The Briggs Know How To Bring It
SkatterBand is as much about getting on the road and hitting it hard as we are about using the latest technology to connect and have conversations with new fans and old fans alike. This summer we are sending our reporters into the mecca of summer festival boot camps, the Warped Tour. We will have frontline interviews with the bands, fans and major players about the festival, tour survival and how they are using the Internet while on the road to connect with and stay connected with their growing fan bases. This is part 1 of the series!
New staff writer and band media expert Geoff Dellinger recently caught up with Jason LaRocca of the Briggs and he gave us the low down on how the band is going about promotions as well as some Warped Tour dirt…So grab a cold one and enjoy some light reading from our friends on the road…
SkatterBand: How are you letting the kids in these cities know what you are up to and when you are coming to their town?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Internet mainly. Through Myspace and Warpedtour.com
SkatterBand: How has Myspace changed/helped/hurt the way you promote your band/music?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Well as in the above question I think it mostly helps. The only problem is that so many bands are promoting through Myspace now that it doesn’t quite have the same effect as it did a few years ago.
Scatter Band: What sites other than Myspace play a large part in your brand awareness?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Our own band website: www.thebriggs.com and our label site: www.sideonedummy.com
SkatterBand: Have you started using video as a part of your marketing strategy? If so, how? If not, why?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Sure. It all helps, I think. Anything that gets out there to a kid that is looking for your record and maybe doesn’t know it yet watches your video and gives you another chance to convince him that this is the record he needs!!
SkatterBand: Do you currently give away exclusive tracks through the internet? Has that helped sales, drive attendance, etc.?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Not a lot. But we have done videos for unreleased songs.
SkatterBand: How do you keep track of your fans? Myspace comments, messages, multiple social networking accounts, Instant Messenger and everything else in the online world?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): It’s not easy. I just try to answer as many messages and comments as I possibly can but unfortunately I can’t get to everything. But I do answer them myself as opposed to someone doing it for us!
SkatterBand: What would you like to see in the future of online promotions to make it easier for you, the band to connect with your fans?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Video texting.
SkatterBand: What is the best and worst part of Warped Tour?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Best part: meet new people. Worst part: days are very long.
SkatterBand: What has been the craziest moment you recall either as a spectator or a performer happening during warped tour?
The Briggs (Jason LaRocca): Some kids threw a garbage can at us on stage in Salt Lake City. That was pretty insane.
SkatterBand: Aside from your band, who is a definite cant miss act on this year’s tour?
The Briggs (Jason Larocca): The Aggrolites
SkatterBand: What do you have planned after the tour? (tour, new album, DVD, etc)
The Briggs (Jason Larocca): January headlining tour.
We’d like to thank Jason and the rest of the Briggs for taking some time to show people what the bands are up to while on the road for a few months. Below is some quick information on the Briggs:
The Briggs are: Joey LaRocca (vocals, guitar), Jason LaRocca (guitar, vocals), Chris Arredondo (drums), Ryan Roberts (bass, backing vocals)
Website: www.thebriggs.com
Genre: Punk/Rock
Catch you on tour!
-The SkatterBand Team
