An Honest View from The Gracious Few Options

[dangum]

An Honest View from The Gracious Few
Author: Kris DiLorenzo
January 17, 2011 @ 11:46 pm

THE GRACIOUS FEW:
NEW BUSINESS MODEL FOR BANDS?

After listening for two days at the Billboard Touring Conference to people who (with a few exceptions) are screwing audiences and artists, then complaining about soft ticket sales and the state of the music industry, I was ready to scream: “It’s simple, you jerks! Scale down your insane ticket prices, stop loading on all those extra charges, and you won’t have 40% of your tickets going unsold!”

One beacon of sanity in the morass of mental midgets (again, with a few exceptions) was, ironically, an artist, whose band’s do-it-yourself approach seriously takes fans into consideration. Kevin Martin, singer for Candlebox, is now fronting The Gracious Few, a quintet formed last summer in Lancaster, PA. Their motto: “An honest deal from The Gracious Few.”

Those few are guitarist Chad Taylor, bassist Patrick Dahlheimer, and drummer Chad Gracey from the band Live; and lead vocalist Kevin Martin and guitarist Sean Hennesy from Candlebox–and these guys have their finger on the pulse. Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads produced their debut record, The Gracious Few.

In the opening panel, “Artist Development: How Are We Doing?” alongside agents and managers, Martin’s was a refreshingly intelligent voice. The industry Mr. Magoos flailing around for solutions to their economic woes should keep an eye on how TGF handes its business.

Some ways TGF does things right: They have an open taping policy at their shows─ kind of a “give the people what they want” philosophy. I can see the logic: bootleg recordings never sound that good, so if people who taped the show themselves really like the band and want to hear them better, there’s a fair chance they’ll buy the legitimate CD. If fans post the bootleg on YouTube or wherever, more people will hear about the band, probably get curious, and go to a show─ or at least buy the CD. And guess what? Their single, “Appetite,” has just cracked Mediabase’s Top 30.

A few thousand Twitter followers don’t necessarily all buy tickets, but the band uses Twitter’s locator service to help sell tickets, and Tweet about a show that needs help. Most industry types are too proud to admit that an artist isn’t doing well enough at some point— they’re the ones squawking about the 40% “distressed inventory.” TGF also uses Facebook Place to help turn followers into record and ticket buyers.

Martin mentioned opening for Rush at Madison Square Garden in 1993, but TGF’s life is quite different. Example: on one date, a booking agent wanted a $25 ticket price, but the band, understanding the fans’ side of the economic equation, wanted prices to be $10 and $15— unheard of! They told the promoter to cut the band’s guarantee. TGF also gave away $10 tee shirts to fans who showed up early, and let them into the sound check; now they issue passes for that purpose.

At first the band lost money, Martin said. In the long run, they enabled more people to take a chance on seeing a new band, created fans who’d buy tickets again, tell their friends, and buy CDs: long-range thinking, a rarity in the shortsighted, take-the-money-and-run music business.

The band cut touring costs with Draconian measures that a lot of bands would reject: a $700 tour bus, full of 10 people, and no hotel rooms: park the RV and stay on the bus. Obviously it wasn’t easy. “I wanted to kill myself for starting a new band at age 41,” Martin admitted, but “we were trying to change the game. We call ourselves The Gracious Few for a reason: an honest view from The Gracious Few.”

They might also call themselves The Wise Few. Inviting fans into a band’s world creates what businesspeople call “ownership” (a hugely over-used word, as in, an employee should take “ownership” of any stupid task they have to do, like it’s something important to be proud of). Fans who feel personally connected to a band will be super-loyal, spread the word via social media, and see as many shows as they can, because they can afford the tickets—where they will likely buy CDs and tee shirts.

Martin also added possibly the only human touch to the conference by talking about one of the big detriments to touring: “being away from my wife and child on tour.” A good reminder to the honchos that the reason a large percentage of artists make CDs and go touring is because they sing, play, or write to support a family, not just their own egos!

“It’s not very often that an artist gets to speak his mind in this business,” Martin commented from the stage later that night during the Billboard Showcase at the Gramercy Theatre downtown, where TGF ripped the roof off. I am real glad he did—especially after seeing what The Gracious Few can do.

For a review of The Gracious Few at the Gramercy Theatre, NYC, see upcoming post on this blog titled “Bands to Watch For─ and Bands to Avoid.”

http://www.rocksbackpagesblogs.com/2011/01...e-gracious-few/

[Gertjan]

Interesting to see how this band of 'old timers' takes quite a radical change of direction in building an audience. I really hope it works out.

Thanks for sharing.

[OutToDry]

This is what they've been preachin, help them out, help them reach the audience, pay it forward and it works for everyone's benefit.

[zmanpga]

what other band invites their fans on stage to play and sing songs, come to hang on the tour bus, and much more???
no one!
TGF are generous MFers!

[tst4eko]

These guys are the first I've ever heard doing what they are with the fans. I LOVE IT!

[OutToDry]

Have to appreciate what they've started, including us in everything they do. I find it refreshing from days of old.

[Hoodstock]

Have to appreciate what they've started, including us in everything they do. I find it refreshing from days of old.

I wouldn't necessarily say they include "us". I think they just try to include anyone who will listen to get this thing off the ground.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

I dunno, they all seemed to have an interest in this board from the beginning. But then again, I've never mentioned that I am on the board and they have all been overly generous to me.

But, I have seen other bands do similar things who are on their level. In fact, most bands on their level promote in this way. The uniqueness comes from all members having careers with bands who didn't/don't do it that way. THAT is where the value comes in.