Dark Horse Gets Up!
Benn Gunn wins “Slim Dusty Country Act of the Year” at the 2014 Australian Entertainment ‘MO’ Awards. Up against entertainer heavy weights such Beccy Cole, Nikki Gillis, Kel-Anne Brandt
Benn says “ Thanks to *CCCMA for sponsoring the category and for there great support in helping promote rising Country Music Talent. I consider myself a bit of a dark horse against the other finalists in this category so thank you to everyone who backed me”.
With Benn’s intensive touring schedule and trips to Nashville to record his new album with hit writers and producers. Benn is certainly well on his way to becoming the industry favorite of the new wave of Australian Country Music Artists.
*Central Coast Country Music Club
The Step by Step process of creating and launching an Album the Independent way
This is the process I used to create and launch my album within the Australian Country Music scene. Other genres and countries may vary. Either way I hope you get something out of this information.
The process of production is broken up into several stages. Preproduction is the process of getting a piece of work to demo quality with the arrangement 80-100% complete with documented references of production ideas for each track and list of instrument suggestions. I currently have a good pre production studio for creating this process with no costs.
The next step is selecting a producer to assist in the final arrangements and co ordination of the production process.
The producer will provide the artist a quote for total production of all stages with costing options for each stage of the process including their own service fee.
The following steps are broken up as follows;
Tracking- either selecting local session musicians or out sourcing to international musicians via digital means for each desired instrument or track. The costs of this are broken into a few parts; musician hire fee, studio hire and engineer fee. All are provided at an hourly or block rate.
Mixing- The producer is responsible for the majority of editing process and presentation of each body of work to the mixing engineer. The mixing engineer will provide a quote usually for an hourly rate or per song rate.
Mastering- Once the mixing engineer has completed each song he is responsible for presenting them to a mastering engineer in the desired formats for the mastering engineer to work with. The mastering engineer will usually provide a quote by per song, hourly or full service.
Once the full production of the recorded work is complete the next process is art work and design. This will involve a full or half day photo shoot with the hire of a photographer.
Once I have been provided with treated top 10 or 20 photos I will hire a graphic designer to create the artwork for the album to be submitted to the manufacturing company.
With guidance and selection of physical Cover and CD style I will purchase an initial run of 1000 copies.
Register each body of work with PPCAA, APRA and Amcos!!!
Next step is to create a film clip for the first single from the album. Depending on the production and hiring of actors/models/props I get the director to work within a strict budget.
The video will then be submitted to programs such as CMC and Rage as well as Nightlife and of course Youtube.
Having created an initial buzz through strategic social media marketing around the full process of the album process. Involving production footage, competitions and pre sale promotion. The first single will then be submitted to radio via a digital service involving a publicity campaign with the hire of a publicist. This will also involve me doing interviews and in studio performances.
With assistance of my agents I will set up album launch tours involving extensive touring through out Australia and the U.S.
From the previous experience of my first fully funded album I found a single will have a 3-5 month cycle with all media coverage (radio and Television). I plan to release 3 singles of this album to give it as much coverage and exposure as I can within a limited budget. So that will give the full marketing cycle for this album approximately 15 to 18 months.
There, I hope you got something out of this. Please post a comment with any feedback or questions you may have.
Benn
Is this irony?
I haven’t had my coffee yet this morning so beware.
I have been doing gigs in Sydney Australia for the last 18 years and for the first 10 years most of them have been what they call “door deals”.
There would be 3-4 acts playing and the fans of those artists pay a cover charge at the “door” to come and support their artist. One of the staff of the venue or friends of the acts would take the money at the door and at the end of the night the money firstly paid the sound engineer and then was split evenly amongst each act (usually enough for a few beers).
On the weekend I was asked to do one of these shows which I haven’t done for a long time and only because it was friends of mine that where organising it agreed at the knowledge I probably wouldn’t see any money and would lose money in additional expenses like fuel, parking and paying for my preferred guitarist. It was very professional with a house band a venue manager and sound engineer.
The gig went quite well with the room being at around 75% capacity and everyone seemed very happy.
I got a facebook message the next day from one of the house band commending me on my performance and how cool it is that he’s getting paid. Then it dawned on me…
After the house band, sound engineer and “venue manager” get paid there will be extremely slim pickings for the artists even after a successful show.
So finally my point is isn’t it ironic how everyone else gets paid before the artist even though their wouldn’t be any revenue if it wasn’t for the artist. Jeez, if only the fans knew where their money was going.
Just having a typical Muso winge 😉
Tamworth Country Music Festival 2013
I reckon I lose a few years every time I play at the Tamworth Country Music Festival purely from the intensity of the shows. Each time I perform there the crowds at my shows seem to be getting bigger and bigger. There was even a line up and full capacity at one of the gigs. When the sexy bar girls get up on the bar and start dancing you know everyone in for a good time. 
my first gig was at the Tudor Hotel which I have been playing at for the last five years and apparently have become one the must-see acts at this venue. I was in solo acoustic mode which I love. Telling people yarns and having a laugh with the punters.
The Courthouse Hotel got very rowdy and when the bar girls got up and started dancing on the bar the energy level seemed to get turned up to eleven. Awesome stuff.
The picture above was taken at the Central Hotel at around 2am and apparently for our entire show the house was at full capacity and even a few of our mates said they were lined up outside for up to 30minutes to get in.
The support fro my friends “Jetty Road” at the Capital Theatre was amazing. It was very inspiring to watch these guys in action and see how hard work and dedication to there art can really pay off. My hat goes off to them for how professional and slick there production and talents are. Me and my slide player Jeff got op in acoustic mode and loosened the crowd up for them. That was the first gig Jeff had ever done in Tamworh and what an introduction, playing at such an amazing theatre and his Dobro never sounded sweeter.
Over all I made some more fans and as per usual had a blast. I lost my voice for a week afterwards but it was worth giving it everything I had.
Thanks
Benn Gunn
CMC Awards Nominations
Well, 2013 has certainly kicked off all Gunn’s blazing with two nominations for the CMC Awards for “New Oz Artist” and “Oz Artist of the Year” . This is done by a voting system which you can be a part of by clicking on the link below and nominating me in these two categories. Entries close at the end of this month so I would really appreciate your support by voting today.
http://musicawards.countrymusicchannel.com.au/vote/
Country Rock at it’s best!
The review in the Daily Examiner Grafton for my show I did earlier this year.
Friday, 4 May 2012 – Saturday, 5 May 2012
Latest News
LATEST NEWS
I’m currently in the middle of filming my fourth single off my album “Keep on Drivin’” the new song is track 9 “I Like Girls That Drink Beer”.
I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support from everyone who has been involved in making this new clip happen from the filming crew, the gorgeous models and the band.
We had such a fun day creating a party atmosphere and were very fortunate to have such an accommodating venue the 3 Weeds Hotel in Rozelle (Sydney). The girls were great sports and even sequenced a dance, which I named “The Benn Gunn Shuffle”. Maybe it’ll take off like the Macarena!
We just have a few more scenes to do on a farm and in a corporate office (don’t worry you won’t see me in a suit. I think I’m allergic to those things anyway) and should be releasing it in roughly four weeks.
On the road with Benn Gunn
Ok – time to hit the road again.
Where: Commercial Hotel, Coonamble NSW
When: Saturday 9th June (NSW Longweekend)
Time: Approx 8pm
One of NSW biggest rodeo events are held every year on the June Longweekend in Coonamble. The Commercial Hotel has limited accommodation available and have a courtesy bus running from the hotel to the rodeo and back again.
Why not head west this June longweekend, and rock with us at the Commercial Hotel in Coonamble!
benngunnblog 