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Meaghan Baxter

The making of a band

A music career

For many musicians, getting signed to a record label is a dream come true. Often the biggest challenge in achieving this aspiration is making the transition from the garage to the limelight.

Second-year SAIT Petroleum Engineering student Graham Coskey, 21, is in the throes of this transition. He’s the bassist for DangerFloyd and the Employees. The group is currently unsigned, but looking to break into the industry any way possible.

“The hardest thing is getting people out to shows,” said Coskey, who ends up seeing familiar faces at most concerts and would like to attract a more diverse group.

Coskey has found seeking recognition in Calgary to be a difficult process, but the band will be heading into the studio in April to continue work on their first independent album.

“If (music) turns into a career, it would be an amazing thing. It’d be like winning the lottery for me,” he said.

Until then, Coskey said he’ll follow his passion and enjoy what takes place along the way.

“You’re with your best friends all the time, so that makes it easy,” he said.

Joshua Walsh, industry veteran and owner of CrazyLady Records, wants to help local bands realize their potential.

“I’ve come to a point in my life where the chances of me becoming a rock star are slim, so I’ve decided to instead ... make somebody a rock star,” said Walsh, who has been working on the drum tracks for Tommy Lee’s new album, Methods of Mayhem, for the last three months.

When Walsh moved to Calgary five years ago from Toronto, his goal was to help establish the Western Canadaian music scene and help local bands develop.

“The bands out here need to know the resources to go to,” he said. “I think that’s the hardest thing is when they come to the question where they’re like, ‘well what do I do next?’ and if they don’t have the answers, they’re stuck.”

Walsh said it’s important to establish connections and not be afraid to approach industry professionals.

“I’m always looking for new talent. Always. Constantly,” said Walsh, who signs bands to an initial two-year contract that includes an album recording, distribution, a music video, and show bookings.

Walsh encourages his bands to shop around for industry contacts. “There’s only so far I can take you,” he said. “After two years, if they get something better and move on, I encourage this.”

Mark Thususka, SAITSA’s events and programming manager said the most important thing is the band’s ability to produce solid, well-crafted songs. “They have to be able to play live. That’s really important,” he said.

Even if a band can produce after countless takes in the studio, Thususka said it’s going to be difficult to succeed if they can’t deliver in front of an audience.

Bands attempting to break into the industry need to be able to market themselves, said Thususka. They should use technology such as Facebook and Twitter to build their fan base. He said it’s crucial to have a
professional quality demo, which thanks to modern computer technology, doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money.

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