's favorite, The Flaming Lips. Up in Stillwater around the Oklahoma State University you have the All American Rejects and Jason Boland & The Stragglers. And if you want to go old school just up the turnpike in Tulsa is Hanson and in R&B we had Color Me Badd. And there are many more great emerging artists every day like The Evangelicals, The Starlight Mints and Stardeath & White Dwarfs.”
How do you plan to find more Believers?
“Well we hope that this interview will help in drawing in some more believers. We have lots of family support and we hope that with their word of mouth in addition of other mediums such as MySpace that we can get those believers. In addition we hope that our video that was just added might be some visual candy to entice those non-believers out there. Flyers handed out at gigs will also be a future tool for promotion.”
What are your ambitions?
“Our ambitions are quite simple. To get our music heard. We just want to get out there and do what we do best. Playing our "countrified punk folk" music, even if some people might find the lyrics offensive. And recording a CD would be good too.”
Q + A Cubworld
“Cubworld in a real studio? Blows my mind.”
We have a new number one on our search engine, so this begs for an update with the man who has touched so many people’s hearts with his music, voice and countless posts to his Believers. Having just passed the $10,000 mark in budget, Jacob Kongaika, better known as Cubworld could very well become the second artist on SellaBand to raise the acquired budget. Familyman, artist, great communicator and purveyor of bad jokes all in one, meet Cubworld...
For those who don't know already, who is Cubworld?
”I am a Polynesian kid from the islands (Tonga, Samoa, and Hawaii) that has a great love for all music ranging from the classics to jazz and also from System of a Down to Tim McGraw… The list goes way on but in the end I love and am addicted to music and the creating of it. I picked up a guitar and played a note about 8 years ago. Five years ago my sister gave me my first Martin acoustic and I've been playing ever since. I am still learning and my Tongan size fingers hinder me a little but in no way stop me from jamming out my tunes. Lol. Since I was little I have listen to my dad play old Tongan songs with my mom and music was always in the home. My brother Joel inspired me to join choirs and helped me when I couldn't read my music. I still don't read music. Music to me is more feeling then logic. I understand the strength I can have by learning the math behind music but still am enjoy just using my soul. As for the name Cubworld, Cub is a nickname given to me by my friends in high school. It also plays on my real name Jacob (Jake-cub). I'm little, (5'5" on a good day) I'm huggable and, I guess I look like a bear. I'm not hairy though. I'm fuzzy. If you want a little more on who Cubworld is I guess you could always google Jacob Kongaika.” (also see edition 4 of the SellaBand Tribune)
What inspires you, musically?
”Oh man. The tribune would go forever if I could answer this question in full. Inspiration is very amazing to me. It comes and goes like the wind. Sometimes the wind is steady and sometimes I really have to work to pull songs out. What inspires me is when I write something and find myself sneaking into a secluded place with my guitar to play it over and over again. Lights fade and My World are two of those kinds of songs. Like many people who have shared with me, I love getting goose bumps when listening to music. I like vocals. Beautiful long held notes and angelic harmonies. Vocals make the band in my view. I've been listening to a lot of Jack Johnson, KT Tunstall, Keane, Kent and Switchfoot this week. These types of bands have the sounds that make me want to create music. I've been in choirs from grade school to college and I love it when songs bring tears to my eyes especially when I'm the one singing. I know that's kind of selfish and sometimes hard to get through a song but music can be very personal to me. Music speaks to the soul. I like trying to write music that speaks to the heart. I also want to say that my Believers inspire me musically by showing that they think I can do this. Positive people are inspiring. Thanks guys.”
You've been with SellaBand for a almost two months now, how do you like it, so far?
”I use to like it but now, I frikin LOVE IT! SellaBand is amazing. I say this a lot but to put my 2 cents in on it, SellaBand is based on Faith and Charity. These are Christian principals that root as a formula for success when used in a positive way. SellaBand is a very positive space on the Internet. Jack Johnson has a song where he says, "where'd all the good people go?" If I were to talk to him about SellaBand I would tell him just where all those good people are. Here at SellaBand. I have posted mp3 in other places online but this place and this concept works and not just for the artist but for EVERYONE and I love that. Also, the support is happening so quickly and I like it because it is fueling my need to prep all my songs for the real studio.”
