>WTF DOES A MODERATELY SUCCESSFUL ROCK STAR DO ALL DAY?

>

via STREET BONERS and TV CARNAGE by Luke ONeil on 5/9/11

People read interviews with bands all the time, and they’re all basically lies. I should know, I spend most of my day trying to squeeze the barest nugget of truth out of a zombified 20-something on a crackling cell phone in a van somewhere in the middle of Whateverville, USA.

People read interviews with bands all the time, and they’re all basically lies. I should know, I spend most of my day trying to squeeze the barest nugget of truth out of a zombified 20-something on a crackling cell phone in a van somewhere in the middle of Whateverville, USA. Not an easy task. Unless you compare it to every single other job in the world. Plus musicians are fucking dumb.
My friend here, surprisingly, isn’t a giant retard, even though he can manipulate the strings on a guitar and sing a tune at the same time, which for some reason always seems to sap the “being a reasonable, thoughtful person” energy from the part of your brain that handles that shit. I asked my friend to talk anonymously about what it’s like being a musician who’s tasted some pretty good success, but not so much that he’s ceased being a normal person, because that way I thought there was a chance he wouldn’t make shit up the whole time. Sort of worked.
STREET CARNAGE: What do you call the job that you have, specifically? “Musician” is too broad, “rock star” doesn’t seem quite right. What are you?
MUSICIAN/ROCK STAR: I am a working musician, songwriter and artist. Nationally, I suppose. Occasionally global. This includes promotion, management, touring and other things sluts do.
Where do you place yourself on the success ladder, for context?

Certainly not high enough to get on the roof. But sometimes I get to pass ice tea to friends who are working up there on a hot day and they complain and I dig the spots where I am. I don’t have a foot on the ground and it would hurt a little in the knees to jump from where I am. On good days I can watch attractive neighbors get out of the shower on the second floor. On bad days I think if I jump, I can land in the bushes and end this bullshit.
People feel like they have a sense of what musicians do. How much of what we read in interviews is bullshit?
I’d say 70 percent of an interview is bullshit. When someone asks whether the lyrics come first or the music, I immediate want to stop talking to them. During an interview we are not only selling our product and livelihood, we are defending our purpose in life — sometimes selling our importance and artistic license and achievements to ourselves at the same time. Artists are riddled with insecurities, doubt, self loathing and delusions of grandeur. We are sometimes unsure of the song, the recording, the show, the genre, the scene, the clothing, the fans, the voice, the motor coordination. All of that is usually distilled into a paragraph or two that best sums it up for the interviewer. Unless you’re investing a couple pages and more than a 20-minute interview, you’re not getting the story.
Is there anyone you can dish dirt on? Or someone who’s been very nice and we’d be interested to hear about?
Anytime I try to talk dirt about someone I usually end up finding the same thing wrong with myself. We all got some dirt on us.
Booooringgggg. How does your time breakdown in terms of road, recording, writing? Which part do you actually enjoy?
Breakdown:
1. Thinking about music
2. Actual playing (recording, writing, practicing)
3. Planning, management, organizing, band dynamics
4. Writing
5. Road
6. Studio
7. Interviews
8. Recovering
Enjoyment:
1. Writing
2. Road/actual playing/shows
3. Recording
4. Thinking about music
5. Planning, MGMT, etc.
6. Recovering
7. Interviews
Are you trying to tell me you don’t like this interview or what? So having fans is sort of weird, right? What’s that all about?
I have no idea. I am grateful though. Even for the strangest ones. I fear some of the ones I have sometimes and covet the ones I don’t have. I don’t know who is more fucked up and weird when it comes down to it. If you like to please people, it can be tough because everyone has an opinion of what your best song, sound, look, word and / or flavor is.
Do you feel like it just ruins your ability to interact with someone as a normal human when they come up to you and say they’re a fan? Better to keep that shit to yourself and just sort of act like a regular person meeting a musician or someone that you admire, right?
Never really thought of it too much. It’s nice to know someone appreciates you. That’s why we have Mother’s Day, right? It feels good when someone says, “I listen to you.” Just like when you’re in a conversation with a person and they say I understand what you are saying.
It sucks when someone you don’t know starts giving you advice on which song, album, etc. is best, worst or how they wished you’d make your music. Or decides that you need company all night long. Those birds are rare though. I, just like anybody, have my own social anxiety quirks and sometimes it can be exhausting to talk to people, especially when the conversation is most likely going to be about yourself, if they’re fans. Then you end up on a narrative that you might not even believe in, are very sick of or just plain insecure like anyone.
You’re a well read, intelligent person. How hard is it dealing with the absolute stupidest people in the fucking world who make up the music business?
I’m sure there are intelligent journalists, therapists, teachers who have to deal with stupid fucking people in their line of work. There are stupid fuckers permeating every field. I have defeated the stupid fuckers in mine by finding the good people. Music, and probably most art, does not exist in a vacuum. Nobody does it alone. There wouldn’t be “Starry Night” if Van Gogh’s brother didn’t love him and put up with his shit. My best friend is a schoolteacher and seems to find more fuckers than I do. Politicians are way worse than music business people. I can smell them now from a mile away. I can choose to either avoid them or bend them to my will.
Do you think self awareness is a liability when it comes to “making it?” You really have to be self deluded to get anywhere, right? Just absolutely certain that you’re a golden ray of sunshine?
Maybe. Sometimes I worry that is the case and that I don’t have enough of delusion. But then you need to have a conversation on “making it” and what that means. Some of the most self deluded people I know are the ones who haven’t made it. The bridge and tunnel musicians who play twice a month and talk down to others and think their sound would be huge if they actually tried and the “business” wasn’t so fucked up. Those who “play band” I find to be the most self deluded. I find those with modest careers are often the most humble and realistic.
I was at this music biz conference thing today. All of the people speaking on panels, representatives of the industry, from labels, to publishers, to investors, etc., were all these middle aged or old, fat, white, just shitty looking dudes. The type of guys you wouldn’t turn your back on. Does that about sum up your experience?
No. I have met them. Worked with them for a minute, if at all, and then fired those types. I found the good-looking dudes. But you are correct, a lot of shitty people find themselves at conferences talking about the music business. Believe me, the real “music business” was busy working that day and wasn’t there. The future of the music business will always be talking about the future of the music business. Music will be happening all the while they are talking about it. I want to be where it is happening and where it’s being made. Not where it is being talked about.
You don’t seem like the debauching type, but you ever get up to some dirt you’re a little ashamed of now?
Fuck ya. But that’s life.
Who’s the biggest piece of shit you’ve encountered along the way? Specifically. What did they do?
A band I was on tour with talked shit about me and my crew while they were on stage in Chicago because apparently we drank all their liquor. In our defense, we thought it was ours. He decided he was going to bitch about it on stage. Rule #1: Don’t talk shit about another band on stage. He also tried to hit on my tour manager every night. The kind of guy that if you ask him about his career, he would go on for hours. I wanted to break his nose after what he said. Instead I took a different approach.
I asked the promoter if I could get three more bottles for their green room. The promoter was more than willing, seeing that they were being douches. When they got off stage I profusely apologized. Showed them that I reloaded their supply and poured him a drink. Then I let him chew my ear off by his merch booth about his bullshit music. All the while my tour manager was stealing the very same bottles while packing up backstage. It was our last night with that act on tour. I still like to think of them returning to their green room wondering who took their alcohol this time. I did, fuckers. Twice.
-LUKE O’NEIL
PutThatShitontheList.com
@LukeONeil47
Related posts:

WTF DOES A MODERATELY SUCCESSFUL ROCK STAR DO ALL DAY?

via STREET BONERS and TV CARNAGE by Luke ONeil on 5/9/11

People read interviews with bands all the time, and they’re all basically lies. I should know, I spend most of my day trying to squeeze the barest nugget of truth out of a zombified 20-something on a crackling cell phone in a van somewhere in the middle of Whateverville, USA.

