You're an Artist, not a grey flannel suit!

Hi there,

I see lots of posts on Facebook saying: 'hey come and play at our venue!' 'And please bring the sound system! Oh, and the audience too!' We're not talking only newbie bands here either - there is a certain expectation, particularly in the original music scene, that a venue simply provides a space and everything else is up to you as the performer. 

Somebody I just met, when finding out that I was a singer, asked, 'so what do you during the day?' Working musos are well aware that the time we spend on stage is a fraction of the time we need to put in, in order to get up on that stage. It means ongoing practice and rehearsal, as well as the admin all small businesses deal with. But alongside being experts in our fields, apparently we must create the audience if we actually want to be paid for our expertise. Isn't that tantamount to a chef in a restaurant having to bring their own oven and pots and pans, and the diners as well? A chef is hired for their expertise after years of training and experience.  Just like us. As original artists we have the same workload as the gigging cover muso with the added task of actually creating the material we are performing as well! So all of this and then you can add the hours of promotion it requires to get the bums on seats in order to display the art and that expertise? Isn't this all really unfair? 

Well, yes! It is also a reality of the career we have chosen and I think it's important to understand our responsibilities. We can choose not to work with the venues who give artists absolutely no support or even better, try to work with them to educate them on how we can make it work better together. But even then, we have to think of marketing as a joint responsibility, whether we like it or not. 

I've co-produced and performed in a couple of shows at the Sydney Opera House and their internal marketing is excellent. They do email, online and printed marketing campaigns to an extensive database. They do onsite video, poster and flier promotion - all of which you have access to as long as you are not afraid of being just a little bit pushy. By the way, even though all this is offered, you still have to provide them with the actual promotional materials. But still, surely all that is enough to sell out a show? Unfortunately no. Even a show at the premier cultural venue in the country relies on the show itself to do their own extensive marketing. In most cases there is no budget for a promoter, so this means the artists must do it. 

And of course not every venue is the Opera House. And I'm certainly not saying that artists should put up with shitty deals and work their butts off at venues that don't pull their own weight. We should be choosy and support those who support us! But we also have to educate ourselves in the realities of doing shows. A Facebook post promoting your show here and there helps but that on its own will simply not cut it. Contacting local print, online media and community radio should be the bare minimum. Gig listings and constant and engaging social media work really helps. Phone calls, flyers and old fashioned mail still works. Email is very effective, particularly if it's personalised. There's plenty of marketing advice to be found via Google and personally I'm over that enduring attitude of: 'I'm an artist, I don't do business'. Business and marketing can be very creative. Let's harness those powers to fill up our venues again! Instead of just bitching about the state of the scene, let's get proactive and help it grow!

On that note, a great bunch of artists I know ;) are doing a show at The Basement in Sydney on Friday week, October 20. It will feature a slew of local pop, electronic, soul and swing artists and all to raise money for a great cause: A Billion Beats for the McGrath Foundation.

See you there!
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

Now if I were Mariah Carey...

Hi there and happy new year!

Did you hear about Mariah's NYE show? She is blaming the production team for sabotaging her set in Times Square when her in-ear monitoring failed to work. Whether the lack of foldback was intentional or not, I know for sure that the quality of sound a singer receives on stage is an absolute maker or breaker of a performance. Audiences hear something quite different to our sound so sometimes it is hard to get their sympathy but I really feel for Mariah.  We know that not being able to hear properly can potentially make us sing off key and usher in such insecurity that a great singer becomes a terrible one. But as Mariah said herself in this particular show's aftermath, 'shit happens'. The trick is to pull yourself out of it smelling like roses. While we may not all possess her vocal gymnastic ability or star power, I actually think we gigging singers have one thing over Mariah Carey. One of the benefits of not being a multi million dollar megastar is the multitude of less-than-perfect gig conditions you get to experience! Being thrown into difficult situations over and over again tends to prepare you to jump just about any hurdle and still land on your feet.

I was in a kids show where we three girls performed to an audio visual track that, at one particular venue with an outdated system, started to skip noticeably and eventually froze. So we girls created acapella singalongs and dance competitions on the spot. While it was very obvious to the audience we were suffering fairly major technical issues, we kept them involved and onside and noone complained. If anything, we got extra credit for handling ourselves well under pressure.

I once did a nationally televised Christmas gig that had a huge live audience as well. I was one of two backing singers for a band that was to support some well known Aussie artists and celebrities. About 20 minutes before the show started, we were told we would be leading the live audience in singing Christmas carols during the commercial breaks of the live telecast. We were to follow the autocue. My fellow backing vocalist warned me she was not hugely familiar with carols and we had zero time to prepare. But the idea was we two girls would sing with the band and the crowd would sing along following the booklets of lyrics they had all received. I think someone forget to tell the audience because when the band played the first carol, we were the lone voices. That wouldn't be so bad except the keys of the songs were completely female unfriendly and so, in front of 30,000 people, we were jumping up and down octaves and throwing in harmonies on the spot to make the songs sound decent. We were doing OK with the first couple of well known tunes when the next song showed up: 'Good King Wenceslas'. At its appearance on our autocue, my fellow backing singer gave me a look of panic. Ok, so I was on my own for this one.

