Getting “The Deal”
STARPOLISH: A lot of bands live to get signed
by a major label; the reality for most musicians, however, is
that they survive by playing live shows. Do you think there is
too much emphasis on the record deal? And as a band becomes more
successful, is constant touring still necessary?
BROWN: You
know, I have only tasted one side of that, and that is the success
of the record -- because the success of our record begat us a
larger tour. But we always reinvested in the tour -- instead of
traveling with no lights, we got some lights and a light man;
instead of having a monitor man, we got a monitor man and a production
manager to handle the stage; and we carried our own PA and monitors.
So there are always ways to spend more money touring, if you want
to. But you’re right -- touring is the best way to turn a dollar.
If the record is selling extremely well you can make a royalty,
but you know that’s only going to stop when you go to make your
next record and you’re spending money that isn’t recouped. So
I mean, you have to be aware of that before you get into it. You
can still go down … if you want to, you can be [singer-songwriter]
Brenda Kahn and go play [New York clubs] The Living Room or Arlene’s
Grocery, and have your weekly thing there – I don’t know if she
does that, but there are plenty of artists who do that, and just
play their gig and make their money, and that’s how they pay their
rent. It’s all relative.
Opening
for Kiss
STARPOLISH: Speaking of touring, you guys
went out and opened for Kiss on a number of dates. We have to
ask what that was like.
BROWN: Oh,
that was great. It was a pure rock tour -- it was a big rock tour
and we had to be respectful because those guys are such veterans,
and they have been through so much that they have a system, and…
STARPOLISH: Was the scale just
demonstrably greater as a result of that?
BROWN: Oh,
yeah. Our scale was, of course, slightly larger, but still at
the same time pared down; instead of doing our own show -- where
we went from carrying our own PA, and monitors and lights, and
doing our own show, and having light cues, and a light man, and
everything --we had to work within their set-up and try to make
something happen. Fortunately…you know, Kiss -- unlike other bands
-- let us go ahead and use whatever lights were there. They wouldn’t
let us light up the big Kiss sign (laughs) and they also had a
big curtain up at the front of the stage, so that when their stage
came up it looked like we were playing touch football and Kiss
[looked] like they were playing in Cowboys Stadium. But they deserve
everything -- they paid their dues.
| "It
looked like we were playing touch football and Kiss [looked]
like they were playing in Cowboys Stadium." |
STARPOLISH: As a newer band, does
the amount of classic rock make it tougher for a new band to break
in? I mean, I hear more Doors music now then when they together
as a band. Or do you think, “Maybe 30 years from now they’ll still
be playing our stuff?
BROWN: Yeah,
I think that comes into effect. I mean we had a hit on the radio,
so maybe that will be played later on down the line. I think blues-based
rock “n” roll can be timeless. You don’t hear, on classis rock
station, Emerson Lake and Palmer and bands that were a little
bit more of that time, more progressive rock. But the Doors had
enough of the ‘60s in them, enough rock “n” roll, and enough blues
that their influence is direct. That’s why you have the lead singer
of Creed singing with the guys from the Doors, or Ian Asbury,
or whoever. You picked the wrong band. Or Led Zeppelin. Zeppelin
is such an influence -- the rhythm section can’t be denied, and
guitar playing like that can’t be denied. You’re talking about
the pinnacle; the most influential band of all time, the Beatles,
put into a blender all the talent that was in that band, and you
realize that’s why they’re most influential.
STARPOLISH: Just seeing the sales
of the [new] Beatles album when it came out –it sort of makes
you feel good that people recognize and appreciate and will buy
good music when they find it.
BROWN: You
know, I wish people didn’t have that reaction. Yes, I have the
same reaction, but I wish that people did not have that reaction
-- I wish it were a given. But people are bringing that up more,
that line of thinking, “It makes you feel good,” because there
is so much shit out there that is selling.
STARPOLISH: But think what it knocked
out of first place: probably Britney Spears, or Christina Aguilera,
or the Backstreet Boys…
BROWN: Manufactured
bands. And there’s so much posturing in rock “n” roll today, I
just have no time for it. I want to hear what’s coming out of
the speakers. And every once in a while, someone with a persona
really grabs me. I mean, I got chills for the first time watching
television when I saw a little bit of Guns N’ Roses rocking Rio.
I saw a bit of that footage, and I was like, “Oh my god, what
a great way to start a show.” They started with “Welcome to the
Jungle.”
STARPOLISH: Before we
wrap this up, how about a general question – do you have any advice
for bands starting out? You said earlier that you’re not that
involved in the Internet, but I was wondering whether or not the
Internet has affected your band.
BROWN: Oh,
absolutely; it’s a great way to spread the word about a band.
And I do plan on being more involved when it comes to it. Because
I’m not personally involved doesn’t mean the band isn’t involved
at all. In fact, we have a guy who runs the website, and we do
our own merchandise over the Internet. So I mean we are heavily
involved, and we use it as an outlet for a number of things. Like,
for instance, our keyboardist and I have had a little side project
that we were recording stuff with, but we knew it wasn’t for the
“The Verve Pipe.” But we will just release that on the Internet.
It gives us an outlet – I’m sure you’ve had the same thing with
your music; being able to download your music and have someone
hear it makes it worthwhile somehow. And I think that’s the best
thing about the Internet -- it makes the community that much larger.
STARPOLISH: That’s sort
of the cool thing, I was thinking. If you’re a band that has national
appeal, it allows your fans to communicate with each other, so
a guy in California may not physically ever have the chance to
meet the guy in New York who is just like him, but through the
Internet all of a sudden those guys can be buds. And for a band,
from the fan standpoint, that is a tremendous asset, for the fans
to be able to do that.
BROWN: Absolutely.
They can keep the spark alive while the band is doing its thing,
and really make it worthwhile, and build the anticipation. And
it’s good for major labels and independent bands, because it doesn’t
discriminate. A voice on the Internet is the same as a voice on
the Internet; it is a good thing.
STARPOLISH: And indie
bands probably can help use the Internet to help drive traffic
to their gigs, and if that’s really how they’re making their money,
then that’s a good thing as well.
BROWN: Well,
I don’t think the Internet has gotten even one percent of it explored
yet. What's going to happen in the next five years on the Internet,
as far as ticket sales and promotions and really being able to
hear music? I think especially in the venue of tickets and so
on -- Ticketmaster may not have the control that it continues
to have. To pay nine dollars less for a ticket because of the
service charge would be great -- considering that at the end of
the night the artist settles up and pays for the fucking building.
STARPOLISH: Well, handling
charges, that’s how some companies make all their money, that
two-dollar artificial charge. But even Pearl Jam didn’t have too
much success trying to buck that system.
BROWN: But
Dave Mathews does sell tickets, and does have the right to sell
tickets on his website, a certain amount of tickets per gig, with
no service charge.
STARPOLISH: Well, maybe
there’s hope. So, when are you guys going back on the road?
BROWN: Not
until the album is released. But when we do, come and check out
the show.
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