Get Your Shit Outta Here ...by Robert Lastdrager

Get Your Shit Outta Here

...by Robert Lastdrager

So, you're in a two-bit Melbourne rock'n'roll band doing the rounds, ....a few gigs here and there, small audience and even smaller market. Where to from here? Forget about Australian Idol and those music industry competitions, ......just log on and make your own waves. Playing in a band, creating, recording, promoting and selling truly independent releases has always been a roller coaster ride of energy, excitement, emotion and timing, all the while eyes shut, fingers crossed and ticket in sweaty hand. But now, the Internet has become the new middleman. These days it's possible for self financed independent releases to source particular niche outlets world wide, and approach them directly, saving time, and in a lot of cases money. You may be small fry here, but there's a whole school of specialist radio programs, particularly on community radio world wide, which are bustin' to hear and play original sounds.

I play in a local surf trio who have released an independent CD and we have been inspired by the airplay, sales, and response from rock'n'roll and surf music radio programs, bands and audiences worldwide. OK, so here in Melbourne like most bands, we play intermittent gigs to small crowds in small pubs, which we enjoy. However, on an international scale we are contributing to a world wide scene, a huge and fantastic niche market, where community radio programs are play listing our music alongside a host of surf related bands from the early 1960's up to the present day, putting our music and the reason we play and record it into context. We have been picked up across the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, France, Russia, Canada and a gamut of community and college based stations right across the US, and placed on weekly rotation from Portland Oregon's KBOO down to Phil Dirt's Reverb Central in Santa Cruz, up to Rochester's WITR, across to New York's WNYU and WFMU, down to KSYM in San Antonio, Texas, and across the borders to some crazy surf cats in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, all of which have vibrant surf / live rock'n'roll / festival / community radio scenes. It's great to exchange information and your love of the music while making sales and touring contacts for the future, all the while filling them in on what the scene in Australia, and in particular Melbourne has to offer.

And what does it take? Well, it takes what it's always taken; a dose of DIY ethos as espoused in those fantastic old Maximum Rock'n'Roll magazines. The "Book Your Own Fuckin' Life!" issues were basically global indie music address books listing punk bands, helpful dudes, share houses, squats and other accommodation, venues, street press, cheap eats and all round info to get you where you're going while rockin' out and on the skids.

So, relax, cut out the middleman and create your own down and dirty contact list. Surf the web for like-minded radio, bands and record stores and start making contact. The rest is easy, follow-up with snail mail and get your shit outta here par avion - a simple promotional pack including a biography (one page max!) poster, stickers, whatever, and of course your CD, and you'll be forking out less than $4.00 all up for delivery anywhere on the planet. Yeah, it ain't rocket science, but if you're gonna promote your product, make it a celebration. The worldwide community radio network, DJ's, bands and music fans will thank you for it. So what are you waiting for?

ROBERT LASTDRAGER- PO BOX 2591 Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia 3068
fryuprecords@hotmail.com

The Tommys relaxing between sets.
L-R: Laurie, Lastdrager, Lickliter

Rob Lastdrager is the drummer with Australian surf slackobilly trio The Tommys. The band recently had the single "Thruster" from their debut album "Grow Fins" included on WITR's "Whole Lotta Shakin" compilation. The CD features over 25 surf, garage, and R&R bands primarily from the US, with contributions from around the planet, and is available from Garage-Pop Records out of Rochester, New York. The Tommys track "Grow Fins" has also been released this summer through English label, Colchester Recordings.