Now I love my Christmas songs but I wouldn't put the Good King at the top of my list and was only vaguely aware of its work. But all was going fine until the end of the first verse when the autocue froze completely. So in front of 30,000 people I winged the rest of the song, largely repeating the first verse over and over again! I don't think many people were any the wiser although I'm sure no one would have blamed me for shutting up completely if they had known the situation. But as performers, we are more than just singers, and I think we have a contract with our audience to entertain them the best way we can, in any situation.

I'd love to hear what you would have done in Mariah's position. What I wouldn't have done is walk off stage mid performance, however tempting that might have been. That kind of thing only punishes your audience and hurts your own reputation. I would have let the audience know what was happening, to make them really feel involved. I would have told the production guy - over the mic - to turn off the backing track because my audience and I were going to sing in the new year together. Then I would have led them in an acapella version of the songs. I think it would be pretty cool to say that you rang in 2017 singing along with Mariah Carey, don't you?

I'd love to hear some of your gig horror stories...

All the best,
Amanda

Just wear the Friggin' Hat!

Hi there,

Anybody watched the 'Nashville' TV Series? The portrayal of some of those music industry shenanigans are quite realistic I think. Anyway, I heard a story recently about an Australian Country Music star who was being groomed for US Stardom some time ago, but he was told he would have to wear the old 10 gallon cowboy hat to really make the grade. He refused. Another much lesser known (at the time) country artist stepped up to the plate instead, having no issue with the required head attire and he is currently selling out stadiums on his world tour.

I'm not suggesting it's always that simple but I do believe clothes maketh the man and woman. And is there a career where that applies to more so than the entertainment industry? There are uniforms and sartorial expectations for most jobs, but in a business called 'show' surely it is critical? I think it's about dressing appropriately and extremely. Give me a sparkly gown and a set of false eyelashes and I'm as happy as a clam - and if it made sense to dress up as a clam I probably wouldn't argue about that either. I guess it's all about making an effort and standing out. I mean there's a reason they put you on a stage and shine some lights on you isn't there? Live performance is a visual medium and I think a bit of exhibitionism is part of the job description. 

Of course you have to do what suits you as an artist - if your thing is indie grunge, then neck to knee sequins probably aren't quite right. Looking like you just rolled out of bed and onto the stage could well be - but then you should be wearing the extreme variety of 'just rolled out of bed'. Because if you haven't made an effort as a performer, why should your audience?

Now there's a hat...and the rest!

I was involved in a show recently which involved a band hired to back a group of artists. It was in a prestigious venue and we were going for a look that could be described as 'vintage theatrical'. The band were asked to wear a (pretty cool, appropriate) hat of the era and one member refused - he was just too cool for school. Now you can't have all-but-one member in headwear, it spoils the uniformity - so in this case, in my opinion, we lost something in our visual styling. 

We should want to make live music more than just about the actual music - it should be an experience that people take in with their ears and their eyes...so just wear the friggin' hat!
Till next time,
Amanda

Jessica Mauboy and Shoes for Sale

Hi there,
I don't know the real story behind Jessica Mauboy's no-show up at the mic at the Melbourne Cup but the thing that has surprised me is the reaction of many musos. On a lot of the local Facebook groups there has been an awful lot of bile about 'corporate whores' and bitterness in general about business and its involvement in music. 

We all like to stick it to The Man at times but a lot of people seem to believe current music has lost all its integrity because of today's corporate greed. The thing is, we would likely have no Beethoven, Bach or Mozart if it weren't for financial patronage in their times - whether from Monarchs, the Church or the Aristocracy. And weren't they the equivalent of corporations of the day? Many composers like these couldn't afford to eat, let alone write music for a living, without sponsorship. And let's face it, these patrons didn't provide the dosh purely for the love of art. They demanded a requiem for a funeral here, a waltz for an upcoming dance there and a sonata for the wife's birthday celebrations - composers commonly churned out classical works to the tune of the clanging of sponsorship coinage. Have things changed so much?

