Are you ready for a label?

Like I have stated before Fast Break Music is a great way for artists to reach out to labels. Weather you are a rocker or not everybody knows who Roadrunner Records is. They have some of  most intense metal acts signed today. Their roster includes huge players like KORN, MegaDeth, Rob Zombie, Slipknot, Slash, and Meatloaf (just to name a few)! We are currently submitting new acts to them as they continue to look for the best metal around. If you are interested in possibly being signed to Roadrunner, we got your back. As a client just let us know and we will see what we can do. There are certain criteria you must meet in order to be considered.

First of all you are going to need:

• 5 song EP Fully Mixed and Mastered.
• Electronic Press Kit (pdf)
• Full Color One Sheet
• Verified (Nelson Sound Scan/ Sound Xchange) Sales, Downloaded and Physical Copies

Check out Roadrunner online! www.roadrunnerrecords.com

What is a Music Agent?

In the most basic definition of the word an agent is responsible for booking shows for bands. Agents negotiate contracts with promoters and make sure tours run smoothly.  Agents also make sure all the bands needs are meet when they get to the venue, hotel, or practice space. Agents are responsible to make sure there is appropriate time set aside for sound checks and that the bands get paid the correct amount. If you are concerned about having a reliable paycheck or have certain expectations that must be met in order for you to preform, you would discuss all those details with your agent. Agents working for small indie bands may step outside of their job requirement and also promote shows. You have to also expect your agent to take a percentage for all this work, normal rate runs anywhere from 10-20%. If you are interested in working with an agent we here at Fast Break have many connections and could get you in contact with the right people.

Fast Break’s Many Social Networking Sites

Fast Break trys to stay up to date with all of today’s hottest social networking sites. It is important to keep in touch with all of our clients and musicians. If you haven’t already be sure to add us on the following sites (click the icon to be linked):

I found this pretty interesting article on how musicians can take social networking into their own hands, check it out : http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2830064820080329

This video is pretty trippy, its crazy to think how much our society has changed over the past few years. Social networking is part of our daily lives, and is taking the world by storm.

HOTT PICK of the Week: THOM CHACON

Thom Chacon has a old school sound for a new generation. His latest hit ‘Featherweight Fighter’ is a soft and powerful song that will blow you away by it’s genius arrangements. Thom has proven himself to be a talented songwriter  in a time of mediocre skill sets.  This album features guest appearances by George Recile and Tony Garnier of Bob Dylan’s band. Working with Perry Margouleff has definitely given Thom the chance to present his work as art, there is a certain sense of wholesomeness in each song. Currently you can buy the full length album ‘Featherweight Fighter’ on 180 Gram Vinyl, it is also available for digital download via Itunes and CDBaby.

Thom’s music is the perfect background sound for visual stimulation. As of right now a primary focus for his career is pushing towards landing some amazing TV and Film slots.

Radio Valentin Letelier in Santiago, Chili voted Thom’s record the best of the month! 97.3 fm 940 am

If you are in the Sacramento area Thom has a live gig booked for next week May 25th @ Yager’s Tap House in Folsom, Ca. More info available at www.myspace.com/yagertaphouse

To hear these tracks for free visit Thom’s Myspace!

Also if you are interested in news, tour dates, etc visit Thom’s website: www.thomchacon.com

Thom is currently signed under PIE Records, and if you like what he’s got be sure to check out the other major players on this label.

All girl tribute band Lez Zeppelin is totally kick ass! Their sound is just as good as the real thing. If you never got the chance to experience a live performance by one of the worlds great rock bands Led Zeppelin I wouldn’t over look this hidden gem. Lez Zeppelin is packing auditoriums and festivals everywhere, people can’t get enough of the realistic raw energy this band releases. They just finished recording ‘Lez Zeppelin I’ and have plans to release the album on vinyl and for digital download; Keep eyes out for it!

Find them online www.lezzeppelin.com or on myspace.

Different Jobs in the Music Industry

If you love music and you know that your goal is to work in the industry you have to start thinking about all of the jobs out there. Aside from selling millions copies of your hit single there has to be a back up plan. Being in the music business is more than just smoke and mirrors, a lot of time and hard work go into developing every artist. Below I have listed some of the more popular job choices, each has there pros and cons. When thinking about your future be sure to be objective and weigh all sides.

Music Industry Job:  Running a record label

Pros

• You get to choose the music you work with, you have the opportunity to promote your friends and family. You’re the boss!
• You get to dip your toe in every step of the process, everything coming from your label takes a part of you.

Cons

• You take all financial responsibility for the label. You most likely have to find funding or get a loan.
• You will have to be patient, for the first few years you probably won’t make any money.
• You have to be able to self motivate yourself, everything and everyone is counting on you to succeed.

Music Industry Job: Working at a label

Pros

• You get to learn the ropes of a running label without any financial risk, you can also work your way up to the top and move forward for your career if you take your job seriously.
• You have the chance to sample the industry and figure out what your strengths are.

Cons

• You don’t get the pick the music you are working on, you have to do a great job even if you think the songs are crappy.
• At larger labels you could end up in the mail room or doing office work, having nothing to do with larger labels.

Music Industry Job: Music Manager

Pros

• You get to work hands on with a band’s career and give your input to change their future. Each band is like your baby, you should be very proud!
• You get to work with music you love.

Cons

• If you work independently for an up and coming band you might have to dish out the money yourself until they can pay you back.
• You have to get involved with people on a personal level, you’ll have to be careful to keep a good reputation.
• You have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders, the band’s career rests in your hands.
• You will have to self motivated, organized, good with people and well educated.

