#1 rule for new bands

Here's my #1 rule for new bands; or rather, a corollary to my other #1 rule (see below, "Grates/Bell" entry):

#1.b. -- By the Time Thou Doth Release an Album, Thou Shalt Have a Website!!!

A few weeks ago, Gye Greene was reading through the aforementioned Rave Magazine, the [free! weekly!] music magazine. Came across a review of a band from Melbourne called The Wellingtons; their first album, "Keeping Up with the Wellingtons." Ran in to my room, all excited: Potentially, a NEW FAVORITE BAND!!!! Wear Converse hightops -- JUST LIKE HIM!!! Dig Buddy Holly, Weezer, The Lemonheads -- JUST LIKE HIM!!! (and me!) They think "That Thing You Do" (the theme song) is an excellent song! The review says they write catchy tunes -- JUST LIKE US!!! (...we hope!) ;)

So, the next day, he goes to work, tries to Google them. (Made difficult by their violation of rule #1.a. -- a one-word bandname; see earlier post.) Except for a few hits on recent interviews, nuthin'. Tries searching on their album title; nuthin'.

Luckily, the interview mentioned their record label. Googled and found. However, it's ONE WEEK after the album's release date, and it's still not listed through the label's website!!!

Comes home, all annoyed. How can he verify that they should be his New Favorite Band (tm) -- let alone whether it's worth buying their album -- unless they have a website? Or at least, a page within the record label's site. Something w/ a few snapshots, a witty bio, and a few snippets of songs that he can listen to, just to see if they're "his style/not his style."

Referencing an earlier conversation between us, he and I can see why bands wouldn't want to post ENTIRE songs -- might prevent people from buying the album -- but posting a 15 second snippet is just plain good marketing.

So: if they fail, it's probably not 'cause of their tunes -- it's 'cause of their lack of fan-friendliness [better word?].

Kinda like the people who start a small business, then make it hard for people to give them their money. Like antique shops that are closed during the weekends -- or neighborhood "corner stores" that close at 6pm.

That's what **I'm** saying. ;)