If you were getting a new rock band going, would you set up your own Web page or just use Facebook?

I would absolutely do both and use many other media/social outlets.

Most of my friends are involved in mid-life band rejuvinations..lol

Some use FB, but..in my experience one of the BEST things you can do is volunteer at various fund raising and private events and promote yourselves with well done hard copy flyers as well as online PR.

Offer to play benefit private parties for friends…get the exposure through real playing time ACTION…the rest will fall into place.

Once you get gigs set up at establishments then FB and or/ a webpage would be benefcial to showcase your schedule of events.

I can’t put enough emphasis on just playing for anything or anyone that will have you as you get your rock-n-roll rocket launched. ;-)

One of the bands I showcased at my private party last year has gone on to start playing at some well respected local clubs, but they started with playtime of their original material at private parties and events such as a fund raiser for a childrens hosp., local winery events, etc.

I have been using Facebook, and it’s alright. You can’t really beat the professionalism of a real page, though, plus Facebook’s layout can be a bit confining or confusing to those that don’t regularly use it.

Bandcamp is also pretty good, though.

Both…and MySpace and list your shows on Going and Twitter your happenings (which you can feed to your FB page) and start collecting eMails and send out an eMail newsletter (try constant contact) and…

facebook and even myspace,which started as as great promotion tool, so sad nobody logs on.
IS FREE. But a website, and an EPK can get you going seriously. It all depends how far you want to go. and if you want to spend money. a website is very inexpensive.

I’d build a site an link to it on FB and MySpace, except with MySpace you have to deal with the curse of Rupert Murdoch, the swine. His outfit Fox owns MySpace. Keep the design simple. Lots of “white space” with readable fonts and extremely well-done photos. Here’s an example of a really well done site of a band that I’ll bet has next to no money.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir @cprevite & @aprilsimnel Thanks. Both seems a very logical idea to me.

@dverhey Thanks for the link. GA.

@jazmina88 Roger that on the EPK. Me, I’m always interested in going all the way.

Also: If you’re short on cabbage, can’t code, but are looking for a slick site like @aprilsimnel describes, check out what Virb is becoming.

Both. The two are not mutually exclusive. One’s home page lets one sell CDs and tickets directly, put up mp3s to download, contain information on bookings, have a blog, etc. Facebook lets fans interact with the band and their events, and in the process open the band up to more people being made aware of them via the social network. One can syndicate much of a website’s content to Facebook automatically, like noting when blog posts are made, or making and publishing events, and gain many fans who can use the website to purchase/download/learn, who then spread awareness of you through Facebook’s system, etc. Ultimately, as a new rock band, I think the important goals are developing a fan base and playing many small gigs, and in my experience the band can’t be as successful in these goals by using only one tool nowadays.