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Jules
Shapiro On Touring, Making the Most Out of Opportunities,
and The Fans:
Touring as independent artists is not an easy feat, but if
we can do it, it proves that "Indies" can get it
done! The beauty about being independent is that you have
full control over your art, and don't have to worry about
others who would try to steer you in different directions.
Being independent means having your own identity. That's Firebug.
I strongly feel there needs to be more independence for artists
in this industry, for its survival.
For
me, every day is a new challenge. You have to be aware of
all of the changes taking place around you; otherwise, you
will waste precious time. This can be difficult, because to
assess what you need to do to in order to achieve your objectives,
you have to wear multiple hats. I would emphasize that it's
very important to let your art do its thing. Don't distract
yourself by thinking that you need to jump on a bandwagon
just to get where it is you
want to go faster.
Your
art must come first. At the same time, if your button is pushed,
go with it because you never know where an opportunity will
lead you. That's the Firebug way. It's always been about the
music. We never focus too much on current trends.
I
work very hard at establishing good relationships with our
fans. They are my number one priority. MySpace can be a wonderful
tool when it comes to establishing relationships. We have
connected with people across the world, and been able to set
up tour dates, press contacts, etc. For the independent artist,
MySpace is where these kinds of connections happen. The problems
I face mostly have to do with bookings. There just are so
many bands/artists trying to get their foot in the door. I've
learned that persistence pays off. We have played in many
prominent venues, and even did two UK tours in 2007, which
allowed us to perform in London three times!
Juliette
Tworsey On Obstacles Faced and Lessons Learned:
For me,
creating music is one of life's greatest pleasures. While
making a living through music has always been a difficult
avenue to pursue, I believe that today, the terrain has become
even rougher for musicians.
There are many challenges and obstacles involved in being
a successful independent artist:
- Terrestrial radio consolidation/homogenization
- Lack of marketing and touring funds
- Illegal file sharing
- Having to wear many hats simultaneously
- Reaching your audience via the crowded Internet
- The economy and the housing crisis (especially in urban
areas, where trends tend to start)
- Smoking bans (where applicable)
All of these things make it difficult to expose people to
your music. The more difficulty you have exposing people to
your music, the more difficult it will be for you to get people
to come out and spend their cash at your show. The only real
way Firebug's gotten around these challenges has been through
MySpace. With time, and lots of "sweat equity,"
we have been able to make contacts all around the world.
Another occasional challenge we face has to do with scheduling.
Once in awhile, our schedules do get crossed. Ty Dennis, our
drummer, also tours with Riders on the Storm, and Adam Levy,
our bassist, does session work. If they're not available,
Jules and I will sometimes perform as an acoustic duo, or
"un-bugged," as we like to say.
We've had some success. We've grown. We've been able to work
on our sound without the constraints of conformity. We've
just finished recording a record with Andrew Alekel, a very
talented engineer, and are very proud of it. Also, every time
we get an email from a fan, we feel that that is a success.
Here are some things we've learned from our experiences:
- It pays to be tenacious.
- There's a big, wide open market out there. If you believe
in what you do, there's a crowd that'll eat it up, so be yourself!
- Keep an eye on what's going on in the music business today,
in terms of legislation, etc., so you'll know what's coming
at you tomorrow. Check out the advocacy page at www.grammy.com.
In the end, being an independent artist means having a license
to creative freedom. It also means hard work.
Ty
Dennis On Being True to Yourself and Your Art
I think
that you always set yourself up for a challenge when you're
a true artist—when you choose not to concern yourself
with formulating your music to what you think is the trend
of the moment. It can sometimes be a challenge to not take
the easy and cheap route of conforming to trends. Being true
to your soul and keeping your integrity is much harder to
do than trying to be fashionable. You have to have faith that
the artistry overcomes the trends.
I know
that what Firebug brings to the table speaks for itself. Just
staying true to ourselves as a band for this many years is
a success. People are noticing that this band is something
special and should be recognized.
One way
we've achieved recognition and built a fan-base is through
the Internet. If you truly have something special to offer
as an artist, there are great opportunities that will present
themselves, but don't wait for someone to come to you. Think
of the Burger King slogan, "Have it your way." All
of the truly classic, unique artists started with an independent
approach, which is why they are each special and sound like
themselves instead of somebody else.
Adam
Levy On Deciding Your Own Fate
When I
joined Firebug in January 2007, my first challenge was to
learn the band's repertoire. Jules and Juliette are prolific
songwriters, so it took a lot of listening.
Finding
local support has been another challenge. It is always at
a premium in Los Angeles. Here, even your best friends are
likely to play in bands that are vying for the same fan-base.
I've long envisioned starting a co-op of musicians that would
support each others' acts, but everybody is busy and narcissistic
in L.A.
Being
an independent artist today means something a lot different
than it has at any other time. With the Web, you truly have
access to the entire world market, minus the corporate middle
man. If you are as savvy as the average suit, you can decide
your own fate.
The main
thing other artists could learn from Firebug-other than how
to rock, is to define your goals and be persistent. Pay attention
to the industry, and play only good gigs.
Click here
to visit Firebug's website.
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