People read interviews with bands all the time, and they’re all basically lies. I should know, I spend most of my day trying to squeeze the barest nugget of truth out of a zombified 20-something on a crackling cell phone in a van somewhere in the middle of Whateverville, USA. Not an easy task. Unless you compare it to every single other job in the world. Plus musicians are fucking dumb.
My friend here, surprisingly, isn’t a giant retard, even though he can manipulate the strings on a guitar and sing a tune at the same time, which for some reason always seems to sap the “being a reasonable, thoughtful person” energy from the part of your brain that handles that shit. I asked my friend to talk anonymously about what it’s like being a musician who’s tasted some pretty good success, but not so much that he’s ceased being a normal person, because that way I thought there was a chance he wouldn’t make shit up the whole time. Sort of worked.
STREET CARNAGE: What do you call the job that you have, specifically? “Musician” is too broad, “rock star” doesn’t seem quite right. What are you?
MUSICIAN/ROCK STAR: I am a working musician, songwriter and artist. Nationally, I suppose. Occasionally global. This includes promotion, management, touring and other things sluts do.
Where do you place yourself on the success ladder, for context?

Certainly not high enough to get on the roof. But sometimes I get to pass ice tea to friends who are working up there on a hot day and they complain and I dig the spots where I am. I don’t have a foot on the ground and it would hurt a little in the knees to jump from where I am. On good days I can watch attractive neighbors get out of the shower on the second floor. On bad days I think if I jump, I can land in the bushes and end this bullshit.
People feel like they have a sense of what musicians do. How much of what we read in interviews is bullshit?
I’d say 70 percent of an interview is bullshit. When someone asks whether the lyrics come first or the music, I immediate want to stop talking to them. During an interview we are not only selling our product and livelihood, we are defending our purpose in life — sometimes selling our importance and artistic license and achievements to ourselves at the same time. Artists are riddled with insecurities, doubt, self loathing and delusions of grandeur. We are sometimes unsure of the song, the recording, the show, the genre, the scene, the clothing, the fans, the voice, the motor coordination. All of that is usually distilled into a paragraph or two that best sums it up for the interviewer. Unless you’re investing a couple pages and more than a 20-minute interview, you’re not getting the story.
Is there anyone you can dish dirt on? Or someone who’s been very nice and we’d be interested to hear about?
Anytime I try to talk dirt about someone I usually end up finding the same thing wrong with myself. We all got some dirt on us.
Booooringgggg. How does your time breakdown in terms of road, recording, writing? Which part do you actually enjoy?
Breakdown:
1. Thinking about music
2. Actual playing (recording, writing, practicing)
3. Planning, management, organizing, band dynamics
4. Writing
5. Road
6. Studio
7. Interviews
8. Recovering
Enjoyment:
1. Writing
2. Road/actual playing/shows
3. Recording
4. Thinking about music
5. Planning, MGMT, etc.
6. Recovering
7. Interviews
Are you trying to tell me you don’t like this interview or what? So having fans is sort of weird, right? What’s that all about?
I have no idea. I am grateful though. Even for the strangest ones. I fear some of the ones I have sometimes and covet the ones I don’t have. I don’t know who is more fucked up and weird when it comes down to it. If you like to please people, it can be tough because everyone has an opinion of what your best song, sound, look, word and / or flavor is.
Do you feel like it just ruins your ability to interact with someone as a normal human when they come up to you and say they’re a fan? Better to keep that shit to yourself and just sort of act like a regular person meeting a musician or someone that you admire, right?
Never really thought of it too much. It’s nice to know someone appreciates you. That’s why we have Mother’s Day, right? It feels good when someone says, “I listen to you.” Just like when you’re in a conversation with a person and they say I understand what you are saying.
It sucks when someone you don’t know starts giving you advice on which song, album, etc. is best, worst or how they wished you’d make your music. Or decides that you need company all night long. Those birds are rare though. I, just like anybody, have my own social anxiety quirks and sometimes it can be exhausting to talk to people, especially when the conversation is most likely going to be about yourself, if they’re fans. Then you end up on a narrative that you might not even believe in, are very sick of or just plain insecure like anyone.
You’re a well read, intelligent person. How hard is it dealing with the absolute stupidest people in the fucking world who make up the music business?
I’m sure there are intelligent journalists, therapists, teachers who have to deal with stupid fucking people in their line of work. There are stupid fuckers permeating every field. I have defeated the stupid fuckers in mine by finding the good people. Music, and probably most art, does not exist in a vacuum. Nobody does it alone. There wouldn’t be “Starry Night” if Van Gogh’s brother didn’t love him and put up with his shit. My best friend is a schoolteacher and seems to find more fuckers than I do. Politicians are way worse than music business people. I can smell them now from a mile away. I can choose to either avoid them or bend them to my will.
Do you think self awareness is a liability when it comes to “making it?” You really have to be self deluded to get anywhere, right? Just absolutely certain that you’re a golden ray of sunshine?
Maybe. Sometimes I worry that is the case and that I don’t have enough of delusion. But then you need to have a conversation on “making it” and what that means. Some of the most self deluded people I know are the ones who haven’t made it. The bridge and tunnel musicians who play twice a month and talk down to others and think their sound would be huge if they actually tried and the “business” wasn’t so fucked up. Those who “play band” I find to be the most self deluded. I find those with modest careers are often the most humble and realistic.
I was at this music biz conference thing today. All of the people speaking on panels, representatives of the industry, from labels, to publishers, to investors, etc., were all these middle aged or old, fat, white, just shitty looking dudes. The type of guys you wouldn’t turn your back on. Does that about sum up your experience?
No. I have met them. Worked with them for a minute, if at all, and then fired those types. I found the good-looking dudes. But you are correct, a lot of shitty people find themselves at conferences talking about the music business. Believe me, the real “music business” was busy working that day and wasn’t there. The future of the music business will always be talking about the future of the music business. Music will be happening all the while they are talking about it. I want to be where it is happening and where it’s being made. Not where it is being talked about.
You don’t seem like the debauching type, but you ever get up to some dirt you’re a little ashamed of now?
Fuck ya. But that’s life.
Who’s the biggest piece of shit you’ve encountered along the way? Specifically. What did they do?
A band I was on tour with talked shit about me and my crew while they were on stage in Chicago because apparently we drank all their liquor. In our defense, we thought it was ours. He decided he was going to bitch about it on stage. Rule #1: Don’t talk shit about another band on stage. He also tried to hit on my tour manager every night. The kind of guy that if you ask him about his career, he would go on for hours. I wanted to break his nose after what he said. Instead I took a different approach.
I asked the promoter if I could get three more bottles for their green room. The promoter was more than willing, seeing that they were being douches. When they got off stage I profusely apologized. Showed them that I reloaded their supply and poured him a drink. Then I let him chew my ear off by his merch booth about his bullshit music. All the while my tour manager was stealing the very same bottles while packing up backstage. It was our last night with that act on tour. I still like to think of them returning to their green room wondering who took their alcohol this time. I did, fuckers. Twice.
-LUKE O’NEIL
PutThatShitontheList.com
@LukeONeil47
Related posts:

WTF DOES A MODERATELY SUCCESSFUL ROCK STAR DO ALL DAY?

via STREET BONERS and TV CARNAGE by Luke ONeil on 5/9/11

People read interviews with bands all the time, and they’re all basically lies. I should know, I spend most of my day trying to squeeze the barest nugget of truth out of a zombified 20-something on a crackling cell phone in a van somewhere in the middle of Whateverville, USA.

