how to rock

By Elise Malmberg

photo by Rich Leeds / illustration by Elise Malmberg

But global domination doesn't just happen by itself. For starters, you need a press kit.

Assembling a press kit is less daunting than it sounds. You don't need an elaborate folder of glossy media materials. Most indie bands should send out only three things: a personalized cover letter, a "one-sheet" about the band, and a copy of the CD.

Most musicians aren't professional writers and marketers — they're usually better at making music than packaging and selling themselves. Unfortunately, good packaging and selling can make the difference between success and obscurity.

If you're not a great writer, beg or hire someone who is one to help you with your press kit. If you do write your own materials, get someone else outside the band who's good with words to read through everything before you call it final.

Press Kit Disaster #1: Generic

Att: Channel name
Address
City, state

Per our communications:

I am submitting this submission as an independent artist. I am producing my own CD. I would hope it finds its way into getting a lot of play time there are some very good songs on here these songs are from my new CD [CD name]. If you need any more info on me please give me a call or just visit my website which has all the info you will need about me.

Step One: Set Your Goals
Before you assemble your press kit, decide on a set of reasonable goals. What's most important for your band: Getting radio airplay or press? Playing at new venues? Booking a tour? Getting signed? Defining the top priorities for your band's next stage of development is the first step toward success.

Next, do some research. Identify the individual DJs, labels, club bookers, or journalists who seem to like the kind of music you make. You can save time and money by sending your materials only to people who deal with music similar to yours. Find a show that covers your style of music and focus your efforts there. Create a master list of contact information, and keep a copy in electronic form so you can refer to it later.

Make the most of existing contacts. If a DJ or writer has played or written about your music in the past, put them at the top of your contact list. If they know you from a former band, make sure you mention the previous project in your cover letter. If a label employee is a friend of a friend, ask your mutual friend to put in a good word for you. Sometimes this personal "in" can make a huge difference.

If you're a new act in an established scene, use it to your advantage. Say you've played music informally with friends in a well-known band with a similar style: Ask your friends if you can mention them in your press kit. When listeners know who you are and where you're coming from, they're more likely to know how to respond to your music.

When you're contacting people in the same geographic area as your band (for example, local clubs, DJs, or regional press), be sure to mention where you're currently playing so they can check out your live show. Record labels may also want to see a list of your recent and upcoming gigs, as this gives them an immediate idea of the style and popularity of your band.

Press Kit Disaster #2: Clueless

To: [misspelled radio DJ name], [radio station]

Enclosed is the [CD name] self-released EP from [band name]. We're a big fan of your e-zine. We'd love to be a part of your publication in a review, profile of the band, or a highlight of an upcoming show.

Step Two: Write a Band Bio
A band bio doesn't have to be long to be effective. In fact, short bios (one to three punchy paragraphs) almost always have more impact than long ones. Busy DJs, booking agents, and label staff don't have time for wandering narratives about your childhood piano lessons.

Explain in clear terms what your music sounds like, preferably at the very beginning of your bio. One effective method is to compare your sound to other well-known bands. This acts as a kind of shorthand that gives people an immediate idea of what genre or style to expect.

Once you've outlined your music in general terms, talk about what makes your band special. For example, there are thousands of bluesy alt-rock bands with strong vocals. Maybe yours is the only one that's recorded an entire album about donuts. This might imply either a sense of musical humor or a neurotic preoccupation with snack foods, so you should explain further. Perhaps your lyricist is a police officer. In any case, you've got something unique that might pique the curiosity of potential listeners. Otherwise they might toss your CD, unplayed, onto the slag pile of similar generic rejects.

The tone of your bio should accurately reflect the style of your band. If you're a black-metal band, chances are you don't want to start off with a "knock knock" joke. Use the active voice ("We released this CD") rather than the passive ("This CD was released") whenever possible. Look up fancy words in the dictionary before including them. (Hint: "facile" and "fulsome" are probably not adjectives you want to use to describe your music.)

Press Kit Disaster #3: Pompous

The exploration formerly and presently known as [band name] began in 2002 as a solo studio project. [CD name] was released in the summer of 2002 as a low-fi recorded, well-crafted, lyrically triumphant post-punk rock record that haunts both production purists and routine-life accepters. The dominantly acoustic [CD name] harbors complex chord progressions that appear surprisingly inviting, yet alienating at the same time. The [CD name] chords are strongly apparent and the lyrical mastery remains meaningful and thought provoking.

Step Three: Create a One-Sheet
A one-sheet is exactly what it sounds like: a single sheet of information that summarizes everything important about your band. It includes a brief bio, your logo (if you have one), your contact info, a CD track listing that calls out two to four recommended tracks, a short list of recent and upcoming gigs (for regional contacts or labels), and a clear, professional-looking photo of the band.

Don't forget to include the URL of your band's website, MySpace page, or other online profile. By the way, your website should include high-resolution press photos that journalists and booking agents can download for use in articles or show flyers. Make sure these are easy to find from your site's home page.

If you have good press clips (CD or show reviews), include brief excerpts. List the most impressive publications first: A decent review from a national newspaper trumps a rave review from Podunk Weekly, because it says you're important enough to receive national attention. Save space and increase impact by featuring only the key phrases from positive reviews.

