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Looper's Delight
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For some strange reason alot of people seem to think musicians from somewhere else are more significant than the local ones,seems to be true all over.But folks in smaller towns tend have less entertainment options and are less jaded. Though with internet ,cable etc such distinctions are dissaperaring to some extent I generally find tough audiences boring,but for a band it's like lifting wieghts.The Beatles never would have gotten as good as they did if they hadn't played the joints they did in Hamburg.And they did 5 or 6 sets a night. Not that they were great players,but they were a great band cause they knew how to move people,What better way top learn than on the disinterested,if you can move them,the others are trivial. Carlos Santana started out playing blues in Whorehouses in Tijuana.If you really beleive people need booze to have a good time ,then I think it's a matter of using the club gigs and disinterested audiences for exercise.In which case the only worthwhile attitude is Take No Prisoners. Personally I prefer to play to the psychedelics crowd-they listen and are ready to be taken somewhere. But I know from experience it's possible to self promote.The idea that if you have a draw the clubs will hire you anyway means you have to cut them in on the profits.If you already have a draw,why do that? Same with recording deals .If I own 100% of the product I only have to sell 10% as much as the standard contracts,to make the same net. If I was in Boston ,where you can't spit without hitting a college,(there must be dozens in the greater area) I'd start doing free gigs on campuses, appear on college radio(always make friends with station mgrs and Djs ,remember their names for later promos Personal contact can get your stuff on the air.),and then advertise self produced events.Also student organizations have money to promote cultural events.Student groups also have free or very cheap use of campus facilities,and there are often people who are interested in learning to put on events who can work with you. People will tend to identify with music they hear and like during high school/college years.This is why major labels pay close attention to what's happening on campuses. At early stages it's not too hard to get people to help you fro little or nothing if they think it's going to go somewhere,or if they think they'll be able to soak up excess groupies,free beer, etc. Or you can find a wacko subculture to become the soundtrack for. For eccentrics like Ted-well I'm sure there aren't any others like him,but aside from old style polite quiet poetrey readings,there is the Poetry Slam movement,which prides itself on intensity, and dynamic delivery (Which can be torturous as well)Playing inventive music in such scenes can be very good indeed,artistically if not financially.I've performed with poets a number of times-great times. Art openings are another potential place to be heard by people with adventurous tastes,and generally include free wine and food. It's of course crucial to put out a mailing list next to the CDs and swag during all such outings.