"Short & Punchy, how to design a captivating bio for your band"

A well-structured and eye-catching bio is an extremely important part of introducing your band to professionals and fans, and yet so many bands fail to deliver information that is relevant and compelling.  

Today we look at putting together a write-up that would be the first contact point when people encounter your band. This bio may be used when approaching record labels, venues, promoters, radio stations, street press, webzines, as well as having it displayed on your websites and social media.  

Think about when you hear of a band that you are curious to check out. The first thing you do is probably chuck the name in Google, click on the first link and if it seems interesting you’ll have a listen to a few songs. Get into this mindset when writing your bio, what would make your band sound interesting enough to warrant listening to a song?  

A few points before we get started  

  • Sell yourself without bragging, write in third person narrative  
  • Good grammar and spelling is essential!  
  • Keep it up to date as you accomplish more things  
  • Include a logo and band pic at the top of the page  
  • The below examples are dissected from Claim The Throne’s current bio  


Beginning  

The first sentence MUST be awesome. It needs to immediately capture the reader’s attention and give them a good idea of what your band is about. This might include your band name, genre, location and a few captivating adjectives. Do not give the reader too much in-depth detail that they will not care about.  

What not to do…  

“Claim The Throne began in June 2005 by two friends Cabba and Oli who began jamming metal music together before getting a full lineup then started gigging a year later in their home town.”  

There is no need to ramble on with boring details about member names or dates, no one cares, these can be saved for a history page on your website. If you must include band member names, put them along the band pic or list them at the bottom of the page.  

A better way to do it…  

“Ruthlessly tearing the boundaries of folk-metal in the heaviest of ways, Perth warriors CLAIM THE THRONE return with their fourth and finest release FORGED IN FLAME”.  

This version used creative language, the genre and how the band differ from others within it, band name and latest album title. It is short and focuses only on what would interest the reader.  

Then add just a little bit more detail to expand on the opening paragraph.  

What not to do…  

“There are crushing guitars, face melting basslines, blasting drums and in-your-face brootal vocals.”  

We know what instruments make up a rock band, but you’d be surprised how many bios use the same stupid descriptions of what each instrument actually sounds like. Don’t do it.  

A better way…  

“The 14-track, 70min epic album sees CLAIM THE THRONE take a darker and heavier approach whilst maintaining all the melody and catchiness the band are renowned for”  

This one gives you a much better idea of what the band actually sound like… Heavy but melodic and catchy, plus we are told the band are ‘renowned’ for something, they must be really good.  


Middle  

Here we can highlight the band’s accomplishments to date and give the reader a reason to check the band out further.  

What not to do..  

“We jam every week so when we play live we bring heaps of energy with a full sound and sick moshing. Once we got told by the headlining band that we were awesome, and we sold three shirts at one gig. “  

You would have lost the reader by now, keep it interesting and sound pro.  

Something better..  

“Receiving high acclaim worldwide for 2010’s TRIUMPH AND BEYOND, the band toured extensively throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK,  building a reputation for outrageous live performances and gaining an army of loyal allies.”  

High acclaim and heavy touring, just what people wanna hear about!  


End  

End with a bang, and depending who you are directing the bio to, touch on your plans and goals.  

What not to do..  

“If you haven’t heard Claim The Throne yet, then you will soon cos these guys play in Perth at least once a month and they are full sik kunts. The band are writing a new song this week and youz are gonna love it ay”  

This suggests your band has never done anything apart from play in their local venue. It also says you don’t know how to write a song and are probably the poorest kunts. If you are yet to play outside your home town, you can word it like “xxx are taking Perth by storm and are working hard to take their take their live show abroad with a debut album on the horizon”.  

A better way…  

“CLAIM THE THRONE are currently seeking international label interest and touring opportunities in 2014 to support the release of FORGED IN FLAME. Offering a unique sound and highly regarded live show, CLAIM THE THRONE are dedicated to establishing themselves as a dominant force in the worldwide extreme metal scene through extensive global touring and album distribution.”  

This is probably more directed towards labels and promotors, make sure your bio is constructed to appeal to your current situation and who you want to impress.  

Now make sure you include web links and contact details. Official website, social media links, video clip link, and a pro description of your email like “for all contact and bookings please email us now at info@claimthethrone.com”.  

This is a very basic overview of a bio, but really it is all you need. Use only relevant info and make is sharp and catchy. Take time to read over it and always make improvements, get your friends to read over it and see if they fall asleep or find it exciting. Quality over quantity.  

Have a look at other band’s bios for ideas on what works and what doesn’t. Remember, a captivating and informative bio is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT tools for your band’s exposure, so put in the effort and it will pay off!  

Any thoughts, questions or ideas, please share below!  

Cheers  

Cabba

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