Category Archive: Archived Series
In school, if you’re right 60% of the time you’re a failure. In the music business, if you’re right 60% of the time, you’re a genius (unless you’re starting an indie label).
Posted on | January 17, 2009 | No Comments
It’s true. Picking winners in the music business is a lot like hitting major league pitching: Most people strike out a lot. For every band on a major label that succeeds, a far greater number fail. This means that the A & R staff of most labels spend most of their time failing. So if [...]
Usually, being an asshole does not help you
Posted on | January 2, 2009 | No Comments
On the surface, this seems obvious. But if you take some time to think about it, it gets more complicated. There are many levels to being an asshole. Some are very obvious and easy to spot. Others aren’t so obvious. Why? Well, sometimes the difference between being assertive and being and asshole is subtle (or [...]
Sometimes it helps to be enigmatic
Posted on | December 16, 2008 | No Comments
While it seems like the straight line is the most effective way to achieve your goal, this is not always the case. Sometimes, it is better to keep people wondering a little bit about who you are and what you’re intentions are. Don’t get me wrong; you have to be who you are. I’m not [...]
If you want to be a rock star be prepared to persevere: in most cases the four year minimum applies.
Posted on | December 13, 2008 | No Comments
I know this is a bold statement. And let me be honest, it’s not really based on any empirical evidence, just my observation of a lot of rock bands. Nevertheless, I stand very firmly by this statement. Of the bands and solo artists I’ve seen achieve success in the music biz game (e.g., get a [...]
If you make music, know what kind of flower you’re growing. If you sell music, know what kind of flower you’re selling.
Posted on | December 13, 2008 | No Comments
One of the hardest things to do as a musician is to see yourself and your music as strangers see it. (Let’s face it, your friends love you. So they’re inclined to support you no matter what. It’s great to have them there. But it’s foolish to read too much into their reactions.) Processing audience [...]
Most people make less money playing music than you would think, but some make a lot
Posted on | December 10, 2008 | 1 Comment
Statistics tabulated by SoundScan, an independent research firm that monitors U.S. record sales, confirm the [recording] industry’s predicament. Of the 6,188 albums released [in 2000], only 50 sold more than a million copies. Sixty-five sold 500,000 units and 356 sold 100,000 or more. In other words, more than 90% of last year’s releases flopped. Generally, [...]
Business or Art Project? You make the call.
Posted on | December 10, 2008 | No Comments
This is a critical call to make, especially early on when you’re likely to be spending your own money. Unfortunately, most people never think very consciously about it. To a certain extent, this is understandable, because art and commerce are always intertwined in the music business. Nevertheless, it still helps to be clear about these [...]
What do you want?
Posted on | December 10, 2008 | No Comments
The music business is filled with dreamers. That’s part of its charm. At some level, anything is possible. But too often people aren’t clear about what they want from the music business. All they know is that they want to be a “star” or a “success” or “a respected artist”. But what do all these [...]
Why Indie? Why not?
Posted on | December 7, 2008 | No Comments
Before we move on to talking more about you and what you want, let’s take a little closer look at the landscape you’ll be operating in. I’m going to start with some pretty obvious stuff here, so pardon me if you already know it. I just want to make sure everyone is on the same [...]
By the time you get wise, it could be too late
Posted on | December 1, 2008 | No Comments
So the Fog Machine is spewing it out in a thick cloud. Lots of folks are stumbling around in it. They’re all trying to make something happen. Maybe you’re one of them. What do you do? First, take a quick breather and clear your mind. Then consider this: By the time you figure out what’s [...]
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