“Quality has much in common with sex. Everyone is for it. Everyone feels they understand it. Everyone thinks execution is a matter of following natural inclinations. And everyone feels that all problems are caused by other people.” – Phil Crosby

What separates one artist, brand, or business from the next? What keeps the eyes and ears of fans or customers on one and not on the other?

A quality aesthetic is something that every artist, photographer, or business strives to achieve, yet is overlooked by many who are starting out in their industry. The quality that represents you will shape the way a person feels about you, your product, or service that you are selling.

Let’s pretend you are looking for some new music to fill up that nice iPhone you have there. You’ve been spelunking the caves of the internet in search of that band that fits your expectations. It’s been proven that people buy on emotion and justify with reason, which in this case coincides with; the quality of this band is going to sell me the music because I feel good about them, before I even listen to a song.

Let’s take a look at this in action with some photos I took of our buddies Eric and Andrew in The Scene Aesthetic:

At first glance, it’s obvious which photograph is lacking in quality and which isn’t. Now imagine you reached this band’s Facebook, website, or anywhere else. You know nothing about them and haven’t listened to their music yet. Which photograph is going to automatically make you feel better about their music beforehand? Which photograph is most likely going to grab you and push you towards wanting more? Now you get the idea.

The photographs above are only one example of quality at work. Sticking with the band theme; the same principle works for their music, merchandise, website, and overall image that they portray to their fans. With a unified look of quality, you have pieces of a puzzle that back each other up in every aspect of that image they portray. Quality puts you on a level above others and is subconsciously understood by the looker. No one needs to talk about why they feel good about something because it’s led by that feel good emotion, which is automatic. Inversely, it works the same way with an aesthetic of bad quality.

With quality playing such an important role in the representation of your band, brand, or business, why do so many still lack the quality they need? It’s because quality costs money, and most believe that their money can be spent elsewhere with better results. That decision depends on the specific circumstances, but with your image being the first impression that your fans or customers will be exposed to, it’s easy for me to see how the money spent on quality is important to my image.

So how do you obtain the quality you are looking for? First, find the right people. Depending on the service you need, whether that be photography, graphic design, or web development, you have to find the right people that fit your needs. Find those who share your vision of quality who can bring your image to the level you need. You will be paying for quality, but that quality will pay off in the end. A quality product without an image that represents it properly is like running a marathon with a bum leg. You could do it if you really wanted, but why bother? Fix the bum leg and unify that quality with your entire image and you’ll have the best foundation for allowing your music, product, or service back up that image.

Quality, quality, quality. Did you hear that word enough yet?

Patrick McNeil, the creator of Design Meltdown, the Web Designer’s Idea Book series, and also the content director for HOW Interactive Design was awesome enough to name The Mischief Co. as the Site of the Day for February 17th. We love HOW and they love us. It’s a Love-Love relationship, just the way we like it around here. Hit up their blog and show them some love!

If you are as old as I am (take a guess because I’m not going to tell you) then you may remember the days when the underground clothing scene was an open and broad canvas waiting to be filled, calmly riding alongside the music that stood at the forefront of it all. Sure there were a few notable companies starting up; even I teamed up with a few friends of mine and helped create what was once “Heartcore Clothing”. Yeah, that was quite some time ago. The bigger and already established companies had much more backing than us, and it almost seemed like you couldn’t go anywhere by printing shirts without the big names and big backing to go along with your sick shirt designs. Hell, we had to walk 5 miles in the snow on our bare feet, just to sell one t-shirt.

It’s a new and different ball game now. The internet and Social media has improved marketing exposure, and the tenacity these small companies bring to the table never ceases to amaze me. These small guys have proven that with some quality products, a beautiful aesthetic, and the right amount of hype – you can succeed with a clothing company. There is one drawback however; because it is easier to get started on your own clothing line these days, the independent scene gets over saturated with clothing companies started by anyone with Photoshop and a Facebook page with 1,000 likes. “Wait, you mean there’s more to starting a clothing company than that?” Ha.

I’m here to help with the over saturation by showing you my favorite independent clothing companies. “But aren’t you going to tell us how to get to where these guys are?” No, that would take too long and there are a plethora of resources already available. Try here for example. Save that design you’ve got going on in Photoshop for a moment and spend some quality research time. It will help, I promise. On to my favorites, in no particular order.

