For me, I like to utilize this term in indie music to represent when an artist makes a conscious decision to not separate themselves from their fans by saying "I am the artist, YOU are the fan." Whether it be when playing live, or representing who they are online etc.. For some reason the quoted thought process happens all to often as successful indie musicians or musicians whom have most likely had one night stands with the music industry (by it's former definition) after which the music industry never called them back or showed naked pictures of them to their friends become jaded into thinking they haven't been brought back into the realm of DIY artists. The responsibility to share your trials and tribulations with your fans and followers becomes far greater. You might say that this thought process can simply be summed up with the reasons why we love to watch VH1's "Behind the Music" so much. We (the fan) need to have the fourth wall broken when it comes to making an connection with an indie musician.
By my own definition, these are my favorite type of artists (DIY) because it forces artists to be creative. What you say and do is on your own accord and there is no one, besides your fans, to tell you if it is working. Some might call that blind faith in an industry that makes stars the strangest of ways of which one is never the same as the other. DIY musicians have made a conscious decision to be a musician as a career and vowed to live off of 90% intrinsic value and 10% monetary value until those percentages start to even out.
Moving straight ahead to the point... This month two DIY artists, Ron Pope and Ari Herstand, will be embarking on a massive U.S. tour in search of/confirming what I would call "breaking the fourth wall." Outside of both being young artists in very similar genres, I believe that these guys have a little bit more in common that is seen by the naked eye. Both Ron Pope and Ari Herstand have had brushes with all types of success. I am sure that 95% of their audience in attendance during the 40+ date tour are well aware of each and every one of those successes. Perhaps they had a lot to do with them themselves. Most notable about the "Whatever It Takes" tour is that these two musicians are taking a record industry convention and exposing it's nuts and bolts fully and completely utilizing their resources at hand, most of which are free (That is what you call good PR.) Explaining them here might discount the creativity within the process. (Visit: Whatever It Takes Tour) All aspects of the touring and promotion planning for the WIT tour bleed what a modern DIY musician is, perhaps you could better describe the tour as the quintessential way that one creates a full time job out of music. Either way, even if you haven't heard Ron or Ari, maybe you are an up and coming local artist? or just simply an ambitious fan? Read the history of these individuals and visit them on one of their tour dates. You might find them inspiring.
Catch information on the tour here:
