Week 40! and still here, you'll never get rid of me now;-) I get easily exited about big numbers... Anyway, this week I have lot to go through, so lets get straight in to it.
As you might have noticed, the “On a Shoestring project” has been a bit evolving project, first it started with idea of a solo album, that very fast turned in to a band that you know now as JPKALLIO.COM, then out came the E.P. “Play it loud!” followed by our 100 concert challenge. Now we are taking on again another aspect, which hopefully we can make in to a some how regular thing later on, and this will be the “On a Shoestring presents” concerts:-) Obviously JPKALLIO.COM will be featuring heavily at these shows, but also we are hoping to help out and share stages with similarly minded DIY bands. And our very first event will be on 15th of June in the upstairs at the Whelan's on Wexford street. On the night, headlining as you guessed JPKALLIO.COM, and our friends The Wicked Few will be supporting us. The doors open at 8pm, The show starts 9pm sharp, and we'll be rocking until about 10.45pm. The ticket price is €5. Most of the ticket fee goes to cover the costs of the venue and promotion, but if we manage to make anything extra, that will all go towards future “On a Shoestring presents” nights. To get updates on the future nights, just sign up to our mailing list, if you haven't done so yet (There's a free E.P. In it for you)
So we really hope to see you all in there, and if your band would like to get a spot at a future event, just come along, check out the night and have chat with us:-)
And now on to something that I meant to talk about for a long time, and this most certainly has influenced everything we do:-)
The mid seventies brought out a new music gender that actually had strong political links and became a movement. The origins of the music is too much of a debate for this blog to participate in, and I would not be an expert at this anyway, for more on the history of it all, check out a wonderful article by A.S. Van Dorston at http://www.fastnbulbous.com/punk.htm We are of course talking about Punk rock. I actually had a debate about the rock part in the punk with a fellow musician, but again as I am writing this blog I will leave the rock in it;-). I associate roaring distorted guitar, pumping bass lines and pulsating drums with rock music, and punk has it. I am not a big fan of drawing very strict categories in music, more of a general ball park indications. But the reason I am bringing punk rock up is to do with the way these bands went about their business. Before the record companies “discovered” local bands and made them national and international. And in those early days there were lots money made and not by the artists... So the punk rockers very much rewrite the rule book. They made records on a shoestring budget, printed them by them selves, booked their own tours by hooking up with other bands in other cities, sleeping in the floors of friends flats, driving around with doggy vans. They were not too bothered about the best equipment, or making loads of money, they just wanted to play music, loud! Sure thing it had its boom, as does everything, The Sex pistols, the Clash, the Ramones... But most punk bands were not signed to a major label. And once that boom was gone, lot of people were sure the punk would just die a slow death. But what started as an underground scene continued as an underground scene and was probably the most unaffected by the crash of music business (as we used to know it). And now 25 years later, the future of the music business is very much built on this DIY concept. Sure we have the internet and all of its wonderful tools, but the basics are the same. Record some music, get out and play some live shows, build following and then expand this to next town and so on. Hard work, good music, great live show and word of mouth. Too often people think there is some magic formula, or some super promoter who is going to elevate them to “The next level”... But the punk rockers always had this down to earth mentality. And if you stop trying to find that magic formula and just concentrate in making the best music you can, playing the best gigs you can and promoting your band the best you can, you will be so much head of the game from the most bands out there.
So thats all for this week, back for more next Wednesday:-)
J.P.
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