Advice for new bands starting out

By Ryan Morrison BBC Jersey

We Are Scientists suggest playing to as many people as possible

When you start a new band what are the first things you need to think about? A name, a logo, a myspace url?

Or is it all about the music, do you craft a sets worth of original songs before you'd even consider performing live on stage?

We've spoken to a number of people connected to the music industry and asked them what piece of advice they would give a new band.

It ranges from persevere and practice to wear nice shoes.

Here are some of the words of wisdom the musicians, producers and promoters have shared with us to help you out.

Stuart Coleman - The Music

"Just keep passionate about what you're doing, don't let anything get you down, keep doing what you enjoy doing and keep writing new material.

"The main thing is just to follow your dreams and just enjoy the passion.

"Get your hair cut, don't necessarily have a good one but don't have a bad one."

Lorenzo Sillitto - The Temper Trap

"Be persistent and keep going with it no matter how hard it is getting and if you're not getting any gigs pull a few bands together and try and organise your own nights."

Chris & Keith - We Are Scientists

"Play in front of 10,000 people as often as you can and I think the Jersey Live festival offers that opportunity to local bands.

"Get as big and crazy as possible in Jersey, on Jersey, amidst Jersey and make them come to you."

Nathan Nicholson - Boxer Rebellion

"It's an exciting time for anyone; the internet is such a great place to do music. Anyone can write a song and within about ten minutes record it and put it up on MySpace.

"If they want they can pay $100 and put it on Tune Core which puts it on iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon and all these places so anyone can buy your music.

"You can do it all yourself and that is quiet liberating and exciting, it's just a lot easier to get out there."

Jack Peñate

"Don't rush what you are doing, there really is a lot of time and practice non-stop, it is pretty simple really.

"I don't think the music world is that complicated. Obviously you need to have the initial talent but it is up to you to decide whether you feel you do or you don't.

"If you do feel you have the initial talent then you've got to realise that and make sure you are being as true to who you are and what you want to represent as possible."

Mark Daumail - Cocoon

"To think like a band you have to think you are king of the brand. It's not very artistic to say that but it is not just the songs or the characters in the band.

"It's about the graphics around the band, the videos, the role of MySpace or Facebook and it is very important to be very different to other bands that are sometimes boring."

Ketil Kinden Endresen - Casio Kids

"The most important thing is to do things in your own way and try to find your own voice, and of course also to play a lot because it is easier to find your own voice if you get feedback.

"Also to work and hard and don't be to self critical in the beginning at least because it takes a couple of years to get it going."

Christian Jegard - The Valentines

"The first thing I would say is songs and melody obviously, not to have a 'that will do' mentality in writing songs.

"There are so many aspects but the first is songs, you can look great and sound great but if you don't have songs..."

Caroline Marial - Kap Bambino

"Never look what other bands are doing, just do what they want to do and try to be original and don't care about the system.

"Just do music for music and don't care about fame or other things, don't be pretentious just do music."

David Boring - Naïve New Beaters

"When we started we started doing everything by ourselves whether it was music, promos that we were doing or even logos.

"We did everything alone as a label would do but you're doing it yourself within your own means. So I would say do everything by yourself as long as you can do it."

Nerina Pallot

"I think the key thing is just love it, enjoy it. Don't think about where you're going with it or what you're going to do with it just write the best songs you can and listen to all different kinds of music.

"Don't be snobby about it; listen to everything from Megadeath to Madonna, just across the board because there is always something you're going to love."

Chris Bell - Editor, Beat Happening

"Make sure you form a band whose individual talents AND ambition match each others.

"Make music because you love it, not because you think it looks cool. Otherwise you're only doing music, and yourself, a disservice.

"If you're serious about carving out a career, be mindful of the importance of promotion; you might have the greatest band EVER, but if you're not willing to put in the hours, including flyering, postering, facebooking, and (that dreaded word) networking, then no one will ever know."