People read interviews with bands all the time, and they’re all basically lies. I should know, I spend most of my day trying to squeeze the barest nugget of truth out of a zombified 20-something on a crackling cell phone in a van somewhere in the middle of Whateverville, USA. Not an easy task. Unless you compare it to every single other job in the world. Plus musicians are fucking dumb.
My friend here, surprisingly, isn’t a giant retard, even though he can manipulate the strings on a guitar and sing a tune at the same time, which for some reason always seems to sap the “being a reasonable, thoughtful person” energy from the part of your brain that handles that shit. I asked my friend to talk anonymously about what it’s like being a musician who’s tasted some pretty good success, but not so much that he’s ceased being a normal person, because that way I thought there was a chance he wouldn’t make shit up the whole time. Sort of worked.
STREET CARNAGE: What do you call the job that you have, specifically? “Musician” is too broad, “rock star” doesn’t seem quite right. What are you?
MUSICIAN/ROCK STAR: I am a working musician, songwriter and artist. Nationally, I suppose. Occasionally global. This includes promotion, management, touring and other things sluts do.
Where do you place yourself on the success ladder, for context?

Certainly not high enough to get on the roof. But sometimes I get to pass ice tea to friends who are working up there on a hot day and they complain and I dig the spots where I am. I don’t have a foot on the ground and it would hurt a little in the knees to jump from where I am. On good days I can watch attractive neighbors get out of the shower on the second floor. On bad days I think if I jump, I can land in the bushes and end this bullshit.
People feel like they have a sense of what musicians do. How much of what we read in interviews is bullshit?
I’d say 70 percent of an interview is bullshit. When someone asks whether the lyrics come first or the music, I immediate want to stop talking to them. During an interview we are not only selling our product and livelihood, we are defending our purpose in life — sometimes selling our importance and artistic license and achievements to ourselves at the same time. Artists are riddled with insecurities, doubt, self loathing and delusions of grandeur. We are sometimes unsure of the song, the recording, the show, the genre, the scene, the clothing, the fans, the voice, the motor coordination. All of that is usually distilled into a paragraph or two that best sums it up for the interviewer. Unless you’re investing a couple pages and more than a 20-minute interview, you’re not getting the story.
Is there anyone you can dish dirt on? Or someone who’s been very nice and we’d be interested to hear about?
Anytime I try to talk dirt about someone I usually end up finding the same thing wrong with myself. We all got some dirt on us.
Booooringgggg. How does your time breakdown in terms of road, recording, writing? Which part do you actually enjoy?
Breakdown:
1. Thinking about music
2. Actual playing (recording, writing, practicing)
3. Planning, management, organizing, band dynamics
4. Writing
5. Road
6. Studio
7. Interviews
8. Recovering
Enjoyment:
1. Writing
2. Road/actual playing/shows
3. Recording
4. Thinking about music
5. Planning, MGMT, etc.
6. Recovering
7. Interviews
Are you trying to tell me you don’t like this interview or what? So having fans is sort of weird, right? What’s that all about?
I have no idea. I am grateful though. Even for the strangest ones. I fear some of the ones I have sometimes and covet the ones I don’t have. I don’t know who is more fucked up and weird when it comes down to it. If you like to please people, it can be tough because everyone has an opinion of what your best song, sound, look, word and / or flavor is.
Do you feel like it just ruins your ability to interact with someone as a normal human when they come up to you and say they’re a fan? Better to keep that shit to yourself and just sort of act like a regular person meeting a musician or someone that you admire, right?
Never really thought of it too much. It’s nice to know someone appreciates you. That’s why we have Mother’s Day, right? It feels good when someone says, “I listen to you.” Just like when you’re in a conversation with a person and they say I understand what you are saying.
It sucks when someone you don’t know starts giving you advice on which song, album, etc. is best, worst or how they wished you’d make your music. Or decides that you need company all night long. Those birds are rare though. I, just like anybody, have my own social anxiety quirks and sometimes it can be exhausting to talk to people, especially when the conversation is most likely going to be about yourself, if they’re fans. Then you end up on a narrative that you might not even believe in, are very sick of or just plain insecure like anyone.
You’re a well read, intelligent person. How hard is it dealing with the absolute stupidest people in the fucking world who make up the music business?
I’m sure there are intelligent journalists, therapists, teachers who have to deal with stupid fucking people in their line of work. There are stupid fuckers permeating every field. I have defeated the stupid fuckers in mine by finding the good people. Music, and probably most art, does not exist in a vacuum. Nobody does it alone. There wouldn’t be “Starry Night” if Van Gogh’s brother didn’t love him and put up with his shit. My best friend is a schoolteacher and seems to find more fuckers than I do. Politicians are way worse than music business people. I can smell them now from a mile away. I can choose to either avoid them or bend them to my will.
Do you think self awareness is a liability when it comes to “making it?” You really have to be self deluded to get anywhere, right? Just absolutely certain that you’re a golden ray of sunshine?
Maybe. Sometimes I worry that is the case and that I don’t have enough of delusion. But then you need to have a conversation on “making it” and what that means. Some of the most self deluded people I know are the ones who haven’t made it. The bridge and tunnel musicians who play twice a month and talk down to others and think their sound would be huge if they actually tried and the “business” wasn’t so fucked up. Those who “play band” I find to be the most self deluded. I find those with modest careers are often the most humble and realistic.
I was at this music biz conference thing today. All of the people speaking on panels, representatives of the industry, from labels, to publishers, to investors, etc., were all these middle aged or old, fat, white, just shitty looking dudes. The type of guys you wouldn’t turn your back on. Does that about sum up your experience?
No. I have met them. Worked with them for a minute, if at all, and then fired those types. I found the good-looking dudes. But you are correct, a lot of shitty people find themselves at conferences talking about the music business. Believe me, the real “music business” was busy working that day and wasn’t there. The future of the music business will always be talking about the future of the music business. Music will be happening all the while they are talking about it. I want to be where it is happening and where it’s being made. Not where it is being talked about.
You don’t seem like the debauching type, but you ever get up to some dirt you’re a little ashamed of now?
Fuck ya. But that’s life.
Who’s the biggest piece of shit you’ve encountered along the way? Specifically. What did they do?
A band I was on tour with talked shit about me and my crew while they were on stage in Chicago because apparently we drank all their liquor. In our defense, we thought it was ours. He decided he was going to bitch about it on stage. Rule #1: Don’t talk shit about another band on stage. He also tried to hit on my tour manager every night. The kind of guy that if you ask him about his career, he would go on for hours. I wanted to break his nose after what he said. Instead I took a different approach.
I asked the promoter if I could get three more bottles for their green room. The promoter was more than willing, seeing that they were being douches. When they got off stage I profusely apologized. Showed them that I reloaded their supply and poured him a drink. Then I let him chew my ear off by his merch booth about his bullshit music. All the while my tour manager was stealing the very same bottles while packing up backstage. It was our last night with that act on tour. I still like to think of them returning to their green room wondering who took their alcohol this time. I did, fuckers. Twice.
-LUKE O’NEIL
PutThatShitontheList.com
@LukeONeil47
Related posts:

Getting Covered by Music Blogs

via Musician Coaching by Musician Coaching on 4/20/11

Fred Pessaro is a contributing editor at the popular New York City-based music blog BrooklynVegan. Originally from Washington, D.C., Fred got his start in the music industry as a fan of hardcore and punk music and started regularly attending local shows in his hometown at an early age. His interest in freelance writer and photography and his love for music brought him to New York City, where he began to write for and contribute photos to music publications including Fuse, Time Out and Decibel. He has been working with BrooklynVegan since 2007 and is also responsible for booking metal and punk shows sponsored by the blog in the New York City area.