Make Believe Clothing Co. – makebelieveclothingco.com

Make Believe Clothing Co. has a “feel good” aesthetic to their clothing, and they do it quite well. Clean, simple, and genuine. Their designs have a classic touch which makes it appeal to anyone with a good sense for timeless design.

CX.CITY – cxcitybrand.com

Great clothing companies understand the importance in connecting the clothes to the lifestyle, and that’s where CX CITY shines. They draw inspiration from their surroundings, including the underground music scene, which nicely combines that lifestyle feel into their line. Unifying your clothes with your aesthetic is important and CX CITY does that perfectly.

Editions – theseeditions.com

Editions is a clothing company conceived and inspired by the founder’s perspective on learning from his experiences. Taking in the world, learning from it, and improving yourself from what you’ve learned- that’s the message I get from this clothing line, and it’s a message I think we can all agree on.

Lead & Light – leadandlight.org

Lead & Light’s aesthetic is one of my all time favorites. Sam Kaufman, designer and founder, uses his unique way of mixing bold messages and geometric design with a propaganda feel. It’s in your face and powerful, and yet subliminal and mysterious at the same time. All while using nothing but black and white. Hence the name, Lead & Light.

Inkefx – inkefx.com

This clothing line caught my eye not with it’s overall feel or style, but simply because I love these designs. I don’t wear many printed shirts, and It’s pretty hard for me to find a store that has more than 1 shirt I could see myself wearing. I would absolutely wear all of the shirts that inkefx sells. Simple goes a long way and these designs prove that. Not only does this brand focus on quality designs, it also focuses on quality customer service which provides his customers with an overall experience that won’t let you down.

There are many others I could have put up on this list but I’ll stick to 5 for now. I see a Part Deux of this post in the near future. Do you have a clothing line that should be on the list? Leave a link in the comments below.

All Images, artwork, Photography, and products shown are copyright to their respective owners. Go support the small guy and buy some shirts from these kind folk.

We’re excited to announce that The Mischief Co. was named one of the Top 10 Websites for Designers for the month of February!

I can remember first starting out in the design world (many moons ago), and learning as much as I could by reading through tutorials and following design trends in HOW Magazine. So, you could say that they’ve played a pivotal role in my development as a designer. To now be included in a Top 10 by them… well, it feels pretty good. Make sure to head on over to their blog and check out the rest of the Top 10. I mean, if you feel like seeing a bunch of awesomely designed websites and some fantastic work, that is.

The second installment in our “Client Spotlight” and interview posts is all about our friend Dane Petersen, one of the nicest dudes you’ll ever meet. He speaks with his heart and that to me makes his words that much more meaningful. Keep an eye on this guy and keep an ear on his music because it’s definitely worth the listen. Enjoy the interview folks!

Who is Dane Petersen and where are you from?

I guess you could say “Dane Petersen” is a lot of things, but mainly, an 18 going on 19 year old kid with his head in the clouds. I’m from Thousand Oaks, California which is a about an hour north of Los Angeles.

How long have you been playing music?

Singing is something I’ve enjoyed as long as I can remember, but I picked up a guitar around age 12 and the other instruments followed.

What direction are you trying to take Sink Swim in and where do you see yourself in 5 years?

With Sink Swim, I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do, write my feelings and hope that people out there can truly connect and relate. Every kid has at least one band when they grow up that stays with them for life. I want to be that for people. I want to create a total domino effect of positivity through my passion. In 5 years I see crowds of people singing back our lyrics, loud as can be, so happy to be where they are in that exact moment. That’s the dream.

How would you describe your music for people who haven’t heard you yet?

I’d say that the music is hard-hitting, something anyone can sink their teeth into. Raw and emotional while maintaining the catchiness we all love in music.

What made you want to pursue a career in music?

Not so much “what” as “who” I guess, but my Dad is absolutely to blame for getting me into music haha. His constant playing of Beatles songs and us jamming together since I was very young really helped me to realize what I was good at. And from there, other musical inspirations really just made me say to myself, “Alright, I’m going to do this, there’s no way I’m not”.

What are some of your favorite bands/artists to listen to?

So many, but bands like: Paramore, Mayday Parade, Coldplay, Relient K, The Maine, The Strokes, and Blink-182 to name a few.

Do you have a favorite genre of music, and how does it differ from what you play now?

Since there are so many genres and sub-genres out there, I’ll just say all forms of Rock. Alternative, Pop Punk etc. The influences definitely show.

You have an ep coming out on February 1st titled “Elements”. How do you feel artistically about this release?

