Independent musicians expend a lot of energy reblazing trails.
They work hard to promote themselves and their music, get out on the road to perform far and wide and get their music heard.
The problem is, this knowledge is usually untapped by other indie musicians who are forced, then, to constantly recreate the same wheel their peers have been themselves recreating for years.
Wisconsin musician Nick Venturella hopes to change all that with his self-published book, "The Local Music Journey: Thoughts, Advice and Inspiration for Your Independent Music Career."
Available online and at Venturella’s appearances, talks about the importance of demos, the "band brand," promotion and more.
"The inspiration to write the book really came from several places," says Venturella. "But I think a lot of the inspiration came from the fact that I have a professional graphic design and marketing background that other musician friends of mine know about and often ask my opinion on what are ways they can further promote and market themselves to get gigs or build their fan-base."
Talking to others involved in independent music has also expanded his knowledge and he’s eager to share what he’s learned over 16 years of performing at Midwestern colleges, coffee shops and clubs.
"I'm constantly a student of music and the music industry as well as business and marketing," he says. "I don't have all the answers, nor would I ever claim that I do, but I will always seek answers and share what I know -- sharing always creates good will and builds relationships, and that's what drives most industries.
"Really, some of the best answers related to indie music industry questions come from those in the indie music community who don't think they know what they're doing, and I really enjoy the opportunity to learn from my peers just by engaging them in casual conversation about their experiences -- they're more experts than they know, and collectively the expertise is certainly more than mine alone."
Venturella says his own journey helped guide him in writing "The Local Music Journey." He knows first-hand the kinds of questions that developing musicians ask. He asked them himself.
"I tried to find interesting and valuable information that I would want to know as an independent musician, and try to deliver it in a meaningful way that conveys a bit of my own personality and opinions based on my own experiences as an indie musician," he says.
While he hopes readers enjoy the book, Venturella also hopes they get some ideas and inspiration from it, too.
"I hope independent music professionals -- including studio engineers, live music venue owners, entertainment journalists, etc. -- indie musicians and even indie music fans will read and enjoy the thoughts and advice captured in the book from all of the local Wisconsin indie music folks who participated."
Among those folks are musician Peter Mulvey, Madison Area Music Association founder Rick Tvedt, Smart Studios engineer Mike Zirkel, Milwaukee producer and engineer Kevin Arndt and others.
"The goal of the book is to serve as a snapshot in time creating a wider understanding of what it takes to be successful in the independent music industry -- however, you define success -- and provide some ideas and resources to help you achieve your success beginning with small, local steps as needed working toward larger and farther reaching -- regional, national and international -- career victories.
"This book is really for anyone involved in indie music no matter if you're just beginning or a veteran."
The book’s Web site is localmusicjourney.com.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
