Merchandise is a huge thing for artists, especially nowadays when album sales are dwindling and there are a sea of artists available to music fans with a few taps on a keyboard. You want to stand out. You want to survive financially. You want to see cool people wearing your t-shirts.
This is understandable. But how do you figure out exactly what’s good to get, where to go, and how much should you get?
There are a few ways to think of merchandise as an artist. The least crass way is as an extension of your music, a complement to what you’re putting out there sonically. The most crass way is it’s the only way a lot of us can make any money in this business and you want people to advertise your “brand”. I think both are important to understand and accept, and that you shouldn’t be making merchandise JUST to try and make money. Anything that smacks of desperation may come across that way to fans, and you never want to milk your fans just because you could use a little extra cash. It always has to be worth everyone’s while...as much as making crap to buy can be, at least.
So you may be thinking “what should I get first?” Let’s back up a second. First off, ask yourself a few questions:
1) Do I have a band name that is uniquely mine? The first part of that question can be done by a little thing called a Google search (hint: “The Beatles” is already taken). It may seem stupid, since your band is just starting out, but take it from someone who knows—it’s a pain when there are several bands with the same name as you out there, especially when they may all think they have rights to the name. Trademarking isn’t cheap, but it’s what you sometimes have to do to ensure your name is actually your name. You don’t want to deal with lawyers if you don’t have to. With a name you know is available you won’t have to.
2) Do I have a nice logo that’s memorable yet speaks to the people that I want listening to my music? After all, a catchy logo is important, and a catchy logo with an icon of some sort even more. And while some people don’t think too much about the context of it, realize that you’ll probably never see a Radiohead album with the logo in some awesome black metal font (cool as that would be). Think it through, as that name and logo will be the first thing a lot of people see about your band.
3) Is this band worth investing in? This is the most important thing. If you’re three weeks into rehearsing with the band and one person’s definitely moving away to college, the other has a weird addiction to portapotty fumes, and you’re just in it for a good time, then maybe you don’t want to blow even a few hundred bucks on shirts. If you’ve been around for a while and feel like your musical thang is fairly stable…well then by all means go for it. Just don’t feel like you HAVE to do it. Especially if the band is constantly on the brink of collapse and you’ve only played one open mic so far.
If you’ve worked through those three questions, then let’s talk what’s smartest to get in terms of merchandise. My first suggestion is stickers, as they’re cheap to make, people love getting them for free, and they put them everywhere. I’ve used www.stickerguy.com for mine since day one. For $20-50 you can get a bunch of stickers and ideally people will grab them at your merch table and put them on their laptops, cars, or baby’s foreheads. It’s all free publicity, and if your stickers are cool enough maybe if some uninitiated music lover sees them enough they’ll check you out. They’re also really cheap to mail to people, which is always something to take into consideration given that you may have more fans in another state or country than in your hometown. Think of stickers as a gateway drug into buying more merch (or, better yet, give them away with the purchase of a something else. Any excuse is a good excuse to give people stickers.)
The second thing I recommend getting is shirts. I used to recommend CDs as the second, but now you can put up tons of music free/cheap on the internet and you can’t download a t-shirt. People DO still buy CDs at shows though, so either get small runs of CDrs made or larger runs of replicated [i.e. “real”] CDs made, if the demand warrants it. Back to shirts, though. Luckily these days there are plenty of sites that can handle small batch orders of shirts. With that said know that the more you buy, the cheaper the shirts get. Bulk purchase is a beautiful thing, but also know that a limited design will sell faster if you’ve got a solid fanbase. I often sell short runs of designs and keep the orders to whatever I sell in preorder. Why? I don’t have a huge budget, and even though that means people who preorder will need to wait a bit longer to get the shirts in hand (and be up front about that), you’ll have all the money in the bank when you order them.
If your fans are game, preordering is one of the best ways to offset your costs in general. It’s saved my butt on numerous occasions, as I’ve done it with special editions of CDs (which I budgeted to pay for the entire run of CDs, including the “non-special” versions) and a lot of other items. It’s a good idea to let people save a few bucks if they preorder as well. Then it’s win-win in terms of everyone getting something special out of the deal.
Always know your budget, my friends. Always know what you can handle. While it takes money to make money, you can’t make money if you’re paying off the money with things you’re not selling. Then you get desperate and pissed. See what you can handle. It may mean buying less shirts and costing a bit more, but you’re building an empire brick by brick, not building by building.
In terms of where to go, I’ve gone through a few places for T-shirts over the years. When I have to order larger amounts of shirts (and I’m talking 100 or over. I’m not Metallica and selling thousands a show) I’ve always personally gone through www.industrialshirts.com for what I do (and there’s probably a version of this site for every genre of music). I’ve been friends with Rev John for years and always try and work with people I know and know will come through for me. I’ve also done smaller batches through www.rushordertees.com and even though I’ve never used them personally, I know a lot of people use www.vgkids.com. Remember that you can also get a screen printing kit and go even more DIY and make them yourself. Searching out local printers is also a good call, as that will save you money on shipping if it applies and it’s always nice supporting local businesses. Most importantly just find someplace you can trust.