A few years ago my original band was invited to go to Malaysia to help promote Hennessy and Moet. I still wonder if that was all a fabulous dream. The companies hosted us in luxury for a week in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, all expenses paid plus a generous fee. In return we were to perfrom two short shows at events promoting their brands. I could sing my own songs, wear my own clothes and oh, here's the clincher...I was 'requested' to drink a glass of Hennessy on stage and to mention the brand. Then, if I didn't mind, I would be seen drinking a glass of Moet champagne after the set. Are you kidding me? I love corporate sponsorship. Not for a second did I feel like a whore - my integrity felt wholly and securely in tact. But isn't it all about personal integrity? And isn't integrity just that - personal? Hennessy VSOP Cognac is a glass of liquid heaven to me and Moet is in the top 2 of my favourite alcoholic beverages (Veuve Clicquot, I am willing to make myself available for you anytime). I am perfectly happy to endorse products like these, in a responsible way to an appropriate audience. I guess not everyone would feel the same way, after all alcohol definitely has a dark side - but we all need to march to our own drums. If McDonald's or Benson & Hedges came a-knocking, I'd have to decline their offers of private jet trips because I personally believe those companies and their products are evil and I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I said 'no thank you' to The Voice because it didn't sit well with me, but I'm sitting on the sofa cheering at the top of my lungs when friends appear on the show. One person's sell-out is another's symbiosis, so we can only do what feels right for us.

If you decide to be a professional musician, you are agreeing to exchange your art for financial reward. When money is involved there are always strings attached - it's up to you whether you feel those strings have turned you into a corporate puppet or you're just meeting reasonable terms of your employment. I can't imagine having an issue with sponsored footwear but when it comes to other fashion decrees - perhaps when they involve what not to wear - it could be a different matter...So, the first professional singing I ever did was with a girl group and we got offered a lucrative gig at a nightclub in Asia. Trouble is, we would have had to perform topless. Needless to say, we politely turned down that offer - a bridge way too far for all of us.

OK, back to Jess. One media report says she had a panic attack because her own management and the Race Management were bickering about her sponsorship commitments (ie wearing the shoes) minutes before she was to go on. Perhaps she should have worn them as part of her contract, after all there's a price you pay for getting paid such a high price! But no matter what kind of business transactions are involved, in the end music and performance is an affair of the heart and spirit and 'business' needs to understand that too. That's why these things are called relationships right? Both sides need to try to relate to and empathize with the other.

The only way to escape the association of music and business is to not enter into music as a business, and that's a fair choice. But for me, I think the right relationships - with understanding on both sides about what both sides need - can result in a good back scratching that benefits everyone. So I say bring it on!

Till next time,
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

What the Opera House Taught Me

Hi there,

I recently co-produced and performed in a show 'Ladies Sing the Blues: a Tribute to 100 Years of Billie Holiday' at The Sydney Opera House, and, well, it was a sold out event! Forgive me for being boastful - but it's a big deal to me. And I really want to remember the important things I learnt from being part of this experience, so I'm writing it down:

1. Get the Best out of being in a Theatre: A theatre is a very different beast to your standard rock venue. About 50% of ticket sales are made through a theatre's own channels so their marketing is vital. However, access to their marketing channels isn't automatic. You need to be on their e-marketing mailouts, 'what's on' brochures as well as have printed and digital posters in their foyers and car parks. Asking for these opportunities once will probably not be enough. Keep asking, politely. Don't forget you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

2. It's a Theatre so be Theatrical: Consider multimedia. We used rare audio bites of interviews with Billie Holiday between each live set, creating atmosphere and visibly moving our audience. 

Co-Producers Amanda Easton & Lady Cool

3. Maximise the Space: Most rock venues (in Australia anyway) offer you a fairly set template for your show eg, two x one hour sets starting at 8:30pm, with a 20 minute interval. As producers in a hired theatrical space, you can make up these guidelines yourself, within reason. Next time I would consider adding a Matinee alongside a night time show to get value out of the venue and crew costs.

4. Understand the Box Office: One of a producer's first jobs is 'building the Box Office'. Know what you can charge for tickets ie how many seats do you need to sell to break even and what kind of ticket prices will the market sustain/expect? Consider all your direct ticketing expenses including taxes, ticket printing charges, 'Inside Charges' (the theatre's cut) credit card costs and third party agency (eg Ticketek) fees. Consider how student and pensioner discounts, media and promotional comps will affect your bottom line. Insist on daily Sales Reports so you can see what marketing is working. We were almost at capacity a week before out event so we knew, for example, that a newspaper ad then would be a waste of money.

5. Have a great professional business team: Ours included co-producers, a patron/executive producer, commercial printer, a photographer and a publicist with great contacts in Metropolitan Media. TV and Radio give vital exposure as well as add legitimacy and prestige to an event. Social media marketing is important but not enough. You need good Marketing Collaterals, including a promo video, cast photo, press release, media backgrounder and eye-catching graphic art and strap lines.

6. Don't forget you're an Artist too: It is very easy to get caught up in the all-consuming business of putting on a show and forgetting that you are part of the show as a performer too. Having a Stage Manager helps separate your responsibilities as producer and performer on the night.

7. Don't be Scared to be Scared: The feeling (akin to dread or perhaps indigestion) I get in the pit of my stomach when I feel like I'm taking on more than I can chew - that's a good sign. They don't call them 'growing pains' for nothing.

xAmanda
www.amandaeaston.com

Facebook is not for (Music) Business

Hi there,

Of course I'm being contentious in my title so that you read on :). Facebook is fabulous for spreading the word about gigs and new releases, inviting people to events and much more. What I don't think it is good for, is business communication. 

