Indie Update

Everyone’s heard of Amazon. It’s as synonymous with the Internet as Ebay and Google, and is one of the most visited websites in the world. So, it seemed a sensible place to look for books that cover the music industry and, in particular, the music business. Much to my joy, they even have an appropriate section – woo hoo, I’m in business. Short of giving you a complete run down of the top ten, I’ll give you a brief annotated version of what features at the present moment. The second bestseller is a book called All You Need To Know About The Music Business. Unfortunately, the 464 page mammoth book consists of how to pick managers and the such, so not ideal. Number 4 is where the Indie money lies. A book entitled Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook claims to bestow virtually everything you could possibly need to know in order to market your own music. At number 6 is a book on how to start your own record label. This 304 page book is the expanded version but does offer some genuinely useful insight for those looking this far ahead. Finally, at number 8 is perhaps the most viable option in the list. The Indie music,/tag> handbook really is packed full of invaluable information including niche areas to promote your service. It won’t be the be all and end all of your success, especially as that kind of information becomes outdated relatively quickly, but it is a good starting point. Another book of note is the frighteningly titled “Losing My Virginity” by Richard Branson. You can view the list at the Amazon site.

REM have, over time, proven to be one of the most popular rock bands on the music scene. However, many modern fans have yet to realize the real impact that the band had on the music scene during their early years. Before they became a globally popular rock band and succumbed to the pressures of signing a record deal they released all of there music on the independent IRS label. The compilation is titled “And I Feel Fine” and will not only be available in single and double disc format but will also feature a bonus DVD disc with footage of live tours and clips of live appearances. The band has put the footage and clips together themselves, so it is set to be a real treat for the millions of REM fans, new and old. REM relentlessly toured and played live gigs during their independent days, determined to hit the spotlight but it wasn’t until the release of “The One I Love” that the band broke onto the scene. They subsequently released several more records on IRS, including “What’s The Frequency Kenneth”, before signing with Warner Brothers Music. The album isn’t due for release until September 12th, when the band will also be inducted into Georgia’s Music Hall of Fame in Atlanta. These early albums greatly influenced a lot of punk and rock bands and are a superb sign of what can be done by independent musicians. Whether you like REM or not, they are an excellent addition to the independent music collector’s collection.

Eric Bachmann is perhaps best known as being the brain and the creativity behind the Crooked Fingers. Having well and truly served his apprenticeship being the front man of Crooked Fingers and Archers of Loaf, Bachmann has decided it is time to take a stand releasing a solo album. Has he done it for fame, fortune, and individual glory? Well, quite possibly, but then having spent the last few summers living in his tour bus, who can really blame him? To The Races is Bachmann’s first solo album and is due in stores on August 22nd. While the style of Indie rock band Crooked Fingers is clearly evident in many of the tracks, Bachmann also argues that the music offer enough variety when compared to his previous bands to help him make it as a solo artist. To The Races is predominantly a guitar and vocal album with only the interjection of a violinist and singer on two tracks to help flesh out the tracks a little. As such, Bachmann’s incredible singer songwriter talent is evident in bucket loads. It should certainly provide him with ample recognition as being a solo artist in his own rights. Bachmann wrote the album when he returned from the European Crooked Fingers tour. Not wanting to lose money renting an apartment he would barely use, he continued to live in the tour bus. As a consequence of missing out on some of the finer things in life, To The Races was created in a matter of months. The album itself was recorded with a couple of microphones, pre-amps and a Mac computer. The result, though, is truly astonishing and definitely one to wait for.

A production company based in Los Angeles is scouring every corner of the planet (via the Internet, of course) looking for those considered to be worthy synth players. They are creating a film called Synth God that chronicles synthesizer and, more generally, electronic music over the ages. Full production is due to begin any day now, and the producers are still looking for incredible talent.Any genre, any style and any interface will be considered as long as you are a genuine Synth God. ZU33 already have the famous or infamous on their books creating the footage they need, but a big part of the film will concentrate on the lesser known figures in synthesizer music so get your entires on a postcard as soon as you possible can. If you want more information or you are interested in having your synthesizer prowess deemed worthy, or otherwise, then visit the website at www.synthgod.com for the full lowdown.  

The Toronto Independent Music Awards were hosted for the first time last year in a bid to bring recognition to the best Canadian Indie artists. The TIMAs were a huge success heralding the start of a new era for purely Canadian independent artists. This year’s show is set to take place on October 5^th at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.

As well as showcasing last year’s winners and bringing the independent musicians from the region together, TIMA bids to give awards for more than 20 categories that will range from “best rock” to “best punk” and also contain out of area awards. Of particular note is the Best Live event. In order to judge the bands that have been nominated for this award, the nominees started playing on Monday nights at Healey’s in Toronto. The Live events began in June and will run until August so get your entries in quick.

For independent musicians who aren’t based in Canada, there are two awards that will still be of interest. The “Best USA” award should be self-explanatory but for those who are struggling, the award is given to the best independent musician or band from the USA. We said it was self-explanatory. The Best International category showcases Indie artists from all over the world.

Visit the TIMA website at http://www.torontoima.com to register or to get more details about the event.