Hey everyone. Remember when I used to do a blog and then I didn't. Ya me too. I've decided that as a New Years resolution (which I normally disagree with 100% as most of them are a set up for failure) it was time I start sharing again. This year, I will be unapologetic and say what I want. One thing I hate about facebook and other social networks is that I feel like I have to watch what I say. In all reality I think that idea is bull shit but I try to be considerate. To start a blog is like a very public diary and I have never censored my diary.....unless I thought someone was reading it lol.
Today I want to touch on paying your dues and the stupid little decisions that can and mostly will effect your progress. This can apply to non musicians too. You can't continuously change your college major and expect a super sweet high paying job to land in your lap. (rarely anyway lol)
I know many people who have reinvented themselves many times over or even just one or two times in an effort to become what they think they should. We have stayed the same group but had to start over due to name changes and moving and sound changes. We still fight for club gigs because of our reputation for slow music.
Ironically I wanted to write about this and then I read a blog from one of my favorite music professionals Cari Cole. She teaches in New York and we were fortunate to meet her in LA at ASCAP. She has many years of experience in music and the professional side of the business and I swear by her advice. Google her. You ll find her and love her. (or go to http://www.caricole.com). She talked today about being you for you and how important that is. She also talked about how no ones journey is the same.
I heard Matt Nathanson talk about this last year at ACAP as well. Just because someone makes it one way doesn't mean you will and honestly chances are BECAUSE someone made it one way your chances of following in their footsteps are much lower.
Here's my advice, remember, it may be coming from an undiscovered artist but still, we are progressively getting somewhere so don't count me out completely. Good advice is always good advice no matter the source.
They say you pay your dues for an average of 10 years. 10 years is a long time but it separates the men from the boys, it shows who is serious and for a company, record exec, financier, anyone who is paying attention, there is something to be said for sitting back while a band builds its fan base, becomes something bigger, and shows they are serious. Anyone can play music. Not everyone can react properly or even handle how the business will treat them.
The trick is to grow and evolve in your current world or move on as quickly as you can so you can properly pay your dues. If you have been playing for 30 years and have yet to hit what ever level your goal may be, I am willing to bet you've been in several bands or projects. This is because you don't pay your dues as a person. You pay them as a project. It takes 10 years on average for enough people to hear of your music to stand out above everyone else. If you change your genre, your city, your band name, you're pretty much starting over. Very rarely can you make a name for yourself moving around and changing yourself at all times. Can you imagine a business changing names and advertising that they sell floor cleaner and then you to find them and they're named something else and sell Dry wall? How can they get business that way? They will constantly battle their previous name and ideas against their new stuff.
As a solo artist it's the same. But when youre in a band you're involving other people in those changes. Either their not in your band anymore (generaly you can take away the fans that person brought from your attendance list) or they now have to tell their friends they bought in as fans that you're different and people don't respond well to being a fan of something that changes. Like your favorite restaurant. I used to love Ruby Tusdays and then they changed and as they're out of business now, I take it I wasn't the only one unhappy about it.
Be you for 10 years strait. Don't change your genre, don't change your name, don't feel entitled to a bigger following or crowd because you started playing alone 20 years ago and have been with your current band for 5 months. It doesn't work that way.
Final piece of advice. Be you and be consistent but evolve. You can't continue to play the same songs with the same set list the same way over and over and over and expect people not to get bored. You have to grow. How? Fuck if i know! Its not the same for everyone. People become your fan because they like watching you become someone they look up to more and more. And of course your music. But more the latter......just remember how many famous bands there are out there that aren't THAT great. It's because their fans love them. They love them for who they are and have been and who they're becoming. Find what youre best at at do it better every time and make it something people notice most. Harmonica? Learn some kick ass harp solos and rock the shit out of them. Singer? Splatter your heart all over the audience. Guitarist? Learn or write some sweet riffs and knock the socks off your crowd even if there are only 2 people there. Then....keep doing it. Not always the same solos and songs, do more and more AND get really good at the ones you already did.
Be willing to stick through 10 years minimum before you see results. If not, that's fine too but don't expect much more than a hobby.
Thanks for reading.
Xoxo
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