I’ve been doing a bunch of street performing lately. Like I mentioned in one of my last blog entries, it can be very difficult to play in Los Angeles where they always need you to bring your own crowd… So I’m working at building my fan base by playing to new people!

A great place to play in Los Angeles area is 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. All you have to do is go to City Hall down the street and get a license. Then you can play to the masses! I’ve seen many singer/songwriters start on those streets and really build a strong following. 

The key concept that I’ve learned about street performing is, its not about the tips. Yes the tips and cd sales can help, people signing up for your mailing list is a great thing as well. But more importantly, its about building recognition. There are days when I’ve played my best, and not even made enough money to pay my parking meter. Then there are other days where I’ve made enough to consider street performing as a day job… During the hard days, I just keep reminding myself that I’m building a following. Its not easy. Being an artist isn’t easy. But if you keep working at it, and you become a familiar face, familiar name, momentum will build. 

So if you start to get discouraged, just look at the bright side, maybe you didn’t make much money today, but lots of people heard a glimpse of your music, maybe they didn’t stop today, but maybe they’ll stop another day…

The other day I performed on the street corner next to USC where all the students stop and wait to cross the street. I thought it would be a great spot since its a captive audience that can’t leave! However, people completely ignored my existence and pretended I wasn’t there. Yes I cracked a bunch of jokes so they’d look over and laugh. But most of the time I sang to the back of peoples heads. I thought the day was a complete failure, and then I found this: http://universityparkfamily.ning.com/photo/amanda-holmes-entertains
Someone took a picture and put it up on their blog! Awesome! I also had a bunch of people I didn’t know recognize me later that week… 

Build that fan base. Persistence and Patience are important to success.

Here’s a video of Jack Kovacs and I:
p.s. I don’t know why these videos pick the most unflattering pictures of me imaginable… It won’t let me change the picture…

So its 2am and I’m in the library studying for my finals coming up. I got in here at 11pm and started working, and I drank a red bull, and now I’m too hyper to sleep! So I’m writing in my blog

Once all these finals are over I’m going home! Back up to the beautiful northern California! I will be in the studio finishing up my EP that I’ve been saying will come out for months now. We’re adding a track onto the EP and doing a few changes that my manager wanted. Then we will be set!!

Then once I come back back to LA in January, I will be working on getting my next EP out! I have pretty much all the songs written! I’m really excited about it. This EP I’m finishing up recording right now was a really difficult time in my life. Two of the five songs on the EP I wrote for one of my best friends, Nicole, that unexpectedly passed away. That album really is “From My Heart.” I put every piece of my soul into those songs. The single is called, “Don’t Leave Me Yet” and its all about how it feels to lose someone you love. Some lyrics from the song: “Photographs are all I have, memories gone like sand through my hands, what will be left?” “Calm composure walking through a mass of strangers who never knew, my mind was on you”

The next album I’m writing now, is the aftermath of all that pain. All the songs have a message that basically say, appreciate life. One is called “When Grapes Turn to Wine” the chorus lyrics go:

“When Grapes turn to Wine we don’t question the divine, caterpillars fly we don’t question why, when somethings so right you don’t have to try, love it for what its worth.”

Two others I’ve posted video blogs of the songs, one’s called “Your Touch” the chorus says:

“your touch is much deeper when you’re eyes do the feeling.” The lyrics to the bridge explain the song pretty well, “You can hold my hand you can hold me tight, but there’s one thing that does just right, its the look I cannot fight, you hold my heart when you stare into my eyes.”

Another one is called “Black and White” the song’s message is about not judging a book by its cover, the chorus goes:

“You think you know whats going on inside, but all you see is Black and White, you see a frame and you assume the lines, but all you see is Black and White.”

I’m very excited to get all this material recorded so people can hear it!! My website and my myspace have these recordings that are from 2004!! I’ve done so much work since then. So its nice to know that newer songs are going to be released very soon

from my heart,

Amanda

Hello all,

This week has been particularly amazing. On Monday night the bass player from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea, came and spoke in my songwriting class at school. Things he said that really resonated with me:

1.) Music isn’t always easy. Music isn’t always fun. When you’ve been on the road for 16 months straight and all you want to do is go home and see your family, its hard to take. But if you work through the slumps knowing that its not about you, its about the people listening, you’ll come out on top. Thats what makes or breaks having music as a passion, versus a career.

