Just Like Back in the Day

  Once upon a time, I had the coolest job any band person could ever ask for.  I worked in a record store.

  Besides being in the enviable position of talking about, listening to, and more or less breathing in music all day long, I got a (meager) paycheck and had an instant icebreaker for every pretty lady who walked in wanting to buy a CD.*

  *It was: "Are you looking for anything special today?" Never said I was smooth.

 I was also able and quite willing to talk to every musician who came in to post a flyer, every club owner who sold tickets through our store, and every Joe, Bob, and Judy with big dreams of music mogul-hood. 

  Some of the most valuable things I learned during those wild years, were all of the varied and interesting ways bands and artists promoted themselves.  This all happened before the Internet Revolution, so musicians were doing everything at 'street level' armed with nothing but their wits, moxie, and whatever money they could scrape together. Every day was a lesson in DIY.

 One of the really interesting phenomena from that time was the 7" vinyl single. Two bands would work together to release it. One group would have a song on the "A" side, the other on the "B". There was quite a bit of that sort of inter-artist cooperation at that time, although it eventually started to fade away.

We thought, why not bring it back?

 After a chat with our friends in the excellent band Haunting Heather , who had just had a song mixed by Greg - our very own producer and guitarist extraordinaire, we decided to do just that.

On December 24th 2011 Monochrome Daydream  will favor ears across the world with two brand new songs from our bands, in the truest spirit of indie artist cooperation.  Just like back in the day.  

 Find Monochrome Daydream in our Store beginning Christmas Eve.

  Naughty or Nice, we hope you enjoy it.

C

From One Indie to Another: 4 Tips to Effective Cross Promotion

  Cross promotion is one of an Indie's  greatest tools. 

  On paper, it gives an artist access to potential fans they might not have reached, complete with a ready made endorsement from someone who's work said potential fan already (presumably) likes.  If used with a little bit of forethought, and a splash of common sense, cross promotion can be efficient, far reaching, and most importantly free.  Here are a few things to think about.

1. Don't Keep Score

  Sending out CAPS LOCKed emails scolding someone for not commenting on our latest status update, re-tweeting you, or only posting three of your links when you shared four of theirs just isn't helpful. Take things as they come and keep it moving.

2.  Say "Thank You"

   This is probably the easiest thing to do, but the hardest one to remember. Time zones, crowded news feeds, and busy Real Life make it difficult to catch everything nice that someone says about you. On the occasions that you can, use the two magic words that your Mother taught. They still make a difference.

3.  Remember Your Non-Musical Friends

    Bloggers, photographers, filmmakers, painters and poets need love too.  Most other artistic mediums go hand in hand with music anyway and Indies of those other ilks can help spread your sounds to a completely different type of listener. Which is sort of the whole point.

4.  Use All The Forums Available To You

    On the internet, the possibilities are endless.  Resist the urge to look at everything through Facebook colored glasses. Reach as far and wide as time, net savvy, and motivation will allow.

Indie artist solidarity is a wonderful thing.  Use it.

C

Everything Is Something to Someone.

Art is subjective. It always has been, and always will be, I get that.

  But enough already.

  All the ranting about this genre, or that genre not being "Real" music is just silly. Not caring for something doesn't strip it of its value to another set of ears.You can't ( well..you shouldn't) knock somebody for painting in colors you might not use. Unfortunately, it seems that musos are guilty of this quite often.

 Shame on you.

 Think back and remember when your parents said the something similar about the newly acquired album (or cassette!) blaring in your bedroom.

 "You just don't get it." is what I said. And they didn't, but maybe they weren't supposed to.

 Music exists to make a listener laugh, scream, protest, cry, grin, pump a fist, reminisce, jump, wiggle a bum, tap a toe, relax, get hype, persevere and on and on and on...

If it does so, then the music has served its noble purpose: To make someone feel something.  

That is all.

Music can do that whether it has guitars in it or not.

So please, unclench, keep breathing, and let the art be art.

C

It's All Indie!

  We of Spaceship Days are pleased to announce our nomination for Best Pop Artist in the 2012 All Indie Music Awards.  Sponsored by All Indie Magazine and The Great Unknown Presents podcast, the goal of the AIMAs  is to recognize independent artists from around the world in a showcase to take place in Hollywood CA, during Grammys week. There are many excellent artists involved, in quite a few categories.