I've heard two musicians I respect say in this last little while that they wouldn't take seriously any approaches for gigs that they received through Facebook. I personally have a policy of 'say yes until you have to pay money or sign something' when it comes to just about any offer because some of my best experiences have come out of the most unlikely places, BUT I do tend to agree that professional business approaches should be made the old-skool way, either on the telephone or via email. 

Even the humble txt message seems somehow more solid than Facebook. Maybe it's because these 'unsolicited' Facebook messages end up sitting alongside the ones from widowed men from the American Armed Forces who 'wish to has a nice and loveliness relationship with a woman who has a good sweetness and understanding' or strangers with names like Richardo Gustavo offering to build muscles in areas you didn't know existed.

Good old fashioned email is searchable, fileable, a lot more flexible when it comes to attaching large files and is less likely to be blocked by someone's workplace than Facebook. And if I'm knee deep in my work I won't even be logged in to FB - those funny cat videos are way too distracting. I also feel that Facebook is a bit like a rock tour: what happens on Facebook stays on Facebook. That seems to mean that what people say doesn't have to have the same element of truth that it does in other mediums. Yes yes they'll go to all those events you're inviting them too - but they don't actually mean it!

So, if you want to meet me at The Red Sea so we can swim with the dugongs on a trip that will ensure we 'get to know each other better', go ahead and ping me on my FB instant messaging, but Gmail for gigs please.

See you next time,
Amanda

Jazz ain't jazz!

Hi there,

I can't count how many times my brief at a gig has been 'jazz' but I've ended up doing everything but. Even wikipedia admits 'Jazz' is a slippery beast to define. I'm talking Ella, Louis and Duke when I say Jazz. My mum says Jazz and means 'lively'. I've heard many a muso make a booboo and call that 'jazz'. I think a lot of venue managers like the 'cool' that the word jazz conjures but don't actually want the blue notes. After all 'Jazz on the Deck' sounds much better than 'a bit of pop music outside there past the pokies'. 

So when I've been booked for a 'jazz' gig and ended up doing anything but, it's not because I'm being a rebel - after all I know where my bread is buttered and I always aim to please the client. But sometimes, well, we entertainers actually know what we're doing! We are being booked because we are professional and know our craft, right?

I remember being booked for a wedding where the bride gave us a list of all her favourite (non-Jazz!) songs us to play at the reception. They included songs from Garbage, Portishead, Blondie, Morcheeba and the like - a woman after my own heart when it comes to taste in music. But not for a wedding. As soon as we cracked out her requested rocker: 'I'm Only Happy When it Rains' you could see the tumbleweed rolling across the barren dancefloor. 

So we played 'Moondance' and 'Love is in the Air', like we always do at a wedding and suddenly all was right in the world. The bride was happy because everyone else was - and cavorting bodies on the dancefloor is the best yardstick for a wedding band's success. 

So I soon learnt that when dealing with less-than-experienced clients, my job was to nod my head, smile and say 'sure' and then turn around and play what actually works rather than what was asked for. What is the point of hiring a professional and then telling them their job? When you hire a chef you may choose the dishes and of course it will be to suit your tastes, but you don't tell them exactly what ingredients to use and how to combine them. Jazz, rock, polka - whatever works is what is best. In the end, as Mr Ellington himself says, 'it's all music'.

See you next time,
Cheers,
Amanda
www.amandaeston.com

Rehearsal - not for professionals?

Hi there,

When I first left my 'real' job to become a singer, I spent a lot more time rehearsing than I did performing in public. In my very first band, we would rehearse at least twice every week, for gigs that were few and far between. Now, warning bells peal if I get a call to work with a band that 'rehearses regularly'.

Now don't get me wrong, thank goodness I spent all those hours holed up in musty studios all those years ago - it's invaluable time that helps hone the craft. But when you turn professional you rarely have that luxury. Getting a group of pro musicians in the one room at the one time is difficult unless you're prepared to pay them. I probably prepare and practise more for gigs now than I ever did in those early days, but now those neural pathways are mostly forged on my own time. The rehearsal studio is the venue where all the hopefully well-practised pieces of songs come together - it's all about the polishing and the buffing.

I made the mistake once of agreeing to join a band who rehearsed every Tuesday night. I loved the concept of the band, so I jumped in. The band leader sent me a list of songs and the date and venue of the first rehearsal, so I spent some hours getting the repertoire down. I try to aim for about 80% of the final product for a rehearsal - I want to be really familiar with the melody and have the lyrics and form charted out but leave a bit of room to move for changes that invariably happen during the first run-throughs. The band leader called the first song on this first Tuesday and the guitarist asked how many bars were in the intro. Then the bass player asked if it was a single or double chorus. The piano player asked me to sing the melody of the verse so he could work it out. The drummer said 'I haven't really listened to this but I think I've heard it on the radio.' I should have listened to those bells. 

