Starting Somewhere

Independent musicians no longer need the ‘music industry’.

I could spend hours/days thinking of a better way to introduce this new project. Sometimes it’s best to just tell it as it is.

Own Your Media… BE YOUR NME

I’m starting this project with an enormous sense of imposter syndrome. I’m no insider. I’m no longer an ‘active’ musician. I can’t share my stories of contracts gone wrong, loss-making tours or the sheer costs of production and distribution.

What I will provide, however, are one of two things;

1.) FOR FANS: To educate. Draw the attention of music fans to the true state of the music industry. To outline what we need to be doing to better to fund the independent artists creating music that impacts our lives.

2.) FOR MUSICIANS: Helping independent musicians earn the recognition and revenues their work deserves. Showing them how to open up new revenue streams and to make full use of the opportunity going ‘Direct to Audience’ can deliver them. To remove the ‘middle man’.

I’ve spent 2 ½ decades build direct-to-consumer brands online. Similar principles. Understanding the mechanics of taking a product to market, helping founders become storytellers, building community and blending those three key elements into a thriving business.

Looking at the music industry it’s clear that nobody on the inside is willing or able to fix the problem. That problem being the earning potential of the independent artist. Musician’s deserve better than the pittance on offer from streaming channels. They deserve to build a direct relationship with their customer, their listener, their fan.

I want to take the words Kevin Kelly shared 17 years ago in 1000 True Fans and help bands ensure they reach and connect with an audience where their music matters. To use the channels, social, email and commerce, to create revenue streams. To take their ideas to market and to build confidence in the business side of their work.

Like every project, I’m starting this from scratch. Growing organically one article at a time. Like every new project, I have the big ideas. The podcast, the youtube channel, the ability to share the stories of genuine working musicians and the struggles they face and the work that they do to balance their art and their business.

I’m running this as a passion project. Enough people are taking a slice of musician’s earnings. I don’t want to be part of that tribe. Instead, I want to share what I’ve learned and to dig deeper to the roots of the industry and try to do my bit to figure out how we fix the music industry. So musicians can thrive.

I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned building thriving direct to consumer brands and how this will help you on your music journey direct to audience.

• How to become storytellers as well as music makers

• How to use shorts channels not simply to grow views, but to build your audience

• Why you need to make email your primary route to building your true fan base

• How to crowdfund your next release through your own platform

• How to launch and grow your Shopify store and begin selling right away

I’m here to help. I’ll be working alongside a small group of musicians to document their journey building Direct To Audience. If you’re interested in finding out more drop me an email at [email protected] and we can arrange a chat.