Shout it Out: My Experience

So, 10 days ago, I asked ya'll to help out my band by voting for us in the Shout it Out with Hanson contest. The final results:

#27 out of 140

So here's the full story...

About 6 weeks ago, I first became aware of this contest. My friend, Kevin, and I had been joking around for a while about starting a band and playing 80s cover songs at coffee shops and stuff. I figured that this contest was perfect motivation for getting started. But we didn't really have an original song to submit.

About 4 weeks ago, my friend Wes says to me, "Hey, can you help out with this project for school where I have to fully record and produce an original song." I said, "sure" and faked my way through a rough chord progression that became our song "Caroline." I didn't really realize how big it was going to get until Wes told me that he needed me to finish writing it because he already had the drummer and bass player booked for the recording studio. I went on vacation - the tracked drums, bass, guitar, and piano while I was in KS. When I got back, I finished the lyrics and tracked vocals and guitar just in time for Wes to turn it in and get 100% on his project.

So, for a band and song that didn't exist before a month ago, finishing the contest at #27 out of 140 is not something to be upset about.

Hear the song here.

The Contest...

I really wanted to win and I don't want to play the pity card, but there was really no way for us to win. I think that the voting method was as fair as it could be - and a bit laborious. But, at the end of the day, popularity did matter and there's no way that a non-existent band could challenge the number of voters that an established band could provide - even with my 3 computers lined up next to each other for voting.

I can say that with some certainty because the shifts that happened in the Top 20 over the last 30 minutes of the contest can be explained by nothing other than a bunch of fans and perhaps some rigging of the voting by those more technically minded than I. That is, the #1 dropped to #12. #18 jumped to #2. We moved up one space then fell down three.

Still, we beat people who make their living (or at least try to) by making music. That's fairly impressive.

The Outcome...

1) I'm glad for the contest because it broke a 2 year songwriting dry spell.

2) It made me more confident in my own abilities.

3) I'm always grateful and surprised by the commitment of my friends to help out when I ask.

4) If anyone from Hanson reads this and wants us to come to the show anyway, all you have to do is ask.

5) I'm hoping to go ahead and play some shows sometime in the near future. Hopefully Kevin will be on board.

Shout it Out Update

Thanks for all your voting yesterday, we made it as high as #21. Right now we're sitting at #23. Keep up the good work.

A Call to Arms

Hey! So, the site is back online after a 4 month hiatus. I'd love to take the time to tell you what I've been up to, but that will have to wait til tomorrow because right now, I need to call you to action.

About this time last year, I asked my readers to help me raise money to go to the ECHO Conference and you came through in unexpected ways. This summer's request won't cost you any money, but will take a bit of an effort. Here's the story.

My friend, Kevin, and I have started a band called 5 Miles Inland (go to the myspace page and listen). We've entered our song, Caroline, into a contest where the winner will get to open for one of my favorite bands on one of the stops on their summer North American tour. As I'm writing this, we're sitting at #33 out of 129 (not bad at all). We have to crack the top 20 in fan voting to go into the final round of professional voting. UPDATE: Now Ranked #29!!

I'd love to tell you it's as easy as just going to a website and voting for us. It's not. But I'm going to try to make it as easy as possible.

Step ONE: go here and click on "Judge as a Fan". You may have to do something to register, but for me, it was as easy as linking to my Facebook profile.

Step TWO: You'll eventually come to this page. Be sure to scroll to the bottom right side and choose the Tulsa contest. This is the only one we are eligible for.

Step THREE: You'll eventually end up at the page where the voting takes place. Here's what has to happen. You have to listen to at least 15 seconds of each of 4 songs, then pull them over to the side and rank them best-worst and click "Submit Vote". That will load up 4 more songs and the process repeats itself. I don't quite care how you rate everyone else, so long as when we come up (Caroline by 5 Miles Inland) please place us in the #1 Best spot.

The Catch: You have to vote at least 25 times for your votes to count. (Quick Math: 4 songs x 15 seconds each = 60 seconds x 25 times = 25 minutes of your life). You don't have to do this all at once, you could vote two or three times and come back later.

Step FOUR: Click on the ARTISTS tab and make us your favorite. We're numerical and alphabetized to the top, so we're impossible to miss.

Step FIVE: Help us crack the Top 20 by next Thursday, June 24.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!