Jan 10 2005
So Tell Me Your Story…
Near daily I seem to come across musicians and bands that suffer the gross misconception that record labels (and managers) get interested in a band solely on their music. That getting your CD in front of the right A&R person will get you a deal.
WRONG!
I can only speak for myself and the significant network of music industry professionals I work with on a daily basis (sarcasm be noted please), but what interests us far more than your music is your story. There are a million bands out there that churn out music that is pleasant to listen to (and can be produced into something financially tangible) but there are, relatively speaking, very few that understand being a career artist is not just about how wonderful you sound on tape.
What about the two-week-straight mini tour in an old van? You think your bass player’s feet stink in your (now seemingly huge) rehearsal space, wait til you get a whiff the morning after a sweaty show!
And what about the work ethic to pass out stickers and flyers at a show where you believe you share a similar fan base with the artists? Do you have it in you?
Oh, and let’s not forget the simple common decency required to know that 2pm means 2pm? Not 3pm, not 2:37pm, and especially not a phone call the next day saying “oops!”
Understand that getting a record deal, an agent, a manager – all these things take far more than just good songs. You have to show a track record of some sort. Oh, and a strong dose of common sense.