Once you decide on a design and quantity, think about pricing. You don’t want to ultimately lose money on shirts, but know that you’ll probably give some out to band members, superfans, promoters, or people that help you out by watching your merch or something while you’re playing. I initially priced my shirts at $10 simply to move them. You don’t want to underprice anyone else you’re playing with (which may mean you charge more at a show to price match, but that’s just common courtesy to other bands…and might be required if you’re playing with a larger artist who requires you to do so to sell them at all), but know that if you try and sell a t-shirt at $25 and you’re opening shows when it’s still light outside…yeah, you aren’t going to sell many. You want these shirts being worn and worn by as many people as possible, so don’t think in terms of huge profits- think in terms of promotion…and not losing a lot of money. Also, don’t buy shirts that are the cheapest quality. The difference between crap and a decent quality shirt may be a dollar or two, but it’ll also mean it doesn’t fall apart in the wash, lose its ink, and will ideally be worn more frequently. People appreciate quality. For the record I usually charge about $15 for shirts now, simply because the costs in general have gone up for materials and it still feels like a fair price to me, especially when I see a bigger show the artists are charging $25-35 for bullshit.
As for other items I’ve made over the years, well they’ve ranged from shot glasses (and make VERY sure whoever you go through makes DISHWASHER SAFE ones—my first run of glasses were crap and I felt horrible every time someone mentioned the ink coming off) to patches/badges to dog tags and thongs. The important things to remember when deciding on merch is will it travel safely (shot glasses are sturdier than pint glasses) and how much room will they take up in your van/car/suitcase/closet (shot glasses are significantly smaller than pint glasses as well). Also, how heavy are they in terms of shipping? Keep this in mind, as even though you’ll want to add postage to orders you don’t want someone to skip buying your band’s merch because it’s $40 to mail your logo-fied hunk of iron ore. Shipping overseas has also gotten ridiculous, so being wary of heavy items may mean selling more to your fans over there.
Have fun coming up with merch, too. A classic logo design is great, but actually saying something with that logo will attract more buyers. You want to stand out, after all. My “TELL ME ABOUT MY UTERUS” shirts (which is a sample from one of my early songs) were a huge hit with men and women. So were my “STOP SAMPLING FULL METAL JACKET” shirts. They don’t always have to be funny, either. Do what works for you, but being bold usually works out better than being timid when it comes to design. Again, figure out what works for you and how you want to represent yourself. Coming up with unique, limited merch ideas is a great plan as well, but know that if you invest in something handmade or more expensive in general that you might not get any takers. We aren’t all KISS, after all. We can’t all sell coffins with our faces on them…but I’m working on it. As you build your audience you’ll hopefully get a gauge on what they want from you, and it’s always nice to supply it.
When it comes to pricing items be fair, but know that you’re doing this to make a little money so you can afford the gas home for a gig. Often I try and see what other artists are pricing their merchandise at (especially online) to get a feel for what’s standard. I usually budget out things like shot glasses and say to myself “How many of these can I sell at X-PRICE to break even?” Depending on the item and what I’m buying it for (figuring in postage), I generally try and put that number between 1/3 and 1/2 of the full quantity being bought. That means that if I can sell 33-50 of 100 widgets I’ll be making money. Again though, you don’t want to rip anyone off, so I generally err on the side of caution and take a little less money knowing that more people may end up buying them and getting the Caustic name out there a bit more. It all depends on the item as well and where you get price breaks in terms of quantity.
On that note, sometimes selling things (like shot glasses) cheaper if people want to buy them in multiple quantities is a good thing. Your fans appreciate a good deal just like you do, so give them one as long as it still works out for you, too. Also, sometimes there's no way you can get a good price break on an item for where your budget is and whatever you want to get will be grossly overpriced. Wait if this is the case. There's no reason to lose your butt on a merch idea if nobody would want to pay that much for it to begin with. Save the idea for later when a sale happens or you find another place that can do it for a better price.
A big thing to be aware of is you should know that creating merch means you might be spending a lot of money with not much coming back in at first, so be exceptionally cautious with it as being an artist is already stressful enough without being bitter that you invested a few grand in merchandise and have only sold one shirt to your mom and another to your (now) ex-boyfriend. I often test out design ideas by putting them up online to see what people think. If I don’t get a huge reaction I just avoid making that design. In some cases (such as the recent “Oregon Trail” Caustic shirts) someone just put together a picture as a joke and I reposted it and people demanded a shirt, so we said what the hell and made it (and I paid the design originator for the good idea). Interacting with your fanbase helps feel out what they want, plus it lets them know that you’re listening to them (as you should, in a lot of cases). In any case know that you’re going to have to work your ass off to sell your stuff, so get used to telling people (and telling them often) when you have new merchandise coming out. That’s another good reason to have a preorder, by the way—you’ll be advertising the new shirt/hat/CD way before it’s even made.
It’s a good idea not to invest in a ton of merch at once, so don’t go crazy and buy three designs of shirts AND a thousand CDs AND a bunch of bras. Also, try and be frugal when working with designers. Don’t let your ego and need to have that “perfect designer” mean you spend more on a shirt design than what the shirts will ultimately cost. There’s always someone out there that will work less expensively for that chance to get their name out there (and let people know who made the design—it’s just professional courtesy. Also, try and at least pay them a little for their efforts.) Logo shirts are always a good first shirt to make, too. A good rule of thumb to be aware of is that if most people wear black shirts in your scene then you shouldn’t challenge the status quo and make yours bright orange. Please PLEASE be aware that if you make merchandise know that it’s for the long haul. The chances of you selling a million shirts at one gig are slim to none. That’s why pricing your breakeven point is important—you’ll know you’ve ideally made your money back after the first rush sold, so the rest of the sales that trickle in after the fact can be all profit and help fund later merchandise endeavors.
