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Instrumental Guitarist
Rides MP3.com to Success
Article by David Nevue - June 2001
Back to Music Promotion 101
MP3.COM: A LEGITIMATE PROMOTION TOOL?
People keep asking the question - Is MP3.com a legitimate way to promote your music? My answer remains the same
- Yes, it most definitely is. If nothing else, it's a fantastic way to network with other musicians. In the short
few months I've spent promoting my music on MP3.com, I've made several key contacts. But I'm not the only one.
Last month I received a great letter from MP3 artist Guy Thibault, AKA 'Little Bastard.' He shared his story with
me, and now I pass it on to you. For those of you struggling on MP3.com, be encouraged. There's still room for
more success stories at MP3.com.
THE LETTER
Just thought I’d drop this story in your lap and see if you would
like to run with it. I think it’s a great inspirational story for all those bedroom studio guitarists, songwriters
and instrumentalist out there in guitar-land. It shows that the playing fields in the music industry are leveling
out more and more everyday and that you don’t have to be on a big label to be noticed.
On a lark I recorded and released an instrumental guitar CD on mp3.com. Under my nick name LITTLE BASTARD.
Before I knew it my cover of "The Grinch" skyrocketed up the charts to the # 1 position on the Instrumental
Rock charts. Then before I could blink I was out-charting established artists such as Motley Crue, Tom Petty, Sammy
Hagar, Liona Boyd, Neil Schon, Wolf Hoffman and Neil Zaza, (many of my own heroes), on the Guitar Rock and Rock
charts. I was also getting more requests and downloads than most of them on a daily basis through mp3.com’s system.
"The Grinch" lasted 3 weeks at #1, day after day, and continues to remain in the top 50 on mp3.com’s
instrumental rock charts, even after having been released 6 months ago.
Then "Pam’s Beach Ball" took off and hit #1 on the surf rock charts and has beeen a heavy contender in
that category.
All of this landed me a short feature in the International British guitar magazine "GUITARIST" showing
how, now anyone can compete with the "big boys". The article and charting positions of course started
the endorsement and independent record label offers coming in. (No deals have been worked out as of writing this
but I’ve spoken at length with Wayne Charvel, Line6 and Parker.)
In February the second CD was released. (as well as a third with almost everything from the first 2, plus "Jam
Tracks" with the lead guitar simply removed from the songs, for all those bedroom jammers to have fun with.)
The first single "Untrodden" debuted at #23, reached #3 on the second day and #1 on the third day on
the Instrumental Rock charts, and # 4 on the Guitar Rock charts. Even after 4 months this track continues to stay
in the top 50 as well.
I recently released a "teaser" track for the third CD (which I am hard at work on) and right away "Heavy
Machinery" it shot to number one and has just dropped out of the top 10 after a couple of weeks.
I KNOW reading such a story when I was struggling through my first CD would have helped my motivation and drive,
and I think it’s a great story for every guitar player’s motivation. We all want to make a CD someday, and this
proves you can do it from your bedroom, and even succeed with music recorded simply with a LesPaul, a BOSS BR-8
and an Alesis SR-16.
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David Nevue is the founder of RainMusic.com and the The Music
Biz Academy. He is also a professional pianist, recording artist, and author of the book, "How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the Internet." You can find his MP3.com station at http://www.mp3.com/davidnevue |
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