What's in a name?

This week I attended the New Music Seminar in New York. While it seemed to be geared primarily towards indie-rock bands and carried some mixed messages (ignore the big labels, DIY until you reach the pot-o-gold at the end of the rainbow which is...a deal with a big label,) I did get a lot out of it and took away some great ideas for how to survive in the new music environment. However, if I hear the phrase "monetize your content" one more time, I may hurl. This dude even used the word "advantageize." I hate that word. Because it's not a word.

I took away two major points that may apply to me and what I'm trying to do: branding and artist-to-fan relationships.

Branding has to do with a name. Ah, my name. A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but there are enough Scott Andersons in the world to overwhelm every sense. There were four in the music scene in Chicago. Me, plus Herm, this guy, and this guy, who used to book Pete Millers in Evanston and I think booked me once just to see his name on the marquis. You get the point, and this was just in Chicago, where I lived for 11 years. That's why I left, there were too many of me.

In the big wide world, there are simply too many Scott Andersons who play music. The singer from Finger Eleven, the bluegrass banjo guy, the christian rocker, the trombone professor, country guitar virtuoso Scotty Anderson, not to mention every time I play in Brazil people think I'm Scott Henderson. (You don't pronounce the "H" in Portuguese.

For a while I tried to call myself Scottinho, which means "little Scott" in Portuguese. There are several problems with this. First of all, no one can say it. People ask me, "what's a 'Scott-in-ho?'" Also, it might indicate that I want to be Brazilian, which I don't. And lastly, it's stupid. I remember my producer and friend, Geraldo de Oliveira trying to talk me out of it and saying, "It's like calling yourself 'Puppy.' Do you want to be known as 'Puppy?'"

I have a Facebook Fan Page called Scott Anderson Music, Inc, which is the full legal name of my business entity, but ZZZZZZZZ that's boring. Clearly, I need help in the branding department. A friend told me I should go by Scott X. Anderson. My middle name is Charles. Maybe when I started, I should've just called myself Scott Charles. I have always had a problem with changing my name. It seems inauthentic to me. And now, at this point, I'm almost 40 frickin years old. I'm not going to change my name.

The other main point I took away from the Seminar was about artist-to-fan relations. I thoroughly believe in this. Not only is it key to selling CDs, concert attendance, etc, but it's also really fun. I'm also a fan of music and I love talking about music with other music lovers. My mailing list service has a new Fan Questions feature which is awesome. And I plan on upping my game when it comes to keeping in touch with anyone who digs my music and/or studio work as a producer. In the meantime, if you're reading this, please contact me. I'd love to hear from you. Let me know that you're reading and listening, that you're interested and interesting, and if you have any ideas on branding. ;-)