The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Band

by Mark Bliesener, Steve Knopper

Learn how to hire a booking agent, identify possible venues, conquer the club circuit, establish financial goals, find a big-time manager, avoid scams, get publicity for your group, make a demo - and tailor it for different recipients, approach a record company, make sense of a recording contract, make your own video, deal with drug and alcohol issues.

In this guide you'll get:

Tips for finding - and writing - the best songs for your group.

Advice on how to choose a name for your group.

Pointers on how to deal with band members who aren't getting along.

Strategies for working with managers and promoters.

Advice on booking your band at local clubs and promoting your own show.

Techniques on how to manage your band like a business.

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2004

Reviews

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this text because it told me the exact ways of starting a band easily which is exactly what I wanted to know. The book is very detailed and gives you lots of different ways to solve one problem and start a band. It has everything from wanting to be in a band to creating a hit song. It gives you a vey good overview on starting a band.

Reading this text taught me about starting a band and being passionate about it. This book has inspired me to start a band when I am older and maybe try it as a career for a while. It has taught me how to write songs, how to choose a name, how to deal with other band members, how to work with managers, how to get gigs and how to run my band like a business

[Mark Yoshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly comprehensive coverage from learning an instrument to getting gigs and a contract. That's really too much to cover adequately in a single book, so there isn't a whole lot of depth. Still, it was interesting and a decent primer on the biz.