Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - need some advice (career) (newbie thread)

Frequency · 1st June 2005

First of all, the music business is shit.

I was a kind of an artist for a while. Released something on a big label, but pretty soon was fed up with the vulture culture (hey, there's a band name for you!) and quit to become a professional songwriter. I haven't quit my dayjob yet, but I'm working on it. I'm signed to EMI Publishing.

This lets me work when I want to, there aren't many deadlines and I get to spend a lot of time writing songs and tweaking buttons. And I don't have to worry about getting older... Which is very important if you want to become an artist. (I mean this seriously!!)

If you're still young, which in music business terms these days would mean under 15 (or more seriously at least no older than 25-30), I would set a deadline two or three months ahead. Record a handful of songs and get them played for a selection of A&R's, managers, booking agents or other kinds of people in the business. (And work fast!! You really have to rush because in this business, things usually happen very slowly).

If they all, or some of them, LOVE it - than put everything else on hold. If NONE of them like it, think hard if it's worth all the effort.

Because - realistically - not many people actually "make it" in the music business.
Maybe one in a thousand.

However, if you DO have the talent, look fairly okay, have "star quality" (whatever that is) and have that burning feeling of ambition in your stomach then go for it anyway.

You might also want to be on the lookout for someone with "star quality" to hook up with. This is e.g. what Stewart Copeland did. The Police would never have become the biggest band of their time if Copeland hadn't found Sting.

Same with U2. Without Bono they would never have been big. If Bono was in A Flock of Seagulls they would be the biggest band in the world.

I wish you all the best of luck!! Nothing is impossible!

1st June 2005	#7
Frequency Gear maniac Joined: May 2005 Posts: 159	First of all, the music business is shit. I was a kind of an artist for a while. Released something on a big label, but pretty soon was fed up with the vulture culture (hey, there's a band name for you!) and quit to become a professional songwriter. I haven't quit my dayjob yet, but I'm working on it. I'm signed to EMI Publishing. This lets me work when I want to, there aren't many deadlines and I get to spend a lot of time writing songs and tweaking buttons. And I don't have to worry about getting older... Which is very important if you want to become an artist. (I mean this seriously!!) If you're still young, which in music business terms these days would mean under 15 (or more seriously at least no older than 25-30), I would set a deadline two or three months ahead. Record a handful of songs and get them played for a selection of A&R's, managers, booking agents or other kinds of people in the business. (And work fast!! You really have to rush because in this business, things usually happen very slowly). If they all, or some of them, LOVE it - than put everything else on hold. If NONE of them like it, think hard if it's worth all the effort. Because - realistically - not many people actually "make it" in the music business. Maybe one in a thousand. However, if you DO have the talent, look fairly okay, have "star quality" (whatever that is) and have that burning feeling of ambition in your stomach then go for it anyway. You might also want to be on the lookout for someone with "star quality" to hook up with. This is e.g. what Stewart Copeland did. The Police would never have become the biggest band of their time if Copeland hadn't found Sting. Same with U2. Without Bono they would never have been big. If Bono was in A Flock of Seagulls they would be the biggest band in the world. I wish you all the best of luck!! Nothing is impossible!