Musician 101: What to do to take it to the Next Level

Jenn Cohen | July 1, 2013 | 0 Comments

by the Swami

Back in the ’90s when I had a developmental deal with Sony, I was privileged to have several great mentors. Then, the labels still had A/R departments and would look for talented artists to sign, and then “train” to be a pro. For me, I was lucky enough to have such encounters. Here in this monthly column, I will share with you not only the things I learned from “the big boys” but really from the school of hard knocks and the other school of figuring out what not to do.

Each month I will pick a different topic that I think truly makes the difference between amateur and professional.

# 1: Image is HUGE!

Too many times I see really talented young bands and they literally have no image value to the fan. Dudes up there in flip-flops, shorts, crappy t-shirts, and they are doing hard rock. Is that the image you think of when you listen to AC/DC or Van Halen? What I am saying, is people remember what they see first, not what they hear. Think of the last time you went to a big show – Red Rocks or Ogden or Pepsi Center. The first thing you tell your friends the next day is “I SAW this great band last night, they were awesome!” You don’t say I heard this great band, but that you witnessed a spectacle of visual memory.

When you do a show at a venue, people should look at you and say, “I bet he’s in the band,” or “She looks like the singer.” One of my mentors said, “Act like you just got off the fucking plane from Hollywood to do a show!” Give the crowd something to talk about from your image. For example, a young band out of Columbus, OH, called Twenty One Pilots is a two-man group. They came out in ski masks and were super energetic. Very memorable. Or the time I saw Weezer at First Bank Center, they were wearing all white jumpsuits. Didn’t forget that one either! Take a look at an artist you really admire, betcha they got some kind of style going on.

Your live show is your most powerful weapon. Leave people with a visual impression. I still talk about bands that did something cool visually – not smoke machines or lights, but a well thought out style that represents the band, the genre, and most importantly the memory significance to the fan. Own the venue, own the stage, and give your fans, old and new, something to talk about.