Bryan, from A Lifelike Story Interview! (websites/promotion)

I had the opportunity to interview Bryan from A Lifelike Story, a Pop Rock band from Flemington, NJ. I asked him a lot about website material and promotion and how to take advantage of that! With a lot of valuable information for upcoming musicians, this is a MUST READ!

What do you do to prepare for a music video or photo shoot?

Prior to the shoot there is a lot of discussion and brainstorming with the director/photographer as to what the direction of the shoot should be.  Ideas get thrown back and forth until there is a final concept.  Usually, with me at least, from there I let the director use their creativity to draw up and present the final design with locations and exact details.  It’s always good to make sure the band and the director/photographer are on the same page…it makes for an easier shoot.  A few days before the shoot make sure that your outfits are ready, hair is cut, anything that may need to be in order to make the shoot look the way you want.  I also try to be well rested for a video shoot since usually they take a good amount of time to film.  Overall as long as the band and the director/photographer are on the same page the shoot will run smoothly the day of.

What is your favorite thing about live performances? Least favorite?

My favorite thing about a live performance is the chance to interact and meet so many new people.  When on tour you get the opportunity to come in contact with so many new faces and new perspectives on things and to be able to share something with them is awesome.  Least favorite thing…hmm…my least favorite thing is probably technical difficulties while on stage but that is something that just happens from time to time so you do what you can to make it work.  Most of the time people don’t know that there were any problems while on stage so it’s best to not make a big deal out of them.

What is your favorite tool for promotion?

Well with all the social networks out there these days Facebook/YouTube is always a great way to promote your band or product to a wide variety of people.  One of my favorite things though is to just go talk to people.  It may sound old fashion but it works.  Find a mall or show and go and promote, hand out flyers, or demo discs…pretty much anything to get your name out there.  And you get to meet a lot of cool people so that’s always a plus.

What kind of tools do you use to gain a better fan base?

Social networks are a huge help.  So many people are on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube that posting something on those sites will eventually spread like wildfire.  Again good old fashion talking to people and handing promo materials out with expose you to a new group of people that may or may not have heard of you before and sometimes they even offer to hand stuff out for you as well, which is pretty sweet.  Music blogs and college radio also are helpful.  Most of the time both of these tools are eager to find up-and-coming artists and are willing to help in anyway they can.  Also who won’t tune in and listen to their friend’s radio show and most musicians or music lovers keep up to date with all the blogs and news out there.

 

How often do you update your website?

It depends on the website and what it is used for.  Any site that gets more traffic or is considered one of the “main sites” gets updated more frequently than some of the “secondary sites”.  I try to post something a few times a week and sometimes more often if things are coming up.  It’s always good to keep your fans involved though so the more updates and fan interactions the more they will come back to the site.  I also try to respond to as many people as I can.  I don’t like when a band draws a line between themselves and their fans.  The band is only as successful as the fans make them so talk to your fans and involve them in anyway you can.

What is your next step as a musician?

I constantly try to better myself as a musician and person in the industry.  It may not be a single step but it’s something to keep working toward.  I was once told that “there is always going to be someone better than you and there is always going to be someone worse than you” that was in reference to my guitar playing but it’s something that stuck out and makes me want to be the best musician I can be.  I’ve been constantly writing and playing while diving into the behind the scenes side of things and working on recording as well as management.  If something catches my attention I’ll try it.

Any upcoming news you would like to tell your fans?

Like I said I’m continuously writing so there is a very good chance that there may be some new released material in the future.  The best way to stay up to date with any and all upcoming news is to follow my twitter (twitter.com/alifelikebryan) or follow A Lifelike Story at (facebook.com/alifelikestory).

Feel free to contact Bryan with any questions through twitter (twitter.com/alifelikebryan), FB (facebook.com/bryanrw) and A Lifelike Story’s Facebook (facebook.com/alifelikestory).  <<ADD THEM ON FACEBOOK!

Make sure you also check out A Lifelike Story’s music video for State//Lines!