| The Importance of A Good Bio | | | | give the average person an idea of what to |
| | | | expect if they where to see you live. |
| After scouring the Internet checking out | | | | |
| Toronto indie bands it became apparent that | | | | - Band Members. Very briefly describe who is |
| the art of even a mediocre bio is lost on | | | | in the band and what they play. Unless |
| most bands/artists. With the increasing | | | | you’ve made a name for yourself, forget |
| popularity of myspace and other such online | | | | about writing 2 paragraphs about who came |
| music communities, everyone and anyone has a | | | | from what band and why. However, if one or |
| home for their music. Unfortunately, this | | | | more members/ex-members can give you some |
| has all lead to bands losing their | | | | kind of instant music cred, be sure to drop |
| professionalism and becoming lost in a sea of | | | | their name a little more often. As well, pay |
| enthusiasts recording tracks in their | | | | more attention to this information if the |
| basements. | | | | band has numerous members or plays more |
| | | | bizarre instruments. |
| Most bands hate the commercialism associated | | | | |
| with the bio or feels that no one reads them. | | | | - Any Other Relevant Information. Briefly |
| Regardless of your feelings on the music | | | | list off anything that was a major |
| industry, every band should realize that this | | | | accomplishment for your band. Maybe you |
| is a business no matter how indie you think | | | | played a well-known festival, toured with a |
| your band is. Even if your just playing for | | | | popular band, or were a major draw at NXNE. |
| the love of music, you still need to promote | | | | Quotes from reputable music journalist |
| yourself as a product in order to get fans | | | | sources also help. Just be sure not to dwell |
| into your shows. In the end the bio is your | | | | too much on these facts or it may look like |
| business card to the music community. It | | | | your band is holding on to glory days of the |
| helps fans, press, booking agents, managers, | | | | past. |
| and record labels know who you are and what | | | | |
| your about. | | | | - Humour/Individuality. Be sure to |
| | | | personalize the bio to the personality that |
| Key Points To Make In Your Bio | | | | fits the members of the band or the genre of |
| | | | music you play. If your music doesn’t |
| - Contact Information. Always make sure that | | | | sound like everyone else’s, why should |
| everything associated with your band has | | | | your bio be a carbon copy of countless |
| contact information on it. Always have the | | | | others? |
| contact directly on each piece of media from | | | | |
| cd’s to bios. That way even if | | | | Many bands are guilty of ignoring the bio, |
| elements get lost, your contact information | | | | but it seems like Hip-Hop artists are the |
| still resides on anything that didn’t | | | | majority of those ignoring this key marketing |
| make it to the trash. | | | | tool. Regardless of style, every band needs |
| | | | a bio. All news is good news and a bio can |
| - Influences. Every band loves to say that | | | | help get press about your band from every |
| they are starting a musical revolution or | | | | angle, everywhere from Major music |
| don’t wish to pigeon hole their band by | | | | publications to local music rags to fans |
| using genres. The fact of the matter is | | | | writing about you in their high school |
| though, that no band is 100% unique. We all | | | | newspaper. |
| get our influences from somewhere no matter | | | | |
| how random. If your band is afraid of being | | | | In most cases this is your bands first |
| trapped within a genre, use words like | | | | impression to make on somebody before |
| hybrid, myriad, collage, or infused. Its | | | | they’ve even heard your music. It is |
| still unique if you merge different genres, | | | | sometimes your only chance to get your music |
| artists, political ideals, and non-linear | | | | heard and the last thing you want is to mess |
| thinking to describe your sound and it will | | | | up any opportunity. |