A recent e-mail interview
James Woo
Founder, SOFT.COM.SG
1. What got you interested in the local music scene?
I played music since young and am grateful for what music has given in my life thus, I want to promote music making – to let more people enjoy what music can bring to them.
2. Why do you support local music?
I support making good music, not local music. If the local music is not good, I will not support it.
3. What motivated you to set up SOFT?
When I was younger, I always feel kinda out of place because of my involvement with music. I had experiences that my peers never had.. Going for concerts, performing on stage and sneaking into pubs for live music. But not many of my friends around me know or enjoy such things.
4. What were your initial aims in setting up this website?
I want SOFT to be a place where people who wants to make music come together and share their knowledge.
5. What are your future plans for SOFT?
SOFT can and should make an impact on the local music scene by offering a one-stop resource centre anything related to music making. Pop, rock, classical, jazz, blues… any genre. One major area will be on the education of music making.
6. Do you think that SOFT can play an even bigger role in the publicity of local gigs and bands?
If the gigs organisers and bands want SOFT to play a bigger role, we will.
7. In what ways could SOFT aid the local bands?
By providing the platform for sharing information and knowledge. This gives everyone a level playing ground.
8. Do you think the time, effort and money put into maintaining this website is worth it, in the long run?
No, but someone got to do it.
9. Do you feel that SOFT has contributed greatly towards giving local musicians/fans of local music a platform to communicate?
As of now, we have close to 6,000 members. I hope this is a good indication of what SOFT platform is doing.
10. Do you feel that there is enough support for these local bands?
Yes, there is. The only problem is, not many bands deserve the support.
‘Deserve the support’? Which bands deserve it, and what should other bands do to deserve this?
Let’s look at it from the Olympics POV, if Singapore were to send a team to participate, do you think we will get any result? I don’t think so. That is why we set up a Sports school. We train them, groom them and support them. Lot’s of money is involved in these ‘support’. We must identify those who have a chance to make it.
11. What do you think are the factors that may help bands break into the local/global market?
Play very well, extremely well. Perform not jam.
12. What do you think are the important differences between foreign and local bands? Do you think a difference in standard is present and is it a major factor?
There are good bands everywhere, here in Singapore just as overseas.
What do you mean by ‘good’? Playing/performing?
Good in playing, performing, engaging audience, good PR, good business mind.
13. Do you feel that there are enough opportunities and locations for bands to perform regularly and publicly?
Yes.
14. What do you think are the factors for the success of a band?
Proficiency in playing/performing and good attitude.
What do you mean by good attitude?
The way you make people want to work with you again.
15. What do you feel the media has done for the local bands?
They have done what they can.
Do you think there’s more they could do? Do you think there are other ways for bands to be more known?
Definitely there’s more the media can do but why should they? Media and music are both commercial products. If my newspaper’s readers like to know more about local bands, I will report on it. My reader like it, buy my paper, I make a living. Same for radio station or TV station.
There are many ways for bands to be more known. In this technological advance world that we are living in, use technology to your fullest! Do up a good website. Use SMS to reach out to your fan base. Send emails to inform people of your upcoming performances.
The thing is, I feel a lot of bands do not have the concept of marketing/promotion at all.
16. Do you feel that our general public is interested in attending these gigs? What can be done to get them interested?
You cannot force people to like music, just like how you cannot force people to eat durians if they don’t like it. Luckily, we can have many flavours of music, hopefully one will suite the audience. The band must play what the audience want.
17. Do you feel that there is bias towards local bands?
Not bias but disappointment.
18. Do you feel the local radio charts and our public’s music tastes are affected by globalisation?
Yes. It is a good thing. We learn more when we are exposed to the world.
James Woo
Founder, SOFT.COM.SG
1. What got you interested in the local music scene?
I played music since young and am grateful for what music has given in my life thus, I want to promote music making – to let more people enjoy what music can bring to them.
2. Why do you support local music?
I support making good music, not local music. If the local music is not good, I will not support it.
3. What motivated you to set up SOFT?
When I was younger, I always feel kinda out of place because of my involvement with music. I had experiences that my peers never had.. Going for concerts, performing on stage and sneaking into pubs for live music. But not many of my friends around me know or enjoy such things.
4. What were your initial aims in setting up this website?
I want SOFT to be a place where people who wants to make music come together and share their knowledge.
5. What are your future plans for SOFT?
SOFT can and should make an impact on the local music scene by offering a one-stop resource centre anything related to music making. Pop, rock, classical, jazz, blues… any genre. One major area will be on the education of music making.
6. Do you think that SOFT can play an even bigger role in the publicity of local gigs and bands?
If the gigs organisers and bands want SOFT to play a bigger role, we will.
7. In what ways could SOFT aid the local bands?
By providing the platform for sharing information and knowledge. This gives everyone a level playing ground.
8. Do you think the time, effort and money put into maintaining this website is worth it, in the long run?
No, but someone got to do it.
9. Do you feel that SOFT has contributed greatly towards giving local musicians/fans of local music a platform to communicate?
As of now, we have close to 6,000 members. I hope this is a good indication of what SOFT platform is doing.
10. Do you feel that there is enough support for these local bands?
Yes, there is. The only problem is, not many bands deserve the support.
‘Deserve the support’? Which bands deserve it, and what should other bands do to deserve this?
Let’s look at it from the Olympics POV, if Singapore were to send a team to participate, do you think we will get any result? I don’t think so. That is why we set up a Sports school. We train them, groom them and support them. Lot’s of money is involved in these ‘support’. We must identify those who have a chance to make it.
11. What do you think are the factors that may help bands break into the local/global market?
Play very well, extremely well. Perform not jam.
12. What do you think are the important differences between foreign and local bands? Do you think a difference in standard is present and is it a major factor?
There are good bands everywhere, here in Singapore just as overseas.
What do you mean by ‘good’? Playing/performing?
Good in playing, performing, engaging audience, good PR, good business mind.
13. Do you feel that there are enough opportunities and locations for bands to perform regularly and publicly?
Yes.
14. What do you think are the factors for the success of a band?
Proficiency in playing/performing and good attitude.
What do you mean by good attitude?
The way you make people want to work with you again.
15. What do you feel the media has done for the local bands?
They have done what they can.
Do you think there’s more they could do? Do you think there are other ways for bands to be more known?
Definitely there’s more the media can do but why should they? Media and music are both commercial products. If my newspaper’s readers like to know more about local bands, I will report on it. My reader like it, buy my paper, I make a living. Same for radio station or TV station.
There are many ways for bands to be more known. In this technological advance world that we are living in, use technology to your fullest! Do up a good website. Use SMS to reach out to your fan base. Send emails to inform people of your upcoming performances.
The thing is, I feel a lot of bands do not have the concept of marketing/promotion at all.
16. Do you feel that our general public is interested in attending these gigs? What can be done to get them interested?
You cannot force people to like music, just like how you cannot force people to eat durians if they don’t like it. Luckily, we can have many flavours of music, hopefully one will suite the audience. The band must play what the audience want.
17. Do you feel that there is bias towards local bands?
Not bias but disappointment.
18. Do you feel the local radio charts and our public’s music tastes are affected by globalisation?
Yes. It is a good thing. We learn more when we are exposed to the world.
artyman: to the boss!
