can’t we all just get along?

Perhaps you’re just a little bitter because these guys have managed to be successful both musically and professionally while you probably struggle with both.

Either way, your post offers no insight into or real criticism of the book, which I suspect you haven’t even read.

This *is* encouraging: that means my music project page only needs 9 more fans and I can write a book!

sorry, ‘how to SURVIVE’. although with 24 fans on facebook, it sure does take some know-how to survive as a band.

You also must have not read the part where these guys wrote this for free, gave it away to hundreds of thousands of musicians who loved it so much that Macmillan gave them a book deal. Or perhaps you’re just such a bleeding-edge indy snob that you’re unwilling to consider the possibility that these guys wrote this book because they believe in indy music, rather than to “cash in.”

We’ve established that you haven’t read the book and are in no position to pass judgment on it. Now lets see if you actually read the review or stopped paying attention after you found out they had real jobs.

“Chertow and Feehan began the guide as a free, Creative Commons-licensed download” That certainly sounds like they self published it to me.

That is about the single stupidest criteria for what kind of music you enjoy that I’ve ever heard.

PS: Joe Strummer is an aristo.

Punk musicians write specifically to be subversive and are often
pissed off, especially those who claim “indie” status, when they see guides like this that are intended to make you successful. It kind of like commercializing something that was sacred.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Manual

Hmm, I think I liked this book better when it was called “Book Your Own Fucking Life” and was written by people who were actually in the scene they were writing about.

But now I must leave, for the stink of elitist hipster has grown far too strong for me.

http://www.tunecore.com/guides

With their powers combined, these books equal win for indie bands. There’s no reason why a group who is willing to do a little extra work can’t handle every aspect of the music business on their own, rather than paying money they don’t have to managers, recording studios and the like.

Ha, yeah I thought of that too. The D.I.Y. punk scene has been doing this for decades.

Not hating tho’, more power to them if this is a good guide and not one of those scammy type books naive folks buy at Guitar Center or wherever. Certainly the ‘tech’ aspect of managing your band could be very useful.