Artistically, this to me, is the best material I’ve put out for sure. It really takes you through the motions. I really just did whatever I wanted with this EP and that’s how I like it. Free reign to write anything with no limitations.

“Elements EP” Available on February 1, 2012. Like Sink Swim on Facebook for more info and links to purchase.

What do you think is the hardest thing to overcome in the music industry?

The hardest thing to overcome in this industry is yourself. If you aren’t confident and driven mind body and soul, it’ll eat you alive.

What’s been your greatest accomplishment so far?

I have these words I wrote down one day that I haven’t used yet. They say, “This is my melody, this is my heart, the bonds I have made are my best works of art”. I think that sums it up.

As an artist, how would you define success?

Happiness is success as an artist, a student, a big business guy or whatever anyone is in life. As long as I’m happy, and I’m making others happy, I’m successful and loving’life.

How is like working with the chaps from The Mischief Co.?

The Mischief Co. is the first company I’ve worked with that is truly helpful and not just concerned with your money. Jim Goranson and the rest of the guys have had my back since first contact. Actually taking an interest in my music and what I had to say. Needless to say everyone at The Mischief Co. is rad!

Where can fans go to listen to your music, buy merchandise, etc?

You can find my music on Facebook and Bandcamp. Each of which will have my EP streaming and downloadable. I’ll be getting some merch going with the mischief co!

Facebook.com/sinkswimmusic
sinkswim.bandcamp.com

Anything else you would like to say to your fans and our readers?

To anyone who reads this or listens to the tunes, I just want to say thank you. I want anyone and everyone to know that I’m there for them stranger or not, through the music or just plain old conversation. The world needs less negativity and more open minds as well as hearts, let’s be a team in sharing that with the world!

If you missed the links above, go like Sink Swim’s Facebook, listen to his music on Bandcamp, and pick up his new EP “Elements”; you won’t be disappointed. We’ll be keeping our eyes on Dane as grows as an artist and we hope you all will as well.

Be sure to pre-order Julia’s album “Settle Down” shipping February 28th! Her official store is on The Mischief Market. If you’re interested in just the single, you can get it now on iTunes.

Here at TMCO we like to get to know our clients by making the relationship something more than the usual “we just work for you” mentality. We consider all of them as friends, and a perk of being a friend of TMCO is you get to answer a bunch of interview questions so we can share it here for the fans, our readers, and whoever else is curious enough to keep reading. So keep reading, because here is our first “Client Spotlight” with the wonderful dudes from Kady! Danger.

Pick up their new EP “Gold Blooded” on Itunes

 Who is in the band Kady! Danger, and what do each of you do?

“Kady! Danger” currently, is drummer Jordan Pulmano, bassist Nick Dewar, keyboardist/vocals Timothy Prendergast, guitarist Tyler Welch, and vocalist Anthony Polanco.

Who’s the funniest member of your band, and why?

We are all best friends; so the humor dynamic of the band is essentially the best thing about us; however, the funniest member undoubtedly is Timothy. He’s got a very short attention span, and doesn’t quite think things through before he does them. He’s a disaster on legs, but he’s cute: Like a puppy!

If you could choose to share a stage with any artist or band, dead or alive, who would it be?

If you asked any one of us I’m sure we’d each give you a different answer to that question. The Beatles. Or Rush. That’d be choice!

Who are the major influences for Kady! Danger, musical or not?

We are very much influenced in life by our relationships with Jesus Christ. We are all musicians; without our belief in Christianity, we would most likely still be playing music. But that is the essence of our beings, and without Him, we wouldn’t be who we are today.

What has been your biggest challenge so far as a band?

Kady! Danger hasn’t been a band long, and with the amazing people we have had supporting us since the beginning, we haven’t had much turbulence to be honest. We had a really hard time completing the lineup, though: Finding like-minded individuals willing to throw their lives away to live the dream. We are very thankful to have the team we do now.

What is the ultimate direction for Kady! Danger and where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

The ultimate direction for us as a band is to the top. We intend to build a worldwide fan base that loves our music, is inspired to feel something through our lyrics, and can stand behind whatever we choose to represent; whether that of sonic presentation or otherwise. 
 In 5 years, we hope to see ourselves still touring our butts off, and in love with every single one of our supporters.

How is it working with the chaps from The Mischief Co.?

They’re the best! What can you say about The Mischief Co. They’re the best at what they do; amazing, personable staff, and we simply don’t wanna work with anyone else!