  Listeners will determine the final few nominees with the winner decided by a panel of judges. Voting is easy. There is nothing to register; no form to fill, or mailing list to sign up for. No muss, no fuss.

  A vote for Spaceship Days takes just one mouse click.

 

 

Vote for Spaceship Days 

 

As always, we thank you for your friendship and support.

M, C, & G

From One Indie to Another: 4 Reasons Why You Should Support Your Local Music Scene

We go and see a lot of shows.

  Most of the time, bands are pretty good, occasionally not so much, but sometimes they turn out to be very good or even exceptional.  Now and again we'll come across one that's of the kick ass variety which is to exceptional what The Hulk is to May Parker.

  Recently we saw a band that was of the latter sort, a Raleigh, NC group called The Design

  Their fantastic performance got us to thinking about those nights when we just decide to stay in, and miss out on shows in our venue rich neighborhood.

 Well, we shouldn't have.

 Why?  Here are 4 Reasons You Should Support Your Local Music Scene.

1.  Branching Out

  As an artist, what better way to meet people to expand on your list of contacts, swap gigs with, tell war stories, and talk to people who really understand whats its like to walk a mile carrying your guitar case? As a fan: if you like band A, and they are playing with band B, there's a good possibility you'll like band B as well.  Musos are adept at crafting complimentary bills, and now you have a new artist to jam out to in your car.

2.  It's Yours

    Ever since Seattle took over the world in the early 90's someone has been proclaiming a city, or region The Next...whatever.  Technology might have made such a concept obsolete, but there's still something to be said about the little extra bit of swag that comes from knowing the bands in your town are great.  If you're one of them, it helps you elevate your game. If you're one that loves them, it gives you something to share with people who complain about not having any 'good new stuff' on their MP3 player.

3. Meet Girls (or Boys)

  Pop. Rock. Hip-hop. Metal. Electronica. It comes by many different names, but music brings people together.  For you single types you can't do much better for a built in ice-breaker than to talk about the band you just saw.

4.  You Might Be Missing Out On Something Awesome

 Wouldn't it be cool to have seen that 'next big thing' in a little club up the street, then had a chat and an adult beverage with them?  Its probably happening somewhere right now. Next time it could even be happening to you.

  But only if you're at the show.

C

Making Strides

Cancer sucks.

 

    Every year it touches the lives of millions of people, but we believe the disease can be cured in our lifetime.  The American Cancer Society: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk is a way to help do just that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Spaceship Days are proud supporters of Kate & Leanne's Mighty Boo Bees   (why The Mighty Boo Bees? Click the link and find out! ) mission and hope you all will join us in helping them reach their goal.

 

 Together we can make a difference.

 

 

C

From One Indie to Another: 5 Tips to Promoting Your Music

People will often ask us what we do to promote Spaceship Days.  Whether its of the shameless variety or not, self promotion can be something of a slippery slope.  Here are some of the things that have worked for us.

 

They might work for you too.

 

1. Engage your fan base  

 

In 2011 everyone is an expert at social media, so much so they actually forget to take the time to be  social.  Instead of posting links all over the place, waving your arms and shouting "Buy this!" try just saying "Hello."  The personality of your band can be just as endearing to people as the songs you play. Don't be afraid to show some.

 

 

 

2. Figure out what works for you... and what doesn't

 

Newsletters are cool, but if you're sending out 2000 emails that only 9 people actually open, it might be time to try a new tactic. Making music is a creative undertaking; use some of that same mojo for your messaging. Try a blog, or video. If you're tech savvy, add an updates page to your website. The only limit is the depth of your imagination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Don't be shy

 

There are a bazillion different websites that cater to indie artists. Use them.  No one will ever stumble across your music unless you toss it under their feet.

 

 

 

4.  Think outside the computer

 

Never underestimate the power of a face to face connection. Visit popular venues. Watch shows.  Meet people. Talk to other artists and their fans. Pass out stickers, download cards, even CD singles if you can afford them. Flyers aren't just to advertise gigs.  Throw a cool picture and a link  on some 11"x17" and now you have a poster. Many a song are on my iTunes  simply  because I saw clever album cover on a piece of paper pinned to a coffee shop bulletin board.

 

5. Share the love

 

  If there is a band or artist that you particularly enjoy, tell people.  The object of your attentions may or may not respond in kind, but  in this business you can never have enough good karma.

 

 

 

C