Finally, while being cautious, frugal, and creative will hopefully ensure the most success in moving your merchandise at shows, know that the best way to sell it is to make incredible music and put on the biggest shows possible. Otherwise they’re just buying another shirt, and they can buy those anywhere and probably cheaper than what you’re selling them for. The music and your relationship with your fans is the main reason to support you, and the merchandise is simply a way for them to show that support. And for them to not be naked.
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Caustic on Twitter: www.twitter.com/_caustic_
Caustic Store: thecausticstore.bigcartel.com
Caustic's new album THE MAN WHO COULDN'T STOP is out NOW on Metropolis Records: www.industrial-music.com
One of the questions I get most frequently is “how the hell are you so productive?” The easiest answer is ADHD and an obsessive need to get as much done in my life before I die, but since that (hopefully) only applies to a certain chunk of the population, here are some other suggestions I think could be helpful:
1) Stop internetting/videogaming/pornwanking.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Stop distracting yourself with other people’s creativity (if you wanna call porn that, by all means go for it) and keep working on your own. Sure, it’s addictive, but so is finishing a new song, painting, or that creepy fanfic tale you’ve been messing with about the Lorax and the tree nymphs.
2) Don’t second guess.
It’s easy to doubt yourself, but work on pushing that out of your skull and just say “good enough for now”. Unless you’re Jack Kerouac and think you should never revise your original thoughts know that THIS CAN JUST BE A DRAFT/DEMO. Don’t worry about refining your ideas until you’ve got something done. You’ll learn soon enough what needs changing, so churn out the first version and then turn it into something awesome.
3) Have fun.
This should be a simple concept, but so many people think they have to be some tortured artist and always scream LIFE IS PAIN, but do you know what? It might be, but you should enjoy the creative process. The more you enjoy it, the more you’ll want to continue doing it and obsess over it and want to improve your craft.
4) Just say “it’s finished”.
I hazily recall reading somewhere once that David Bowie said if he had the opportunity he’d change every song he’s ever written. There’s a good chance that you’ll always want to mess with or tweak what you’ve done, but it takes a bit of wisdom and/or restraint to just say “this is done”. If you still feel like it needs tweaking come back to it later, but you have to let your baby out of the nest at some point.
5) There are no bad ideas, just a ton you have no reason to use.
Brainstorming is a wonderful thing, especially the aspect of it that says “there are no bad ideas”. One seemingly stupid idea could be the catalyst for the most brilliant idea you’ve ever had, so when you’re working through your creative process don’t immediately dismiss anything. Write it down or try it out, even if it sucks. You never know when you’re going to strike gold with an idea that seems useless or a nnot alloweder, but it happens all the time. Hell, the opening of Guns n’ Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine was just Slash practicing scales and Axl liked the way it sounded. Let the ideas flow.
6) Work with people you like.
Making music can go from incredibly fun to no fun in the space of five minutes, especially when you’re stuck on a song. This is where having talented pals help a lot. The beauty of the internet means you can have friends worldwide that can offer advice in the time it takes to send an mp3 in an email. It’s also important to work with good people when you’re doing the rest of the work for an album, like the graphic design, mastering, or production work. For a lot of artists the “other work” can end up being tedious, especially if they don’t have concrete ideas on how they want things to look or feel. Having talented, positive people to work with can help complement your ideas, or better yet, they can offer up ideas that will take your work to another level sonically or visually. Find people that share your passion and give a crap. The results will show. Having fun is critical for you not to burn out.
7) Don’t take yourself seriously.
There’s a vast difference between taking your art seriously and taking yourself seriously. I make songs called Lady Business and Carpe Rectum and while these songs aren’t all supposed to be Tears in Heaven, at the same time I take a lot of pride in trying to make them good songs overall, while at the same time knowing I’m still just writing what is essentially a stupid song. People who take themselves too seriously as “artistes” generally have a lot of trouble taking chances and thinking past their preconceived notions of their massive importantness. By having a sense of humor about what you do, even with the most serious songs and subject matter, you allow yourself to keep your mind open to new ideas that may creep into your noggin that may feel unorthodox for you, but may be the perfect thing to make your song better. Plus, self-important artists are about as impressive as self-important janitors. We get it, you’re creative. Get off your pedestal, because you’re still working a day job and can’t sell out a coffee shop. Lighten up.
8) “Jam”.
While I hate the thought of electronic jam bands (but enjoy experimental live performances— sure, let’s pretend there’s a difference), I love just messing around with my gear and stumbling on a cool sound or nice little melody line. Sometimes I jump into a song with a dozen set ideas, which are generally abandoned halfway into the session for cooler ideas that I come up with while trying to realize the original idea. One of my favorite things about creating art is the “mistakes” which end up driving the music. Let them happen. Don’t be a creative fascist, as by keeping yourself in a box with “how it must be” you might be ignoring “how it should be.”
9) Start simple, stay simple.
I know people who have spent tens of thousands of dollars on every high end gadget, program, and piece of hardware and haven’t produced a note that was even mildly interesting. It’s not about what you spend, it’s what you can do with what you have. This doesn’t mean don’t be a gear whore, it’s just that you should realize that music doesn’t need to be overcomplicated to be good, and often people dismiss an idea if it seems too “easy”. Well maybe it does to you, but to the rest of the world it may have never occurred to them. On top of that your “easy” idea may be exactly what the song needs to succeed. Simple is good, and if anything getting the basic idea out of you will help you build the foundation to start complicated the crap out of it.
