If you don’t have any of these, get some. Every local paper pretty much has an Arts and Entertainment section. Find out who the reporters are and call them. Find out exactly what they are looking for, and try and get them to come out to one of your performances. Being printed in the newspaper or in a magazine gives you another level of credibility and is just another thing that sets you apart from the other gazillions of garage bands out there try to get attention.
Business Cards This is often the most overlooked item in a Press Kit. If you do not have business cards, then get them. You can either have them done by a printer or simply make them yourself. There are plenty of good software programs out there to design your cards, and the standard printer business card paper stock is pretty good too. However you get them, they need to be a part of your total package. Include your name, a contact phone number and a mailing address. If you have a cute slogan or a logo then feel free to add it to the card. The Demo This of course is the piece de resistance, and ultimately will decide if the record company feels that you are someone they want to get to know better. When it comes to producing your demo CD, you must demand the finest quality that you can afford. You are not going to be there when the record company pops your CD into the player and plays your music for the very first time. Your demo must speak for you. Spend the money to have your CD professionally produced and edited. Many local recording studios have Demo package deals, and you should most definitely have a recording professional at the helm.
What should be on the demo CD? Obviously your best stuff. But “best” is subjective. What you may consider to be your best of the best may not be so for the listener. According to Andy Cahan, The Demo Doctor, the accepted industry standard for a demo is three songs.
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Critical Note
Let’s reiterate what Andy Cahan said about your contact info. On the CD, and on the CD jacket you should always put your name and contact info. It is quite easy for your demo cd and the press kit to become separated from each other, and you want your demo to be clearly marked with your name and the way to contact you. This way if someone sees a lone CD sitting on the desk, plays it and loves it, they do not have to go far to know who they need to contact.
Top Ten Independent Pop Record Companies
1) Epitaph Epitaph Records was founded in the 1980’s by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz to put together a record label that was artist-friendly. The label helped propel the punk revitalization of the 1990’s with releases from bands such as The Offspring and Rancid. Key artists on the label today are:
Do you have a Press Kit or a Promotional Pack?
Do you have a Press Kit or a Promotional Pack? Just like an actor or a model, you need to assemble a marketing package specifically tailored for you and your music. This is like a product brochure where you are the widget to be sold. And make no mistake, this package must “SELL” you because in this arena of the music world, you are a product. Your Press Kit must present you in a most favorable light and must instill in the reader or viewer, enough interest to take the next step.
