I formed my own metal band with 2 friends. There are going to be a total of 3 people in the band. Me (Ian), my friend Seth, and my friend Steven.

Ian - Lead Electric Guitar / Acustic Guitar (Featured in some songs) / Acustic Guitar Base Tab Drumming (Featured in some songs).

Seth - Bass.

Steven - Vocals / Minor Electric Guitar.

We will be working in my basement and useing it as our studio over Christmas Break, while naming our band, createing tablature, and lyrics. We will be practicing through 4 days over Christmas Break together and will create our first album. We also would like to make a website and forum over time. We also will be making interview DVD's and Discography. We dont plan on doing anything live for a year or two.

We would like to sell our albums in stores, but we dont know how to do that. I also need to know how to book up gigs and live shows for places. Is there some kind fo website I could use for booking gigs and what not? Also, I am wondering if we need to copyright anything, but how do you copyright something? Well, I guess we wouldn't need to copyright anything until we start selling our first album in stores. How would I be able to copyright my band name, lyrics, music, and everything? I would also like to create some tribute songs from different bands, but would I have to get permission from each band first before I create a tribute? Those are all my questions, and I would be greatful if someone could help.

Thank you.

Well to get in the record stores you will first need to approach a recording company, just search google for a metal recording company, i know only of one, road runner records, they are the producers etc.. for trivium and a few other heavy metal bands. You send off Cd's to them and if they lkike you they might publish you and sort everying for you. You could also approach a small familly owned record store and give them a demo and see if they would be interested in selling it.

To get gigs talk to pub/bar owners first and give them demo's and see if they can give you a spot, most pubs run live bands at the weekends. From there you can build up a name and if you make some "business" cards you can get people to call you for gigs, if you're really good you might be able to be a support band at a live gig for a really big band and then work your way up. It wont be easy but if you can do it, it will be worth it.

if like to add ive no experience in this at all but this is the logical steps i would follow to get known! Also make a website with demo's interviews with members, photos, dates etc.... try to have a real website though not just a myspace because everyone has myspace and they're pointless for things like advertising your band, you can have both tho and use the myspace for demos and photos and the real website for like a members area, forums, guestooks and the like...

Good luck

As shadow said, as for the use of others songs, I think the arrangement is that you can use other bands songs as long as you don't claim them as your own and you don't make any money off it. But i will have to check on that

In reality it is better to create your own stuff then using copyrighted material. So 1 it will not label your band as a copycats if you plan to go mainstream and 2 it will help the record scouts determine if you got skill.

Also don't play one type of music it good to mix yourself into different types usually that will help in what your most good at and who knows you could mix the styles for a new sound. Of course don't get your hopes up for that new sound though.

Also it will help determine what kind of metal band you are:

-Heavy Metal
-grunge
-straight rock

I know their is more then that but can't think of anything else.

I would really worry about legal issues until you become notice. So like shadow said, look for clubs and what not that are looking for bands to play. Also it would be good to find battle of the bands type stuff . So as to compare your band ot others.

Hey guys, Im in a metal band myself, been going for a good few years now. We started in high school, just some advice for you. Dont worry about all the cds/gigs/websites yet. Get your music sorted out, find your style "your" bands sound. Practice, practice,practice. Then if you guys are good enough and people like you the rest of the stuff should fall into place (with abit of hard work mind you! ).


Good luck, oh and let us know set up a myspace or site with your music on it so we can all hear!


Have fun.

hmm you said you don't plan on doing anything live for two years but you'd like to book gigs :s

anyway, I'm in a band at the moment we're not anything too crash hot but we don't plan on making a living out of it. but I think making a demo and sending it to recording companies (independent labels will be more sympathetic to your plight) along with solid live experience should be the head start you need.