10) Realize it will never be perfect.
It’s easy to say, harder to practice. This goes hand in hand with learning to just say a track is finished. So many people strive for an unattainable perfection in creating, when they fail to realize A) That’s impossible, as any creative endeavor can be criticized, B) “Flaws” in songs are sometimes what make a them beautiful and “real” to people. Remember that perfect, shiny production isn’t necessarily what every track needs, and finding your own sound and style may put some people off at first, but for those who are drawn to it you’ll have real fans and not people who just bounce from artist to artist because they sound interchangeable. You want to connect with people on an emotional level as much as a sonic one. Don't forget that.
Strive for the best art you can make, not what you consider “perfect”. The worst thing about thinking something is “perfect” is the next day you’ll find a new problem with it. Let it go. You have a million more songs in you that want to get out. Keep going.
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Caustic on Facebook: www.facebook.com/causticmusic
Caustic on Twitter: www.twitter.com/_caustic_
Caustic Store: thecausticstore.bigcartel.com
Caustic's new album THE MAN WHO COULDN'T STOP is out NOW on Metropolis Records: www.industrial-music.com
One of the hardest parts of the creative process is when you’re unmotivated or, better put, burned out. Rarely have I seen someone who is consistently creating at the same level at all times. Usually, for me at least, it comes in bursts, so there are peaks where I’m creating nonstop and it’s flowing out of me like loud distorted water, or there are valleys where I have no idea if I’ll ever come up with an idea again. Of course experience has taught me that this is just part of the process, and if you aren’t brain dead and remain passionate about your art you’ll always come up with more creative fodder to turn into creative gold.
I’ve been fortunate enough to know that when one side of my creative brain is burned out I can move on to other creative endeavors, such as when my music creation is in a downtick I can write rants or blogs if an idea strikes me. The more I create the easier it gets though, so know that with practice and dedication you can work through any valleys. All of your work may not be brilliant, but allowing yourself to suck now and again can sometimes help you accidentally fall into an idea that sparks a bigger, much better idea. If those ideas aren’t coming at the pace you’d like, maybe it’s time to feed your brain some inspiration to jumpstart it back to work.
Here are some of the ways I get my head back in the proverbial creative game, motivation-wise.
1. TED TALKS
www.ted.com/talks is an incredibly fascinating and free website dedicated to talks from a large variety of speakers on a countless number of subjects, including creativity, inspiration, and how the brain works from people considered leaders and experts in those areas. Most of the video talks aren’t extremely long so you don’t need to dedicate hours to one speaker, but these short talks have opened my eyes to massive inspiration, or if anything showed me WHY I’m not motivated at times. Highly recommended.
2. LISTENING/READING/WATCHING THINGS THAT INSPIRE ME
Art, good or bad, breeds more art, and for me listening to my favorite albums and artists (or reading a good book, or seeing an art exhibit) can give me countless new ideas to try. Listening to artists I don’t know inside and out can do the same thing, sometimes even more, as their stylistic choices can show me new techniques and tools to try out. Inspiration for me is a desire to try something new and looking at things from a different perspective, and I sometimes get those ideas from dissecting art I like, whether it be trying to figure out why I like a painting or picking apart one of my favorite songs. Sometimes it’s also as simple as being in the moment while reading something, feeling the excitement of the story, and wanting to keep that energy going in my own way.
I also read a lot of books about music, film, etc. Artists' lives inspire the hell out of me (even artists I’m not really into), as they usually delve into the process that went into their art and discuss their philosophies of creativity. It may be preaching to the choir a bit (“Hey, I feel that way about creating, too!”), but it can also reaffirms your beliefs so you don’t just think you’re flat out crazy for doing what you do. Currently I’ve been enjoying a book series that’s been out for a while called the 33 1/3 series, where authors delve into how their favorite albums were made. It’s one book per album too, with artists ranging from the Beatles to Tom Waits to Nine Inch Nails to Public Enemy. Very cool stuff.
3. RIP SOMEONE OFF
While I’m not big on plagiarizing (insert White Knuckle Head Fuck joke here), I’ve also found I’m not very good at it. This is a great problem to have, as I have more than a few tracks that started out as me trying to mimic an artist I really loved and, as the track progressed, it turned more and more “Caustic-fied”. Always know that where you start with a work and where you end are entirely different places, and that tracks that were simply exercises in “How the hell did this artist do that?” can turn into some of your most original work when your individual creative process kicks in. All art is inspired from other art (or, again, art breeds art), so don’t feel weird or like a hack trying to sound like someone else as a shortcut for getting your brain going and making your own art. Tread carefully though, because it’s important to know when you’re inspired by someone and when you’re just copying their style. It’s got to hit that point where you take the wheel and go forward with own ideas, using their work ideally as a barely recognized foundation.
