A lot of people have their own advice to give. Most of the time, they mean well. They only want you to succeed. By giving you advice, they honestly think they're being helpful. But no one rule applies all of the time. When a band is first starting out, some of their instincts may be a little off, but most of the time they're not. Learning from experience (and mistakes) is usually a lot more helpful than anything I or anyone else can tell you.
Having said that, the obvious question arises: "If we're not supposed to listen to anyone's advice, then what the heck is this page for?" Well, it's not that you shouldn't take anyone's advice, it's just that you shouldn't limit yourself to any set of rules, or apply a piece of advice as if it's an undisputable law. Taking other people's advice can be a good thing, if used as a guide, not a rulebook. You see, I've been there. I was in a band for awhile, so I do have some insight. Also, I've been observing and writing about independent music scenes for more than 5 years now. I do have a lot of "pearls of wisdom" to offer. But it is not my intention for anyone to read something I say and unquestionable accept it as a rule that must be followed. It is simply my attempt to help.
Well, if you are in a band that already has a name, than you probably don't need this section much. But if you disband, you may want to remember some of this for future projects.
There are web pages with lists of band name ideas and "random band name generators", but it's probably a bad idea to use one of these pages, because the name of your band should come from something related to the band. However, if you insist on checking out these pages, click here
Don't pick a name that is weird, just because it's weird. It's good to have a name that is so unique that noone will forget it. But it's a good idea to have a reason for the name.
If you have a band name which is a foreign word, find out what the english translation is before commiting to it. If the word has some relevance to the band, or a story behind the band, fine. However, if you have to include a pronounciation guide with your demos so that people don't go around saying your band name a dozen different ways, it's probably not a good idea.
If the band name is a phrase (good example: "...and Guppies eat their young"), you should probably use it if there's a story behind it. Too many bad names come from a bunch of guys sitting around saying "okay, let's think up a really weird band name". The best names happen by accident.
Finally, you really should try to avoid a long (and I mean long) name. 5 or more words is probably a bad idea (with the exception of a "the" or "a" at the beginning). Any longer, and you'll probably end up being pegged as a novelty band, and few people will take you seriously. A good example is We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It. Yes, that is a real band.
A lot of really good names (Veruca Salt, the Boo Radleys, The Grapes of Wrath) come from classic literature. If you have a favorite book, a character, event or location from that book might make a good band name.
You may even want a band name which is a song title by another band you like. There is a band called Lovebuzz. Whether or not they took the name from the Shocking Blue song (which Nirvana later covered), I don't know, but it's a good name, and a good idea. This is especially the case is you are a tribute band.
Depending on the style, attitude and arrangement of your band, sometimes naming the band after one person can actually work. The Jeff Healey Band, The Ben Folds Five, and The Johnny Favorite Swing Orchestra are some good examples. The name doesn't neccesarily mean that the person named is a dictator, or that they have a lot more say than the other members. You could even use a fictional character, and make it sound like that person is the leader of your band.
If you are a solo artist, you may wish to use a "band name" anyway, for various reasons. For one thing, some people think that there is a stigma attached to being a one-man band. I disagree, but it's up to you. Also, if you are currently solo, but think that eventually your songs would work well in a full band, then you know that you can assemble a band and keep the name. Someone Else's Problem is a good example.
Remember that no matter how good you think your band name is, at some point you will be asked to explain it. If you want to make up a story, be sure you don't have a problem with lying. In any event, an arbitrary name is probably a bad idea.
Some of the same things apply, but song titles are usually a much different monster than band names. Again, hard to pronounce names are probably a bad idea, unless the name of the song is clearly pronounced in the song itself.
It's not a terrible thing to use a line which is repeated often (such as the first line of the chorus). If the first or last line of a song is used only once, it can work, too. A lot of artists try to avoid "obvious" song titles, but there's really nothing wrong with it, as long as you don't name every song this way.
If the song is based on a movie, book or other story, you can use that as the title, as long as it sounds good. Don't feel obligated to hide it.
Basically, don't be afraid to go with more obvious titles, purposly avoiding them can lead to worse titles.
If a song is an instrumental, there is an incredible temptation to give it a totally meaningless title. Avoid this, you will only regret it later. A descriptive name (such as Space Opera's "Funky song with no name) can work, but don't use that too often.
Like band names, you really should avoid extra long names. If I needed to set a limit, I'd say that 7 is probably the highest number of words that should make up a song name. But the number of words isn't as important as how it sounds.
Remember that "style" and "genre" are not labels or limitations. If you are a punk band, that doesn't mean that you have to fit into a particular mould, or that there are expectations which you must meet. Being a punk band doesn't mean you can never do songs that some people don't consider to be punk. Your only limitations are those you impose on yourself.
If you find yourself constantly being compared to a specific band, first ask yourself if it's really a bad thing before objecting too strongly. If you are being called a Pearl Jam rip-off, then that is a bad thing. If, on the other hand, people say you "kinda sound like" or "seem to be inspired by" Pearl Jam, then that is not (unless you happen to hate Pearl Jam).
If you are currently a cover band with only a few originals (or none), then your favorite songs will probably influence your own style. Don't avoid this. Too many bands end up being just plain weird in their attempt to be original and sever themselves from their influences. If you write a really cool song, and someone hearing it says "hey that riff kinda sounds like (insert song title)", it is not the kiss of death. No band is so original that they can claim they don't sound like anyone else (with the possible exception of They Might Be Giants).
Remember, you are an independent band. No one expects you to record a professional-sounding demo. There is no need to spend a lot of money on a lot of equipment. The production should be decent enough that you can make out the lyrics and hear the individual instruments well, but don't worry about it too much. Most writers that review demos don't give bad reviews because of less than professional sound quality, and those that do probably were never in a band themselves.
The same goes for post-production. If someone can design a good demo cover on a computer, and if you can get it printed on professional J-cards, that's great, but not neccesary. Don't hire a professional photographer and graphic design team. A demo that looks and sounds like a demo is not a bad thing.
Basically, what you can afford should be good enough.