2.) Music should be selfless. Give every piece of your heart and soul, then you will recieve.

3.) Learn as much about music as you can, then there’s more to break free from

4.) Drugs get in the way of the natural flow of energy, doing drugs will only bring you down not raise you up.

5.) Entertain. While still being true to who you are.

I also had the privilege this week to meet music producer Glen Ballard. He has many credits to his name, a few including the album “Jagged Little Pill” -Alanis Morrisette, “Man In the Mirror” -Michael Jackson, “Tragic Kingdom” -No Doubt. He has been in the industry for over twenty years, and he still lives and breathes music.

Even more ridiculous, I was honored to spend a little time with Lamont Dozier. If you don’t know him, look him up! He is the man responsible for MOTOWN! He wrote great classics like “Baby Love,” “I Hear a Symphony” “Stop in the Name of Love” “How Sweet it is (to be loved by you)” and the list goes on and on and on… He is still writing every single day, to this very day! Its unbelievable!

I’ve come to the conclusion… to have longevity in the music industry, you need to be a good person, because if you treat people bad, its hard to stick around. This industry is small, and stabbing someone in the back is a sure fire way to get kicked out fast! All three of these gentlemen I’ve gotten the chance to spend time with this week have all been so giving and kind. They thrive off of music. Its in their every movement. You can see it in their eyes when they talk, their just as excited about music now, than they were 30 years ago. All three people share the same desire to please the people listening. They live to give! The music flows through them, as Flea commented, they’re only a vehicle to transmit music. They want nothing more than to make their audience happy by staying true to themselves and writing from their heart.

Here’s my two cents for the day I’m recording tomorrow, should have a rough recording of another song soon!

from my heart,

Amanda

Another late night Its 2:20 am and I’m unable to upload onto my computer all the footage I just recorded from practice with the band!

Anyways, practice tonight was amazing!! Everyone that I have the honor of playing with, all go to USC and are unbelievably talented musicians!!! For the first time EVER I have two backup singers! Katie Fellman and Erica Mau! Just hearing them harmonize is enough of a treat for me! But wait, there’s still Max Delbecq on drums, Alex Pfender and Jack Kovacs on Guitar, and Matt Jung on bass!

I’m very excited about the new songs! I have one acoustic song thats a little frisky! Lyrics from the Chorus: “Your touch is much deeper when your eyes do the feeling…” Then another new one we’re playing is the exact opposite, very rocker-esque! To give you an idea, I was inspired by Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker.”

I’m going to get that video blog up soon!! Then you can get a glimpse of what we’re working on!! Hope you can make it out to the actual show! October 25th at USC’s Ground Zero, 8pm. Here’s the facebook information on it: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Amanda-Holmes/11112659777?ref=ts

from my heart,

Amanda

Hey hey

Its 3:30am and I don’t feel like going to bed! I’ve been writing some new material the last few hours, feeling good about it! Majority of artists will tell you, the best time to write songs is at night! I’ve written my best songs at three in the morning! I also write majority of my lyrics right before I go to bed. I have a journal right next to my bed that I write in every night before I go to bed. Its something about your brain waves being in alpha or beta state that makes writing more fluid… and 70% of the lyrics I write at night before bed turn into a song!

I’ve been writing much happier songs lately and I’m really enjoying myself! I’ll be playing some of these newer songs at my upcoming show, October 25th! I’m so blessed to be sharing the bill with two amazing bands! One band is called Slinky, they’re all music prodegies, two of the guys in the group are still in high school, but they jam like CHAMPS! Great party music Then there’s Jane Carrey, maybe you know her father, Jim Carrey… Well anyways, she’s got it going on! She definitely rocks it on stage! Check out their music at www.myspace.com/slinkytheband and www.myspace.com/janecarreyband

This show will be at USC’s Ground Zero (615 Child’s Way, Los angeles Ca 90089) starting at 8pm October 25th. Guess what?!! ITS FREE!! You should come Great night of music! New songs, new band members, new fun stuff!!

If you feel so inclined, please leave a comment on my blog!! ha I’d love to see if anyone actually looks at this thing! I should be writing here much more! I’m buying a video camera to do more video blogs too!!

from my heart,

Amanda