Is there a person or persons you would like to acknowledge for their support?

Yeah! Every successful band has a producer they’d like to thank. We were lucky enough to start this band with someone who is not only a sterling producer, but a great friend: Joel Piper. He’s gone above and beyond for us, simply because he wanted to see this happen: We wouldn’t be here without him. Also, our manager Quenton Delaney: He’s been amazing to us, and we have learned so much from him already. Oh, and all of our fans! We love getting to know you guys on Twitter and Facebook, and Stickam. Thanks for everything guys!!

What else do you guys like to do besides making music?

We are a pretty lame group. We watch iCarly and Big Time Rush, eat lots of candy, and make a bunch of silly videos. Thrift store shopping is pretty popular with us, too!

What’s the most embarrassing experience you’ve had so far as a band?

Probably us just being us, when we are being stupid, people stare at us, but we won’t help it!

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve shared as a band?

In our short time of being a band, we haven’t had too many chances to experience everything yet, but definitely one of the most memorable was recording our EP. Spending the time with Joel, writing and recording the songs that would be the start of something new and hopefully great is something we will always remember!

Do you guys have any specific plans for 2012?

In 2012, we are gonna tour; a lot; release new music, keep building our fan base, and hopefully make some big waves! The end of 2011 was our starting point, so we are ready to show the world what we can do.

What’s the best way for fans to support you?

The best way for people to support us would be on iTunes. We also have our online merch store which is currently  www.kadydanger.bigcartel.com. Also on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube! The hits on those really help us out, and it gives us a way to make friends with everyone on a personal level!

Anything else you would like to add or say to your fans?

Our fans are AMAZING. We’ve all been in bands before, but we have never experienced a fan base that genuinely cares about who we are as individuals, this much. We are very blessed to have them.
We love talking to each of you on the internet. It’s been so amazing to get to know you guys!
To those of you who aren’t fans yet, give us a listen! We are real people, and we wanna be your friends!

Thank you Kady! Danger for letting us interview you and for also being awesome dudes and liking our work. Keep your eyes on these guys in 2012!

Getting Started, there are two types of musicians I see all the time. The musician that just jams with friends in their basement and those that want to get out there are play shows. The musician that just wants to jam in his basement is doing it to keep up their skill and have fun. The one that wants to play shows is starting a business even if their only aiming to play local shows.

A business does not just pop up with the hopes of having a few sales. A band doesn’t play shows in hopes of only having a few people show up. That being said, the business creates a business plan to help maintain marketing, expenses and future outlook. You bet a band should be creating a business plan as well and keeping to it.

So what type of musician are you? Have you created a business plan? Set goals and achieved them?

It’s a new year and TMCO is currently filling it’s head full of opportunities, dreams, and ideas 2012.

Ahh.. the new year. It can bring excitement or relief depending on your circumstances. Or, maybe even a little bit of both. The last year brought us some great lessons we’ve taken notice of and will use as we continue our growth as a company. We like paying attention to these sorts of lessons; If we weren’t and didn’t learn from our mistakes, and our successes, we wouldn’t be much of a company at all would we? Saying that, I want to personally thank everyone who has given us feedback along the way. That includes the good, bad, and the ugly. No one here at TMCO plans on being stuck in place, so keep that feedback coming, and we’ll keep learning, and providing you with better service. We want to continue to be those guys that provide the least of amount of hassles possible, no matter what we’re doing, and we love that you guys continue to help us out with that.

So what else is new? Well, how about this fresh new website you see before your eyes? You may or may not have seen our old one, so trust me when I say this was a necessary change for 2012. TMCO is bold and purposeful, and I wanted us to have an image that portrays that. Don’t lie.. Say you LOVE IT.

You like Facebook right? I mean, you’re probably on there at least 20 times a day checking up on status updates and the like. So why not head on over to our page and give us a like? I guarantee you’ll find something on there interesting to look at because we plan on continuing to interact with all you lovely folk throughout the new year. We’ll be posting up new work, new deals on The Mischief Market, and any and all news about new Mischief Merchants. So go on and spare us a click, it will only take you a second.

Keep your eyes on The Mischief Co. in 2012. We’re moving forward and want to bring everyone with us, every step of the way. We’ll have more posts along the way, client spotlights, industry articles, and whatever else we can think of that may be of interest. You may even catch a post or two about the crew behind The Mischief Co. Excited? You better be.