Recently, I had a chance to sit down and chat with Fred about his role at BrooklynVegan and some tips he has for artists that want to get the attention of music publications and get their music out there.

Musician Coaching:

How did you first get started in the music industry?

FP:

I mostly got into it as a fan. I started going to hardcore shows when I was younger. I’ve been into it since I was little. Hardcore and punk rock always affected me, and then as I got older, I started to do some freelance writing. I eventually moved up here from D.C. and started writing for a bunch of different music publications.

Musician Coaching:

When everyone else was listening to Skid Row, I was discovering the Bad Brains and Ian MacKaye awfully late.

FP:

I grew up in that hardcore era of Fugazi. I always did stuff related to music, but it wasn’t until I moved here that I started doing freelance stuff. I did some writing for Fuse and Time Out and had some photos in Decibel and The Aquarian. I was doing BrooklynVegan too, and it eventually became a full-time thing.

Musician Coaching:

Can you describe a little bit more about how BrooklynVegan and your role there came to be? At this point, I know the site is getting 100,000 uniques per month.

FP:

I’m one of the editors of BrooklynVegan, and I do hip hop and metal and punk rock and a good amount of the indie as well. It was started by a colleague of mine. He started in 2005, and I joined on in 2007. I’ve been there longer than anyone else besides him.

Musician Coaching:

A few years in, you’ve clearly contributed to growing an enormous brand in music journalism. To what to you attribute the success?

FP:


I think part of it is moving quickly. Part of it is just instincts and knowing what you like, and knowing what works and what doesn’t work. I think those are the most important things. And you have to be on top of it 24/7, and I feel like I am. It obviously takes a lot less schooling, but it’s kind of like being a doctor. You’re always on call, there’s always something going on, and you have to be prepared for anything. For instance, let’s say for the sake of argument, you and I are talking right now, and Bob Dylan dies. I have to be ready to pull something together quickly. I have to be checking my phone all the time and paying attention to news, etc.

Musician Coaching:

Covering all of music is certainly a big task. And you also do a lot of photography for BrooklynVegan as well, right?

FP:

Yes. I probably shoot at least one show per week. A lot of times I’ll do more than that. In addition, I also book a good number of metal and punk rock shows in the New York area. Those fall under the BrooklynVegan banner also.

Musician Coaching:

I’m sure a lot of musicians hear you get a lot of traffic or already know you are a prominent music blog and think, “I want to be on the cover.” Is there an approach you’ve seen multiple times from different musicians that either rubs you the wrong way or is simply ineffective?

FP:

I think one thing about me and about BrooklynVegan in general is that our mailbox is our battlefield, as I think is the case for most people in music. I tend to get a lot of press releases. I think a lot of musicians and other people have a tendency to think, “Press releases is where you get all your information.” I don’t really get information from press releases. But I think if you’re going to be a good news organization ad know what’s going on, you have to be ahead of the press release. You have to know what’s coming up, and to me, a press release should be a validation of what you’ve already done. A lot of times, people send multiple emails to me saying, “Have you seen this yet? Have you done this yet?” Unfortunately, I can’t respond to every single thing that comes to me, because it’s a large task.

Sometimes people find my email and email me directly. That’s nice and all, but at the same time, the chances of me finding that personal email is kind of hard, because my inbox is so big. A lot of times, because of the massive amounts of emails and promos I get, the thing that helps the most is to have a product that’s going to stand out. If you’re going to hand me a promo, make sure it’s a promo I’m going to remember and not just a CD in a jewel case or something similar. There have been many times I’ve gotten something like that, and then I put it in my bag and forgot about it. And then a week later, I realized, “Oh yeah. There was this great band I wanted to listen to.” But I just forgot it was in there because it didn’t stand out to me at that moment.

Musician Coaching:

Can you cite an example of something that did stand out?

FP:

Here’s a great example. I know these guys well now, but there’s a label called Seventh Rule Recordings. The guy who runs it sent out demos of his band Millions. Instead of giving me a CD, he took a 5 1/4-inch floppy disk an ran a razor blade across the top of it and put the CD inside it. So, it looked like he was giving me a floppy disk from the 80s, but there was music inside it. When I see that, the first thing I think is, “Wow. This is so creative. The music is probably interesting too.” That’s the kind of thing I look for, and I think it’s an important thing for musicians to do. There are so many bands, and I get so many one-sheets that say, “Sounds like Animal Collective” or “Sounds like Coldplay, Broken Social Scene, or My Morning Jacket,’ etc., etc. That’s all well and good, and it’s fine if you want to sound like something else. But I think what attracts me the most is something that’s different and forward thinking and creative. That’s one of the reasons that disk in particular was really cool. I thought, “Someone that cares this much about their packaging is probably going to care this much about their art.”

Musician Coaching:

You mentioned that you don’t necessarily get your information from press releases. I realize you’re a guy who is very much in the mix with a lot of peers and probably a lot of people you know who are out as much or even more than you are to source stories. Where do you get stories from artists? And are there other sources you think are essential for young bands to know about that can help get them noticed before they are at a stage where they can go to a larger music blog like yours?

FP:

I just had a conversation with someone the other day about this. I’m old school, so when I grew up listening to hardcore – and I still apply this concept today, and I think it works really well with any kind of music – the way I learned about music was by going to a show and seeing a band I loved. This band may have been on X label, and I would say, “I respect that label. I think that label puts out consistent material. I’m going to look and see what this is about.” Or, I would say, “Oh, look. That band is wearing this other band’s t-shirt. I think he’s a great guitar player, and he speaks to me. I’m going to check out this other band.” I’ve always approached things in that old school, punk rock way.

Musician Coaching:

It seems you’re saying it’s really the association from musician to musician, and that the organizations around them are much more important than some people might think.

FP:

I think that’s important. But one of the things I also think is important is just getting out there and playing. People who just get out there and play as much as they can do well. For instance, I book a lot of metal shows in the city, and I notice who plays a lot. Any band that plays a lot, whether it’s the first band, the second band or are in some other position on the bill probably has a strong work ethic. Any band that will play anywhere, at any time is probably a band that really wants to work. And it’s probably a band that, even if it’s not good now, will have the work ethic to be good later on.

Musician Coaching:

Do you have any parting advice for musicians trying to get noticed in an age where there are just so many bands and so many blogs? Is there one good strategy?