Pay attention to the overall layout of the one-sheet. If you're not a designer, get someone who knows graphics to help you. Your one-sheet doesn't have to be professionally printed in color (a black and white laser print will do), but it should look clean, crisp, and well-organized. Use white paper — colored paper can look amateurish, and black-and-white band photos usually look best against a white background. For maximum image quality, only use clean printouts of your one-sheet, not photocopies.

As with your cover letter, brevity is key. If your basic band information covers more than one sheet, you're trying to pack too much in. Edit ruthlessly until it fits.

Press Kit Disaster #4: Ridiculous

Trembling with sensation, momentary observation, and scraps of fatalistic sorrow, [band name]'s [CD name] startles and stimulates the listener to share an artist's well crafted and vigorously executed sonic narrative.

Step Four: Write a Cover Letter
Your press kit should include a brief, personalized cover note or letter (emphasis on "brief") to each of the individuals you're contacting. This is your first (and perhaps last) impression, so make it count.

Don't start off by saying, "I am a musician who has recorded a CD." Of course you are — duh! Instead, explain why you think your music is of interest to them: for example, their label releases music in a similar style, or they book bands like yours in their club. You can summarize or mention highlights from your band bio, but try to avoid redundancy. Make sure you spell each contact's name correctly, and double-check that the names and addresses on cover letters match the press kit mailing labels.

Step Five: Assemble and Mail
Yes, your shrink-wrapped, jewel-boxed, ready-for-retail CD is very impressive. But do your recipient a favor and remove the shrink-wrap before mailing it. This not only saves them time and aggravation (they have a lot of CDs to wade through), but also gives you a chance to tuck your folded letter and one-sheet inside the case so they're less likely to get separated.

Highlight the two to four strongest tracks on your CD by writing the track numbers on a sticker or post-it firmly affixed to the CD case. These recommended tracks should also be listed on your one-sheet. For DJs, call out the songs that best fit their show's format.

Mail your materials in a padded envelope so your CD arrives in one piece. This may sound really remedial, but make sure you've clearly labeled each package with the full address, and add the correct postage to carry it to its destination.

Some bands try to stand out from the crowd by shipping their press kits via overnight delivery, or mailing them in odd-shaped or colored envelopes. You probably won't even impress the mailroom guy with these tricks. Especially at larger publications and radio stations, most packaging material is shucked off and discarded at arrival. The CDs and accompanying materials are tossed into a bag or bin to await your contact's future attention (or at least the attention of the once-perky intern who's slogging through the stack on behalf of the person you're trying to reach).

Press Kit Disaster #5: Pathetic

Attn: Radio station personnel,

I am a person that lives in [city] that has a band called [band name]. It is a one man band. I have just recorded an album that I sell at shows and at the local record store. I am hoping that you would like to play a song from this album on your radio station. If you are interested in pursuing this viable band/radio relationship, you can contact me with the information I've supplied below.

Step Six: Follow Up
Two to three weeks after you send your package, drop each contact a short personal note or email asking if they've received your package and had a chance to listen to the CD. Believe it or not, many people actually do go and look for the CD in question if they receive a nice follow-up note about it. If you don't get a response, don't be discouraged; they're probably too busy to respond individually to unsolicited correspondence. Don't keep bugging them, though. (The exception to this rule is club bookers: until they definitively tell you "no," it's usually acceptable to call them every month or so until they book you or it becomes obvious that you're never getting anywhere with this venue.)

If you do get a response, and it's neutral or "no thanks," it's okay to drop one more super-short note back saying, "Thanks so much for the feedback; I really appreciate your time and attention."

If you get a response and, wonder of wonders, it's positive, immediately write back and thank them. But don't begin flooding them with constant emails and flyers outlining every move your band makes. These people are professional contacts, not pen pals. Treat their time and attention with respect: Save the updates for significant news, important shows, and new releases, unless they make the first move toward more frequent or informal contact. And congratulations — you've gotten farther than most bands!

Step Seven: Remember Your Manners
When someone does something nice for you, like playing your song on their radio show or booking your act at their club, it always pays to say "thank you." Even the most jaded music journalists love to get thoughtful, appreciative notes from bands they've reviewed. From a purely selfish musician's point of view, sending a thank-you note or email makes these people like you even more, which also means they'll be favorably predisposed toward you the next time you contact them.

You can be a little more creative in your thank-yous than you can with your initial press kit. Years ago I was in a band that wanted to get more gigs at the small local clubs we'd played at so far, while expanding our booking to larger venues. The band's six-month anniversary happened to fall in early February, so we sent all the local club bookers a valentine: a box containing a chocolate truffle, a tacky artificial flower, a band CD, a handwritten Valentine's Day card saying, "Thanks for helping make our first six months so great!" and an updated one-sheet including the band bio, photo, list of recent and upcoming shows, and local press clips. It worked shamefully well: Within a month we'd gotten opening slots at two of the largest clubs in town, venues that had previously been beyond our reach.

Remember, people know other people. Booking agents often work for multiple venues, so getting in at one club may mean future gigs elsewhere. Even when bookers don't know one another personally, they pay attention to which acts the competition is hiring. DJs and label staff are always talking to friends and acquaintances about noteworthy new acts. So if you've managed to impress one person in a position of influence, chances are they'll tell their friends. Conversely, if you're rude or arrogant to one person, word may also spread. Being polite and professional is not just a good idea — it's a career essential.

Got more tips for successful press kits? Share them here!

Posted May 2007

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