Members grace_slick Posted March 27, 2011 Members Share Posted March 27, 2011 I want to be famous but ONLY so I can continue to make music and not have to also work at a boring office job. I want to live in a house I love and just make music, and to do that, I need money, and to make enough money, I'd need a certain amount of fame. This is all purely hypothetical of course. So. Fame. But I don't want to be chased by papparazzi or constantly having my past dug up and exposed...there are MANY skeletons in my closet and I don't want them escaping. Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, etc...CONSTANT gossip magazine material...why? I know they're controversial but...would they have been left alone and considered somewhat "boring" if they hadn't done anything back when they first became famous? And then I notice people like...Florence Welch (Florence & the Machine), Regina Spektor...people like that, who ARE famous but...they're never in the magazines. Nobody seems to go around finding out about their past drug use or sexual escapades...is it simply that they HAVE no interesting past or that they're just not controversial so nobody bothers with them? I was wondering if maybe they just weren't considered "hot" enough for people to be interested in those sort of juicy negative type of gossip topics, but no...I consider Regina Spektor quite hot...I DON'T consider Lady Gaga hot...so that theory's kinda out the window...(just to confirm - I don't find Lady G unattractive either. Just not my idea of overtly HOT.) Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surrealistic Posted March 27, 2011 Members Share Posted March 27, 2011 Part of the reason Britney and Lady Gaga are in the magazines all the time is because they want to be - or at least their publicity teams want them to be. They court the paparazzi. Personally (in an ideal world) I'd happily skip the fame bit and just make music which goes under the radar of the paparazzi but still attracts enough fans to mean I don't need a day job. Fame just seems like an unnecessary pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted March 27, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 27, 2011 Well yes, that's what I'd do too, ideally. But I don't know if you CAN make enough money without being famous...you know? CAN you attract just enough fans to not need a day job, or must there be fame? People seem to go on about artists never making any money... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richardmac Posted March 27, 2011 Members Share Posted March 27, 2011 Oh yeah, you definitely can do it. It can be done. There are either hundreds or thousands of people in this country making a living via playing music that we've never heard of. But I would say that it is very, very, very difficult to get to that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted March 27, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 27, 2011 Yeah, definitely... I don't think I mean the un-heard of musicians who work their asses off doing gigs constantly...I mean the people who ARE known by the public but just don't have any major issues in terms of actual FAME... I don't see how you can make enough money to sit back, write songs, and not have to do anything else, and NOT be hugely famous. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted March 27, 2011 Members Share Posted March 27, 2011 I want to be famous but ONLY so I can continue to make music and not have to also work at a boring office job. There are lots of famous people in the music business who have day jobs now, since their stars burned out. Conversely, there are lots of rich people in it no one ever heard of. The real money in music is in songwriting, producing, management, and so on. I know an acquaintance who made 40k a year just off of one song used as a theme song for a daily German radio program. Sorry, but you'll probably have to have a desk and an office. People who seek fame are generally narcissists. If you aren't an egomaniac attention whore, your chances are slim of getting there. You have to have an aggressively self-aggrendizing personality, a team of publicists, be willing to be outrageous. Think in terms of Madonna, Gaga, Prince, Noel Gallagher, Elton John, and so on. They all have varying degrees of talent, but all are seriously egotistical. Some people who don't care about as much about fame but get it anyway are more down to earth musician types. Folks that come to mind are guys like Clapton, Tom Petty, Santana, Muse, etc etc. They are famous for their music accomplishments, not their outfits or antics. And by the way, hugely famous people don't just sit around and write songs and do nothing else. They're almost always type A personalities- which means, they're workaholics and can't just sit. Even on vacations, they're working. Believe it or not, fame is a full time job. Remaining in the public eye takes a lot of work, as the competition for their attention is fierce. If you're thinking you want to be famous so you won't have to work, you're in dreamland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted March 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 Mmm. I know I'd need to work, and not just sit around, but to me, music isn't WORK...well, it IS but it's fun and my passion so it's ok for it to be work. I'd do it for free IF I could (not have to waste my time in an office job when I could be making music, or doing music-related things)... I'm a Type A personality but I'm also lazy... I'm also possibly a bit of an egomaniac as well, but don't want to be just the crazy person or the controversial person...I have NO interest in Britney Spears or Madonna. I LIKE Lady Gaga and could see some fun in what she does aside from strictly her music...but yeah, it's those other people you mentioned who are famous but aren't egomaniacs or hugely controversial, they're the ones I'm looking at... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fatusstratus Posted March 28, 2011 Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 I want to be famous but ONLY so I can continue to make music and not have to also work at a boring office job. I want to live in a house I love and just make music, and to do that, I need money, and to make enough money, I'd need a certain amount of fame. IF that's really your wish, you don't need to be famous - you need to be what's called "independently wealthy".you could get it from inheritance or financial markets or marrying well or real estate or wherever.there are a lot of very wealthy people the magazine-reading public has never heard of because they aren't making their money by being in a media spotlight. Fame isn't necessarily going to pay the bills either. Dana Plato got nailed when the robbed the video store BECAUSE she was famous. Does that mean anyone is going to LISTEN to your music? no, but you didn't say that was part of the deal. So is it that you really 'just want" to have the house and make the music'?or is there a little beast in there somewhere that wants to be famous...to be famous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AVisme Posted March 28, 2011 Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 The stars who are tabloid regulars are there because they can't stay out of trouble (controversy or legal trouble), or because they are attention whores who court the paparazzi...they live in L.A. and notify the paps where they'll be having dinner or partying. If you live a quiet life, aren't out getting DUIs or busted for drugs, aren't saying crazy/offensive {censored}, and aren't trying to keep your name in the press purposely, I doubt you'd be a target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted March 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 Ooh, ok, you got me. There is a little beast in there that DOES want the adoration and ego stroking that comes with fame...yes, I admit it. lol. I'm nowhere near modest or humble enough to not want that. If I didn't have so many things I really don't want to be exposed about myself, I wouldn't have as much of a problem being famous, except that I'm a bit of a weirdo and am very uncomfortable NOT being anonymous in my everyday life. But I'm glad that if I continue to live my quiet life, I most likely won't be interesting enough to anyone to bother digging up dirt on me...or maybe I could do ONE thing that gets attention and then I'll be more famous, so make more money, and then I'll resume my normal quiet life. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted March 28, 2011 Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 I know I'd need to work, and not just sit around, but to me, music isn't WORK. That's because music isn't your job yet. When it is, trust me, it often gets to be just like any other job. And you seem to be confusing a lot of things together- fame, playing music and having a career. Those are three different things that may or may not overlap. The chance of all 3 coinciding are about the same as you winning the lottery. And speaking of the lottery, a lot of people dream about fame the way they dream about winning the lottery- as a means to success and security without having to put the work in to make it happen. I'm a Type A personality but I'm also lazy... Sorry, but those two are mutually exclusive. Type As are people who are driven and can't sit still. I don't mean as in ADD, I mean always having to be moving toward the goal, whatever it may be. They have little time for TV, a social life, and so on. My former room mate was a Type A. So is my agent. Both are constantly working, and have little use for people who aren't. but yeah, it's those other people you mentioned who are famous but aren't egomaniacs or hugely controversial, they're the ones I'm looking at... And therein lies the irony. You're looking a people who never really set out to be famous, just to play music no matter what happened. I'm not saying they don't enjoy fame; I'm sure they do for the most part. I'm saying that they were driven to play music whether they ever got famous or not. You want to be like those guys? Work your balls off every single day, and devote at least as much time to a music career as you would a day job. That means for most people 8 hours or so a day. When I was a kid learning to play, that's what I did- I practiced when I got up until I had to leave for school, then I came home did chores and practiced until dinner, then practiced after dinner until midnight or so. I'll bet I didn't watch TV ten hours a month back then, I didn't have a girlfriend, I didn't do anything but go to school and practice guitar. Successful guys I know live, eat, sleep, breathe a music career. They practice, and when they aren't, they're writing, or promoting, or doing follow-ups on booking, or coming up with new arrangements, or recording...something, anything to be moving forward. I'm only telling you this stuff because that ship sailed for me long ago, but I know guys who have become famous, one guy from my area- a guy named Myles Kennedy, who landed a role in "Rockstar", got hired to sing lead for the reformed Creed band Alterbridge, and now is touring with Slash and Velvet Revolver. Myles is a type A- He was always working, always networking, always honing his craft. I'll be the first to admit luck has an element in it, but luck often comes down to the person who has put the most time and effort into preparation for when it comes along. One other example: my sister is an actress who never 'made it' but decided to have a home life and a kid. But in college, she lived in a house with another actor named Jimmy Smits and their friend Kyle MacLachlan hung out there all the time while they were in school. Those two guys hustled all the time as well, and went on to movie and TV careers. The point is, they weren't lazy and devoted virtually all their time int acting, promoting, auditioning, and so on. You can't be lazy and be successful in the creative arts unless you're very, very good, and even those guys are rarely lazy, even if they aren't Type As. You just have to remember that a career in music performance is still a job, and it's a lot like a sales job (in fact, it IS a sales job, with you as the product). The sky is the limit, but if you aren't self-motivated, driven to succeed, and willing to put in insanely long hours until it happens, it probably isn't for you. And I'm not sure those qualities are something you just one day decide to be. I think you either are born with it or you aren't, but that's probably another discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Poker99 Posted March 28, 2011 Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 Why are some people subjects of gossip and others aren't? You have to be stupid, controversial and also show your body parts to attract the masses, who like stupid, controversial stories and nude body parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fatusstratus Posted March 28, 2011 Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 Ooh, ok, you got me. There is a little beast in there that DOES want the adoration and ego stroking that comes with fame...yes, I admit it. lol. I'm nowhere near modest or humble enough to not want that. If I didn't have so many things I really don't want to be exposed about myself, I wouldn't have as much of a problem being famous, except that I'm a bit of a weirdo and am very uncomfortable NOT being anonymous in my everyday life. =gace_slcik]I'm a Type A personality but I'm also lazy... Oh, well what you've described is "having your cake and eating it too"what you want are the benefits, but not the costs. Something