OurStage

1. What are the most important things to pay attention with considering signing with a label?
I think the most important thing to pay attention to is the state of the music industry. The business has encountered a rough patch for probably the last five years. With the rise of independent labels, file sharing, and free music available on the internet, with lime wire, peer to peer networks, etc. labels aren't selling the same volume of records as they did in the past. On a broader spectrum labels used to be concerned with artist development. And now, owning your own van and putting yourself on the road is ultimately going to do more for you as an artist than the "throw it on the wall and see if it will stick" mentality of some of the larger labels. Basically, in today's world, the band/artist who controls his/her own destiny is the one who works the hardest without considering what the label can do. At the end of the day you want the label to come and compliment the groundwork you've already laid.

2. What should a new artist expect from a Manager? How can you tell a good one from a bad one?
A new artist should expect hard work and opportunities from a manager. Tell your manager what you are willing to do. As long as it never compromises your integrity, you should do it, and your manager should help to make it happen. Also, you have to have a good product! If your manager is the king of england but your music is shit, it doesn't matter! A good manager creates opportunities, not excuses!

3. While coming up, what artists/band did you seek to emulate and why?
The Beatles! They were, are, and will always be the greatest, most innovative band of all time. The more I study The Beatles, their songs, and their career, I realize there will be even knowledge for me to gain from them to last several lifetimes.

4. What is the most important to consider when interacting with fans of your music?
That the only reason you get to do what you do, is because of them. You may write for yourself, but as soon as you put your music in their hands, it becomes theirs as well. Fans are of utmost importance to a band. Managers, labels, fads will all come and go. Supporters will remain the fuel in the engine and the wind in the sails.

5. How important is having a lawyer in the music business and if you have one where did you find them?
Lawyers are probably one of the top three most important members of a band's team. The bigger a band gets, the more stuff you have to respond to and take care of. With so many things to consider when starting a tour, covering a song, renting a bus, signing a deal, recording a record. The music industry is a complicated and tough business and having a lawyer who knows his stuff, is current with the industry, and is well connected is very important. But most importantly, you must trust your lawyer completely as he may be making decisions on your behalf on the fly and would have to consult you later.

6. Are there any specific things you've done to avoid big business and the music industry?
MAE has always done things at our own speed. Recording our first full length record and b-sides at home in our own studio. Never taking tour support, never writing songs for immediate success, never taking tours that didn't make sense. We have made plenty of mistakes along that way that we have in turn learned from, but we have always managed to keep our own integrity for the art in tact and have never compromised for the sake of money or fame.

7. Is it possible to make it big without a major label?
Absolutely!!! And these days it is becoming the underground standard. Internet is the number one source for music as more and more people are deciding to give up on radio and television for the discovery of new artists. Good music will always rise to the top. Making it big is relative. Creating good, meaningful art will almost always be recognized and the word seems to always get out when it comes to good music. People need music more than labels do.

8. What's the best things to spend money on (recording, publicity, tour, managers, lawyers, etc.)?
Touring is what sustains a band in my opinion. In the struggling music business it is becoming more and more important to develop a good live show with great songs that people will talk about after the show is done. If you are taking your music out for a tour, people will come out as a release from their own worlds. When you invest in a good live show, you are investing into your fans more than you know. These people are looking for a mini escape. Give them a good a show and you will have fans for life. Fans who appreciate your desire to give them something very special every time you come to their town.

9. What's the biggest waste of money?
Big recording budgets. With technology constantly advancing, there is no good reason to spend half a million dollars on recording a record. It is important to be true to the music and let it come out and be represented the best way possible. But this is absolutely necessary without breaking the bank. Start learning how to record with programs like garage band, fruity loops, etc. and you will find how little you need a major label to make your dream come true.

10. How has the Internet changed the way you approach building a fanbase?
It is absolutely possible to reach an audience spanning the entire world with the internet. There are many many countries represented on MySpace, maeteam, etc. where our records have yet to be released, but the internet has still brought us dedicated fans. Internet is the most important tool for creating a fan base for a new artist.