Army of Freshmen
Last week we kicked off our new series Artist Advice, with eight musicians or bands giving words of wisdom to upcoming acts.
This week, Army of Freshmen's Chris Jay joins us as guest columnist to provide his 10 tips for making it in this industry.
10 Sure Fire Ways To Survive in the Music Business
By Chris Jay of Army of Freshmen
So you want to be in the music business? Well the best advice is to turn and run the other way. Seriously. The game is over. The store is closed. The castle is crumbling.
Whether you blame years of greedy labels or downloading or reality TV talent shows, the fact remains that you will almost definitely not make a living making music.
Gonna do it anyway? Well... good for you. The world could use a few more people that take good advice and throw it out the window... after all risk is the place where great art is born.
So with that warning label out of the way, let's get you ready for war soldier!
1. Be in a band with your friends
No matter how good someone can play or sing, if you can't get along, you're doomed. A little ego early on only means a big one if you have any success.
Play with your friends. You'll have more fun and ultimately be a better band in the long run. You can teach someone to play better, you can't teach them to be a better person.
2. Write songs
Sure covers are nice and sadly people react to them more but they are a magnet that will hold you back. Think of all the time you could be spending working on your own material other than someone else's.
You live and die with the strength of your songs regardless of what genre. Slayer and The Beatles have one thing in common... great songs for their genre.
3. Practice diplomacy
Being in a band is about compromise. If you want to make all the calls then go solo. Sometimes playing that one song you don't like that the drummer wrote (and the drummer will write one) may help keep the band together. Take one or two for the team from time to time.
4. Talk to people
Communication is a lost art. You'd be surprised how many people are more willing to go see if you personally invite them to a show. Find someone whose opinion or advice you'd like. Ask them, politely. All the facebook event invites can't equal one phone call or conversation.
5. Play live
These days an artist can record music, have a website and fan base without every even playing a show. If people spent as much time on stage as they did online, the world would be a better place.
6. Dodge trends
It's tempting to sound like exactly what's happening at the moment but before you know it, it's over. Play what you listen to and what you really like. You'll be better off. If you get lucky and what you listen to takes off, well awesome, if not at least you're playing music you enjoy.
7. Hire a producer
Ready to record those world changing anthems you wrote? Good for you. Yes you can do it all on your own now and yes that has its benefits but early on, a producer can help you skip the mistakes that everyone makes.
Not saying you should spend a ton of money but maybe you've got a friend that's recorded before or has experience.
Having someone around to do some pre production and changes to your songs before the studio and while in the studio can make all the difference.
8. Touring and being in a relationship don't mix
Impossible? No. Extremely hard? Absolutely. So with that said, to avoid heartache, for God sakes if you're going to tour and you're not full on "I'm in love, I'm going to marry this person". break up!
Nothing worse than missing a good party cause you're the person in the band whose fighting on the phone with their someone special back home. It brings everyone down.
As cool as they say they will be about you hitting the road... it's a lie. They won't handle it well. So if you can at all be single on the road... do it unless of course, they're that special someone in that case, invent a human remote control and pause them for a month.
9. Manage the fun vs. work factor
It's supposed to fun right? So take time to enjoy playing and writing and recording and hopefully touring. Have a laugh. Have a drink. Work your butt off the rest of the time but when it comes time to do the fun stuff, enjoy the heck out of it.
Bands sadly don't last all that long to be honest. So enjoy while it's there. In fact that will increase your chances of staying together. At the same time when it's time to do the grunt work, emails, phone calls, loading don't slack. Find a balance.
10. You define success
Music has never been and never will be about scores and keeping points. Leave that kind of nonsense for jocks. You're creating not keeping score.
So with that said, you decide what's successful for you. Touring? Recording? Performing? Making fans? Making friends? Meeting your heroes?
Success in the music biz now more than ever is what you consider it to be... unless of course your definition is making money... if that's the case well you're screwed. For the rest of us poor, wide eyed dreamers of rock... see ya in the trenches!
Chris Jay wrote this as part of the Artist Advice series. We'll be catching up with Army of Freshmen next month when they hit the road with Zebrahead.
Conveniently, Zebrahead's bassist Ben Osmundson will be giving us his best advice for upcoming artists next week.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge (Follow me on Twitter @AlistairMcG)