You're constantly communicating with your Believers. What's your strategy to keep up with that once the numbers start growing even more?
”Recently my computer needed a little tune up and I was away from SellaBand for a little while and have not since been able to catch up on my thank you’s, but my mama always taught me to say thank you. Its very true and sincere though when I say that I am thankful for the support from everyone no matter how much they invest in me or even if the just like my music. I show my thanks by writing my believers like they are my friends and do feel like they are. Once numbers start growing and my fingers cramp I will still keep trying. 
I am no super star but if I ever become one I will always try to stay in touch with the people that help and appreciate my tunes. Some of you might have noticed my favorite person on SellaBand (My wife Mandy) writing all my Believers too. She is so cute and supportive. I work a lot and she gets to be close to the action watching SellaBand through out the day. She text messages me at work when parts go up and loves listening to the new artists. So I guess I have a public relations person already. We communicate because we like you guys.”
If you raise the 50K, who would you like to work with, what should your album sound like?
”I have a bunch of friends that I have watched for years that have helped shape my love for music and they have grown into music masters to me. When I get to the 50k I would love to have them jump in and help me fill my sound out. I actually called and talked to all of them about recording already but don't know how it will work with the distances between us all. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. Other then that I would professionally like to work with the same person my buddy Kane Soul would like to work with. JP Plunier. The production aesthetics of Jack Johnson's 'Brushfire Fairytales.’ If possible I would also like to work with the Jack Johnson himself on the North Shore of Oahu. He has a studio in his garage in Haleiwa, which is about 15 minuets drive from my hometown in Laie. This would give me a reason to be back home and also get to record with a pro. Other then this I am big on collaborations. I heard 2pac is still alive so a collab with him would be tight. Lol.
Black Eyed Peas did a remix with Jack and that's one of my favorite songs (gone). I would love it if my album ended up with a sound that fell between Jack Johnson and Switchfoot. I have some songs that need distortion and Switchfoot has the perfect blend between guitar and beautiful vocals. What should my album sound like? Professional. Lol. I can't wait. Cubworld in a real studio? Blows my mind.”
Any other SellaBand artists you particularly like?
”Sorry but I will not try to answer this in full but I will tell you a few that I listen to and check in on. Number 1 I will say I really really like Kane Sole. Mandy and I cheer for him and I wouldn't mind collaborating with him one day on a project. I also really like Nemesea, Lenaluiz, Second Person, Outrance, Nicola Thornton, Daniel Ward-Murphy, Symeon Cosburn, GD Allan, and before this list takes on the whole tribune I have to give some love to Shirazi the UK Hip Hop King. I made friends with him on MySpace before SellaBand was born and I followed him on to SellaBand. Thanks Shirazi. The music here is growing so fast and the talent is multiplying. I'm sure I will be visiting SellaBand till my dying days to find new artist that I will like and support.”
Famous last words: why should people believe in Cubworld?
”Believe in me because I am doing this off of pure enjoyment. My motive for music is not for money or for fame. I don't have top of the line equipment but I create because it is my need to sing and let out the sounds of my soul. I love when I get comments from people after listening to my songs a number of times they actually start to understand what I'm trying to get across. The sounds turn into personal meaning. Don't get me wrong, I am very excited though for the chance to make music professionally and see what happens. I am always happy with the stage I am in moving one-step or one part at a time. I am in not hurry but it makes me so happy to know that it will happen. I don't expect a red carpet rolled out when I get there, I only hope to move my music to another level. As for Famous last words.: One word: ALOHA!!!”
Pick of the Week
For our weekly selection of SellaBand favorites, we turn to Paris, where producer/engineer and A&R par excellence Gilles Martin is currently living and working. Having just finished work for a DVD from France’s biggest rockband ... he has found a bit of time to scroll through the ever growing number of artists on SellaBand and picked the three acts he likes the most:
1. Lenaluiz
Hear Sonia Sala's voice, and you're off on a sensual and groovy trip. Immediately appealing with plenty of nifty production tricks. Listen carefully! A very promising band.
