Please critique Website #2!

[Kerouac]

http://andymclain.com/thebeard/



Notice that I have gigs booked.

[B Valley]

I like the look of the site, clean with a nice texture. I think 'The Beard' should be larger. Same font, but larger by at least two sizes.
The photos are nice enough, but I don't think they provoke interest. Neither the ones on the home page nor the photos on the Music page really say folk or alternative 'music', at least to me. They do remind me of the cover of the mood music CDs.
Lastly, the Live page would be a perfect spot for a photo of you, taken from behind you and looking toward the audience.
I do really like the clean look of the site.
Also, I'd like to hear some clips, or one of your instrumentals playing in the background, maybe a loop track?

[Kerouac]

I like the look of the site, clean with a nice texture. I think 'The Beard' should be larger. Same font, but larger by at least two sizes.
The photos are nice enough, but I don't think they provoke interest. Neither the ones on the home page nor the photos on the Music page really say folk or alternative 'music', at least to me. They do remind me of the cover of the mood music CDs.
Lastly, the Live page would be a perfect spot for a photo of you, taken from behind you and looking toward the audience.
I do really like the clean look of the site.
Also, I'd like to hear some clips, or one of your instrumentals playing in the background, maybe a loop track?

Thanks for the help and for the comment about the clean look. I hate overly busy websites, so I tried to keep it neat and easy to navigate.

Most of the images are placeholders since I don't have final pics yet, but I switched them up a bit.

Maybe at Pragestock I can get Jaxn to get a nice "stage shot" of me.

I'm still trying to figure out how to embed music into iWeb, but I'll definitely have some media available, just not a background loop. Went to a website today that had an auto-on music player and it was pretty annoying.'

Again, thanks for the critique!

[Phil513]

Looks great, i too like the easy straightforward nature of it. It looks classy.

[Kerouac]

It looks classy.

Shit, back to the drawing board....

Added a video and will add an older song here in a bit.

[Kerouac]

Video and a soundclound clip are now up in the MEDIA section.

[Punchy]

Beware a takedown notice from Brian Wilson of teh Giants

Will take a look tomorrow, fer sirius.

[Coralkong]

Site looks OK. Uncluttered, which is nice.

I second the thought about the pictures.

Kind of....well.....meh. Doesn't provoke a lot of interest, nor does it really convey what the site is about.

The content is kind of written in a lot of the 3rd person, which comes off as a bit odd.

THE BEARD says "You should listen to THE BEARD's music, or THE BEARD will have to come kill you." So sayeth THE BEARD.


Exaggeration, but you see the point.

All in all, though, I like the site. Perhaps make the headers (links) for the different pages a bit larger.

[Athiest_Peace]

Nice and easy to get around the site. I like the soundcloud as opposed to a constantly running loop. It does need pictures, so hurry up and get Jaxn on the live shots. Maybe get somebody to get a good live shot at your next local gig and add that as well. Overall, it is a great site, just needs a few finishing touches.

[Kerouac]

Site looks OK. Uncluttered, which is nice.

I second the thought about the pictures.

Kind of....well.....meh. Doesn't provoke a lot of interest, nor does it really convey what the site is about.

The content is kind of written in a lot of the 3rd person, which comes off as a bit odd.

THE BEARD says "You should listen to THE BEARD's music, or THE BEARD will have to come kill you." So sayeth THE BEARD.


Exaggeration, but you see the point.

All in all, though, I like the site. Perhaps make the headers (links) for the different pages a bit larger.

Well, there isn't a lot of content available still. That will change next month when I have more music posted.

As to the third person THE BEARD that's intentional. Think of it like Eels, where the sound evolves and even though it's primarily one man, it's not just a singer-songwriter type performer. Andy Mclain is a mild-mannered musician with nerdy tendencies and an insatiable love for The Beatles. THE BEARD will folk your face and then fuck your mother, or barring that, your sister.


Sent from my iPhone at a Tijuana donkey show.

[telecaster911]

Beware a takedown notice from Brian Wilson of teh Giants

Will take a look tomorrow, fer sirius.

Or Brett Keisel.

[Coralkong]

Well, there isn't a lot of content available still. That will change next month when I have more music posted.

As to the third person THE BEARD that's intentional. Think of it like Eels, where the sound evolves and even though it's primarily one man, it's not just a singer-songwriter type performer. Andy Mclain is a mild-mannered musician with nerdy tendencies and an insatiable love for The Beatles. THE BEARD will folk your face and then fuck your mother, or barring that, your sister.


Sent from my iPhone at a Tijuana donkey show.

I see, sort of your evil alter-ego.
I can dig that.

[Kerouac]

I see, sort of your evil alter-ego.
I can dig that.

I wouldn't say evil so much as I'd say unfettered.


Sent from my iPhone at a Tijuana donkey show.

[Coralkong]

I wouldn't say evil so much as I'd say unfettered.


