Real Band Stories: Case Studies of Successful DIY Bands

Interview with George of ReVerbed

Whats the best way to get people to come to see your gig?

-Play the best venues you can

-give away cd's

-get fans to sell tickets to their friends

How do you keep fans interested?

-New videos, even if just acoustic

-gig enough but not too often

-talk to them, make them feel part of the band

What merch sells the best

-t shirts

-cd's

Bands that have had success from a DIY approach

Animal Collective: gained a massive following with first three albums, then started Paw Tracks, a self releasing record label. Self released their two most well received albums, and have managed to increase their devoted fan following in the process

Radiohead: Proved the strength of their following by self releasing critically acclaimed “In Rainbows”, and earned an estimated $10 million on initial album sales, even when fans could pay whatever they wanted for it

The Unicorns: Split up in 2004, but because of their huge underground following their first release on their own record label, Caterpillars of the Community, has become a fan's wet dream as only 500 were printed. Post Unicorns projects (namely Islands) have had a following since they started because of their previous work

Kanye West: Wasn't given a chance to be signed by Roc-a-fella records, where he produced many of Jay 's albums among others, because he didn't portray the usual image seen in Hip Hop. He started G.O.O.D records, and released the album “College Dropout” with singles like “Jesus Walks” and owned the charts, delivering a strong foundation of die hard fans that can be seen on the forum on Kanye's website.

Joan Jett: Self released her solo debut on Blackheart Records, after 23 different US labels rejected it. Sold the album out of the producer's truckbed at Gigs, giving her a strong enough following to get labels interested, and release the album.