2. headphone
Since dEUS, musical phenomenon of the 90's, Belgium has been waiting. Well, check out Headphone! Melancholy vocals, classy arrangements. Haunting, ethereal, you will be pulled into their soundscape.
3. CubWorld
The elegance of CubWorld.
Deceptively simple, this music has a lullaby quality that hides layers of sophistication. Kick back and let yourself be soothed by the crooning of CubWorld. These songs are an oasis of peace in our frenetic existence.
Weekly update
It’s still raining Parts, you know!
With Nemesea all of a sudden out of the race, we must admit we were a little worried at first. Would we be able to keep selling Parts at the same healthy pace we had been selling them in the last two weeks? The answer is a very firm YES! In the 5 full days that have gone since that historic moment (Thursday, November 2), we’ve had over 100 new bands signing up from all over the globe, but also hundreds of new Believers. We have sold close to 2,000 Parts ($20,000) in the last 5 days and there are no signs that this trend is going to stop anywhere soon.
Impressive increase
Cubworld is on the $10,000 mark, Second Person have become the fourth band in our history to go over $5,000 (10%), the lovely Lily and very active Kirt are not far behind, also passing the 5K, and beyond Page 1 of our search engine we’ve seen an impressive increase for Australia’s Luna Assassins, as well as a steady rise for The Super Dead, T-Ka, Symeon Cosburn, Nearfield, GD Allan, Lena Luiz, and so on, and so on...
SellaBand's Pim getting ready to swallow some microphones...
Keeping track of the news
Last Thursday, news agency Reuters ran a news story on the early success of SellaBand and Nemesea. The item was picked up by dozens of newspapers and online portals around the globe. Apparently radio-stations in Canada, Italy and Austria ran features on SellaBand, so we want to welcome all the new Believers and Artists from these wonderful countries. It’s difficult for us to keep track of everything that’s being said and written about SellaBand, so if something interesting is published in your country or area, please do not hesitate to drop us an e-mail at info@sellaband.com; it is much appreciated,
Introducing (1)...
T-Ka
Photo: Sarah Bastin, www.sarahbastin.net
With more and more bands and artists joining our program, we will start introducing more and more artists in our weekly Tribune. How do we select the artists? Well, being active on our website helps, getting the first Believers in is also a plus. And if you are as obviously talented as France’s T-Ka, you will surely be featured in these columns.
Who is T-Ka?
”I'm a French songwriter. My project was born in 2000 when I was dumped from my former band where I was a singer and a lyricist because I was leaving Paris to study in Lille. I bought myself a second-hand keyboard and I started composing (though I had always thought I was unable of that). And here I was, composing my first song at 20 years old.”
Why did you join SellaBand?
”I read the Billboard almost every week to be kept informed of what's going on in the music biz in the US. And there was this article about sellaband.com. I was in the subway reading it and told myself I should subscribe and see what happens as soon as I get home. I forgot to do it that day and thought about it again only 2 weeks later. Fortunately, the Billboard was still there on the table though ready to be thrown away and I remembered there was something inside I needed to check out. So there I found the name again and started checking the website. My first impression was : "damn, it looks damn good and professional". Then I started listening to some of the bands in the top 10, watching what the professionals were saying about the site and getting used to the concept. Then I told myself : ‘Nobody is ever gonna put a cent on me’ but I was curious so I subscribed and switched on the ‘wait and see’ mode. The day after I went back to my page and discovered I had a Believer from the Netherlands who invested 10 dollars in me...”
Where do you get your inspiration from?
”Well from everything actually. For example here are the themes of the three songs that are on my page right now. Midnight City was written when I was an exchange student in Korea in 2003. I was in the basement of a cold dorm where there was this piano. And this was a moment when I was missing Paris, its architecture, its lights and especially my rides at night on my rollerblades or my bicycle. Cos' Paris seems to belong to you when you ride it late at night. Anyway, I missed that sensation and wrote about my city of birth. Flyin' is in my personal guiness book since I wrote the melody and lyrics in one hour. I had that dream one morning: I was flying above the sea like a real bird. The sensation of it was so intense and seemed so real in my dream that when I woke up, I immediately went to the piano and started trying to reflect this incredible sensation in my song.