Music Industry Job: Music Promoter

Pros

• It’s the perfect job is you love live music, concerts, and shows.
• Being part of a great performance is an epic feeling.
• You get to work with a lot of different types of musicians.
• You can get paid well depending on what types of shows you are doing.

Cons

• Working with small venues or bands can be a very stressful and demanding, you might lose a lot of money if you are not careful.
• A lot of money rests in your hands, you have to be very responsible.
• One of the most thankless jobs in the industry. If the show went well; yay for the band. If the show went bad, boo on you.

Music Industry Job: Music Agent

Pros

• You get to work with the talent you choose.
• Gives you a chance to work with other agents, promoters and labels.
• Allows you to have a hand in putting together shows without being on the front lines like a promoter.

Cons

• Can be a hard job to break into if you don’t have connections.
• If you don’t start off by working for an agency it will take you a long time to build creditability.
• Requires a lot of concentration, its hard work to book full length tours.

Music Industry Job: Music Distributor

Pros

• You get to hear new music before it it released to the public.
• You get the opportunity to work with top labels and manufacturers.
• Most of the time you will be making a reliable paycheck.

Con

• You have to promote and sell music you might not like.
• You might have to work in a stock room packing boxes or loading trucks.
• Can be very stressful, if labels miss release dates you miss out on making some money.

Music Industry Job: Sound Engineer

Pros

• Get to work with live music and great venues, tends to be a lot of fun.
• You get to make good money to tour with a band.
• A great job for people who like the technical side of music.

Cons

• Pay can very, some shows you might make little to nothing while at others you might make some bank.
• You are responsible for making the best of a bad situation, the show depends on your skill level.
• Like promotion, this is a very thankless job.

This Week’s Top Rated Music Video

Music videos can make or break a star’s career, luckily with Ke$ha they are totally helping her out! Check out this week hottest video and let me know what you think. It was voted #1 since it came out. If you think you’ve seen a anything better recently give your opinion below!

How To Take Awesome Band Photos!

A good band photo can make the difference between getting your band featured in a magazine or not. Here are some tips and things to consider when getting your band photographed, plus plenty of advice for the budding band photographer in you.

1. 1. Remember – Band Photos are PRESS Photos:Remember why you’re getting photos done – to get the band exposure in the press and other media and to present a visual image of the band. While this may seem obvious, it’s a good thing to keep in mind when preparing the shoot and taking the photos – are the photos likely to be published and is the image of the band the one that you want to be presenting to the public?
2. 2. Band Photo Composition:Think carefully about the composition of the photo. Photographing more than one or two people can be hard. You don’t want the pictures to end up looking like someone’s wedding photos, a class photo or police mugshots (unless of course that’s the image you’re going for). Before you take the pictures, think about where everyone is going to be positioned in the photo. When it comes to the shoot, take as many different shots as you can – you can never have too many shots to choose from and film is cheap.
3. Live Photos?:In many ways taking live photos can seem like an easy options – for a start, all the band are likely to be in the same place at the same time. However there are a few pitfalls.Unless it’s accompanying a live review, most magazines and newspaper won’t want to use a live photo. While the whole band will be on stage at the same time, it may be hard to get a good shot of all of them, and with fast movement and low lighting levels, it’s one of the hardest environments to take good pics in. A good live shot can be a useful addition to a press pack, but it isn’t a replacement for a good band photo.
4. Digital vs Film igital photos can provide you a quicker result than film and you avoid the cost of processing. However many photographers still prefer film:
   • You don’t have to worry about the resolution with film, the negative can be scanned in and blown up to any size, within reason.
   • Film can provide a more permanent record than a digital file.
   • In the same way that some musicians prefer the “feel” of analog to digital recording, some photographers prefer the feel of film to digital.
   • “Mistakes” that you might delete from your digital camera can end up being the best photos when they’ve been developed.
5. Don’t Take ‘Em Yourself:If you are a photographer and in the band, avoid taking the photos yourself if possible. While most cameras have a ‘self portrait’ facility, it’s not a good idea to use it! It could beneficial to work with another photographer – someone to bounce ideas off of. If you’re looking for someone to take pictures, the world is full of budding photographers – put an ad in a local camera shop or art college. Many new photographers will be happy to work for free to gain experience, but it’s a good idea to offer to cover their expenses and ensure that they are credited when the photos are published.
6. Resolution Issues:These day, most publications will want an electronic version of a photo. If this image isn’t high enough resolution they will not print it, so make sure you know what resolution they need the picture to be. (Usually at a minimum it’ll have to be 7” x 4” at 300dpi.) If you’re using a digital camera make sure it’s set to the highest quality possible. If you’re using film make sure the picture, or negatives, are scanned in at the highest resolution possible. Avoid compressing the file – if the file is too big it can be shrunk, but if it’s too small you can’t make it bigger.
7. Get Advice from the Pros hotographers are the best source of advice for putting together a stand-out band photo. The tips below come courtesy of band photographer Vi Bibi:

Tips:

1. Always try and use natural light.
2. Spend time getting to know your equipment.
3. When composing a photo split the frame into thirds, and remember that the eye is drawn to circles and triangles. Ultimately if you’re going to be any good you have to learn to go with your gut.
4. Use film and learn to develop your own prints – it’s a dying trade. Anyone can use a digital camera! That said don’t be scared to use photo editing software. It can be lots of fun, and if you don’t get the perfect image you can manipulate your pictures until you do.
5. If you have any hour to photograph a band spend the first 45 minutes in the pub and shoot for the last 15. Get to know the band, their dynamic and personalities. If you, and the band, are relaxed you’ll get better pictures.