Musician’s Roundtable A Look at the Lives and Careers of Local Artists

For a small suburban town, Doylestown has more than its share of talented, homegrown artists. Fliers for their shows are found in storefronts, their music spills out of places like Puck and just about everyone has seen a few them strolling down the street with their guitars.

But what makes them tick? What are their goals, and what are they doing to achieve them? And what are the best ways for a music lover to support local talent? For our second anniversary, we sat down with three artists we’ve covered over the past two years to get their insight on what it means to be a local, independent musician.

dtown: Where were some of your first shows, and what was the music scene like then? Parrish: When I first started, I played a lot at John and Peter’s in New Hope, the old Grape Street [Pub] in Manayunk and a lot of bars. There were a lot of jam bands and hippies around, folksy singer-songwriter types.

It was fun. The audiences were always very receptive and kind and from all different age groups. They were definitely music lovers. I don’t think the audience was looking for mainstream music. It was more the college radio, indie audience.

DeRose: I started off in the Philadelphia music scene. It was going strong then and still is now. There are lots of open mics, places to go to play your songs and meet other people. Within Doylestown, there’s an amazing amount of music. It’s a pretty cool scene.

Malone: The scenes are so different for each genre. The rock scene is still there, but I’m not part of it. You think that music crosses over – and it does to a certain extent – but it’s more of an age thing. I used to play places where there were three bands a night. Now it’s just me, and it’s more of a concert show. I’m done by 11:30 [p.m.]. Fans that I had from Steamroller Picnic still come to see me, but they’re married and have kids so they don’t stay out as late. dtown: Sounds like everyone has had varying experiences. What similarities and differences do you find when you play in different areas?

Parrish: More urban areas like Philly and New York are more scene-oriented than the suburbs. It’s easier for original music in the city, because there are more venues and more independent musicians around. Cities are sometimes more welcoming. It’s like that for me [in Bucks County] also, but I play here a lot. Maybe if I played a random place in Virginia, it might be a little more difficult to grab someone’s attention.

DeRose: I started off in the Philadelphia music scene. It was going strong then and still is now. There are lots of open mics, places to go to play your songs and meet other people. Within Doylestown, there’s an amazing amount of music. It’s a pretty cool scene.

Malone: The scenes are so different for each genre. The rock scene is still there, but I’m not part of it. You think that music crosses over – and it does toa certain extent – but it’s more of an age thing. I used to play places where there were three bands a night. Now it’s just me, and it’s more of a concert show. I’m done by 11:30 [p.m.]. Fans that I had from Steamroller Picnic still come to see me, but they’re married and have kids so they don’t stay out as late.

dtown: Sounds like everyone has had varying experiences. What similarities and differences do you find when you play in different areas?

Parrish: More urban areas like Philly and New York are more scene-oriented than the suburbs. It’s easier for original music in the city, because there are more venues and more independent musicians around. Cities are sometimes more welcoming. It’s like that for me [in Bucks County] also, but I play here a lot. Maybe if I played a random place in Virginia, it might be a little more difficult to grab someone’s attention.

DeRose: It’s pretty good here in Doylestown and Philly, and if you go around the country, it’s similar. There are lots of musicians playing shows – a great “we’re-all-in-it-together” attitude. But a small sample size doesn’t mean anything. I’ve had shows in certain cities, opening for bigger artists so people weren’t there for me. They’ve been dead silent and totally supportive. Sometimes they’re just drinking, partying and waiting for the main act.

I wouldn’t judge a city by that. It could be just one group that comes in for a bachelor party and is screaming over my performance, which requires the audience to really listen [laughs].

One caveat though: In Europe, it’s different. I don’t know what it is, but if you’re not from that country, people are a little more interested. When I went to Austria, people were like, “Hey, this American guy is playing. Let’s go check him out.” It’s a little more of a wild card.

Malone: In the northeast [area of the country], it’s a little bit of a tougher crowd. It seems like life is much more fast-paced and people want more immediate satisfaction. Down south, music is a little more casual and more integrated into everyday life. People up here have an attitude that they want you to be a star. They don’t want to know too much about you, see you walking down the street or mowing the lawn. In the south, you’ll see a show in a bar and even the famous people are just hanging out.

But then again, I have fans that say their favorite thing about the show is that they can come and talk to me. You can’t cater to everybody; you just have to be yourself. I’d rather be real and approachable than to worry about my image in somebody’s eyes.

dtown: But no matter where you play, what do you think attracts fans to your music?

DeRose: It’s a cliché, but sometimes they’re true: I don’t try to posture. I just make music that comes from me and my influences. I just try to be myself, and theintegrity of my art is based around that. If you do that, you’ll end up with people who appreciate what you’re doing.

Malone: I really don’t know. I don’t talk to people about my music too much. If someone connects with a song, I don’t want to talk about what it means to me, because their connection might be lost. It’s psychic a little bit – all people have to do is connect with one line, and the rest will fit. I don’t even talk about it with my band. If you write good songs and have a good live show, you’ll have longevity. For me, I just make the best records I can.

dtown: Right, but besides the actual music, what strategies help in building your fan base?

Parrish: Places like Myspace and Facebook are great outlets. I gained so many fans from [online music distributor] CDBaby. People in other states and other countries heard my music, and I can’t even imagine how. Other ways are playing live shows and festivals, getting people to sign up for your mailing list, getting your songs on internet and college radio and finding people who give lesser- known artists write-ups in magazines.

DeRose: Open mics are great places to test your skills and practice. By performing, you’re putting yourself in the shoes of a songwriter even if you have only a couple songs. And it’s a social thing. I met so may people I went on to play shows with. I’m working with a record label and booking agents. I try to work with people my age and in the same stratosphere as far as ambition and where we’re going. You eventually have to pass off some responsibilities, and you want to do that with people you trust.

Malone: I’ve kind of gone inward in my promotions. I just play live as much as possible, and I pretty much get my fans one or two at a time. [Radio station] WXPN plays me quite a bit. I’ve gotten quite a few e-mails from that.

I want to be a songwriter, so the more time I spend on the internet, the less time I’m writing. If I put my energy there, I’d be a promoter, which is what I don’t want to be. If I just keep producing the best songs I can, the rest will come. It’s not like I’m not getting out there.

When I was with Steamroller Picnic, other people were setting up beer sponsorships and radio advertisements. You just approve it, and that was it. I wouldn’t be opposed to having that now, but it’s just not my top priority. That’s not to say it won’t happen; you just have to wait for the right opportunities.

dtown: So when it comes to our own backyards, what are some of the best ways for people to support local music?

Parrish: Coming out to shows, because some of these venues won’t even let you play unless you attract a certain amount of people. Also, buying people’s records instead of pirating music. I know it happens a lot, and I can understand why. But for an independent artist, album sales are so crucial. And getting on their Facebook page and becoming a fan. That shows people like A&R reps [the artist has] a hefty following.

Malone: Go see live shows, and buy CDs from artists at the show. If you buy online or on iTunes, the artist doesn’t get as much. The more people that are involved, the more that profit gets divvied up. Whether [an artist has] physical or digital distribution, every company charges something different. Artists make the most money when people buy at the show.