For The Scars I uploaded this week, here's what I sent to comment the song to my Believers : It's about the scars we have inside and outside, visible and invisible. The scars we show the first time we are naked physically and also mentally in front of somebody and the fact that the person in front of you can accept you with your scars or reject you...”
Photo: Sarah Bastin, www.sarahbastin.net
What are your ambitions?
”It's more a dream than an ambition but actually I resigned from my latest job in September to dedicate for one year to music and try to find a publisher, a manager, a booking agency and a label. Telling myself that I would go back to work if nothing happened. But my ultimate dream is to live from my music.”
How important is communication with your Believers?
”Well my first believer, Tjalling, can tell that he's thanked almost every day. Plus, he did not only become a Believer, he started being a Converter... He created a website to convince his friends to invest in me. And so far one of his friends invested too... Which I can hardly believe since I never met him. Otherwise, I write to all my new Believers, first to thank them and then you got this marvelous profile tool which was created for Believers a week after I subscribed and it's just great cos they can leave comments on your music and I can leave comments for them... Basically if someone writes to me, I'll answer. And otherwise I already sent 2 newsletters through the site. So it's very interactive, really.”
How do you plan to raise the $50.000?
”Well in the beginning, I was planning nothing. As I said I was into the "wait and see" mode. And I really thought nobody would invest. I subscribed on October 22nd and we're now November 3rd, 5.54am and there are 640 $ from my Believers on my profile. And I didn't even tell my friends through my usual newsletter on my website www.t-ka.fr yet. I'm gonna send it next week and hopefully my friends, family and fans will follow. And if my Believers keep on being Converters, then maybe the dream can happen in 2 months and a half like for Nemesea... Am I dreaming too much?”
I’m a Believer
In our weekly series of Believer-portraits we try to cover all the continents. One of the first SellaBand-users from Africa to come on board is Simeon Ifarinde (32) from Nigeria, who tells us he has ‘The Believer Instinct.”
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am 32, a graduate of Business Administration (Marketing major) with Diplomas in Data Processing and system engineering. I am the founder/CEO of Techserve ng (in Nigeria) a little company, but with great potentials, I believe in starting small and growing big. Also believe that we all have great talents, there is creativity us all, and we can find out what make us special, bring the best out in every situation and exploring all avenues for growth to develop and succeed. I love challenges, I’m always in search of a new thing. My interests are moderate: I like music, poetry, painting, movies, special effects, animation. I am the everyday guy you bump into...My motto is Life is what you make, striving to be the best never kills anybody.”
How did you find out about SellaBand?
”It is quite funny, how it all happened...I heard something about SellaBand on a BBC program and I didn't quite catch as I was getting ready for work, so when I got to work the first thing I did was to check BBC website, typing the words sell a band on it site search engine and.. There it was a link to the SellaBand site, since that day I was hooked. SellaBand is simply wonderful.”
What made you put out your credit card and buy Parts?
”The concept of SellaBand is great and I was wondering what do I have to lose, I made a couple of bad choices doing something like that but on SellaBand it is different because I am a believer, I have ‘the believer Instinct’".
What do you look for in an artist?
”Music is life's rhythm and making music is not about just dishing out tunes just for the fun of it, I believe music has a soul, artist must believe what they sing. i.e. making the song connect with the audience, the strings, drums all play a part but the life of a song is the artist. There must be a balance between all. It's not about what the artist look or doesn't look like. I think a song says more about an artist. I can cap everything brands, a hard sell.”
Any particular artists you are currently keeping an eye on?
”Lily has great potentials and Simeon though both have yet to increase their budgets. I hope they make progress, there are exceptionally good artists on SellaBand, also Cubworld, Second person and others.”
Could SellaBand become big in Africa too?
”MTVbase Africa is doing great, and I belief SellaBand is potentially going to be bigger in Africa. Africa has great potential music wise, Africans love music and it is the second biggest entertainment money earner in Africa apart from the movie industry. So I am looking forward to having SellaBand Africa.”