Last week, we went to see Denver thrashers Havok open for English Dogs in Oakland. Afterward, we had a quick chat with drummer Pete Webber and guitarist Reece Scruggs — not only about the usual stuff like today’s music biz and social media, but also about a sweet deal they hashed out with English Dogs …
I get a lot of musicians asking me about what they should do next or what they are missing from their band operations. I figured that it might be a good idea if I put a basic blueprint together of things you should have down to effectively pursue your career in music. This is not …
We tracked down All Shall Perish guitarist (and We Need Merch owner!) Ben Orum over the weekend to pick his brain about today’s music biz. Ben offered his thoughts on “piracy,” the effectiveness of social media, and other tips for aspiring bands in the 2012 metal hustle.
It is always great to talk with artists about their feelings on the industry and what they are doing to advance and succeed. I had a chance to speak with Obe Babakhan of Until We Sleep and ask him about his thoughts… Hey Obe! I wanted to thank you to take time to talk …
Anyone here from Sweden, Norway, or Finland? One of your fellow Shreddit metalnerds compiled all the geographical info from Encyclopaedia Metallum and created this awesome heat map showing which countries have the most metal bands per capita. And it looks like the stereotype is true — Nordics reign supreme!
Considering how more and more of a band’s revenue nowadays revolves around selling merch, it’s a good idea to diversify your band’s merch stash beyond the usual t-shirt and patch selections. Luckily, the good folks at Unified Manufacturing offer awesome merch ideas like iPod skins, flag pennants, and even cassette tapes (so kvlt!) for the …
We caught up with Warbringer frontman John Kevill after their opening slot for Symphony X in San Francisco last weekend. John dished on many aspects of the music biz, including how he’s dealing with his label (Century Media) pulling all their artists off Spotify and about Warbringer’s JK-BNR role of being “traveling t-shirt vendors.”
One of the last legitimate lines of defense we see for record labels these days is the notion that they can help your band go on tour. If you can’t scrounge together the connections to book your own shows or the finances for a van and some gas money, a label supposedly helps you with …
Last week, we caught up with Jon and Pat of Threat Signal down in Vegas and invaded their hotel room for the following interview. We asked them about their thoughts on dealing with (or, in their words, “coping with”) the music biz, including one-sided record contracts, working second jobs to support their music careers, and the importance …
Sometimes, you get stuck in a rut with your band, but have conflicted emotions about jumping ship. Now, the good folks at GuitarSquid have made that decision easy by using the greatest invention known to mankind — a flow chart! Hopefully, this means no more battered bandmate syndrome for you.
There is something that every artist needs to understand and fully submerge themselves in: You have to know the business of music! These days — to be DIY — you have to stay ahead of the game, working harder and researching more. You can’t think of yourself as simply an artist, because this is a business …
Guitarists, have you ever wanted to get a great quality pedal, like an overdrive or delay? But when you priced what seemed to be the best corporate branding had to offer, you were looking at anywhere between $150-$200 and upwards of $250 for “branded” boutiques? Last week, I sat down with DIY boutique pedal-maker Walt Cannoy …
I think it’s fair to assume that most of you who come to this site will be into anything heavy and will wanna get the most out of your recordings (least I would hope so). In this series of posts, I’m going to walk you through the step-by-step process of metal recording and production in hopes of …
There are very few principles of metal that are embodied consistently across all of its subcultures — one is a no-compromise attitude and another is self-respect. These tenets have garnered nearly universal acclaim from all corners of the metal community for bands like Metallica (well, before the 90’s), Pantera, Death, and only a few others. But …
Bay Area prog/death metallers Dissipate will have a new album out soon. The band (and fellow Metalluminati supporters) have been in the studio working on the upcoming album for the past six months. If you like Animals As Leaders and Allegaeon, you will definitely love what these guys are doing. Check out guitarist Mike Gianelli showing off his Buckethead-esque chops …
Drummer Bill Ward’s refusal to a Black Sabbath reunion over an “unsignable contract” shows that ANYONE — even metal royalty — can get screwed by record contracts.
To read part 1, click here. Laying a Foundation We have witnessed a revolutionary change in modern recording in the last decade: the ability for anyone to have access to affordable means to record a song from the convenience of their own home. Despite that, one big challenge that remains is achieving a commercial, studio-quality …
Let’s face it; in this modern climate of world economic-crisis, countries going bust, governments taking more of our hard-earned cash, and the music industry in financial turmoil from sheer ignorance, do we really have the money to spend $2000+ on a guitar to be and sound professional?! The answer…well, if you say yes; lucky you. …
The piracy debate is definitely a polarizing argument in the music industry, even among the writers and staff of the Metalluminati. So, I figured it was time to lay out my opinion. Just remember: Wherever you stand on the debate, the overall goal to both sides of the argument is ultimately to defend and help artists, …