There are many schools of thought on the bio. Should it be straightforward, should it be creative, should it be funny? My feeling is that it should be something that’s straightforward, that tells me what I want to know in a non-hyperbolic manner, and something that is not full of fluff. I like a good joke or story as much as the next guy, but I feel safe in saying that my idea of a good joke is wildly different than yours. Don’t risk it. Again, a “clever” bio may very well keep your demo from being listened to, but a clever demo without the musical goods will definitely NOT get you a record deal. Also, avoid the urge to be self-deprecating. You have to fight this as much as you have to fight the urge to be self-aggrandizing. It’s very hard to write about yourself, and given the fact that most musicians have a weird combination of huge ego and terrible insecurity (both necessary, by the way), it makes it doubly hard to write about your own music. That said, if you keep it straightforward and informative, things will turn out just fine.

Elements of the Bio

Include in your bio where the band is from and how it formed. Have any or all of the members been in bands that the average record label would be aware of? If not—in other words, if you’ve been in a series of bands that no one’s ever heard of—then please don’t include the names of these bands. Aside from possibly generating some amusing band name fodder, it does no good. It will just present you like you’ve been in a long line of bands that no one’s ever heard of, and that with this new one, you’re trying to keep the streak of anonymity alive.

Give a brief description of the band’s sound. It is okay, at this point, to reference other, more well known bands, that you draw inspiration from or that you feel you have stylistic similarities to. This practice really is just a form of shorthand that lets me know where you think of yourself. I may listen to the demo and think you’re out of your mind, but it’s a start. Also, if you list bands that I like as your influences, that’s going to make me more willing to give the CD a listen. Or better yet, if it’s the case, let me know who you’ve toured with or opened for, or been compared to in the press, and let me make the assumption that there must be some similarities. The bio should also let me know where you’ve toured (and ideally, should direct me to the enclosed tour itinerary). The bio should give me one sentence about how the demo was recorded. This information—however it was recorded—will give me some sense of what level you are in your musical development.