Cobus Potgieter, a YouTube drummer who says he's received over a hundred million views for his videos playing along with well-known recordings, is funding My YouTube Band Project (MYBP) via Kickstarter. MYTB will allow Cobus to bring together a band from across the U.S., auditioned via YouTube and Google+ Hangouts, and cut an album in Los Angeles. MYTB recently reached its goal of $35,000 and is getting close to $45,000 as of Monday morning June 18th.
Cobus Poetgieter is a YouTube star known for his videos playing drums along with pop and rock recordings. He's gradually building a career around that fame and sells recordings, drum lesson videos and drum-related merch. Cobus was recently noted for a Top 10 South African-associated Facebook page.
Cobus' Kickstarter Pitch for My YouTube Band Project
While some cover artists use YouTube cover videos to bring attention to their original music, Cobus is using his cover videos to find what music he's going to be playing. Currently he's auditioning musicians for My YouTube Band Project which will bring musicians together in Los Angeles to record an album.
Mashable's Christine Erickson reports that the genre for the project is still undecided. Cobus will base that deicision on who auditions. Here's the process:
"Potgieter will review all auditions and then narrow the list down to a group of finalists. Using Google+ Hangouts, Potgieter will get to know the group and perform jam sessions. If they forge a connection, Potgieter will fly the individual to Los Angeles to be part of the band."
To fund this musical meeting Cobus has turned to Kickstarter where he's already exceeded his initial funding goals with three weeks to go.
You can see sample auditions on Mashable.
You can audition here. So far I haven't found a deadline but the KickStarter campaign ends July 10th and sessions run from July 25th to September 1st.
This is a great example of a project that leverages the web to not only find an international audience but to bring together participants and shape the project itself.
Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith blogs about business at Flux Research: Business Changes and about dance at All World Dance: News. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
