Issue 1
Welcome to the first issue of The Band Bible! I’m truly glad to have you here. The purpose of this newsletter is to address, break down, and shine a light on the business of being in a band. This is something that is often inaccessible or shrouded in mystery, and it shouldn’t be, so I hope The Band Bible is able to play even a small role in helping to change that.
Every free newsletter will feature an interview with someone who is making waves through their work with independent artists. To launch the newsletter, the first and only interviewee I thought of was Teri Woods, writer and founder of Moths and Giraffes. Moths and Giraffes has changed the game when it comes to the type of coverage independent artists receive. While many publications that cover independent artists do not do so in-depth a vast majority of the time, Teri has completely flipped the script. The kind of coverage artists receive on Moths and Giraffes is of the length and substance that is normally only found in cover stories about highly famous faces. With thoughtful interview questions and an intuitive analysis of the music, Moths and Giraffes sends a clear message: an artist doesn’t have to “reach a certain level” to receive nuanced, quality profiles.
I first connected with Teri around this time last year to pitch an artist I was in a release cycle for at the time (the fantastic Furrowed Brow), and I’m grateful that we’ve kept in touch ever since. Here, Teri shares fantastic insight into self-pitching, taking risks, artist development, the story of how Moths and Giraffes came about, and much more. So, without further ado…
Image courtesy of Moths and Giraffes
For the uninitiated, what drove you to launch Moths and Giraffes?
It was a combination of things. I’ve kept a concert journal since 2011, which essentially contains a detailed account of all the events I’ve been to, more than three hundred across 1800 pages and over a million words. Several people in my life asked me why I had all this information and wasn’t doing anything with it. It seems kind of crazy that I have all that and nobody has ever seen it.
At the same time, I was getting frustrated with the lack of representation of smaller artists. People really believe in the myth that ‘there isn’t any good music out there these days’, and it just isn’t true, but it’s perpetuated by this absence of coverage. Plus, the artists who were actually being represented often had pieces published about them that were just regurgitated press releases, or incorrect details entirely! I’d go to a lot of smaller gigs and chat to the artists I’d see performing, so in a sense, I was already interviewing these musicians. An inspiring conversation with a friend in November 2019 was the catalyst that drove me to take my writing to the next level. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.
Which aspects of running Moths and Giraffes bring you the most joy?
It’s right down to the core of writing about artists whose music makes me want to shout from the rooftops, which is all of it. There are so many wonderfully talented people out there and I wish I could write about them all. They deserve to have their music heard. I try to do my best for each artist I write about, and feeling like I’ve done a good job of helping deliver their message is immensely heart-warming.
Throughout your time operating the publication, is there anything you learned about the industry along the way that people may be surprised to know?
That taking a chance is entirely worth it. I spoke to an artist once who admired the work of a certain producer, but had no idea how to contact them. In the end she just sent him a message via Facebook and he agreed to produce her debut album! I’ve also taken chances in this way when I’ve wanted to interview an artist. Simply getting in touch with someone’s management or finding an email address and sending off an email has had more of a success rate than I ever imagined it would. Whatever the circumstance in the music industry, whether you’re fielding gig opportunities, reaching out to a producer, or looking for a collaboration, just try it. As my Dad always says, “You never know, ‘til you have a go.”
In your opinion, what are some of the biggest hurdles independent artists are currently facing?
With streaming and download services cutting out a huge production cost of physical media, and artists being able to record studio-quality music at home, the increasing listening choice means songs can fall through the cracks. It’s hard when an artist spends two months on a song, another month hyping its release, then the day after its release date it’s as if nothing ever happened. Unfortunately, without going viral, a massive way to cut through the noise is to have a marketing budget. When releases are done on a shoestring, having a reasonable budget to do that is near-impossible. It’s tough, but that’s where a record label is still good at what they do. The rest of what a lot of them do though is questionable.
How would you like to see the industry change?
In recent years I’ve heard of too many artists that are signed for one album that doesn’t immediately become a global success, then dropped before they have the chance to develop. How many artists historically reach greater success when they’re afforded more time and space to do so? ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ was Pink Floyd’s eighth album. ‘Dancing Queen’ was on Abba’s fourth album. Elton John didn’t have his first U.K. solo number one single until 1990. The list goes on.
I wish the industry would see potential in artists and allow them the freedom to take their journey the way they want to. All the great artists have made their own choices and everybody loves them for it. At what point did this change and why does the industry expect instantaneous results? It never worked before and it certainly won’t now. All it does is contribute to our music becoming increasingly disposable. If the music industry thinks it’s disposable, how is anyone else supposed to value it?
Do you have any tips for bands when it comes to pitching themselves to publications like yours?
To begin with, I think it’s all about offering something unique in however you choose to present the email. An eye-catching subject line does wonders. Someone recently sent me an email that said, ‘Music that slaps harder than Will Smith at the Oscars.’ You’re more likely to pay attention to a sentence like that when it’s one of twenty pitches you received that day.
In your pitch, make sure you include the materials you want us to review (a single, album, etc.) and a press release explaining who you are and details about the media you’re including. Another important inclusion is always a few photographs, with credits to the photographer who shot them. It’s vital to credit your photographers just as you credit your producers.
It makes life easier for anyone like me when all this information is there right off the bat. It’s always more difficult when a writer has to chase someone for more information. It’s important to say that you’re available for interviews if you’re up for doing them too. With all of this information, a writer can get back to you with one email to say: Yes, we’d like to write about you. And you’re away.
Similarly, are there any mistakes artists may not realize they're making when self-pitching?
For me personally, I prefer to be given at least a couple of weeks’ notice prior to something being released. As many of the smaller websites like mine are run by people who have full-time jobs, it takes time to put a Q&A together, do the research for that and the article they want to run, so it helps to have a little head-start. As I’m writing, I already have artists on my radar who are releasing in six weeks’ time, so its difficult to drop everything and attend to something that’s already out with little warning. It will help your release immensely if you allow yourself time to run some PR on it, to shop it around and generate a buzz.
Lastly, which "commandment" would you like to leave for artists in The Band Bible?
Create for yourself. You don’t need to be a part of a trend or to sound like your favourite artist. You have an individual voice, an individual story that can be told through your music. People can always separate the genuine artists from the ones who simply try to fit in. You don’t want to fit in, not really. You want to be yourself, because that’s the best thing you can possibly be.
I’m going to close things out by taking a moment to celebrate The Palpitations and The Silver Lines, two of our artists who have had (and will have) new releases this month. The Palpitations released ‘Denial’ on 15th April, and The Silver Lines will release ‘Love Made,’ the leading single from their upcoming EP (more on that later), on the 28th. I’m extremely proud of both bands, and I’m grateful to all who have taken the time to write nice things about their work, air it on the radio, or add it to a playlist so far. I also want to take a moment to highlight Anna Jackson of Ghost Club Records, who has done a wonderful job in assisting me with these two releases.
Alright, that’s it! Thank you so much for reading The Band Bible.
Wishing you happiness and hedonism,
Lindsay Teske