Whoops.....

After playing for two hours at Borders in Southampton today, I was wondering why?
I didn't sell any cds, I didn't get any email addresses for my mailing list, nobody knew who I was, nobody made a special effort to come just to see me and I didn't make any new contacts.


"I didn't sell any cds" - I did have cds with me but I'd put them on a table away from people and there was no explanation as to what they where, who I am and that they were available to buy. I wasn't exactly making it easy was I?

"I didn't get any email addresses for my mailing list" - I may have done if I had thought of letting people know that I HAD a mailing list or even had a sheet of paper and perhaps a pen so they COULD give me their email address!!

"nobody knew who I was" I didn't tell them, in fact thinking back, I didn't tell them anything! I never said a word! To be fair, there wasn't anyone sitting watching me, folk were just wander around just like one would in a book store but I could have tried to engage them...

"nobody made a special effort to come just to see me" Apart from a few tweets and a mail-out to my Facebook group I hadn't exactly pushed the boat out as far as publicity.


"I didn't make any new contacts." Not exactly true, I did meet the guy that organizes events at Borders so I'll let myself off that one.

Never-mind, I'm not going to knock myself out over it. Hopefully I'll remember to make more effort next time and put a bit of thought into it.

I did play a few of my oldies today and had a few nice chats with Jules from Angry Badger, who organised the day, so it wasn't a complete wash out.


Oh and I gave a cd to a 10 year old who stopped and listened to about 4 songs. Increased my demographic!!

                                                          *****UPDATE*****

I take full responsibilty for any opportunities missed on Saturday. Jules from Angry Badger did loads of publicity and I thank him for setting the thing up and giving me the opportunity to play. I just wanted to point out that I WAS THE ONE WHO DIDN'T TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT

Webfriends

Do you have webfriends? People that you have met on the web. You may have come across them on a forum, social network, seen a video or heard a piece of music that they have made.

Webs friends are great.

I have many.

Most of my webfriends I have never met or talked to. I have met a few but I've found that once I have met or spoken to them they lose their allure, their mystery.

I re-recorded a track of mine for the guy who made the video. Originally the track was 4:32 but he needed it to be 3 minutes. Over 2 months or so we swapped many email and even recorded messages to each other, tweaking the track here and there, suggesting ideas for the video, that were sent as email attachments.

I have webfriends that I've had for over 8 years! In America, Canada and all over the shop.

I catch up with them sometimes via messengers and the like.

I have webfriends at http://watchwithmothers.net/ as well finding some new ones at Twitter and http://www.ustream.tv/nicktann

Do you have webfriends?

What are the advantages/disadvantages?

Podcast Number 9

My longest pod-cast yet! I managed to cram in part 2 of my conversation with the very successful Neil Drinkwater creator, manager and leader of The Red Stripe Band (Jools Holland on Speed!)

Some interesting information on how to make it as an independent musician. He's been managing his band professionally for the past 6 years and has some funny and very useful insights, as well as some startling revelations.

A new jingle for www.youtube.com/yourenottheone.

I even managed to squeeze in two tunes, both from last weeks Pure Acoustica gig at The Dolphin in St Denys. Botyov 1791 singing 17 bottles of Stella and a bargain bottle of wine and me (yes me!) singing a drunken version of Pale Moonlight.

Do you, me and everyone a favour and subscribe to this loveliness by subscribing to this on iTunes. It's the way forward plus you get to see the funky pictures that I cleverly embed!!!

You may also want to check out this little collaboration I did with Swineshead from Watch With Mothers

Is This Thing On Podcast 8

This podcast includes music from Pure Acoustica artists Emmy-Lee and Botyov 1791 and  part 1 of my conversation with Neil Drinkwater a.k.a. Red Stripe from The Red Stripe Band.

Emmy-Lee and Botyov 1791 will be joining me for the first Pure Acoustica event this Thursday the 12 of February at The Dolphin in St Denys

I've wanted to interview Neil for some time. He has been a full-time independent musician for just over 6 years and manages The Red Stripe band a nine piece swing bamd, often compaired to Jools Holland on speed!

He is also a great friend.

More from him in Podcast number nine but that's another story!

Oh yeah and I made this.......