FP:

I think if you’re a young band today, the best thing you can do is put together a record and give it away for free. Let as many people hear it as possible. I think that’s important on the recorded front and the live front. Any time someone asks you to play a show, you should take it. If you’re a Twee band, and someone asks you to open for a metal band, play it anyway. If you’re playing first on a 12-band bill at 3 p.m., play it anyway. At the end of the day, playing the show is important, whether there are five people there or 5,000 people there. But it’s also important that your name is on a show, and your name is repeated as many times as it can be repeated. If I were a young band, I would play anywhere and everywhere as often as I could, and I would give away my music to anyone that would hear it. Also, maybe you can do something like print up t-shirts with a catchy design that someone might wear whether they liked your band or not. And sell them at cost. Basically, the more times someone sees your name, the easier it’s going to be for them to recognize it down the road. It’s the idea of conditioning. The more times you mention a name, the more the name will become a part of everyone’s consciousness as opposed to “just another band out there.”

To sum it up, play as much as you can, record as much as you can and give it all away for free until you think people are listening, and then you can draw back on part of that.

To learn more about Fred Pessaro and read about some of the bands and events he’s covered, visit the BrooklynVegan website.

Getting Covered by Music Blogs

via Musician Coaching by Musician Coaching on 4/20/11

Fred Pessaro is a contributing editor at the popular New York City-based music blog BrooklynVegan. Originally from Washington, D.C., Fred got his start in the music industry as a fan of hardcore and punk music and started regularly attending local shows in his hometown at an early age. His interest in freelance writer and photography and his love for music brought him to New York City, where he began to write for and contribute photos to music publications including Fuse, Time Out and Decibel. He has been working with BrooklynVegan since 2007 and is also responsible for booking metal and punk shows sponsored by the blog in the New York City area.

Recently, I had a chance to sit down and chat with Fred about his role at BrooklynVegan and some tips he has for artists that want to get the attention of music publications and get their music out there.

Musician Coaching:

How did you first get started in the music industry?

FP:

I mostly got into it as a fan. I started going to hardcore shows when I was younger. I’ve been into it since I was little. Hardcore and punk rock always affected me, and then as I got older, I started to do some freelance writing. I eventually moved up here from D.C. and started writing for a bunch of different music publications.

Musician Coaching:

When everyone else was listening to Skid Row, I was discovering the Bad Brains and Ian MacKaye awfully late.

FP:

I grew up in that hardcore era of Fugazi. I always did stuff related to music, but it wasn’t until I moved here that I started doing freelance stuff. I did some writing for Fuse and Time Out and had some photos in Decibel and The Aquarian. I was doing BrooklynVegan too, and it eventually became a full-time thing.

Musician Coaching:

Can you describe a little bit more about how BrooklynVegan and your role there came to be? At this point, I know the site is getting 100,000 uniques per month.

FP:

I’m one of the editors of BrooklynVegan, and I do hip hop and metal and punk rock and a good amount of the indie as well. It was started by a colleague of mine. He started in 2005, and I joined on in 2007. I’ve been there longer than anyone else besides him.

Musician Coaching:

A few years in, you’ve clearly contributed to growing an enormous brand in music journalism. To what to you attribute the success?

FP:


I think part of it is moving quickly. Part of it is just instincts and knowing what you like, and knowing what works and what doesn’t work. I think those are the most important things. And you have to be on top of it 24/7, and I feel like I am. It obviously takes a lot less schooling, but it’s kind of like being a doctor. You’re always on call, there’s always something going on, and you have to be prepared for anything. For instance, let’s say for the sake of argument, you and I are talking right now, and Bob Dylan dies. I have to be ready to pull something together quickly. I have to be checking my phone all the time and paying attention to news, etc.

Musician Coaching:

Covering all of music is certainly a big task. And you also do a lot of photography for BrooklynVegan as well, right?

FP:

Yes. I probably shoot at least one show per week. A lot of times I’ll do more than that. In addition, I also book a good number of metal and punk rock shows in the New York area. Those fall under the BrooklynVegan banner also.

Musician Coaching:

I’m sure a lot of musicians hear you get a lot of traffic or already know you are a prominent music blog and think, “I want to be on the cover.” Is there an approach you’ve seen multiple times from different musicians that either rubs you the wrong way or is simply ineffective?

FP:

I think one thing about me and about BrooklynVegan in general is that our mailbox is our battlefield, as I think is the case for most people in music. I tend to get a lot of press releases. I think a lot of musicians and other people have a tendency to think, “Press releases is where you get all your information.” I don’t really get information from press releases. But I think if you’re going to be a good news organization ad know what’s going on, you have to be ahead of the press release. You have to know what’s coming up, and to me, a press release should be a validation of what you’ve already done. A lot of times, people send multiple emails to me saying, “Have you seen this yet? Have you done this yet?” Unfortunately, I can’t respond to every single thing that comes to me, because it’s a large task.

Sometimes people find my email and email me directly. That’s nice and all, but at the same time, the chances of me finding that personal email is kind of hard, because my inbox is so big. A lot of times, because of the massive amounts of emails and promos I get, the thing that helps the most is to have a product that’s going to stand out. If you’re going to hand me a promo, make sure it’s a promo I’m going to remember and not just a CD in a jewel case or something similar. There have been many times I’ve gotten something like that, and then I put it in my bag and forgot about it. And then a week later, I realized, “Oh yeah. There was this great band I wanted to listen to.” But I just forgot it was in there because it didn’t stand out to me at that moment.

Musician Coaching:

Can you cite an example of something that did stand out?

FP:

Here’s a great example. I know these guys well now, but there’s a label called Seventh Rule Recordings. The guy who runs it sent out demos of his band Millions. Instead of giving me a CD, he took a 5 1/4-inch floppy disk an ran a razor blade across the top of it and put the CD inside it. So, it looked like he was giving me a floppy disk from the 80s, but there was music inside it. When I see that, the first thing I think is, “Wow. This is so creative. The music is probably interesting too.” That’s the kind of thing I look for, and I think it’s an important thing for musicians to do. There are so many bands, and I get so many one-sheets that say, “Sounds like Animal Collective” or “Sounds like Coldplay, Broken Social Scene, or My Morning Jacket,’ etc., etc. That’s all well and good, and it’s fine if you want to sound like something else. But I think what attracts me the most is something that’s different and forward thinking and creative. That’s one of the reasons that disk in particular was really cool. I thought, “Someone that cares this much about their packaging is probably going to care this much about their art.”

Musician Coaching:

You mentioned that you don’t necessarily get your information from press releases. I realize you’re a guy who is very much in the mix with a lot of peers and probably a lot of people you know who are out as much or even more than you are to source stories. Where do you get stories from artists? And are there other sources you think are essential for young bands to know about that can help get them noticed before they are at a stage where they can go to a larger music blog like yours?

FP:

I just had a conversation with someone the other day about this. I’m old school, so when I grew up listening to hardcore – and I still apply this concept today, and I think it works really well with any kind of music – the way I learned about music was by going to a show and seeing a band I loved. This band may have been on X label, and I would say, “I respect that label. I think that label puts out consistent material. I’m going to look and see what this is about.” Or, I would say, “Oh, look. That band is wearing this other band’s t-shirt. I think he’s a great guitar player, and he speaks to me. I’m going to check out this other band.” I’ve always approached things in that old school, punk rock way.

Musician Coaching:

It seems you’re saying it’s really the association from musician to musician, and that the organizations around them are much more important than some people might think.

FP:

I think that’s important. But one of the things I also think is important is just getting out there and playing. People who just get out there and play as much as they can do well. For instance, I book a lot of metal shows in the city, and I notice who plays a lot. Any band that plays a lot, whether it’s the first band, the second band or are in some other position on the bill probably has a strong work ethic. Any band that will play anywhere, at any time is probably a band that really wants to work. And it’s probably a band that, even if it’s not good now, will have the work ethic to be good later on.

