GENERAL
What
is this place?
808shows.com is a concert calendar
maintained by Jason Miller of
Hawaiian Express Records. Our
goal is to offer a one-stop
location on the internet for
bands and fans in Hawaii, in
order to make supporting local
music as easy and convenient
as possible, for all involved.
We pride ourselves in providing
the most accurate listings for
Upcoming Shows and Events in
the islands with an emphasis
on 'alternative' music... This
is a Frequently Asked Questions
page for more details on everything
I've been asked more than a
few times in the past... but
let me know if I missed anything
of interest to you!
What
is your history?
Well, my love for music began
with my 1984 introduction to
punk rock, thanks in part to
my pal Gordy (The Forgotten
/ Lars Frederiksen & The
Bastards). Hawaiian Express
officially began in March of
1995... and since then I have
organized live shows, released
recorded music and video, hosted
a radio show on KTUH, launched
808shows.com, booked mainland
tours for bands from Hawaii,
and I used to silk-screen shirts
and stuff for bands. I've also
been the production manager
for Goldenvoice - Hawaii's concerts,
I'm married (with children),
and I enjoy long walks on the
beach. Okay, I'm not a huge
fan of the beach... with my
Scandanavian skin tones and
all.
Can
I join your staff?
Don't get me wrong, I have so
many supporters that help me
out in a lot of ways... and
I can never thank them enough...
but we have no actual "staff"
members. It's pretty much a
one man operation, and really
just treated like a hobby.
How
can I contact you?
Email is best and you'll find
the address at the bottom of
every page on this site, but
our mailing address is PO Box
11871 Honolulu, HI 96828..
Do you
have a street team?
Well, yes and no... we do greatly
appreciate you telling your
family and friends about our
many albums and activities,
and we do have a page that tries
to help you help others... you
can find it right here.
The bad news is we don't have
the means to reward you with
fabulous cash and prizes like
Bob Barker or Vanna White. Sorry!
How do I get on your mailing list?
Easy, just sign-up on the main
page, or the services page.
I try to send a newsletter out
at least once a month or anytime
something of added interest
pops up.
Where is this place that I heard about?
Check the resources tab for
a lot of information on Hawaii's
many venues, record stores,
music shops, studios, and more.
You may find it there!
I'm not from Hawaii, what's the deal with '808'?
We went with the name 808shows
because 808 is the telephone
system's area code for the entire
state of Hawaii... and because
rumor has it... it's also the
Penal Code for "Disturbing
The Peace" !
What if I have a question that's not covered here,
how do I get the answer?
Send an Email to me at hwnexp@aol.com
and I'll get back to you! I
respond to each and every question,
eventually. Otherwise, come
up and say hello sometime...
I've learned to stop biting...
I think.
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CONCERTS
How do I
get my show listed on your calendar?
Just fill out the online form
located on our submissions form...
Here.
Can my band open for the show with this band?
Possibly. But first we ask that
you show some initiative and
record your best song, post
it online, and submit your band's
details. Go here to register.
How come
promoters don't bring my favorite
band?
Aside from my own events, I've
also worked for Goldenvoice
on and off since the mid-nineties
and the Hawaii office (which
shut down in March 2005) often
struggled to break-even financially.
Sometimes bands are considered
high-risk and promoters pass
on the chance, and a lot of
times the band wants to be paid
too much money. On top of that,
we have to provide hotel rooms
and airfare... It costs a lot
of money to host a concert (and
keep the ticket prices as low
as possible). Also, many of
the shows that do happen, fall
short of the attendance needed
to cover costs. If 1,000 people
come, but the promoter needs
1,200 in order to pay all the
bills... a lot of people had
a good time but somebody just
lost money!
Why was
there 'No Guest List' at your
concert?
Odds are it was a show with
a mainland band and many times
we don't make enough money to
cover the cost of their trip
so I prefer to have just the
support of people that are willing
to contribute to "the cause".
Sometimes that upsets the girlfriend/boyfriend
or co-worker of whatever local
band is playing, but life goes
on... Besides, if I can offer
a guest list, I will... Note:
on nights where we are asking
for contributions from everyone,
all band members do of course
get in free on the night they
play, but just because you carried
a cymbal into the venue, it
doesn't mean you've earned an
admission, it's actual Band
Members only!
Can my
band play a show in Hawaii?
Sure. If you can get here on
your own, a show should be no
problem. Keep in mind that you
may not cover your cost, and
again, unless I tell you otherwise...
you will need to pay for the
trip yourself, but you'll have
a cheap vacation if nothing
else! Bands do make 100% of
the proceeds from their show
and keep their merch sales.
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RECORDS
Does the
record label have a website?
Not at the moment, we found it
easier to combine our record label
and concert calendar activities
into one site.
How can I
get my band on one of your compilations?
Send a demo to P.O. Box 11871,
Honolulu, HI 96828 or hand me
one sometime... I am happy to
accept submissions of audio or
video material. Even if it's a
low quality sample, I will still
check it out. If there's something
I think we can do together I'll
be sure to let you know. Please
include your name(s), phone number(s),
email addresses, snail mail addresses,
favorite color, waist size, etc.
