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Band Member Bio Question and Answer

#21
electracoyote said:
Sheesh, do I have to ask ALL my band-management questions on TB? I researched this and the results were every bit as lame as the actual "band bios" I read on band websites.

So once again I turn to the under-appreciated wisdom of the bass players of the world.

I want to post up some biographies of my band members on our website. But I am determined to make it a little more fun and interesting, maybe even more insightful, than the tripe I see on most band websites. I can get all the obligatory basics on one line, but then I want my mates to answer some fun, funny, and insightful questions.

Ideas? Maybe a few example questionnaires I can peek at?
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no one cares about your band bios.

the end.
 
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#22
azureblue said:
nobody who wants to hire your band gives a rat's patootie about favorite foods, colors, the names of their kids, their doctorates in music from xx university, years spent in an ashram, etc.. They come to the site to check out the band as a unit - what kind of music they play, what they look like, band history and music samples. Focus your band site on that.
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Which is why I intend to avoid most of the information you listed. That was the point of this thread. It is possible to recognize the band as a unit and as individuals, they are not mutually exclusive.

I believe, if nothing else, it is a much-deserved tip of the hat to my band members and I know at least their families and friends will read the bio page. I usually read the band bios when I go to a band's site. I usually cringe at the redundancy, and that's what I want to cure with my bios.

And cover bands certainly have "fans" "groupies" "regulars" call them what you will. I have been in several bands where we had the same groups of partiers come out to every club we played all over town, and if you do upscale events, you get a lot of repeat and referral business.

Again, just because it's not cool for the average musician, in a business and marketing sense, it can be a good thing.

If you think it's dumb, that doesn't really help. I'm having band member bios along with nice professional individual pictures on the web site because it fits my project, our target client, and our marketing strategy. I'd appreciate hearing suggestions from people who understand that, maybe some actual band managers who do use band member bios on their pages.
 
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#23
electracoyote said:
We're not original, we're not avant-garde, we're a variety cover band that plays "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Uptown Funk." We don't want or need a mystique or street cred from bohemians. We want to connect with our target audience, which is made up of people going out to dance on a Friday night or booking a corporate party. We bring a fun party atmosphere and we don't take ourselves that seriously outside of the execution of the material.
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That sounds like a pretty good bio right there.
 
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#27
I'm going through the bio-writing thing now, and it is not fun. Two members have long pro-level resumes, three do not. After reading these posts, I think everyone is going to get maybe 25 words, and none will be about what anyone did beforehand. I'm thinking about using the title of a Delbert McClinton song for mine: "I ain't old, but I been around a long time." :D
 
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#29
Bunk McNulty said:
I'm going through the bio-writing thing now, and it is not fun. Two members have long pro-level resumes, three do not. After reading these posts, I think everyone is going to get maybe 25 words, and none will be about what anyone did beforehand. I'm thinking about using the title of a Delbert McClinton song for mine: "I ain't old, but I been around a long time." :D
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My band mates like the idea of bios, and they want it to be different and unique. One actually suggested a "favorite quote," which you don't see very often.

MattZilla said:
This is all the bio your band needs. Absolutely not one letter more
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I think there are many perspectives on this. We're taking it from an audience-centric approach, and we will be having biographical information of some sort. Thanks just the same.
 
#30
The two most lucrative & frequently gigging bands of mine had almost zero bio. A paragraph or two on genres we played, an equipment list, song list, and tons of high quality photos of us on stage in front of people, radio/TV appearances (if you have them), and large shots of us on stages for corporate or holiday themed events. Links to YouKu videos so they could see/hear us. You're selling your service as entertainers. Treat it as such.

Edit: I could see doing a full-page photo of each member with their favorite quote or something short.
 
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#31
sketch said:
The two most lucrative & frequently gigging bands of mine had almost zero bio. A paragraph or two on genres we played, an equipment list, song list, and tons of high quality photos of us on stage in front of people, radio/TV appearances (if you have them), and large shots of us on stages for corporate or holiday themed events. Links to YouKu videos so they could see/hear us. You're selling your service as entertainers. Treat it as such.

Edit: I could see doing a full-page photo of each member with their favorite quote or something short.
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Yes, this is the tail-wagging-the-dog part. The band has been successful with basically no promo material at all except videos on farcebook. Now we feel like we really ought to get an actual promo package together. It's hard to get motivated when the calendar is already pretty full. I know, everybody should have these kinds of problems...
 
#33
sketch said:
The two most lucrative & frequently gigging bands of mine had almost zero bio.
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Interesting. Some of the best variety cover bands in my area have band member bios on their web sites. I'm not sure there is a direct correlation between bios and success (or lack thereof), it's more of a preference thing.

Edit: I could see doing a full-page photo of each member with their favorite quote or something short.
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Right, something short and not lame or dorky. I don't know if I can dedicate a full page of my web site to each member though.
 
#34
There are two reasons for a bio..... 1 is for the dedicated fans that want to know your influences and gear, these are the true fans not just groupies who wanna be cool cause they "know of the guy in the band"...2 if your this far than you know what an epk is promoters demand it and it should be professional looking , they wanna see that your serious and commited and that it's not just a hobby... Start with where you were born and how you got into music then the bands you have been in and played with and Mabey a gear run down... Keep it to a few paragraphs and always be professional...
 

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