Starting a Rock Band ... Kittie Style
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Dale May
Making the Band 101
Ever wish you could start your own band, but weren't sure where to start? Canadian group Kittie formed when they were still in high school. Today, the girls are touring, producing albums, designing their own line of clothing and moving on to makeup products next. We asked them if they had any advice on how to start a band for rockstar-wannabes like us, and here's what they said ...
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Infamy Management
#1. Pick an Instrument
Pick an instrument that you think you would enjoy playing. Instruments are key in forming a band, don't you think? Maybe something that compliments your personality? Mercedes chose drums because she likes to beat stuff, maybe you'll like it too!
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#2. Find Your Bandmates
Find committed and like-minded musicians. Look for people at your school, work or even put out an ad in the paper. Sometimes it's best if they aren't close friends, as it makes for a less awkward situation if things don't work out.
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Matt Montemorano
#3. Practice
Find a jam space and set a schedule for practice. It's important to put aside a certain time and have a set place where the magic can happen.
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#4. Song Writing
Start writing some songs! Make sure they are original. No one wants to hear Nickleback Part 10! Write about your life, your problems, your cat. It doesn't really matter as long as it's good.
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Infamy Management
#5. Score Some Gigs
Once you have some songs, its time to begin looking for a gig. Some of our first shows were 'Battle of the Bands'-type shows, where we had to sell tickets to get a good spot. It was a great opportunity for us to network and meet other bands and trade shows with them. It's also a good way to become comfortable with playing in front of an audience.
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Universal
#6. Demo Time
Record a demo! Now that you have everything together and you've grown as a band playing all your gigs, it's time to lay it all down on tape. Try to find a studio that's known for high-quality recordings and decent prices.
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Infamy Management
#7. Get Signed
Now that your demo is finished, it's time to find a label. This might take some time, as some labels will not accept unsolicited material. Try playing shows at industry festivals like CMJ and SXSW (South by Southwest) which are open to everyone. And don't give up when you get a rejection letter. We have all kinds of rejection letters that we think about framing.
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Dale May
#8. Tour
Once you are signed and you've recorded your album, tour as much as possible. When on tour, play to as many people as you can. Give as much energy to a crowd of 10 as you would to a crowd of 10,000. Perfect your stage show and work hard to get the crowd involved!
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Dale May
#9. Build Your Empire
Take over the world, and expand your empire. Get into designing clothing (like us), managing bands (like us), start your own label (like us), get dolls made of yourselves and be the entrepreneurs you know you've always wanted to be!
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