Learning is vital, preparation is critical, but they shouldn't be done when you're in the room with everyone else. Rehearsals are not for learning, not even really for practising. So what's the bottom line? Rehearsals are not for rehearsing...and always listen to bells ringing in your head.

See you next time,
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

Listen to your Mother

Hi there,
 
At what point do you get so good at doing something, there is very little room left for improvement? Or, when exactly is a dog too old to learn new tricks? 

The poster from my first ever cover band.

One of the comments, supposed compliments I hated getting in the early part of my singing career was: 'you've got so much potential'. I just wanted to be there, not always feel like I was just 'on the way'. But then, over the years and after hundreds of gigs, I could feel myself improving and I saw it all more like a steep hill you had to climb in order to get to that pesky 'potential', where you could surely afford to take a breather. 

But then my mum came to see me sing the other day and when I sat down with her in the break, she looked at me (or perhaps it would be more accurate to say 'looked right into me' like only a mother can) and said: 'you sing differently now'. I held my breath, steeling myself for criticism. She continued: ''I like it much better. You sing higher notes I didn't know you could and the notes move around more. You're a better singer,". I didn't like what I was hearing, because if I really had improved, there must have been something lacking before - and I thought I'd already climbed that hill! 

On reflection (OK and prodding from my husband) I realised what she said was great news - not only because being a better singer can only be a good thing but also, if I'm still learning then I mustn't yet be an old dog!!

See you next time,
Amanda

www.amandaeaston.com

So You Wanna Ditch the Day Job?

Hi there,

In the dim dark past I had a very well paid, secure full-time job with one of the biggest companies in the world. I was on a very clear upward path promising even greater riches and corporate-type rewards, so I should have been happy and grateful right?

Well, no. I had this niggling sensation that I was in the wrong place. I yearned for a badly paid job where I'd have to struggle for every dollar. A job with no sick or holiday pay, where you're constantly being judged. Where hours of preparation and work are in no way guaranteed to reap any kind of financial reward. So I jumped ship and became a full time singer.

I've been thinking back to those days because in the last week, two different people - one I know well and one I've never met - have decided they want to dump their corporate jobs to do music, and asked me about my experience.

One of the hardest things for me was telling my parents. They only wanted the best for me and had worked hard to send me to an expensive private school and put me through university. They were proud of my corporate career and regarded any music I did as nothing more than 'a nice hobby'. 

Julie Anthony & the St George Dragon

When I worked up the courage to tell them (just after I had told my employers, so there was no turning back) my mother cried for a week and my father told me it was the most stupid thing I had ever done. I still remember his comment: 'Why would you think you could do this? Do you really think you're as good as Julie Anthony?' I really only knew this singer from seeing her sing with a dragon on telly but I knew where he was coming from. Other people told me I was 'brave' which in many ways was a nice way to say 'dumb'. 

Anyway, it's not as if I became a millionaire pop princess that can now say to all the naysayers: 'See! I did the right thing! Look at me now!' But I have a job/life (singing is so much more than just a career) that I adore. I make a living doing what I love, so: 
'See! I did the right thing! Look at me now!'

Cheers,
Amanda

www.amandaeaston.com

Agents...who needs em?!

Hi there,

Why would you use an agent to get you gigs?

It's an agent's job to have strong relationships with venues, event bookers and even other agents. A good one will harness these contacts to get you work you might not otherwise get - and then manage the booking so that you can focus on just entertaining the masses. It's quite a luxury, well worth paying for in my book, that allows you to just be a performer and leave the business to the business people.

Now before you get the wrong idea, I'm not hear to praise all agents from the rooftops - it is an occupation up there with car sales and real estate in the trustworthy stakes, in some cases. However, one of my pet hates is entertainers constantly bitching about their agents (not suggesting I don't indulge in that sport myself occasionally). I booked a weekly singer songwriter night (PopTarts) for almost 10 years and while I wasn't strictly an 'agent', I certainly did a lot of the same work they did. And I can tell you, it's bloody hard! Dealing with publicans who measure entertainment success in terms of schooners sold and entertainers for whom the notion of promotion is a nebulous one can be frustrating and soul destroying. So before pissing on your promoter, try doing their job for yourself.

The problem is, a business hat doesn't always sit comfortably alongside an artistic hat on the same head - not everyone is cut out to balance books and belt out a ballad as well. But I do believe everyone needs to pull their head out of that creative soil just briefly to at least learn the basics.

Like many of my fellow songstresses, I've been doing this long enough that I have a pretty good idea what venues and event organisers are after. We should know how to do our own promotion and paperwork and understand the importance of being a business buff as well as polished performer. No one knows better than the act themselves, what they need, so could we just cut out that middle person - oh and save that at least 10% agent fee? Yes and No.

