Now the good times can begin
It all started in 2008 when friends in Michigan came together, it all sounded like the opportune time. Each of the members just ended their “mission“ with other bands, and the long-felt history with each other could now bare the fruit. At a crucial evening in a bar in Michigan, after a few drinks – contemplating the potential name – someone recognized the reproduction of a Van Gogh painting.
WHAT ABOUT VAN GO GO!
Yes, this was it, everybody was excited, and they went on with their venture. Yes, a Rock Band is a venture, or as I like to call it a Startup company, because at the end every idea that is formed into a business venture needs to adhere to the same business principals. More about this later.
I have never heard of Van Go Go! Yeep, this is what happened, it is called life, and as they say in relationships don’t bounce immediately back from a relationship by going back into another, Van Go Go’s fate was the one of jointly recognized burnout syndrome and the band stopped being together, and each member went their own way.
End of Story! This was it.
But wait a minute, everybody that thinks that way has not recognized the role of Karma or Fate. An invisible force, 12 years later, had a magnetic pull between the four founding members, and they realized they had an unfulfilled mission and a joint passion – to make Rock Music. Coming out of regular, successful career, they realized they needed to give it another try and do it for real, this time.
Van Go Go, a Rock Band to watch, and this is not only for their music, but for their understanding of the business. The two members I spoke with understand Going to Market Strategy, unique value preposition, revenue generation – all the terms that are relevant to a startup. And I can say they even represent the principal of a lean startup the songs they already produced, as well as the upcoming 9 song album are not 2+ Million Dollar productions, but produced with modern technology that even allows distant band members to come together (yes currently they reside in separate locations) and produce a song and album.
If you can do all of this, and have fun, I think it can’t get any better. Their first few songs have had on various platforms over 500,000 streams, and with their ongoing social media marketing I expect soon 1 Million. A great foundation for their upcoming Album.
Are there new Millionaires in the making?
I like to borrow again from the startup world, yes maybe, but there are no overnight sensations. For a rock band to break through it takes several factors to happen: Increasing audience, and/or cross over hit song. Ideally several of them, one to the pop charts, and one to the country and western genres.
Current Van Go Go songs: Big Mistake, Imaginary Friend, Both of Us
The music world has changed, one thing is for sure, we don’t know when touring will be ever back on the horizon. But secondly ever since the introduction of streaming, album sales are incredibly low, the top revenue makers are far and few between. And those of our readers that might not know, about 1,000,000 streams on Soundcloud, Spotify or any other platform will gross you about $6,000. Not surprisingly that the “lean” methodology will be the way to go and if Karma wants them to be highly successful the “real” money will come.
Who is Van Go Go?
Van Go Go is Nathan Mackinder (vocals), Jason Schaller (guitar), Paxton Olney (bass) and Jonah Brockman (drums). And they are playing well executed music. The drummer is the driving machine, almost perfectly always ¼ beat ahead to drive the tempo of the band. What is their inspiration and Paxton’s first choice is Kiss, reminding of two of their hit songs Forever, and I was made for loving you. Ironically Gene Simmons hated the songs. Granted it wasn’t the core to their Heavy Metal / Hard Rock – personally I find nothing wrong with putting dollars into your pocket. But Beatles, Ratt, Warrant, and Poison show of a diverse music influence that if done right could result in some amazing sounds. Jason is in his influences very clear, Ted Nugent, Sex Pistols, REO Speedwagon (another favorite of mine), Guns n’ Roses (I introduce myself all the time my name is Axel like Axel Rose from Gun n’ Roses). Throw in Nathan’s influence of Hall and Oates, Prince, Huey Lewis, I can see a lot of crossovers with ching, ching, ching. Look at the list of influences and you can come up with a long list of hit songs.
Near-term Goals?
Finish the 9-song album and market it. And the hope – this is where some quicker money is, being picked up as a film or commercial music. But the good news for Van Go Go is that they are all mature and don’t depend on the next tour dollar to come in. A good place to be and with excellent music I can see a bright future.
Check out the Van Go Go website.
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