I had a really inspiring moment at Hellfest this year, where I was walking up to the festival and heard my old friends in Insanity Alert playing from the main stage. This is a band who I’ve supported and been friends with since their first demo came out eight years ago, and now they’re playing to tens of thousands of people. I met them on a guitar forum. Now, we bump into each other at mega festivals. Yet this is something that happens to you again and again if you’ve been in this game long enough and always made a point of making friends. It’s not because I’m special or different, it’s just that I’ve been around. I’ve been deeply involved in underground music for nine years now, and I’m only just starting to see these connections pay off. It’s so important to realize this sooner rather than later, so in this article, I wanted to take a moment to write about how longevity is key to music business growth. Continue reading →