Musician Coaching:

Do you have any parting advice for musicians trying to get noticed in an age where there are just so many bands and so many blogs? Is there one good strategy?

FP:

I think if you’re a young band today, the best thing you can do is put together a record and give it away for free. Let as many people hear it as possible. I think that’s important on the recorded front and the live front. Any time someone asks you to play a show, you should take it. If you’re a Twee band, and someone asks you to open for a metal band, play it anyway. If you’re playing first on a 12-band bill at 3 p.m., play it anyway. At the end of the day, playing the show is important, whether there are five people there or 5,000 people there. But it’s also important that your name is on a show, and your name is repeated as many times as it can be repeated. If I were a young band, I would play anywhere and everywhere as often as I could, and I would give away my music to anyone that would hear it. Also, maybe you can do something like print up t-shirts with a catchy design that someone might wear whether they liked your band or not. And sell them at cost. Basically, the more times someone sees your name, the easier it’s going to be for them to recognize it down the road. It’s the idea of conditioning. The more times you mention a name, the more the name will become a part of everyone’s consciousness as opposed to “just another band out there.”

To sum it up, play as much as you can, record as much as you can and give it all away for free until you think people are listening, and then you can draw back on part of that.

To learn more about Fred Pessaro and read about some of the bands and events he’s covered, visit the BrooklynVegan website.

>Getting Covered by Music Blogs

>

via Musician Coaching by Musician Coaching on 4/20/11

Fred Pessaro is a contributing editor at the popular New York City-based music blog BrooklynVegan. Originally from Washington, D.C., Fred got his start in the music industry as a fan of hardcore and punk music and started regularly attending local shows in his hometown at an early age. His interest in freelance writer and photography and his love for music brought him to New York City, where he began to write for and contribute photos to music publications including Fuse, Time Out and Decibel. He has been working with BrooklynVegan since 2007 and is also responsible for booking metal and punk shows sponsored by the blog in the New York City area.

Recently, I had a chance to sit down and chat with Fred about his role at BrooklynVegan and some tips he has for artists that want to get the attention of music publications and get their music out there.

Musician Coaching:

How did you first get started in the music industry?

FP:

I mostly got into it as a fan. I started going to hardcore shows when I was younger. I’ve been into it since I was little. Hardcore and punk rock always affected me, and then as I got older, I started to do some freelance writing. I eventually moved up here from D.C. and started writing for a bunch of different music publications.

Musician Coaching:

When everyone else was listening to Skid Row, I was discovering the Bad Brains and Ian MacKaye awfully late.

FP:

I grew up in that hardcore era of Fugazi. I always did stuff related to music, but it wasn’t until I moved here that I started doing freelance stuff. I did some writing for Fuse and Time Out and had some photos in Decibel and The Aquarian. I was doing BrooklynVegan too, and it eventually became a full-time thing.

Musician Coaching:

Can you describe a little bit more about how BrooklynVegan and your role there came to be? At this point, I know the site is getting 100,000 uniques per month.

FP:

I’m one of the editors of BrooklynVegan, and I do hip hop and metal and punk rock and a good amount of the indie as well. It was started by a colleague of mine. He started in 2005, and I joined on in 2007. I’ve been there longer than anyone else besides him.

Musician Coaching:

A few years in, you’ve clearly contributed to growing an enormous brand in music journalism. To what to you attribute the success?

FP:


I think part of it is moving quickly. Part of it is just instincts and knowing what you like, and knowing what works and what doesn’t work. I think those are the most important things. And you have to be on top of it 24/7, and I feel like I am. It obviously takes a lot less schooling, but it’s kind of like being a doctor. You’re always on call, there’s always something going on, and you have to be prepared for anything. For instance, let’s say for the sake of argument, you and I are talking right now, and Bob Dylan dies. I have to be ready to pull something together quickly. I have to be checking my phone all the time and paying attention to news, etc.

Musician Coaching:

Covering all of music is certainly a big task. And you also do a lot of photography for BrooklynVegan as well, right?

FP:

Yes. I probably shoot at least one show per week. A lot of times I’ll do more than that. In addition, I also book a good number of metal and punk rock shows in the New York area. Those fall under the BrooklynVegan banner also.

Musician Coaching:

I’m sure a lot of musicians hear you get a lot of traffic or already know you are a prominent music blog and think, “I want to be on the cover.” Is there an approach you’ve seen multiple times from different musicians that either rubs you the wrong way or is simply ineffective?

FP:

I think one thing about me and about BrooklynVegan in general is that our mailbox is our battlefield, as I think is the case for most people in music. I tend to get a lot of press releases. I think a lot of musicians and other people have a tendency to think, “Press releases is where you get all your information.” I don’t really get information from press releases. But I think if you’re going to be a good news organization ad know what’s going on, you have to be ahead of the press release. You have to know what’s coming up, and to me, a press release should be a validation of what you’ve already done. A lot of times, people send multiple emails to me saying, “Have you seen this yet? Have you done this yet?” Unfortunately, I can’t respond to every single thing that comes to me, because it’s a large task.

Sometimes people find my email and email me directly. That’s nice and all, but at the same time, the chances of me finding that personal email is kind of hard, because my inbox is so big. A lot of times, because of the massive amounts of emails and promos I get, the thing that helps the most is to have a product that’s going to stand out. If you’re going to hand me a promo, make sure it’s a promo I’m going to remember and not just a CD in a jewel case or something similar. There have been many times I’ve gotten something like that, and then I put it in my bag and forgot about it. And then a week later, I realized, “Oh yeah. There was this great band I wanted to listen to.” But I just forgot it was in there because it didn’t stand out to me at that moment.

Musician Coaching:

Can you cite an example of something that did stand out?

FP:

Here’s a great example. I know these guys well now, but there’s a label called Seventh Rule Recordings. The guy who runs it sent out demos of his band Millions. Instead of giving me a CD, he took a 5 1/4-inch floppy disk an ran a razor blade across the top of it and put the CD inside it. So, it looked like he was giving me a floppy disk from the 80s, but there was music inside it. When I see that, the first thing I think is, “Wow. This is so creative. The music is probably interesting too.” That’s the kind of thing I look for, and I think it’s an important thing for musicians to do. There are so many bands, and I get so many one-sheets that say, “Sounds like Animal Collective” or “Sounds like Coldplay, Broken Social Scene, or My Morning Jacket,’ etc., etc. That’s all well and good, and it’s fine if you want to sound like something else. But I think what attracts me the most is something that’s different and forward thinking and creative. That’s one of the reasons that disk in particular was really cool. I thought, “Someone that cares this much about their packaging is probably going to care this much about their art.”

Musician Coaching:

You mentioned that you don’t necessarily get your information from press releases. I realize you’re a guy who is very much in the mix with a lot of peers and probably a lot of people you know who are out as much or even more than you are to source stories. Where do you get stories from artists? And are there other sources you think are essential for young bands to know about that can help get them noticed before they are at a stage where they can go to a larger music blog like yours?

FP:

I just had a conversation with someone the other day about this. I’m old school, so when I grew up listening to hardcore – and I still apply this concept today, and I think it works really well with any kind of music – the way I learned about music was by going to a show and seeing a band I loved. This band may have been on X label, and I would say, “I respect that label. I think that label puts out consistent material. I’m going to look and see what this is about.” Or, I would say, “Oh, look. That band is wearing this other band’s t-shirt. I think he’s a great guitar player, and he speaks to me. I’m going to check out this other band.” I’ve always approached things in that old school, punk rock way.

