Music Man – Time for A Change?

In gearing up to hit the road for a bit, I went to see
several unsigned bands in Atlanta this past week. Some new, and some that have been around for a while
(maybe too long?). It’s the latter of those two groups that have been on my mind
lately. I’ve been thinking about bands who slug it out on the road
either regionally or nationally for several years only to play to the same
small to mid-sized crowd every single time. No growth, no buzz, no excitement, no creativity; just boredom.

At what point should bands in this situation take inventory
of their situation and consider a minor if not major change? Notice I didn’t
say at which point should they consider quitting; I wouldn’t go that far unless it was
painfully obvious that it was time (as it was with my own band in the early
2000’s – and WOW was it obvious). It just seems that generally speaking, more
bands than not get caught in the same rut over and over again, and they don’t
know how to get out of it. In fact, most don’t even realize it’s happening to
them, and that’s the WORST. If you’re a band, and you’ve been playing the circuit for
18 months or longer and you have not seen your fan-base grow
considerably, its time to consider a change. It’s time to start wondering why
your music or show isn’t connecting with people. Why aren’t people spreading
the word about your show, your songs, your merch, SOMETHING?!

If your goal is to get a record deal (and I realize not
every band wants this), and there was once a lot of buzz about your band in the
label community, but nothing ever came of it, you should consider an overhaul.
I can tell you from experience that once we’ve passed on a band, we’re very
unlikely to look a second time. Harsh I know, but it’s the truth and if you do
get that second look, it has to be flawless, 'cause there's no such thing as a third. I regularly see bands that seem
blind to this. That, or there’s a refusal to acknowledge that perhaps something
is wrong with them. It’s maddening, because a lot of these bands have potential to be
bigger then they are, but refuse to budge when it comes to making simple
changes. Or maybe they’ve just never been told … so allow me.

All I’m saying is that I wish more bands would step outside
themselves, take a look around, and realize that it’s time for a change. Things
just aren’t clicking as they should be and it’s time to re-think everything. It
could be as simple as a name change. You’d be surprised how that alone could
reinvigorate a band.
It also helps shed the baggage that may be there from years of being passed
over by potential fans, labels, publishers, magazines, blogs, etc. If a name
change is too much to ask, then try to freshen up the overall vibe of the band from
image to the actual sound. If that’s not going to work out for you then
consider going away for a while. Actually, most bands should do this anyway. Don’t
play your home town for at least six months, and when you come back make it an
event. Make it the show everyone talks about for the next week. And from that
point on, make every single show that way. Stop playing your home town every
other week. You’re only spreading your already small fan base too thin. Every
show should be special. I’m not interested in seeing some bar’s house band,
and neither are your fans.

Don’t get me wrong, I admire the road dogs who, in the face
of poverty, cramped vans, and grumpy club owners stick to it and soldier on. I also admire those who are out there doing it sheerly for the sake of the art. You shouldn't change what you're doing just to make a buck. I’m simply talking about the point in a bands career at which it’s time to
look around and realize that change isn't the enemy. In 1989,
at the last show of U2’s most successful tour (The Lovetown tour in support of
the Joshua Tree album) Bono famously said, “We’re going away to dream it all up
again.” At the time U2 was the biggest band in the world, Joshua Tree was
multi-platinum (has since sold over 27 million copies), and even they realized
that it was time for a change. It was time to re-imagine everything, to freshen
up if you will. They stuck to their promise and came out with Achtung Baby a couple
years later which in every way couldn’t have been more opposite of their
previous releases, and it was just as successful.

Is changing your name, your sound, your vibe going to make
you U2? Absolutely not, but it will at the very least inspire you towards a
better career in the already hard-to-make-it music world. Plus, it will make my
job a lot easier – so if you don’t do it for yourself, at least help ME out.

Follow Me on Twitter as I head to Lollapalooza this weekend.