Fans, media, managers, agents, record companies, music publishers, clubs, festivals... You want their attention, and their introduction to you or your band could very well be your bio. Every band has one, and the majority are unoriginal, unexciting, or just plain bad. Why should anyone pay attention to yours? In this free webinar, Canadian Musician Editor Andrew King will share tips and ideas on how to make your artist bio interesting and intriguing instead of boring and bland. You'll learn how to capture and keep people's attention with your story and style and avoid the all-too-common cliches and pitfalls that make so many artist bios a burden to read. During this live presentation, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and contribute to the discussion. As Luther Mallory of State of the Artist has so eloquently said, "There's no such thing as a great band bio - just ones that aren't terrible." This webinar will help ensure that yours is one.

1. Andrew King
Editor, Canadian Musician Magazine
(with a few ideas stolen from other people…)

2. “There's no such thing as a great band bio -
just ones that aren't terrible.”
-Luther Mallory, State of the Artist
(We’re only half kidding…)

3. About the author guy talking:
Bios For:
•
City & Colour
•
Xavier Rudd
•
The Sheepdogs
•
July Talk
•
Cancer Bats
Articles On:
•
Rush
•
Avril Lavigne
•
Michael Buble
•
Billy Talent
•
Kiesza
Spoken At:
•
ECMAs
•
Halifax Pop
Explosion
•
Music PEI Week
•
VIMBC
•
MIMEFest

4. REMEMBER:
There are exceptions to every rule.
Just make sure you understand the risks of breaking one.

5. The Basics
•
Tell People What You Want Them To Know
•
First Impressions Are Important
•
(So the first impression of your first impression is
extra important)
•
Know Your Audience
•
Fans
•
Media
•
Industry
•
Know Where It’s Going
•
Website/Social Media
•
Emails/PR
•
Festivals
•
Articles
•
Grant Applications
•
This IS a Popularity Contest

6. Things To Do:
•
Make Sure It’s Well Written
•
Not First Person
•
Hire A Writer (If You Can)
•
Make It Factual, Not Fluffy
•
This IS Marketing, But Can’t Be Blatant
•
Give It Style
•
Tell Your Story
•
Intrigue People
•
Why SHOULD We Care?
•
Share Big Achievements
•
Awards & Accolades
•
Festivals & Shows
•
Places You’ve Been
•
Namedrop (but not too much)

7. Things To Do:
•
Highlight Your Strengths
•
Music?
•
Live Show?
•
Creativity?
•
Humour?
•
Drive?
•
Etc.
•
Keep It As Short As It Can Be
•
MAKE SURE YOU’RE HAPPY WITH IT

8. Things NOT To Do
•
Don’t Overhype
•
“Groundbreaking new sound”
•
“Revolutionize the music industry”
•
“The next Michael Jackson”
•
Make “Musical Recipes” or “Love Children”
•
“Wu-Tang Clan hooks up with Shania Twain”
•
“Take a dash of Fleetwood Mac, add…
•
Rely On Clichés
•
“Unleashes their new album”
•
“Kills it on stage”
•
“Deadweighting”
•
Outdated/Irrelevant Accolades
•
Bands With Similar Profile

9. Leading By Example
Singer and songwriter. Broadcaster. Performer, producer, poet, and playwright.
Multi-instrumentalist and Mountie. Hawksley Workman is all of these things and
others still – an ambitious, ever-busy global ambassador of Canadian culture and
creativity. The pun on the surname? It’s just too easy.
Hawksley Workman

10. Leading By Example
Upon returning to his hometown of Toronto from a final European tour with his
band, Peter Dreimanis sat sweaty and half-drunk in a candlelit basement bar,
nursing a drink, debating his next musical pursuit. Lulled in lethargy, he paid little
attention to the beat-up acoustic guitar being passed from patron to patron around
him; that was until it found its home in the hands of Leah Fay.
July Talk

11. Leading By Example
Substance. Sincerity. Swagger. Reverb.
All are abundant throughout the nine tracks comprising Desire’s Despair, the debut
full-length from indie rock/pop pair Mise en Scene.
Mise En Scene

12. Leading By Example
God forbid anyone ever tries to re-make Animal House, at least we know the
infamous house party scene can be salvaged by swapping the “Shout”-ing Otis Day
and the Knights with Winnipeg’s The Noble Thiefs. (And yes. It’s supposed to be
spelled that way.)
The Noble Thiefs

13. DON’T FOLLOW THIS Example
God forbid anyone ever tries to re-make Animal House, at least we know the
infamous house party scene can be salvaged by swapping the “Shout”-ing Otis Day
and the Knights with Winnipeg’s The Noble Thiefs. (And yes. It’s supposed to be
spelled that way.)
Tiesto

14. Nail, Meet Head
The voice is unmistakable – immediately identifiable by those who know it and
intensely intriguing to those that don’t.
?????????

15. Rule Breakers
umm so there are guitars and stuff.
Foo Fighters

16. Rule Breakers
I think it’s the best album I’ve ever made…I know every artist on earth says that
when their new album is coming out but really - this time it’s true. I swear. You can
ask my mother. But don’t take my word for it or my mom’s. Play it yourself and
you’ll see and hear I’m telling the honest truth. I want to take you on a wonderful
journey about love – all different kinds of love. The album swings big time – it rocks
– it’s soulful – it’s happy –sometimes a little sad - it’s romantic – it’s yummy and it’s
heartfelt.
Michael Buble

17. Questions? Comments? Crises?
Interesting facts nobody really cares about?