I write SINGLES, not CDs--what to do with my tracks?!?!

[paul minot]

After much obsessive laboring, I have finally completed work on two songs that at last sound ready for the world. The first, "Death Defying"--which anybody who follows my posts is ALREADY tired of hearing about, no doubt--is a bouncy technopop song in the style of Kraftwerk and Devo, with more contemporary production values and a pithy/funny rap vocal about the challenges of parenthood, middle age, and facing mortality. I think it has a natural audience of old farts that like younger-sounding music--ex-punks, unrepentant rockers, and other lurkers who hate wimpy James Taylor shit as much as the whipper-snappers do. It falls on the pop side of lappop, a little more so than the other track, "Yucca", which is a mellower and melodic tune with techno flourishes and quizzical/metaphysical lyrics. More "adult-oriented" musically if not lyrically.

Both seem to me to have some commercial potential, but I produce songs very slowly and am not nearly done with an album's worth of material. In this modern world of iPods single tracks are king, anyway--so why bother waiting until you have a CD to sell, since hardly anybody wants them anyway. I am also too busy between life and making the music to spend much time doing promotional bullshit like sending off tons of CDs to people that don't want to see or hear them. I am even hesitant about the hassle of setting up a website, but I guess that simply has to be done. So, the big question is...

Assuming that my two songs are indeed cool enough and commercial enough to have some worth in the marketplace, what do I do with them? An internet radio station seems like a good idea, since the tracks are both radio-type songs in their own way. One that also hosts artists would be good, since I could obviously use the help setting up. But I don't have any CDs to sell at this point, nor do I really want to get into the "hardware" side of things until I have an album's worth. Exposure would be good at any rate, but I'd like a station that is kind of alterna-pop oriented--music somewhere between Beck and Postal Service, I guess. Any ideas at this time? Any other strategic suggestions?

To anybody out there that has given me suggestions in the past when I made a similar post some time ago, I appreciate it, but the market and my conception has evolved somewhat since that time. I have already sent a copy of "Death Defying" to Computer Music magazine in the hopes of getting it reviewed, so I can get some more objective feedback regarding it's worth. I am also going to send it to some local radio stations that play local artists, and will also post these songs in the Music Cafe once I get a home on the web established.

By the way, Kvrists can still call me paul minot, but the music-consuming public shall henceforth know me as--

BUBBA LOVE

Thanks for any help/direction you guys can offer me.

Paul

[Steven West]

I'd say put them up at www.soundclick.com Easy as stink to sign up and upload, great managing and monitoring resources, genre selection for any type of music, etc. You can make them 'free' so people can download, burn, play anytime they like. And when you're ready with your CD, just switch them to 'not free'. People can still play them to check them out, but can't burn them and download them.

Just my 2 cents, and have a feeling with all the 2 cents coming - you're going to be a rich man soon.

[BONES]

Why not a CD-Single? Seems like a match made in heaven. BTW, you still using ORION?

[paul minot]

Thanks Steven, Soundclick looks PERFECT!! And Bones, you're right--I should test the waters with a CD single. Now where's the cheapest place to get a limited run printed and pressed, in the US or Canada, in slim jewel case format? Any ideas? [/url]

[Steven West]

That's a toughy Paul. Many 'small run' replicator houses that do 50+ use CD-R's still and either thermal printing or adhesive printed labels. They can look 'pro' for sure, but aren't. If you want to go 'pro' and get glass mastering, silk screen printing and glossy booklets - the BARE minimum is 500. Sites like CinRam and Americ Disc won't take you personally, and you'll have to find a 'broker'.
Usually a mastering house that offers replication would be the best way to go, as they have a 'bulk deal' with major replicators to get things in and out in a timely fashion.

Check your local classifieds in the Music Section for any studios that are '1 Stop'. It could cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 for 500 mastered, replicated, and packaged CD's for you.

But for now, see how you fair on SoundClick atleast. If you go #1 and gain lots of fans, by all means - make 500 'pro' CD's then.

[Dan Island]

Maybe someone has laready said this but what about a greatest hits CD?

[Steven West]

Getting on a compilation CD you mean? Good idea!

I wouldn't know where to start with that, but I suppose if Paul found a CD that seemed to be in the same genre as his music is, and it's promoting new talent as opposed to 'guitar legends' or 'Top artists of 2002' - it wouldn't hurt to write or e-mail the label I guess?

There used to be TONS of compilation and expose CD's everywhere, but I haven't seen much in the longest time? Mind you, I haven't been to a HMV, Towers, or Virgin in about 5 years.