Bandologie — How to Lead Your Band to Success as a Musician

Former product manager of major record label BMG (now Sony), Nils Kolonko, gives you specific and actionable advice on self-marketing as a musician. Nils is a musician himself and runs his own successful publishing company. http://www.bandologie.com

Contents
Why This Book Will Keep Some Musicians Forever Young

1. How Bandologie Works -- 15

2. A Musician’s Fundamental Questions in Search of Success
What is a Rock Star—and How Can You Become One? -- 17
How Much Money Can You Make With Music? -- 18
Should I Become a Professional Musician? -- 21

3. How You Can Better Determine Your Future—the History of the Music Industry
The Music Industry Before Rock ‘n’ Roll -- 23
The Dawn of the Traditional Music Industry -- 23
The Development of the Traditional Music Industry -- 24
What Was It Actually Like for Musicians and Bands from 1956 to the 1990s? -- 26
The Music Industry Today -- 27
The Music Industry Today (Part 2)—How Much You Will Need a Record Company in the Future (or Not) -- 29

4. How and Why Your Band Will Succeed—the Five Success Factors of a Band
Factor 1—The Best Team Wins -- 37
Factor 2—Suitable Content (Including Innovations) -- 41
Innovations -- 50
From Witchery to Mainstream Rock—or: Today’s Most Striking Innovations Will Be Tomorrow’s Established Fashion -- 53
The Being Yourself vs. Market Research Dilemma -- 59
The Two General Approaches to Innovation as an Artist -- 60
From Begging Like a Wimp to Rollin’ Like a Pimp -- 65
How a Soldier Pulled Me Into a Stunning New World -- 66
The Local Hero Phenomenon—How to Find Out If Your Innovations Are Strong Enough … When You Thought They Were -- 71
Factor 3—Quality -- 75
Factor 4—Mass Impact -- 86
Impact -- 87
How to Market Your Band on a Professional Level With Zero Marketing Money -- 93
How to Make a No. 1 Hit Single Without MTV, Radio and Music Magazines … but With a Striking Idea -- 94
Mass -- 96
Why and How You Can Skip a Current Demo Policy -- 100
The Most Common Way for a Permanently and Hugely Successful Band to Get in Contact With Big Companies Who Can Help Them Reach the Masses -- 104
Guide to Target Group Marketing -- 114
Factor 5—Perseverance -- 138

5. How You Evolve From Musician to Musical Entrepreneur
It’s the Effect That Counts, Not the Effort -- 142
The Most Important Criteria for a Band’s Musical Impact -- 145
Timing -- 145
The Most Important Criteria for the Overall Effect of a Band -- 147
Your Band as a Business -- 148
Your Band as a Large Business (Think Big) -- 150

6. Human Hurdles in Bands—and How to Overcome Them
Decision-Making: Should We Kick a Member Out of the Band? -- 152
Someone in My Band Has Drug Problems—What Now? -- 159
How Do You Kick Someone Out of a Band in Such a Way That Both the Band and the Person Being Kicked Out Can Move on Constructively? -- 162
Musicians’ Excuses—and Their Solutions -- 166
The Only Four Reasons for a Band’s Possible Failure -- 181

7. The Most Important Tips for Band Founders
I Would Like to Learn How to Play an Instrument—Where Do I Begin? -- 187
I Would Like to Form or Join a Band—How Good Do I Have to Be on My Instrument? -- 189
Do I Have to Drink Whiskey to Get a Rock / Metal Voice?! -- 190
Do I Need a Special Voice to Be a Singer? -- 190
How Do I Develop a Special Voice? -- 195
What Is Important For a Great Band Name? -- 197
Rehearsal Rooms -- 199
How Do I Find the Right Rehearsal Room? -- 199
The Most Common Mistakes When Searching for a Rehearsal Room -- 200
What Constitutes a Good Rehearsal Room? -- 202
How Should a Rehearsal Room Be Equipped? -- 205
How Do You Run a Rehearsal Room? -- 206
Do I Need the Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle in Order to Be Successful? -- 207
How Old Can a Musician Be Who Would Like to Become Successful? -- 212

8. Loudness and Ears
How Loud Should or Does My Band Have to Be? -- 218
What is Tinnitus? -- 219
How Do You Avoid Tinnitus? -- 221
What is the Best Way to Protect My Hearing? -- 222

9. A Word on Copyrights and Performing Rights Organizations
A Heads Up on Very Expensive Services for Musicians -- 230
A Word on Performing Rights Organizations -- 231
The Dirty Van Decision -- 232

10. Live Performances, Merchandising and Special Products
Your Most Important Source of Income and Your Business Card -- 235
How Your Concert Can Become an Exciting Sales Event -- 241
Why Even a Two-Person Home Project Is Enough for Worldwide Success in the Music Business and an Income of Over 14 Million Dollars -- 245
The Principle of Good Salesmanship: “More Bang for Your Buck” -- 246
14 Million Dollar Sales, With Low Risk! How to Put It Into Practice in Reality -- 246
… And Then Pick Up the Money Comfortably at the Post Office -- 247
$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ -- 248
Low Cost, Big Money! How This Principle of Many Permanently Successful Musicians and Bands Works -- 251
A Glance Into the Future of Live Performances -- 252
How to Organize a Successful Concert Without Knowing How It Works -- 257
How to Win Fans and Keep Them Permanently -- 262
How to Bond With the Fans on a Grand Scale -- 265
The True Essence of the Music Business -- 267
The Three Stages of Music Marketing -- 268

11. How to Best Deal With Music Labels
How to Force a Record Label to See What’s Good for Them -- 274
Handy Definitions for Terminology From the Music Industry -- 280
The Magic of Music Labels -- 289
How Queen Practically Had to Force EMI to Release One of the Most Played Pop Hits of All Time—or: What Else but Exceptions Should Be Expected From Exceptional Artists? -- 291
So How Do We Get a Record Deal? -- 303
Encore! -- 304

12. Epilogue
The 25,000 Dollar Tip -- 309
Appendix -- 314