4. GET ANOTHER OPINION
Stuck on a project? Can’t figure out what’s wrong? Shutting down because of it? Talk to someone. I’ve often gotten as far as I think I can on a track or blog and just don’t have a freakin’ clue as to what to do next with it. I can stare at it for hours, listen to it all day, and STILL can’t come up with that magic bit of awesome to bring that sucka home. That’s when I call in my pals who usually know what I’m going for (or I tell them) and may be able to offer suggestions on elements to add, delete, or even structural changes. Every fix isn’t obvious, especially if you’re in the eye of the storm, so getting an outside perspective might jog your brain into seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. If anything, the observations may inspire a completely different idea that will get you back on track. There’s no harm in asking for advice. You’re still making the art, after all. A friend acting as editor can help a lot though.
5. GET ANGRY
While a relaxed mind is the best way to create for many, sometimes it’s not the best way to get motivated. Sometimes you’d rather veg out and watch Gossip Girl reruns all day instead of tackling that new track that’s been bugging you or finish that painting that there’s no deadline on. One of the best ways I’ve learned to combat that is to get pissed off at any variety of subjects. Sometimes it’s outward, where I get so fed up with mainstream bullshit (or how mundane most of the music is in our genre these days) that I just want to create something that I can listen to and not seethe when I hear it. This is one of the rare times I 100% allow myself to be petty and jealous about other artists, tell myself I'm a failure, or otherwise be a dick to myself, using all that negativity to get off my ass and try to show the world how effin’ amazing I effin’ am (always failing, by the way, but it’s the thought that counts).
A majority of the time this anger is directed inward, as I know that wasting time doesn’t usually make me very happy, but creating does. Because of this I have to learn to focus, stop watching adorable kitten videos on YouTube or Google searching “Matt Fanale is…” just to see how fast “gay” autofills, and get my ass to work. This sometimes requires a mental beatdown, where I basically have to yell at myself (not literally, mind you, I’m not an idiot) and more or less say “No more kitten videos until this demo is done!” The nice thing about it is once I start getting back into my process there isn’t much need for those adorable kitties anymore, as making music’s a much bigger distraction than the internet. I just needed to let it get its hooks back in me.
As PiL says, “anger is an energy”.
6. GIVE UP...FOR NOW
Yeah yeah yeah, this contradicts what I just wrote, but sometimes worrying about creating and trying to motivate yourself can work against you. Sometimes I just realize I’ve got nothing in me so I just do other stuff for a while, whether it be watch a movie, do some cleaning, or go get some food and read a magazine. I don’t know about you, but if I’m frustrated that things aren’t working for me on a track, blog, or whatever, sometimes my head just starts going in circles because I can’t figure out the damn answer to why things aren’t working. Doing something totally different and non-creative can be a way to reset that part of your brain, move on to something different, and give you a much needed perspective shift. It’s not necessarily being lazy—it’s preoccupying yourself to get back on track.
Motivation and momentum are sometimes hard to get going when you're frustrated and feel like giving up, but once you get those synapses firing and you begin making all the great connections (consciously or subconsciously) in your process things will start rolling along. Inevitably they’ll probably stop (or slow down), but recognizing what breaks you out of your creative slumps and reinvigorates you helps ensure that you’ll have less of them. Remember that putting in a little time daily is a great way to keep the fires from dying as well. Tenacity is key, but having other techniques to kick you in the ass can prove invaluable as well.
These are only a few of the ways I personally get my fires going again, so please add what works for you in the comments, as your ideas could be just what some other irritable, frustrated as hell artist needs.
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Caustic on Facebook: www.facebook.com/causticmusic
Caustic on Twitter: www.twitter.com/_caustic_
Caustic Store: thecausticstore.bigcartel.com
Caustic's new album THE MAN WHO COULDN'T STOP is out NOW on Metropolis Records: www.industrial-music.com
This is the time of year a lot of bands are deciding if they’ll be hitting the road this spring/summer to tour. If you’re in a band or even know someone in a band you know that there are probably more horror stories for touring, especially for your initial tours where people may not know your music yet, than good ones. Make no mistake though, even though touring can be a massive money pit and it's a lot of long hours staring at what seems like the same road and the same mini-malls across America it’s also is a lot of fun, especially if it’s done right. Here are some steps and things to think about when you’re planning a tour.
(And full disclosure: I’ve only done a few shorter tours, but I’ve booked dozens so I think this is pretty practical advice. Feel free to add comments of other ideas that have worked for you if you’ve toured. I’m not an expert, but I also never lost money on a tour or had a van stolen.
Also, this only pertains to the U.S.-- I've played fests and done shows in other countries but have never officially toured in them so I can't speak to how to do them there. A lot of this probably works elsewhere though, too.)
1) WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?
The first thing you need to determine is how long you’ll realistically be able to go out for and, even more importantly, where do you want to go? The rule of thumb is that if you want to hit as many cities as possible in a relatively short period of time the East Coast is the place to go. It’s got a lot of densely populated cities within a few hours of each other, and because they’re so populated most promoters won’t feel territorial even if your next show is only 2 hours away. If you’re planning on touring the Midwest plan on driving more, and if you’re touring the South or especially West Coast expect some long hauls between gigs, depending on your genre. This isn’t to dissuade you—it’s simply a fact. Gas costs a lot of money, so mucking about with a gig 10 hours out of the away just because some hottie said they want to see you there doesn’t mean it’s worth doing.
If you’re a U.S. band and are thinking of crossing borders, know that Canada can be really difficult to get into (I’ve never played Mexico so chime in if you have). There’s a good possibility that it’ll end up costing hundreds of dollars for the work visas for Canada. There are also “free” areas in some cities that don’t require work visas as well.