It's a tenuous world of work that I inhabit, where a gig can disappear on a whim. So I book about 50% of my work directly and the rest through a handful of agents I have built a rapport with - I like to share my eggs around in different people's baskets. I guess I just have to hope I get to deal more with competent cockerel types than the cocks.

See you next time!
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

5 Reasons NOT to Sing Covers

Hi there,

I’ve spent a lot of cyber inches defending the practice of singing ‘other people’s songs’ but today I’m going to be the Devil’s Advocate. Here's why you should not sing covers if you want to be an original music artist:

Amanda Gaga

     1. Branding Badly – The pilgrimage from disco queen territory to cool indie princess land is a long and arduous one. If you want to make a decent living from singing covers, chances are you will be singing pop and dance hits from the last three decades. Once you establish a reputation – among punters and industry – as this type of performer, it’s hard work shaking that image and establishing a new one at the other end of the spectrum of cool. 

2. Sullying your Style  – Becoming an original artist is all about finding and honing what is individual about you. On the other hand, the best cover and session singers can sing just about anything and do it convincingly. Cover singers spend so much time in Lady Gaga’s songwriting shoes that it can drag their skills and style in everybody’s direction but their own.

3. Distracting Habits – A few gigs a week, a few sets a gig adds up to lots of other people’s songs to be learnt. And if you want to stay in that game you can’t rest on your repertoire. It needs to be constantly refurbished and revised. Precious time that you could be spending writing your own masterpieces.

4. Losing the Love – sweaty, sleazy punters (show me one cover singer who’s never heard ‘Show us Yer Tits’ during a normal night’s work); a sound system from 1975 that makes it almost impossible to hear yourself sing; being on stage in front of a Spinal Tap-worshipping guitarist making it almost impossible to hear yourself sing; venues that make you sit in a broom cupboard in between sets and then ‘forget’ to pay you…you get the picture and I’m only scratching the surface of this particular image. If you were doing your own thing you might see a light through the end of the tunnel of poker machines, but sometimes singing Beyonce and Britney night after night just doesn’t make this scene worth it!

5. Showing your Bad Side – When you write for yourself, you custom the songs to suit you. You don’t have to try to sound like Ke$ha to please the punters.  Your own lyrics reflect the way only you would express yourself and you can manoeuver the melody to sit in your sweet spot. You’re presenting a brand new piece of art that is all you with no compromises and shows you at your best.

Next time: ‘Five Reasons You SHOULD Sing Covers’.

As usual, love to hear what you think,

Cheers,

Amanda

www.amandaeaston.com

Phone Sex?

Hi there,

Well they might not be suggesting that exactly but is it only me who thinks advertising the new Samsung phone as a 'life companion' is a little sad? Now I'm a major fan of all things digital but I would prefer to lay my digits on something, somebody, with a pulse! Having said that, I heard a TV Talent Show contestant say recently that music was their 'best friend'. A bit cheesy no doubt, but this I can relate to, in fact would even step it up a notch. It's all about lust, even love!

I recently came back from about 6 weeks overseas visiting family and just being on holiday - that means 42 days without singing, except for the bathroom and car stereo concerts! I can't remember the last time I've gone that long without my fix. Coming back after a long break was like being away from a lover and having to get to know them all over again...I flirted around my falsetto, was reticent with my resonance and became introverted with my intonation. But once I realised how good it all felt and why I was in love then I simply let go and, ah, went all the way. Nice to be back. By the way...what are you wearing?
Cheers,
Amanda

...like a hole in the head!

Hi there,

In the last couple of months I've been lucky enough to fall in love with Finland, be amazed by Estonia, be brought to tears of joy and admiration by Russia and then to reignite my wondrous affairs with Thailand, France and the Channel Islands - in short, had the time of my life with the people I love best. But I missed one thing (apart from you lot of course). I really truly missed singing! I came mighty close to wrestling the microphone from the band singer at a Bangkok riverside restaurant and I more than flirted with the idea of finding the closest karaoke joint in numerous European cities. I decided in the end to delay my gratification since I knew I was going to be greeted by a lovely full gig calendar at home. 

I often wonder what I would do if I didn't sing. Not just for a job, but I find singing to be the most wonderful release. Emotions, stress - the world just feels like a much better place once I've let it all out over the microphone. 

I have a favourite acupuncture point on the top of my head. When that needle goes in, it feels like pressure is released - like letting a trickle of air out of an over-filled balloon. Singing feels a bit like that for me. 

So, I guess you could say, I missed singing...like a hole in the head!

x

The Name Game - Hairy!

Hi there,

What's in an album name? I mean what was Adam Ant thinking when he released 'Dirk Wears White Sox'? Oh that's right, it was 1983. A decade for great album names, like Jermaine Jackson's 'Let Me Tickle Your Fancy'. I can see how the 70s could sire REO Speedwagon's 'You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish'. But what was Paul McCartney's excuse with his 2012 offering of 'Kisses on the Bottom'?

