The Mason Brothers Revisited

I first wrote about the Mason Brothers almost a year ago, citing them as a band that understood how to use the Internet to promote their music ("The Mason Brothers: Jarring the Record Industry"). As I said before, maintain a presence on the Internet requires constant work -- you can't just put out a recording and think everyone will come to you.

The Mason Brothers certainly haven't. They have a MySpace page, a FaceBook page, their own website and keep in touch with fans through their e-mail newsletter.

So what has all that accomplished? Well, their song "May You Rise" was used in a recent documentary.


Rainbow Sandals - Battle of the Paddle - PRE-RACE SEQUENCE from Soul Surf Media on Vimeo.

And another of their songs, "Ghost at the Wheel" was used in this video:


BM Surfing Tournament: Environmental Piece (Mason Brothers) from James Mason on Vimeo.

Also, another of their songs was picked up for the film "Don't Fade Away."

So what does all that mean? It means that the band's moved to the next level. Now they don't have to depend exclusively on concerts and CD sales to support them. People who would never have the opportunity to see them live will hear their music in these films. And especially with "Don't Fade Away," it's providing another source of income.

Finally, nothing succeeds like success -- especially in Hollywood. The bands most producers prefer for soundtracks are bands that are already on soundtracks. Being a known quantity is a valuable asset.

And, of course, all the revenue from these projects goes straight to the musicians. There's no record company in the middle doling out a percentage of the fees to the artists (less their advance, of course).

The Mason Brothers aren't an overnight success, and their achievements didn't come without a lot of work. But they'll be the sole recipients of the fruits of their labors -- and that's what makes it worthwhile.

- Ralph

Day 332 of the WJMA Web Watch. (Of course, they don't play the Mason Brothers. If it's not on the charts, it doesn't exist -- much like their website.)