Depressing,
innit? You sweat blood developing your technique, and
what happens? Along comes a bunch of tarts with all
the ability of a dead elephant, and suddenly they're
selling millions, while you're still playing to 35
people on a good night. You can eff and blind all you
want, but what this tells us is what just about every
big-time pro will confirm: that successful music is
often at least as much about image as music. Image isn't an
optional extra. If an audience is listening to you,
they'll also be looking at you.......
Some
bands spend hundreds of hours, and pounds, putting
their wardrobe together, while others just chuck on
whatever smells least after they've bailed out the
washing machine. Others let the record company sort
it out when they (maybe) get signed. All are
valid but, like musical styles, every dress style is
some kind of 'uniform'--even if the basics fit the
image you want, you may need some kind of gimmick to
make you different. Dress-wise you could consider
items such as caps or hats, boots or shoes, even
belts or buckles. It's your 'dress code' and, unless
you wanna look like a wannabe, you need something
that nobody else has. Just think of Jay Kay from
Jamiroquai and his stupid bloody hat......On the
other hand, maybe not....
With
many semi-pro bands it's left to the front-man to do
all the body-talk, while the other players
concentrate on ballsing the next verse. Bad move.
There's nothing basically wrong with the old approach
of 'showcasing' each band member, especially during
solos, but even at other timesit helps if everyone
shows occasional signs that rigor mortis hasn't set
in just yet. This needn't involve heavy-duty
choreography: as with dress gimmicks, you can develop
the kind of stunts that actors call 'business'. A
classic semi-pro example is where the drummer
triumphantly throws his sticks into the air (and
then spends several minutes scrabbling through the
gig-bag looking for the spares that aren't there....)
Most
bands are turned on by audience appreciation, but not
all seem to have grasped that audiences like
appreciation too. Inter-song chat and banter are
good, but eye contact is better. Listen to your
audience when they applaud you. If you pick up that
they're more into one kind of number than another,
adapt the rest of your playlist to suit. The
customers may not always be right, but they're still
the customers. Beg, borrow or buy a camcorder, and
video one of your gigs. Then sit down and watch it.
What kind of impression are you creating? If you find
your attention drawn to the temptations of a
chicken-curry, it's time to give your image a serious
makeover.
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