So, I'm trying to come up with the name of my new EP. My first album was called 'Amanda Easton'. Well I'd run out of creative energy after writing all those songs! The second was 'Chanteuse' suggested by an audience member. I like that one but the pronunciation caused consternation among radio DJs everywhere who ended up calling it 'Chantoozie'.

I have been stewing on the name for the new EP for quite a while. Mentioned my dilemma to husband, as he was hanging out the washing this morning. He said, quite out of the blue, how about 'Out of the Blue'? It's the name of one of the songs on the EP and it has double meaning...

Around 10 years ago, during an annus truly horribilis, I felt that my head was on fire so I dyed my hair flaming red. Fast forward to two years ago and life delivered me another corker to send me running for the dye bottle. (At least it wasn't a tequila bottle - we all have our particular coping mechanisms!). 
'Blue Velvet' I now am and 'Out of the Blue' is the name of the new EP.

If you'd like to be involved in it, please check out my crowdfunding link: www.pozible.com/amandaeaston and check out this little vid:

Cheers,
Amanda

Four Extra Inches? Always Say Yes

Hi there,

A muso friend receives an email offering a too-good-to-be-true career opportunity. What is she to do? My advice is 'just say yes!'. What if it is actually the real deal? You're going to say no because it's too good? When an unknown Madonna got offered her first record deal, did she say 'Nah, that's exactly what I want but it seems way too good to be true so I'll pass thanks!'

I got a strangely-worded email a few years ago asking if my band and I would like to come to Malaysia as guests of a world-famous cognac company, to perform as part of their publicity campaign. It would entail being treated like rockstars, staying in luxurious accommodations, doing gigs in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Oh, and how much would you like to be paid for the privilege? And did I mention we need you here in a week? The email lacked punctuation and had no signature at the bottom - it certainly didn't look corporate. What was being offered was almost dream-like. I had a little laugh when I received it, but instead of pressing the 'delete' button I employed the 'R.Fukert' attitude and replied. I came up with a figure I thought would be pretty generous on their part and promptly forgot about it and went on with my real life. 

The next day I received the paperwork to sign, including the generous figure I had proposed - really! Of course I got the contracts checked out and then we all had to scramble for visas and re-organise our lives for the next couple of weeks. But that trip still goes down as one of the most rockstar experiences of my life. As well as everything they had promised, they put on a huge press conference, with us as the star attractions. I did a photo spread for Malaysian 'Cosmopolitan' magazine and there were larger than life size banners of my face in the centre of the city. Sitting down one tropical evening - with drinks provided by the sponsor of course - I had an interesting conversation with our host. He was the one who had sent me that initial email. He asked me if Australian bands were perhaps not very internet savvy - a very large percentage of the emails he had sent to bands apparently went ignored. I'm sure it was because the bands had assumed the email was of the same ilk as those offering 'up to four extra inches'.

So now my credo is, 'just say yes - until you have to either sign something or pay any money'. Of course you have to be careful if it involves contracts or cash, but until then...why not go with the flow and see if it leads to an exotic rockstar experience? 

Cheers,
Amanda

Video Thrilled the Radio Star

Video Thrilled the Radio Star


Hi there,


I interrupted my 'How to Get on the Radio' series by putting in my 2 cents about The Voice last blog...but that actually segues quite nicely back to this topic today.


The best way to get on the radio is to get on the telly. I've been told this directly by people in the industry - 'Go forth and get thyself on a soapie!' Certainly worked in Oz for the two Natalies, Kylie, Jason and even cooler indies like Clare Bowditch are currently giving the box a try. And why not, the exposure is fab - you're all colour and movement in thousands of living rooms simultaneously? My problem with using the telly as a promo vehicle for the radio is that TV is even harder to get on to than the radio! It reminds me of 'There's a hole in my bucket Dear Liza Dear Liza'. Poor Liza can't get any water in her bucket because of said hole but the only way she can fix it is by using water - from said bucket...

Of course now we've got multiple audio visual mediums to aim for. YouTube and its cohorts should never be overlooked as promo vehicles - make your own music video, do a tour v-log and film your live shows. Ask fans to make a video to your new song. Don't forget Community TV - TVS in Sydney is great and is always looking for good content. 


Metropolitan Radio has to sit up and take notice once there is enough groundswell from other sources. These sources include metro regional radio stations. If you're touring in their area, organise to drop in - you're newsworthy on the Gold Coast just by touring the Gold Coast. Gold FM might get you on air for a live acoustic version of a song. Of course by this stage you've already sent a press release to the Gold Coast Bulletin (and followed up with a phone call) and maybe they've interviewed you and published a story and photo in their music section about your gig at a local venue.