Whatever might be helpful in order
to track you down in the future.
My band has
an mp3 on the web, will you listen
to it?
Please don't write just to direct
us to a web site to listen to
mp3s. We simply don't have the
time to download and listen to
mp3's. Send in a copy of your
song instead. We do listen to
(or watch) all submissions that
are mailed to us. Because for
one, it shows greater initiative.
It also makes it a lot easier
to find your stuff when we might
need it.
Will you
send me promos to review in my
zine?
Perhaps, but ONLY if you send
us a copy of an earlier issue
FIRST, so we can see what it is
you're doing. Besides, our prices
are really low and include postage.
If you support us, we might be
more inclined to hook you up later
on down the road!
Will you
send me promos to play on my radio
show?
Not likely, sorry. There's just
too many shows in too many places,
not too many that last very long,
and postage costs add up quick.
(We're designed to operate on
hobby status so there's not a
lot of funds to go around). But
you can buy something, keep in
touch, and then try to make us
feel guilty later.
I can't find
your releases in my local record
shop, why not?
There may or may not be a reason...
Ask the person behind the counter
if they can help you locate our
stuff. If they don't have it,
ask them to carry it. You can
always order directly from us
as well.
If I run
a distro, can I stock your releases?
Yes, you certainly can. Get in
touch and let us know what you
have in mind, how long you've
been operating, where you're located,
etc.
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CLOTHING
What's the deal with the 'Music, Clothing, and Aloha' ?
One of the very first 'services'
we offered was silk-screening.We
made shirts, patches, all kinds
of stuff. Since it's an important
part of our history, we still
use the phrase to explain what
it is that we're about!
Would you be able to make some stuff for me?
No, sorry. I haven't had a good
work space, let alone enough
free time for any silk-screening
projects in a long while...
and now I have a wife and three
young boys to look after! Besides,
it's really not hard to do though
if you want to go out and learn
how to do it...
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DRAMA
I thought
you were supposed to be punk?
(or better yet... that's not
punk, I'm punker than you, etc.)
Well, if that's a concern, maybe
I'm not... at least in the sense
that I don't have a safety pin
through my nose or anything,
but I enjoy aggressive upbeat
music more than any other genre...
so I have long been drawn to
punk bands. I especially identify
with what I consider to be the
most important aspects of 'punk'
like the notion of Do It Yourself,
Question Authority, stand up
for what's right, think for
yourself, and things like that...
as opposed to focusing on what
I look like or how I act...
Somebody
told me you rip people off,
true or false?
You heard wrong. That is false,
but I've come to find that doing
something puts a target
on your back... Despite the
accusations, here's how it works:
if we're talking about a non-compilation
album, the band is paid 100%
of the profit. All that gets
taken out is the expenses (the
cost of making the album, printing
the inserts, mailing it, etc.)
Bands on compilation
albums; however, earn a portion
of the money from the sale of
that album. Their fair share
of the money goes into an account
and they are welcome to collect
at any time. After the royalties
portion is allocated to band
accounts, the expenses are covered.
Then, after that... there might
be a dollar or two left over.
That money is what funds new
expenses that are generated
by replacing what was sold...
getting a new album off the
ground... paying the bi-annual
State of Hawaii General Excise
Tax, the P.O. Box rental, various
Website fees, financial LOSSES
on events and projects like
the Against Me! and Left Alone
shows, etc. (and the cycle continues).
Keep in mind, in some cases,
money is also raised and set
aside for donation to charity.
I heard
you hate so and so and this
and that and blah blah blah...
true?
uh... well... probably not true,
but ask me, I'll tell ya how
it is. It's a small island and
life is too short. As many people
have heard me say many times
before... "It could always be
worse!" On the other hand, some
people have had or still do
have issues with me on occasion.
That's unfortunate. I'm open
to discussing it and looking
for a resolution, but if it's
just matters of competition
or jealousy (?) or stuff better
suited for the playground...
I'm too old and I'm too nice.
I suggest you get to know me
yourself, or at least my side
of any story, before you fall
victim to petty gossip. Then
go do something positive for
others, for no reason or reward!
Who knows, you might like it...
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'The Fine Print'
I'm in a band with a song on one or more of the albums... What's
our account status?
Again, your fair share of any
money collected goes into an
account and you are welcome
to collect at any time. Send
me an email
and we can go over it. You can
request a check or if you prefer
cash, no problem (but I'll need
a signed receipt for my files).
It's just that easy... so thanks,
and talk to you soon?!!
I'll very likely request that
we meet in person with as many
of the band members as possible,
but just to avoid any misunderstandings
and make sure everyone knows
that a payment was discussed
& delivered.
I'm
in a band with a song on one
or more of the albums... What
about copyright control?
In
terms of ownership of the material,
that's all you. Whether it's
a full-length album, an E.P.,
or merely a track on a compilation...
your band holds the copyrights
to your music. I just ask that
we keep the albums 'available'
for future fans to discover
and enjoy. Mahalo.
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Aloha
& Mahalo, Jason Miller
Hawaiian Express Records