Remember, and this is important: The theory is the longer you can stay on the road the more money you’ll make. This doesn’t mean you can’t make a few bucks doing a tour for a week or two, but if you can stay in for a longer haul go for it. Also realize that if nobody knows who you are you just might end up losing MORE money by staying out that long. Touring is a huge gamble, especially early on when you’re trying to establish yourself as a name.
2) ROUTING
Touring isn’t about seeing the sights. It’s about jamming as many dates in as many cities and as many venues that will book you, whether it be a club, bar, or basement (hell, a show is a show, and basement shows have been some of my favorites). Depending on the type of music you play that could be pretty limited, so use your social networking skills to find out the good venues, nights, and promoters in the cities you want to hit. Sometimes a promoter will only book on the club night they run, so it can get tricky figuring out where to go next if the first city can only book you on a Wednesday but the next closest city only books on Saturdays. You do NOT want a day off, but if you have to have one Mondays are usually the best, as there are few cities that have a busy Monday club night (Minneapolis being one of the few exceptions I can think of, at least for my genre of music). Days off mean paying for a hotel room, food, and gas without any money coming in.
Obviously you want to route cities as close as possible to each other, and ALWAYS make sure with promoters in those cities that you’re not booking shows too close together. I booked shows in Madison, WI for years but it was a rule between myself and the promoter I knew in Milwaukee that we wouldn’t book the same tour—it just divided the audience too much and would screw us both on attendance. Figure at least 2-2.5 hrs distance between shows to work out best, but always be courteous.
Know which states have toll roads too and see if you can avoid them without blowing too much extra gas. Tolls can really add up.
3) TRANSPORTATION
If you’re a small enough band and can use your car/truck/minivan to tour USE IT. Renting a van can turn your “almost breaking even” tour to “well it was nice paying rent until now” tour. It’s not as glamorous, but if taking a car or even a few cars means only paying for gas it ends up saving you a lot of money. If you’re on your first tours the cheapest, most reliable transportation is what you should use. Renting a van can cost you at least a hundred a day in rental and gas, and buses, those glorious beacons of the Big Touring Band, those go for at least a grand a day, plus driver. Sure, you can sleep in the bus and that saves a lot of money if you hate crashing on floors, but believe me it won’t save you a ton unless you’re a 12 piece funk band.
Also, know that this isn’t a freakin’ vacation for anyone. It’s going to be awesome but it’s also a ton of work, so if someone extra wants to tag along “for the experience”, know that their experience means they’re hauling gear and earning their keep selling merchandise or whatever else is needed. Nobody rides for free. And bringing a girlfriend/boyfriend is a no-no unless they’re in the bands. Why? There’s nothing better than a couple in an argument for hours in a cramped vehicle. Also, they may break up, as touring brings its own stresses. That’s always a bucket of awkward, so be cautious when your bassist says he wants to bring the girl he met a week ago on a 2 month tour.
Leave early if possible, too. It might only be a two hour drive in theory, but with construction, accidents, or potential blown tires it’s best to give yourselves as much of a buffer as possible.
4) GUARANTEES…IF ANY
So you’re going on tour. You want money for this. You might get some if you’re lucky. If you’re fortunate enough to have reliable contacts for a tour (and confirm them with other bands—it’s probably not worth doing a show with a promoter that will either stiff you, is known for canceling gigs last minute, or are complete douchetards. It’s on you if you don’t heed the warnings.) utilize them and trust them on their word. Some will no doubt be more experienced than others, but if they’re passionate and can promise some crowd and to do their best to promote the gig then they might be your best option, or even your only option. When negotiating prices there’s always the Ideal Guarantee— basically this is the highest “we’re lucky if they take it” price. It’s also more kindly called a negotiating price.
Promoters will hopefully know their market/city/scene better than you, so they should have some idea already what they’d like to price the show at and what their costs are. Be up front if you need something special, and by “special” this can mean “an actual sound system and microphones” and “a sober sound person”. Remember: Passion doesn’t equal experience, and sometimes giving a new gal/guy a chance means trusting that they’ll figure everything out. If you need something special that’s out of the ordinary though let them know so they can figure that into their costs.
Be fair with negotiating. Being a jerk and asking for more than you may be able to bring in (but also hopefully covering your costs getting there) won’t help anything, as it may scare off the one person willing to give you a shot. At the same time don’t simply take the low offer if you think you deserve a bit more. A nice thing to do is ask for a smaller set guarantee but add in a provision that if the show does well you’ll get a backend percentage. This means you’ll get extra money after the promoter takes care of their expenses. This is the most fair way to keep both sides happy in my experience, especially when the turnout may be questionable. You can also potentially make a lot more money that way as the backend could exceed your original asking price.
A sad truth though is that when you’re first touring and hitting smaller scenes/cities you may have to accept a door deal, meaning you’ll get whatever comes in at the door, maybe minus what it cost for the sound person, promotions, and/or food. I advise taking them and being grateful for them. As I said a day off means blowing money, and even if you barely make anything you’ll have the potential to get a couple more fans (if only a couple), sell a shirt out of pity, and have another floor to crash on before your next (ideally) better paying gig the next day.
Also, only ask “make us an offer” when you’ve already exhausted any chance of getting your guarantee. Don’t put the pressure on a promoter to decide what they think you’re worth—it’s not about that. It’s about how well they think they can do and if you’re even talking to them they don’t want to accidentally insult you. “Make us an offer” may end up being a door deal, but again at least it’s a gig.