An old marketing adage states that a consumer needs to see your 'message' seven times before it registers. Music promotion has to be a multi-pronged approach, so use every vehicle at your disposal until the big guns clock you. Once there's a buzz, to really get under the noses of the likes of Nova or 2Day Fm you need to save quite a few pennies and get yourself a radio promoter. Russell Thomas and Stephen Green are the two that seem to have the goods in Australia. They have already built up the networks and relationships that ensure radio programmers take their calls and listen to their recommendations. 
Cheers,
Amanda

How to Get on the Radio Part 3

Hi there,

The last coupla blogs have been concerned with getting music onto the all-important community radio networks in Australia. Don't worry, I know you want the low-down on commercial radio in Australia - that's coming in the next blog. But I thought I'd attack the more achievable stuff first.

Internet radio is everywhere on the, uh, internet nowadays. So how do you pinpoint which stations to target in the vastness that is cyberspace?

Two of the best directories for interent radio I've found are: http://www.internet-radio.com and

http://www.radiotower.com.

They have listings by genre and indie/unsigned sections as well as the typical music genres. It's a matter of filtering down to the ones that are right for your style of music and visiting the websites individually - it may be a long process but you've got a pretty good chance of airplay if your targetting is good. 


iTunes is also useful - there is a Radio link under the Library header in your iTunes navigation menu. Click on that for a catalogue of hundreds of internet radio stations, categorised by genre. While you're there, don't forget the podcasts. 

Here are a few of the net radio stations worth singling out:


Pandora. Apparently it has more than 50 million listeners worldwide. It uses the Music Genome Project to delivers customised radio to each one. Once the Pandora system learns someone's musical preferences, it serves up a continuous stream of music the listener should actually like. Check out Pandora’s not-exactly-straightforward artist submission guidelines here: http://submitmusic.pandora.com. It's free to join.


Jango customises radio for its users too. "Jango Airplay" is a promotion service that gives emerging artists guaranteed airplay on Jango's stations, as "similar artists" alongside the popular artists of their choice. Packages start from about $10 for 250 plays. www.jango.com

Last.fm also matches new music to users' tastes. It's free for artists and labels to register but Australian listeners have to pay a subscription fee. http://www.last.fm/

Radar Music is an Aussie music site that features interviews as well as streaming music. Upload your music for free. www.radarmusic.com.au

One of great things about a lot of internet radio is their ability to link your tracks directly to iTunes or Amazon - and that's pretty hard to do from a stereo!

See you next time - I'm going to be talking about getting onto Commercial radio in Australia...

Cheers,

Amanda

Songwriting - Therapeutic or Tedious?

Hi there,


I've decided this is the year I finish the first draft of my novel. As a result, I've been reading a lot of how-to books on the subject to help nudge me along. Every single one so far has said that most writers don't actually enjoy writing. They enjoy having written, the satisfaction of finishing a piece of creative work. But the laborious process of getting the words in the right order is often plain frustrating.


I am hoping that learning more about writing fiction will also help me improve my songwriting. I've got to admit, those days when I'm wrangling rhymes and slaving over syllables can be more about exasperation than inspiration...but oh how I love having written!  So can you compare lyric writing and writing a book? Let's see, I'm going for 85,000 words for my novel - a song for me will be more like 150. But of course you have to consider rhyme and singability for song words too. And then there's that pesky music to go with the words.


A piece of advice that seems to be consistent in these 'Dummies Guide to Writing your Novel' type tomes is to allow yourself to write freely. It really helps to silence your internal judge at least for the first draft. So this week one of my goals will be to write a quick pop song. Get it out in one go without agonising over adjectives and getting vexed over verses. No editing. No refining. No censoring. Muzzle that inner critic and let the fun begin!

Size isn't Everything!

Christmas tree has come down, time to make plans! I've been talking a bit about making Album No 3 up until now, but I've changed my mind.

Remember, back in the day, when you used to buy singles? As in the plastic variety, not the downloadable doodads. For an artist, it was a big deal to release a single and get the physical product manufactured, distributed etc. You'd usually have at least two singles from the album and then release the album (LP) itself.

Some people opted to release EPs instead but I always found them annoyingly short. As a listener it meant I had to get off my bottom after only 15 or 25 minutes to press the repeat button or change the disk, compared to the at least 40 minutes playing time you'd get out of an album.

Well a lot of this is irrelevant now isn't it? I know one of my greatest enjoyments is making playlists for my plethora of music-playing gadgets, from a selection of my favourite digitised songs. I can make that playlist as long as I like. And so you could say that whether the artist chooses to release a single, an album or EP is really irrelevant - as a fan I can choose to cherry pick my favourite tracks from my nearest download etailer anyway.

I got to thinking, I don't HAVE to release an album. In fact, if I opt to go for something closer to an EP, I can actually do releases more often. So... from now on I'm going to be talking about my upcoming EP 1 in a series of 3, although let's hope I can come up with a more interesting title than that. And I will probably make the plastic version as well as the digital doodad.

I know there are the purists out there who still like to hold those shiny disks in their hands...but just think of all that exercise, getting off your bottoms and (hopefully) pressing the repeat button on my new EP!