Musician Coaching:

It seems you’re saying it’s really the association from musician to musician, and that the organizations around them are much more important than some people might think.

FP:

I think that’s important. But one of the things I also think is important is just getting out there and playing. People who just get out there and play as much as they can do well. For instance, I book a lot of metal shows in the city, and I notice who plays a lot. Any band that plays a lot, whether it’s the first band, the second band or are in some other position on the bill probably has a strong work ethic. Any band that will play anywhere, at any time is probably a band that really wants to work. And it’s probably a band that, even if it’s not good now, will have the work ethic to be good later on.

Musician Coaching:

Do you have any parting advice for musicians trying to get noticed in an age where there are just so many bands and so many blogs? Is there one good strategy?

FP:

I think if you’re a young band today, the best thing you can do is put together a record and give it away for free. Let as many people hear it as possible. I think that’s important on the recorded front and the live front. Any time someone asks you to play a show, you should take it. If you’re a Twee band, and someone asks you to open for a metal band, play it anyway. If you’re playing first on a 12-band bill at 3 p.m., play it anyway. At the end of the day, playing the show is important, whether there are five people there or 5,000 people there. But it’s also important that your name is on a show, and your name is repeated as many times as it can be repeated. If I were a young band, I would play anywhere and everywhere as often as I could, and I would give away my music to anyone that would hear it. Also, maybe you can do something like print up t-shirts with a catchy design that someone might wear whether they liked your band or not. And sell them at cost. Basically, the more times someone sees your name, the easier it’s going to be for them to recognize it down the road. It’s the idea of conditioning. The more times you mention a name, the more the name will become a part of everyone’s consciousness as opposed to “just another band out there.”

To sum it up, play as much as you can, record as much as you can and give it all away for free until you think people are listening, and then you can draw back on part of that.

To learn more about Fred Pessaro and read about some of the bands and events he’s covered, visit the BrooklynVegan website.

Be Prepared To Intern or Die – 6 Hard-Earned Lessons From Music Business Job…

Be Prepared To Intern or Die – 6 Hard-Earned Lessons From Music Business Job Hunting

via hypebot by Kyle Bylin on 2/17/11

Are you foolish and crazy enough to try to get a job in the music industry? Well, good.
Before you type up your resume and stow away a few boxes of Ramen, the Hypebot readers have shared six very hard-earned lessons in music business job hunting. The road ahead is going to be far more daunting that any career counselor will ever admit.
6 Hard-Earned Lessons Learned From Job Hunting:


1. No One Said Internships Are Convenient.
Clj209 said…
I remember working two unpaid internships in different states, 5 hour / day commutes, homeless besides some all-too-giving friends’ couches, rice, and potatoes, sending out multiple resumes a day, not hearing back from anyone… Now it seems to be the same for everyone, and I’m thankful to be employed.
2. You Will Be Constantly Tempted To Settle.
Hisham Dahud said…
Recently I turned down a $60k/year salary as an Account Manager at the San Francisco Airport Marriott, opting instead to intern at IRIS Distribution for no pay.
3. No Career Opportunity Is A Sure Thing.
Joseph said…
I was lucky enough to get a job as a ‘roadie’ with a band that had some good things happening right around 2005. They were well connected in the industry and I thought they had a guaranteed path to success, so if I could get in at the “ground floor” then I could ride that success ‘elevator’ with them.
That ended up being wrong; at least, for THEM… although they did have some good opportunities and I’m happy to say that things worked out pretty well for me because of my initial job with them – which, while paid, was a very, VERY small stipend. Ultimately, the same thing you hear time and time again is true: it’s about WHOM you know, and real-world experience is far, far more important than a degree.
4. It Always Takes Longer Than Expected.
Chalry Salvatore said…
When I knew I wanted to work in the music industry here is the journey I took.
-I moved to Nashville (2004)
-Worked as a 26 year old unpaid intern at a Publishing Company.
-Got a job at a Radio station cluster as a sales assistant. (2005)
-Moved onto a PRO in the song registration department (2006)
-Took a part-time job working the door at local music venue (2007)
-Quit the PRO to be an Independent (2007)
-Started a Publishing Company. Company ended months later (2008)
-Took a job selling Merchandise on the road (2008)
-Started managing an Artist (2009-Present)
-Started Tour Managing an Artist on a Major (2010-Present)
I went 6 years scrapping by to now where I am making good money and more importantly doing something I absolutely LOVE. During my journey, I busted my ass and waited patiently for a chance to attack when an opportunity presented itself.
5. Never Stop Opening Career Doors.
Professional Intern said…
I have a music business degree and have been interning for 13 months. Currently on my third internship and realizing that, companies do not hire and exploit their interns because they don’t want to pay. Makes sense since there is a surplus of people interested in interning. They use me but I use them for references and connections throughout the industry. That’s what people need to get out of their internships. Connect with employees and show your interest and what you have to offer.
My internships have opened so many doors for me but still no paying job. These internships have allowed me to build my network of contacts. This is crucial in this industry. I have learned so much from my experiences and know that when a job opens up, I will be indispensable. It’s is the only way to get into this industry if you don’t have an established contact that can get you in. The motto I live by is ‘intern or die’.
6. Keep Your Expectations Grounded.
Ayhan Sahin said…
When I applied for a job to three majors after graduate, Universal was collapsed, EMI didn’t even respond…
I was lucky and crazy to be hired as a strategic marketing specialist in Sony Music.
The general manager asked me what I was thinking as a salary.
I replied, “I want to buy a TV, and a salary enough to pay it for a 10 months loan will be enough.”
He offered me just enough to buy one… not more…
I accepted it, and before they know, after 5 years, I was marketing manager.

http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/%7Eah/f/cgul39aem6hc8a11l26lll5sjc/300/250?ca=1&fh=280#http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hypebot.com%2Fhypebot%2F2011%2F02%2F6-lessons-learned-from-music-business-job-hunting.html

Be Prepared To Intern or Die – 6 Hard-Earned Lessons From Music Business Job…

Be Prepared To Intern or Die – 6 Hard-Earned Lessons From Music Business Job Hunting

via hypebot by Kyle Bylin on 2/17/11

Are you foolish and crazy enough to try to get a job in the music industry? Well, good.
Before you type up your resume and stow away a few boxes of Ramen, the Hypebot readers have shared six very hard-earned lessons in music business job hunting. The road ahead is going to be far more daunting that any career counselor will ever admit.
6 Hard-Earned Lessons Learned From Job Hunting:


