music industry article

[Outkaster]

 

Originally posted by jonosing Bluestrat. Buddy. LIGHTEN UP!! Have you ever heard the saying the world is what we make it? You have the most negative attitude of other musicians I have ever seen. Let people do what they want! I agree music is tough, and there sure is alot stuff out there that's not that great. But the music business is a business, and it is not music itself. Music itself is fine. Since when did more people having an ability to express themselves become bad? Because they aren't capable of meeting YOUR standards? Buddy, I don't WANT to meet your standards. And I would be remiss if I didn't ask this. Are you still playing the same music you played 20 years ago? Do you think that maybe your style of music is going out of fashion, and that has more to do with how rough it is for you, and not the fact that music just sucks these days? I don't say these things to be mean. I just think you need to lighten up some. Take a valium, get a blowjob from a midget, do something!

 

 

Actually I agree a lot with him. I do not know how old you are but you have to realize there are a few of us out there have been been around a while. It's not a matter of being negative, it comes from passion and when you see certain things. There is no substitute fo expereince. I would venture to say at least half of the musicians on the these forum's do not know what it is like to drive 2 states away to get {censored}ty monitor mixes or dickhead clubowners double booking you. They don't know how about getting your set cut 20 minutes early because a {censored}ty promoter could not schedule verything right for a national act. They do not know what it's like to get home 4 in the morning tired and sore from loading in and out. When you go through that and see the over all lamenss out there it can get you a little bitter. I mean we choose this path. But constant letdowns is what you get so it influences your attitudes towards the whole thing.

 

As you get older you want better standards, better venues and really to feel something to be commited too. You have to need a reason to continue. It's not that music is bad and expressing yourself is wrong. There is just a lot of crap out there. It has nothing to do with if your playing music that's 20 years old or 2 years old. We don't have to justify our experiences to high school kids which seems like what happens on these fourms. If embracing change means sacraficing your beleifs or standards for something less worthy I wil do something else.

[jonosing]

Outkaster,

 

No disrespect intended. Just for the record though I have had the unique privilege to do some touring, and I know the agony of which you speak. Touring is wonderful and awful all at the same time. (I'm no kid either, though I'd love a chance to try again!)

 

All I'm saying is change is inevitable, so you can make the best of it, or not. I'm not saying compromise your beliefs or style, or even that we need to change in the slightest, but simply that we should recognize that what was once popular will one day not be, that what was new and innovative will someday be old and tired, and that we as musicians have a regrettably short time in the sun. Blaming others for these facts of life just looks like bitterness.

[Outkaster]

 

Originally posted by jonosing Outkaster, No disrespect intended. Just for the record though I have had the unique privilege to do some touring, and I know the agony of which you speak. Touring is wonderful and awful all at the same time. (I'm no kid either, though I'd love a chance to try again!) All I'm saying is change is inevitable, so you can make the best of it, or not. I'm not saying compromise your beliefs or style, or even that we need to change in the slightest, but simply that we should recognize that what was once popular will one day not be, that what was new and innovative will someday be old and tired, and that we as musicians have a regrettably short time in the sun. Blaming others for these facts of life just looks like bitterness.

 

 

Well that's good we agree on some points. I got out of pop music for some of those reasons so I do not have to worry about Shakira or Britany Spears toppling my efforts. Live music is not what it was and everyone is scraping the bottom of the barrell for the same gigs. I have been lucky to do some really great shows. It is too bad they are few and far between.

[BlueStrat]

Have you ever heard the saying the world is what we make it?

 

Hey, great, bumper sticker philosophy. It happens to be bull{censored}, though. It's what other people make it, too. People with more money and power. If the world was what I could make it, every musician would be good and make a decent living.

 

You have the most negative attitude of other musicians I have ever seen.

 

Just what I thought, you haven't been around long. It shows.

 

Let people do what they want!

 

Am I stopping them?

 

But the music business is a business, and it is not music itself. Music itself is fine.

 

I have never been confused about this. Is this an epihany for you? I only write about the BUSINESS of music here, since it's the MUSIC BIZ page.

 

Since when did more people having an ability to express themselves become bad?

 

It's not the ability that's bad, it's the execution. I may choose to whack people in the nuts to express myself. Is that bad? I'm not saying having feelings is bad. I'm not saying expressing them is always bad. When those feelings are turned into crappy songs and marketed, that's bad.

 

Because they aren't capable of meeting YOUR standards?

 

No, because they aren't capable of meeting most people's standards of what is considered quality. That's why they only seem to have a band half-life of about 6 months.

 

I don't WANT to meet your standards.

