The Fray’s guitarist, David Welsh, and drummer Ben Wysocki appear on the release that so far is available only online. Their band’s first album “How to Save a Life” sold more than two million copies. They recently released their self-titled second album and knocked Bruce Springsteen from the top of the Billboard chart.
Greco has known the band members since growing up with them in Colorado, where they all attended Christ Community Covenant Church in Arvada. Greco’s dad, Art, was the pastor. Art is now senior pastor at Marin Covenant Church and David leads worship.
Depending how you look at it, getting noticed has gotten more difficult – or easier thanks to the ability of artists to put their music online. Positioning music on the Internet helps artists put their work directly before the public, but cyberspace is crowded with aspiring artists.
Greco has put his release on Noisetrade.com, a website started by Derek Webb, former member of Caedmon’s Call. The website takes a new approach to helping artists get their music out.
“I think it’s a really incredible idea,” Greco says. “You can pay what you want for it or tell five friends and download it for free.”
Greco hasn’t made any money yet. So far, most people are telling five friends, Greco says, adding, “My dad hasn’t paid for it.”
Still, he says, “It’s all about getting the music heard.”
Noisetrade.com gets 10 percent of sales plus a setup fee, which Greco says is nominal. Other sites, such as CD Baby, also enable indie artists to market straight to the public, but all music is sold. It has become virtually essential for artists to post their music on sites such as YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, and iLike.com.
Evangelical Covenant Church pastor and musician Jim Black says he has preferred CD Baby so far, but he isn’t making money from the music either. He’s hoping that will change soon. Paul Crowly, a promoter who has worked with artists such as Amy Grant, came across his music and is now helping develop interest in it at Christian stations across the country.