As for actual contracts I know a lot of bands that do them. I also know that a lot of the time they’re cobbled together from a few other contracts that artist may have found lying around a club in the mid-90s and everyone started using that template. It doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t enforceable regardless of how “lawyer-ey” it sounds, and bully to you if you want to use one, but when it comes down to it if you’re booking shows for a few hundred dollars and you get screwed are you really going to spend the money to sue them? Especially half a country away? I know some people who have, but I’ve personally gone with gentlemen/women’s agreements through emails. I’m sure those who use contracts will argue in their favor, but I’ve never had a problem personally if everything has already been outlined in an email and agreed upon.
Honestly, a good Facebook shaming is the easiest and most effective way to get back at a dishonest promoter. At least that warns other bands.
Finally, there are a lot of times when a show doesn’t make the money back that the promoter invested. While many promoters will still give you exactly what was agreed upon it’s up to you if you want to cut them a break. It’s just my opinion, but I’d rather take a hit on a show so the promoter loses a bit less money instead of demanding the full guarantee if I know the show took a bath. It takes some of the financial pressure off the promoter and shows that you’re not only professional, but understanding as well. If the promoter did their best and it just didn’t work out this time hopefully that means they’ll book you the next time you come through.
It is your decision to cut them a break though. Not theirs. If the amount was agreed upon it should be honored. That’s why the amount was negotiated. Still, some empathy can go a long way.
5) RIDERS AND HOSPITALITY
Sending a promoter your technical/tech rider—exactly what you need and/or would like to make your show sound and look as good as possible—is vital to making sure everything goes as well as possible. If you need three microphones and stands let them know. If you need to backline (meaning they supply it) a drum set let them know. If you need a quart of fake blood, let them know. The more you let them know the more they can make sure you get it. I generally keep my tech requirements simple, but I don’t haul a huge light show around and need to make sure the venues circuits can handle the voltage they need. Confirm with the promoter later that all of this is doable, preferably in an email, and you may want to reiterate EXACTLY what you need in that email as well, as promoters have a habit of just saying “yeah, okay, sure” and never reading the tech rider.
It also may sound stupid, but confirm with the promoter that there will be an actual sound system there. Some inexperienced promoters actually do forget these things and think a band is bringing one. While rock bands have amps and all that good stuff, electronic bands generally do not. It may sound like a stupid question but if you don’t ask it and you’re in a room with no monitors or speakers you’ll wish you had.
In terms of your hospitality rider, which includes food, booze, hotel, etc. I suggest keeping it simple. If you can get fed and a few beers or Red Bulls go for it, but don’t be a jerk about it if they can’t do it. Fast food sucks, but it’s cheap, and if you’re getting a door deal hopefully the promoter can get you a pizza or subs and a few drink tickets, but it may come out of what you bring in. Also, being put up in a hotel is amazing, but this will also be figured into a promoter’s expenses so it may be a good idea to try and find a safe floor to crash on so you can save that promoter $50-100 and maybe have it go in your pocket instead.
Always remember to be grateful for what you get. You want them to like you. You want them to pay you what they owe you. You want everyone to have a good night. You want them to have you back to, ideally, twice as many people.
6) MERCHANDISE
You will of course want to bring merchandise. People know touring isn’t cheap and many like to support the artist directly if they enjoy the show. I recommend at least CDs, stickers, and especially shirts. A good shirt design (or two, if you can afford it-- remember that higher quality shirts will sell better, too) can sell more than CDs, as people download more music than ever before and you can’t download a shirt. Try and have a few different (yet affordable) levels of stuff to buy. Stickers are usually free as they’re pure promotion, but keep everything else as reasonable as you can. You don’t want to turn a potential customer off by selling your shirts for $25 when you could sell twice as many at $15 and you're still making a profit.
On that note, if you look around the internet enough there are a lot of companies that can do small batch runs of shirts that are fairly reasonable. Don’t invest in 500 shirts for your month long tour of basements when there’s neither room in the van nor enough of a fanbase to justify it. If you can dream it up you should be able to find a company that can create almost any custom item (which, if you're crafty, you can also create yourself), but make sure it prices out and can be done affordably. Having a few awesome things to sell is more important than having 10 items that aren't as intereting.
Odd merchandise can also be popular. Caustic condoms, while not the wackiest, sell really well or at least keep people at the table to check out the other stuff. Shot glasses are also fun, small, and don’t break terribly easy, but if you know someone that makes oven mitts have some made for the tour. Even if they don’t sell they’re memorable and fun, and memorable and fun is always good to have at the table.
Always remember that small merch is preferable and budget vehicle space accordingly. If all goes well you’ll have a lot more space in the van when you return.
7) OTHER STUFF
a. BE PARANOID- If your vehicle can’t be locked down to where it’s nearly impossible to get into then you ALWAYS load your gear out to where you’re sleeping. There are countless horror stories of people getting trailers stolen, windows broken, or even leaving a van unlocked for a few minutes and the band losing thousands of dollars worth of equipment in some unknown city.