Sent from my iPhone at a Tijuana donkey show.

Kind of like when you put on the gimp mask and really let go and go to town?

[Kerouac]

Kind of like when you put on the gimp mask and really let go and go to town?

I bet Peeker has one.

[Coralkong]

LOL...I bet he does, too.

[Mark Wein]

Nice! Needs more content as you get it though.

[Kerouac]

Nice! Needs more content as you get it though.

I just spent an hour working on one of the October release songs.

I have six more weeks of summer schedule, which is just shy of an entire month off since I'm only teaching three days a week. I may not be able to afford to go away to some secluded cabin in the Rockies to write and record like I want to, but even a couple of hours each day will keep me on task.

[Athiest_Peace]

I just spent an hour working on one of the October release songs.

I have six more weeks of summer schedule, which is just shy of an entire month off since I'm only teaching three days a week. I may not be able to afford to go away to some secluded cabin in the Rockies to write and record like I want to, but even a couple of hours each day will keep me on task.

If you tried to go off to the Rockies you'd wind up just hanging with Dave and CFGSteak and not getting any work done!

[Mark Wein]

I just spent an hour working on one of the October release songs.

I have six more weeks of summer schedule, which is just shy of an entire month off since I'm only teaching three days a week. I may not be able to afford to go away to some secluded cabin in the Rockies to write and record like I want to, but even a couple of hours each day will keep me on task.

[Kerouac]

If you tried to go off to the Rockies you'd wind up just hanging with Dave and CFGSteak and not getting any work done!

I'd definitely stop by the old haunts and to see those guys, but a couple of days alone in the Rockies sounds awesome.

[irishstu]

I'd agree pretty much with what's been said by others, which is that the layout and style is great. I like the simplicity, but I'd like some better, more relevant pics.

Oh, and how many spaces are there between the two sentences here?

The Backyard Inn, Tabby’s, and By Golly’s. All three performances begin at 9 p.m.

[Kerouac]

I'd agree pretty much with what's been said by others, which is that the layout and style is great. I like the simplicity, but I'd like some better, more relevant pics.

Oh, and how many spaces are there between the two sentences here?

Two spaces.

I guess my next question becomes, "What would be a series of more relevant pics?"

[MonkeyZero]

Two spaces.

I guess my next question becomes, "What would be a series of more relevant pics?"

Goatse? Lol! Ok that's just gross and I apologize.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[jaxn slim]

I can definitely take some photos of you at Pragestock. We can even try to get creative with it, too. I'll bring my wide angle lens.

I like the site. It looks a little generic, though. It makes sense if you're going for the more subdued look. I love the graphics on the "Contact" page.

The tunes sound great!

[Kerouac]

I can definitely take some photos of you at Pragestock. We can even try to get creative with it, too. I'll bring my wide angle lens.

I like the site. It looks a little generic, though. It makes sense if you're going for the more subdued look. I love the graphics on the "Contact" page.

The tunes sound great!

Oh sure, shoot the fat guy with the wide angle lens.



Thanks for the help. And for the comments on the tunage.

[Punchy]

I like the layout, and the background texture is definitely cool. The contact graphics are kickass, although if they had rounded corners like the pictures on the music page it might look a little better. The other images make it look like a photography website, or something. I can see a mid-nose to bottom of beard shot for the main page, maybe with your hand holding a pick off to the side all defiant-like. I tried to just doodle what I'm talking about but can't draw to save my life

Other than that, lookin' forward to seeing the pages fill up

[Kerouac]

I like the layout, and the background texture is definitely cool. The contact graphics are kickass, although if they had rounded corners like the pictures on the music page it might look a little better. The other images make it look like a photography website, or something. I can see a mid-nose to bottom of beard shot for the main page, maybe with your hand holding a pick off to the side all defiant-like. I tried to just doodle what I'm talking about but can't draw to save my life

Other than that, lookin' forward to seeing the pages fill up

Hmmm.... I could always print them and take pictures of them to give them the rounded edges.

I was thinking a mid-nose to beard shot too... kinda like my picks.

[Punchy]

Yeah! Like the picks! I knew i'd seen it somewhere I went ahead and rounded the corners on those images I linked, if you wanted to use them

[Kerouac]

Yeah! Like the picks! I knew i'd seen it somewhere I went ahead and rounded the corners on those images I linked, if you wanted to use them

Thanks! I'll do that now.

CRAP: this iWeb template automatically adds a Frame to images, so that's not going to work. Thanks for trying though!

[Denverdave]

Looks nice.....I like sites that are easy to navigate and it is that.

[Punchy]

Thanks! I'll do that now.

CRAP: this iWeb template automatically adds a Frame to images, so that's not going to work. Thanks for trying though!

Ah well. Ha. Was worth a shot

[irishstu]

Two spaces.

There were THREE!!

[Kerouac]

There were THREE!!

I checked... only two. Must be the typset.