to desire I suppose, but not so practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dancebass Posted March 28, 2011 Members Share Posted March 28, 2011 I could answer your question but I'd get banned. The real truth about such things can't be spoken publicly in a country like this one. Truth is the most hated of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 28, 2011 Moderators Share Posted March 28, 2011 I could answer your question but I'd get banned. Are you sure? I have a lot of respect for unvarnished truth...but don't espouse opinion...it will have to be facts...cold hard facts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AVisme Posted March 29, 2011 Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 If I didn't have so many things I really don't want to be exposed about myself, I wouldn't have as much of a problem being famous, except that I'm a bit of a weirdo and am very uncomfortable NOT being anonymous in my everyday life.Embracing your inner weirdo can be very profitable. Plenty of material for a book. Everyone's doing it. Sammy Hagar just told everyone he has been abducted by aliens. His autobiography "Red" is doing very well (#4 on the NYT best seller list). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted March 29, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 No, Type A’s can be lazy too. They just either get stressed about the fact they’re lazy, and/or they go totally out of their way and are hyper efficient and workaholics to SAVE themselves more work later on, thus allowing them to indulge their laziness. That’s me. I’ve been “diagnosed” multiple times as a Type A. I’m only lazy because I’ve become an under-achiever as a reaction to an ever present fear of failure. It’s not innate laziness really. I would devote all my time to music IF I had that time to devote. IF I didn’t have to be in my office job, which takes me away from it. But yes, I’m aware my attitudes and posts in this thread are rather contradictory and confused. Lol. And those things I don’t want exposed about myself…I’m all for embracing my inner weirdo. I do it all the time and am comfortable with it. The things I don’t want exposed aren’t any personality traits or weirdness, they’re actual things I’ve done…several things I don’t want my parents and other such people knowing about. I’m not actually embarrassed or ashamed about these things myself, but they’re not for these loved ones to know about, at all. Ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AVisme Posted March 29, 2011 Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 The things I don’t want exposed aren’t any personality traits or weirdness, they’re actual things I’ve done…several things I don’t want my parents and other such people knowing about. I’m not actually embarrassed or ashamed about these things myself, but they’re not for these loved ones to know about, at all. Ever.Ooooh, juicy! Do tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted March 29, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 Never!! lol *defiant* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AVisme Posted March 29, 2011 Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 Aww! It can't be worse than putting on a show for your neighbor! :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted March 29, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 LOL, there was no show involved. I was merely sitting here and typing. I've done stuff in my 32 year long life. And I have a questionably absent moral code...so...yeah. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AVisme Posted March 29, 2011 Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 You don't strike me as someone who is ashamed of yourself or willing to hide who you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MVP Loops Posted March 29, 2011 Members Share Posted March 29, 2011 Mmm.I know I'd need to work, and not just sit around, but to me, music isn't WORK...well, it IS but it's fun and my passion so it's ok for it to be work. I'd do it for free IF I could (not have to waste my time in an office job when I could be making music, or doing music-related things)...I'm a Type A personality but I'm also lazy...I'm also possibly a bit of an egomaniac as well, but don't want to be just the crazy person or the controversial person...I have NO interest in Britney Spears or Madonna. I LIKE Lady Gaga and could see some fun in what she does aside from strictly her music...but yeah, it's those other people you mentioned who are famous but aren't egomaniacs or hugely controversial, they're the ones I'm looking at... All artists are egomaniacs and narcissists in some way. We all get off on standing in front of a lot of people to show off our skills. It's like '"look at me I can sing" or" look at me I can play guitar etc" How many of us really do it for ourselves? How many of us say we do it for the love of the art but in reality we want to be famous and make a boat load of cash? I know people in the industry that are unhappy even though they finally got what they wanted. They finally got a gig to write music and now they realize that they are not creating their own stuff. It's always like "Hey we need a tune that sounds like Lady Gaga or Britney". Now they feel like it's a day job. I don't know what the answer to all this is. I struggle with these issues myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surrealistic Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 I know people in the industry that are unhappy even though they finally got what they wanted. They finally got a gig to write music and now they realize that they are not creating their own stuff. It's always like "Hey we need a tune that sounds like Lady Gaga or Britney". Now they feel like it's a day job. Yes that's true and when I was younger I'd always told myself I wouldn't want to be in that position. Now I see it differently. Yes I'd much rather have full artistic freedom than be controlled but a day job making music would still be preferable to a "regular" day job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fatusstratus Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 And those things I don’t want exposed about myself…I’m all for embracing my inner weirdo. I do it all the time and am comfortable with it. The things I don’t want exposed aren’t any personality traits or weirdness, they’re actual things I’ve done…several things I don’t want my parents and other such people knowing about. I’m not actually embarrassed or ashamed about these things myself, but they’re not for these loved ones to know about, at all. Ever. then fame probably isn't for you.It's that have your cake and eating it too thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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