Also, if you’re afraid of something getting stolen and it isn't vital for the tour then don’t bring it.
b. DESIGNATED DRIVER- If you and your fellow tourers like to party and everyone likes to drink then elect a designated driver/money collector each night. Take turns and do a round robin. It’s a way to ensure you get to your crash pad safe AND that someone’s got their head together enough to settle with the venue.
c. THE LITTLE THINGS- Bring toilet paper. Bring a pillow. Bring extra phone/laptop chargers.
d. STAY ORGANIZED- Have all your information in a binder of some sort, including all merch sales, guarantees, expenditures, etc. It’ll help keep everything reconciled.
e. PAY EVERYONE- How much you pay everyone is your deal, but if people are in the van they’re putting in the same hours as you. Don’t screw someone over, even if it means meals and lodging are covered. Be up front. Be fair.
f. STIPENDS- The easiest way I’ve found to control expenditures is to figure out exactly how much the tour will spend on food. For the tours I’ve gone on it was $10 for breakfast/lunch and $15 for dinner per day. That means everyone gets that at the beginning of the day and if they choose not to spend it they can keep it. It’s easier to budget that way since gas costs and emergencies can be tricky variables. Make food stipends one of your controls so nobody has to think about it.
g. PACK LIGHT- You don’t need a pair of shorts or pants for each tour date. Bring socks and underwear that are old and can be thrown out so you have less stink in the van. Find out what crash pads you can do laundry at.
h. HAVE A GPS- Phones have decent GPS’ in them already, but an actual Garmin or TomTom is infinitely less stressful. It’s a lifesaver.
i. BUDGET FOR EMERGENCIES- Keeping your fingers crossed won't fix a random broken axle, but having an emergency credit card will. You probably won't need it, but have back-up plans just in case. Always budget gas at higher than it's costing now, too. Worst-case scenario budgeting could save your butt.
j. BRING A LIGHT SOURCE- Clip-on lamps mean people can see your merch. Also extension cords for them.
k. GET SQUARE OR THE EQUIVALENT FOR YOUR SMART PHONE- Square is an app for your phone that allows you to take credit card sales. There’s a charge on the credit card sale of a few percent, but it’s not much different than any other business and you won’t lose a sale to that drunk dude who blew all his cash on booze but wants to buy a copy of every one of your CDs and three shirts. Plus the money goes right into your bank account in a few days so less cash to haul around.
l. YOUR VOICE- If you sing/scream/whine on stage your voice will most likely go. To combat this there are a few things you should do. A) Get vocal lessons to minimize damage to your voice, and if you're a screamer buy The Zen of Screaming, watch it, and do the vocal exercises every night before the show. While lozenges can of course help, I really recommend getting a professional strength throat spray. Most Whole Foods (or the equivalent) have something called "Singer's Saving Grace". It tastes terrible but can be the only thing that gets your voice through that set.
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Caustic on Facebook: www.facebook.com/causticmusic
Caustic on Twitter: www.twitter.com/_caustic_
Caustic Store: thecausticstore.bigcartel.com
Caustic's new album THE MAN WHO COULDN'T STOP is out NOW on Metropolis Records: www.industrial-music.com
Stop watching videos on YouTube and create some of your own.
Stop reading forums and joining in on stupid threads making snarky comments and start creating something to be the person everyone is talking (or complaining) about.
Stop distracting yourself with Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram, or whatever other brain crack you’re into that drains your day.
Stop masturbating instead of working on your art— it saps creativity and wastes time, regardless of how good it feels. Accomplishment feels better and you might just be doing it because it's easier than focusing on the actual work.
Stop gossiping about bullshit with your friends. There are significantly more productive things to do.
Stop saying you don’t have enough time. You have plenty of time. Find it. Sleep less.
Stop pissing your day away getting wasted or high, playing video games, watching reality TV, or whatever other distractions you think you “need”. Creating is infinitely more rewarding. Earn your relaxation time.
Stop thinking you can’t do it. You just need to get motivated. You just need to fail and get back up again to take another punch.
Stop saying you’ll do it later. You won’t. Today is the day, because if it’s not you may never start and even one small step is better than none at all.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself that you can’t afford every tool and toy you think you need. Get by. Be inventive. Make what you have work. You'll learn more and become more confident.
Stop telling people about what you’re planning on doing and do it. Passive gets you nowhere. Kinetic is everything.
Stop being complacent on what you’ve gotten done. There’s further to go. Never be satisfied. You’re never done. Take a breather and then climb the next mountain. Build.
Stop saying it’s too hard. Anything worth doing is hard, otherwise you wouldn’t get any satisfaction from succeeding with it.
Stop wishing you were another more successful artist. They’re putting in the time while you’re daydreaming and fantasizing about things that can maybe become a reality if you actually started trying.
Stop saying you'll never get anywhere because you don't live in a huge city. The internet is bigger than any city and cars and planes exist for a reason.
Stop being overly critical and get the work done. Nothing comes out perfectly in the beginning and you’ll never get better unless you suck first.
Stop being impatient. Success takes time. A long time. Tenacity is vital.
Stop pretending you deserve more. You deserve what you get. You deserve what you earn. Earn it. And you don't get to determine when you earn it. The world will let you know. Then earn it more.
Stop feeling guilty for being lazy.
Stop wasting time.
Stop making excuses.
And start turning yourself to be the artist you want to be.
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Caustic on Facebook: www.facebook.com/causticmusic
Caustic on Twitter: www.twitter.com/_caustic_
Caustic Store: thecausticstore.bigcartel.com
Caustic's new album THE MAN WHO COULDN'T STOP is out NOW on Metropolis Records: www.industrial-music.com
