Now - for a little e-mailing music: Maestro! Bring those Monkees in here. More about my Mickey Dolenz fixation later. Now - I must type!!
When I was a little girl taking piano lessons, my teachers told me that I was responsible for my progress or lack thereof. I tell my students the same thing - you reap what you sow. Sometimes - sometimes you put a lot in only to get very little out. Sometimes, you put a little in and get a return that's way larger than you anticiapted. Sometimes you get bupkus - sometimes you cash out.
Since I've been a musiciain - quite a while now - I've done my own promo. This site, by far has yielded the best results in terms of paying gigs gotten, CDs sold, etc. It's also brought me the gigs that are the most fun to do. So, here I am, getting ready to promote.
I must admit, however, I'm always ambivaltent about this process. As a working musician who bikes 4-5 times a week, and also likes to sleep occasionally, I'm usually pressed for time. Engaging in any process that's not a sure thing can be tough to get motivated for, when there are so many other activities that will yield postive results pretty immediately: one more interval ride will translate into not getting dropped off the back of the club ride this weekend; another half hour with that song will smooth out that jump from A to C# that was so problematic at the last gig, etc. Booking is a crap-shoot, under the best of circumstances.
Yet, I'm always hopeful. This e-mail could lead to a gig that's an absolute blast to do; this next one could lead to a gig that's in a beautiful location, pays well and lasts for years, etc. You never know.
How to describe booking/promotion? Labor of love comes close, with an emphasis on the 'labor' part when you're doing it, and on the 'love' when it pans out in the form of gigs or more fans. Right now, I'm kind of bouncing back and forth between the two - I've been doing some promo on ReverbNation, so we're moving up in the Jersey City Rock Charts. Satisfying!! Got the labor and the love.
Here on FestivalNet, I'm still mostly in the 'labor' phase. I'll be sending out a bunch of e-mails today to events in the tri-state area NY. NJ, CT, maybe PA and MA. My goal is to send 20 - sometimes I get inspired and do more, but that's the goal. We'll see where it leads. Lets hope for more love!
Enough musing. Festival organizers, get ready - here I come.