1. No One Said Internships Are Convenient.
Clj209 said…
I remember working two unpaid internships in different states, 5 hour / day commutes, homeless besides some all-too-giving friends’ couches, rice, and potatoes, sending out multiple resumes a day, not hearing back from anyone… Now it seems to be the same for everyone, and I’m thankful to be employed.
2. You Will Be Constantly Tempted To Settle.
Hisham Dahud said…
Recently I turned down a $60k/year salary as an Account Manager at the San Francisco Airport Marriott, opting instead to intern at IRIS Distribution for no pay.
3. No Career Opportunity Is A Sure Thing.
Joseph said…
I was lucky enough to get a job as a ‘roadie’ with a band that had some good things happening right around 2005. They were well connected in the industry and I thought they had a guaranteed path to success, so if I could get in at the “ground floor” then I could ride that success ‘elevator’ with them.
That ended up being wrong; at least, for THEM… although they did have some good opportunities and I’m happy to say that things worked out pretty well for me because of my initial job with them – which, while paid, was a very, VERY small stipend. Ultimately, the same thing you hear time and time again is true: it’s about WHOM you know, and real-world experience is far, far more important than a degree.
4. It Always Takes Longer Than Expected.
Chalry Salvatore said…
When I knew I wanted to work in the music industry here is the journey I took.
-I moved to Nashville (2004)
-Worked as a 26 year old unpaid intern at a Publishing Company.
-Got a job at a Radio station cluster as a sales assistant. (2005)
-Moved onto a PRO in the song registration department (2006)
-Took a part-time job working the door at local music venue (2007)
-Quit the PRO to be an Independent (2007)
-Started a Publishing Company. Company ended months later (2008)
-Took a job selling Merchandise on the road (2008)
-Started managing an Artist (2009-Present)
-Started Tour Managing an Artist on a Major (2010-Present)
I went 6 years scrapping by to now where I am making good money and more importantly doing something I absolutely LOVE. During my journey, I busted my ass and waited patiently for a chance to attack when an opportunity presented itself.
5. Never Stop Opening Career Doors.
Professional Intern said…
I have a music business degree and have been interning for 13 months. Currently on my third internship and realizing that, companies do not hire and exploit their interns because they don’t want to pay. Makes sense since there is a surplus of people interested in interning. They use me but I use them for references and connections throughout the industry. That’s what people need to get out of their internships. Connect with employees and show your interest and what you have to offer.
My internships have opened so many doors for me but still no paying job. These internships have allowed me to build my network of contacts. This is crucial in this industry. I have learned so much from my experiences and know that when a job opens up, I will be indispensable. It’s is the only way to get into this industry if you don’t have an established contact that can get you in. The motto I live by is ‘intern or die’.
6. Keep Your Expectations Grounded.
Ayhan Sahin said…
When I applied for a job to three majors after graduate, Universal was collapsed, EMI didn’t even respond…
I was lucky and crazy to be hired as a strategic marketing specialist in Sony Music.
The general manager asked me what I was thinking as a salary.
I replied, “I want to buy a TV, and a salary enough to pay it for a 10 months loan will be enough.”
He offered me just enough to buy one… not more…
I accepted it, and before they know, after 5 years, I was marketing manager.

http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/%7Eah/f/cgul39aem6hc8a11l26lll5sjc/300/250?ca=1&fh=280#http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hypebot.com%2Fhypebot%2F2011%2F02%2F6-lessons-learned-from-music-business-job-hunting.html

>Be Prepared To Intern or Die – 6 Hard-Earned Lessons From Music Business Job…

>

Be Prepared To Intern or Die – 6 Hard-Earned Lessons From Music Business Job Hunting

via hypebot by Kyle Bylin on 2/17/11

Are you foolish and crazy enough to try to get a job in the music industry? Well, good.
Before you type up your resume and stow away a few boxes of Ramen, the Hypebot readers have shared six very hard-earned lessons in music business job hunting. The road ahead is going to be far more daunting that any career counselor will ever admit.
6 Hard-Earned Lessons Learned From Job Hunting:


1. No One Said Internships Are Convenient.
Clj209 said…
I remember working two unpaid internships in different states, 5 hour / day commutes, homeless besides some all-too-giving friends’ couches, rice, and potatoes, sending out multiple resumes a day, not hearing back from anyone… Now it seems to be the same for everyone, and I’m thankful to be employed.
2. You Will Be Constantly Tempted To Settle.
Hisham Dahud said…
Recently I turned down a $60k/year salary as an Account Manager at the San Francisco Airport Marriott, opting instead to intern at IRIS Distribution for no pay.
3. No Career Opportunity Is A Sure Thing.
Joseph said…
I was lucky enough to get a job as a ‘roadie’ with a band that had some good things happening right around 2005. They were well connected in the industry and I thought they had a guaranteed path to success, so if I could get in at the “ground floor” then I could ride that success ‘elevator’ with them.
That ended up being wrong; at least, for THEM… although they did have some good opportunities and I’m happy to say that things worked out pretty well for me because of my initial job with them – which, while paid, was a very, VERY small stipend. Ultimately, the same thing you hear time and time again is true: it’s about WHOM you know, and real-world experience is far, far more important than a degree.
4. It Always Takes Longer Than Expected.
Chalry Salvatore said…
When I knew I wanted to work in the music industry here is the journey I took.
-I moved to Nashville (2004)
-Worked as a 26 year old unpaid intern at a Publishing Company.
-Got a job at a Radio station cluster as a sales assistant. (2005)
-Moved onto a PRO in the song registration department (2006)
-Took a part-time job working the door at local music venue (2007)
-Quit the PRO to be an Independent (2007)
-Started a Publishing Company. Company ended months later (2008)
-Took a job selling Merchandise on the road (2008)
-Started managing an Artist (2009-Present)
-Started Tour Managing an Artist on a Major (2010-Present)
I went 6 years scrapping by to now where I am making good money and more importantly doing something I absolutely LOVE. During my journey, I busted my ass and waited patiently for a chance to attack when an opportunity presented itself.
5. Never Stop Opening Career Doors.
Professional Intern said…
I have a music business degree and have been interning for 13 months. Currently on my third internship and realizing that, companies do not hire and exploit their interns because they don’t want to pay. Makes sense since there is a surplus of people interested in interning. They use me but I use them for references and connections throughout the industry. That’s what people need to get out of their internships. Connect with employees and show your interest and what you have to offer.
My internships have opened so many doors for me but still no paying job. These internships have allowed me to build my network of contacts. This is crucial in this industry. I have learned so much from my experiences and know that when a job opens up, I will be indispensable. It’s is the only way to get into this industry if you don’t have an established contact that can get you in. The motto I live by is ‘intern or die’.
6. Keep Your Expectations Grounded.
Ayhan Sahin said…
When I applied for a job to three majors after graduate, Universal was collapsed, EMI didn’t even respond…
I was lucky and crazy to be hired as a strategic marketing specialist in Sony Music.
The general manager asked me what I was thinking as a salary.
I replied, “I want to buy a TV, and a salary enough to pay it for a 10 months loan will be enough.”
He offered me just enough to buy one… not more…
I accepted it, and before they know, after 5 years, I was marketing manager.

http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/%7Eah/f/cgul39aem6hc8a11l26lll5sjc/300/250?ca=1&fh=280#http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hypebot.com%2Fhypebot%2F2011%2F02%2F6-lessons-learned-from-music-business-job-hunting.html

Pitchfrok’s Best of 2009 – Relisted by Ryan Mega

Pitchfrok’s Best of 2009 - 
Relisted by Ryan Mega

Soon Pitchfork will claim to have the best 100 songs of 2010.   Many people, like myself, who don’t have time to listen to every new indie band that comes out will rush to the site to download the massive list of singles in hopes of catching up on our cool. Some, like myself, will certainly disagree with the songs they pick.  If last years list is a sample of what to expect, then I expect to only like 1/4 of the songs listed.  So if you don’t want to waste time listening to bullshit, just wait until I edit their list and download mine.

Take a look at last years list and see what I mean.
P.S. I’ve subtracted the three rap songs listed by default- Pitchfrok has no fucking idea how to rate rap music.  Don’t hold it against them. Their white guys from Chicago.  If it ain’t Kanye or WGCI, they are fucking out of the loop.
Pitchfrok’s Best of 2009 - 
Relisted by Ryan Mega

—– Ryan Mega