Hey guys, Cabba here. I was about to launch a Patreon campaign for $0, but thought the better of it. Our new album is coming out in a few months, and thanks to your support we've been able to fully self-fund it, so we don't need more of your money. Especially in the Forged In Flame era over the last 3 years, thank you so much for buying the album, buying the merch and coming to our gigs, it means the world to us and allows us to keep going. 

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING US - KEEP YOUR MONEY! 

Being in a band is…

“A goal without a plan is just a wish” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery  

Musicians are pretty cvlt and cool, but no musician is too cool to hold a band meeting. There must be a reason that you’re in a band, whether it be purely for creative expression, active touring, making killer albums, fame and glory or just to hang out with your band mates, whatever the reason it is imperative to ensure you are on the same level as the rest of the band, therefore effective communication is a must.  

You might jam with the…

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…

The benefits of booking your own show are a plenty, with the ability to take complete control of the event, maximise exposure for your band, and enjoy greater monetary rewards.  Consider this 10-step guide to running a successful live show.  

1. Book a venue  

Date and location play a super big role in planning a successful gig. You want a venue that is easily accessible for punters on a date that doesn’t clash with other events. The best venues require a big notice period, sometimes being fully booked…

Want to build your band’s online presence and keep up with the latest music marketing technology? Check out some of these upcoming online tools for musicians!  

RSS FEEDS  

Some hear the term ‘blog’ and get immediately angry. You may be surprised however as to what actually constitutes a blog (you’re reading one now!). They don’t necessarily have to be ‘opinion’ or ‘articles’, in fact your band could just post your news into a blog.  

Rather than just having a text file on your website, a ‘blog’ is a…

Although it may seem unrealistic to some, it IS possible for hardworking musicians to play the same stage and lineup as their favourite bands!  

Not only can it be a dream come true, it is awesome exposure for your band. The perfect opportunity to play in front of bigger crowds and the potential to gain new fans is massive. It’s sad but true that many punters don’t go to local gigs. They go to live shows when their favourite overseas band is in town but it stops there. However, if the support act blows…

You booked a gig yourself? Good on ya mate, the scene needs more people like you! You’ve got the venue and lineup sorted, now it’s time to communicate with the other bands to ensure it’s a successful and smoothly run show! Not only is a worksheet an essential communication tool, it can be a handy checklist for promoters to tick off all aspects that need covering.  

So bring up a blank word doc or spreadsheet, pour yourself a peppermint tea, gather round to listen to Cabba and start building your template…

Got a new album out? That means you want people to hear it, and like it or not you need the media to help. With careful selection and approach to the right channels you will quickly see the awareness of your band grow and your sales soar. 

So put aside a certain amount of albums you want to give away. It will cost you money, but it’s a great investment. You might start with 20 physical copies of the album for radio and 20 for reviews, plus allocate a further 20 for downloads. Where possible, take the…

Sadly our industry is coming to an age where it is difficult gaining revenue from selling music alone. But we are also in an age when the earning potentials can be huge if the changes are embraced and if you are clever about it. One of these ways is by selling merchandise, and I’m not talking about a physical copy of your latest CD, I’m talking about shirts, hoodies, stickers, posters, g-strings and the endless list of promotional gold! 

Sure, there’s plenty of concepts and theories on what and why people…