 

Ah, yes, . I'll admit my standards have risen over the years. You're free to continue the struggle for mediocrity. "Hey, dude, it's all good!" Right? You get what you settle for.

 

And I would be remiss if I didn't ask this. Are you still playing the same music you played 20 years ago?

 

No. I write my own stuff and do about half covers no one would know about. See, I dropped out of the pop music scene eons ago. I went back to my first love, which is blues, where I started. Besides being a timeless format, it also gives one a lot of room to play a variety of styles. But it has never been and likely never will be all that popular. But it is ironic that the only gigs around that one can play 4-6 nights a week and remotely make a living at are ones that want me to play mostly stuff I played 20 years ago, with a little Matchbox 20 and Christine Aguilera thrown in.

 

Do you think that maybe your style of music is going out of fashion, and that has more to do with how rough it is for you, and not the fact that music just sucks these days?

 

The stuff I play has never been "In fashion." Like I said, I got out of that flavor-of-the-month club a long time ago. And actually I do pretty well now, playing mostly big stage summer festival shows and concerts where I get 1000-1200 bucks for 90 minutes. But in the winter, it's back to the bars mostly, and bars are bars, though the last couple of years I have been able to get 600 to 900 for a night out of them. But I know a lot of other musicians who say the same stuff I do about the state of the business in general.

 

I don't say these things to be mean. I just think you need to lighten up some. Take a valium, get a blowjob from a midget, do something!

I don't think you're mean, I think you're inexperienced. Come back in 20 years and tell me about it. .

[raveneye]

 

Originally posted by Outkaster Live music is not what it was and everyone is scraping the bottom of the barrell for the same gigs.

 

 

Well that's the truth. Boy do I remember the old days. I spent my college

years in Portland, Oregon, worshipping bands like Paul DeLay and Robert

Cray, back when Curtis Salgado played with him. I used to listen to Peter

Boe playing straight jazz piano at Delevan's, before he left to tour with Cray.

 

I still think Paul DeLay's band with Jim Mesi on guitar and DK Stewart on the

Wurlitzer piano was one of the best blues bands that ever existed. Those guys

were (are) GIANTS. I feel fortunate that I was able to hear them play live. I used

to ride my bike across town to listen and learn licks from DK Stewart.

 

Nowadays everybody and his dog plays guitar, and has a demo CD. And Paul

DeLay is still playing in pretty much the same places he was playing in 30 years

ago, undoubtedly competing with those dogs. And probably getting paid about

the same as he was way back then.

[jonosing]

OK Bluestrat, Here I go.

 

I will not speak to you again on this forum. You are the most close minded mean spirited ignoramus I have ever had the displeasure to trade ideas with. I also predict that you will reply to this with virulent anger and condescension, not being able to let anyone else have the last word. You are not a gentleman, and you give musicians a bad name.

 

Jono

[BlueStrat]

Originally posted by jonosing OK Bluestrat, Here I go. I will not speak to you again on this forum. You are the most close minded mean spirited ignoramus I have ever had the displeasure to trade ideas with. I also predict that you will reply to this with virulent anger and condescension, not being able to let anyone else have the last word. You are not a gentleman, and you give musicians a bad name. Jono

 

How will I ever sleep at night?

[veil]

Originally posted by BlueStrat How will I ever sleep at night?

 

probably cold and alone.

[jdechant]

I think the guy has a few decent points, but to me he looses all credibility with the 3rd paragraph:

 

 

I remember putting Nirvana on the CD player and announcing that this was the greatest band since the Beatles,

 

[veil]

 

Originally posted by jdechant I think the guy has a few decent points, but to me he looses all credibility with the 3rd paragraph:

 

 

I know it's an incredible insult to your ego and all, but people revered Nirvana with the same kind of admiration as the Beatles. Whether or not they deserved is everyone's opinion, but the fact of the matter is people were as devasted when Kurt Cobain died as when John Lennon died. Don't get me wrong, I like the Beatles better, but you must admit that Nirvana was a huge band.

[jdechant]

 

Originally posted by veil people revered Nirvana with the same kind of admiration as the Beatles.

 

 

Who are these people and where are they?

 

 

but you must admit that Nirvana was a huge band.

 

 

hmm... no I really don't see it that way... I only reason I think that they are remembered and got so "big" was the fact that Cobain did kill himself... if he hadn't, it is in my opinion that they would have been forgoten by now... they were a grunge band and as far as grunge or seatle bands go, Pearl Jam is a much better band than Nirvana ever was or could be in my opinion...

 

but hey everyone has their own opinions...