Am I Chasing False Hopes?

[fendsboy417]

Time to come clean. I'm a teenager (mid-late teens) but I believe I am much more mature then the majority of my peers. For over four years so far all I've dreamt of doing was playing rock n roll for a living. Not that new lame alternative music which has become so popular (ie, blink182, all american rejects). I want to make a living playing ROCK. (ie, songs like guns n roses, motley crue, aerosmith, etc). So far I've had really bad luck finding dedicated players, even though on my own I've produced an eleven song demo album of what I believe is respectful rock n roll. I just see such a decline; everyone likes metal, alternative punk, or rap. Am I in a dreamland? Can a hard rock band still hit it bigtime?

Not much of a post now that I revise it haha. Any comments welcome, but maybe some record label suggestions in Chicago? Do I have to eventually move to California?
Thanks, sorry for my begging for sympathy.

[superbassman2000]

i don't think it's a false hope, but i do think that there is a big difference between "hitting it big" and "making a living"

[baalroo]

depends on what you mean by "hitting it bigtime." If you mean Rock n' Roll big like Queens of the Stone Age or White Stripes big then how's the lottery looking in your state? Because it might be the better bet. If you mean rock n' roll big like Electric Wizard, Graveyard, The Sword, or Valient Thorr big... then sure, if you work your &$$ off and get a bit lucky.

Either way you're really going about it all wrong. Stop worrying about "making it," practice hard at your craft, get out there and play your heart out all the time, and believe in your music. THAT is what will matter and THAT is what will get you noticed. The other stuff you can sort out when you get there.

[kydnav]

Originally Posted by fendsboy417

I'm a teenager (mid-late teens) but I believe I am much more mature then the majority of my peers.

I stopped reading after this. Damn near every teenager thinks they're 'more mature' than other teenager

[dancehallclasher]

Originally Posted by fendsboy417

Time to come clean. I'm a teenager (mid-late teens) but I believe I am much more mature then the majority of my peers. For over four years so far all I've dreamt of doing was playing rock n roll for a living. Not that new lame alternative music which has become so popular (ie, blink182, all american rejects). I want to make a living playing ROCK. (ie, songs like guns n roses, motley crue, aerosmith, etc). So far I've had really bad luck finding dedicated players, even though on my own I've produced an eleven song demo album of what I believe is respectful rock n roll. I just see such a decline; everyone likes metal, alternative punk, or rap. Am I in a dreamland? Can a hard rock band still hit it bigtime?

Not much of a post now that I revise it haha. Any comments welcome, but maybe some record label suggestions in Chicago? Do I have to eventually move to California?
Thanks, sorry for my begging for sympathy.

Are you kidding me man? Blink 182, alternative punk, metal and rap? Are you posting from the late 1990s?

Don't blame anything on trends. We live in an extremely diverse musical age. If you're good -- and I don't just mean tight, but you write good songs -- people will be into it, regardless of what genre you think you are.

[tycobb73]

Here is a local band you will probably like and is doing the same thing it sounds like you want to do (disclaimer, Lou was my teacher and is Berklee educated). They don't make much money and all have jobs outside of the band. In fact I get the feeling the band costs them money. Unless the stars align this is probably the best you can expect to do. They get a couple hundred people per show.

http://www.myspace.com/therockitking

[superbassman2000]

Originally Posted by kydnav

I stopped reading after this. Damn near every teenager thinks they're 'more mature' than other teenager

lol just like how 90% of people think they are above average drivers

Originally Posted by dancehallclasher

Don't blame anything on trends. We live in an extremely diverse musical age. If you're good -- and I don't just mean tight, but you write good songs -- people will be into it, regardless of what genre you think you are.

great great great great point.

if you go to college, i suggest taking a marketing class or seven. in my opinion there are tons of musicians who are "good enough" to play gigs...just look at what is being complained about in the OP--blink 182, rap, metal, etc. if they are good enough to gig and you are better than them, then breakdown what they are doing successfully that you aren't. They are marketing themselves well. Sure, a lot of rap/metal/punk rock sounds generic, but they are better known than many many other bands. How did they do it? whether you like blink 182 or not, they were able to write songs that people could sing along with, move to, and when they play them, they played them tight. i realize this might be a chicken vs. egg argument, but did blink 182 start the trend or did they follow it? i think they became popular because they have a tight sound--like i said before--catchy lyrics and a songs where you can identify the 1 beat so people can dance to them. To me, thats been the key to pop music since beethoven. Heck, even the song that i consider made Tool famous (sober) was in 4. Even Thelonius played straight jazz before he got into weird stuff. And even look at the bands you do like--GnR, aerosmith, etc, their stuff is usually in 4, you can find the 1, and they are all as tight as all get up.

And once you get to that point, you might be able to squeek out a living.

[stflbn]

People migrate to what they feel is their easiest route to success. Musicians are people... so they also head toward what they feel will be the easiest to get rich at.

If it's popular and heard frequently a good majority of young players are goign to want to do that style. Until that style goes dead or dormant, then they'll be heartbroken and move to the next hot genre.


IMHO.

[MIJ-VI]

Originally Posted by kydnav

I stopped reading after this. Damn near every teenager thinks they're 'more mature' than other teenager

Hi kydnav.

fendsboy417's original post is mature--and refreshingly literate (a sign of maturity, would you not agree?) compared to the glut of scribbling which often plagues the Internet.

He's also recorded a 11 tune demo. 'Not shabby at all. I'd say this lad is serious (another indication of maturity) about being a professional musician.

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OP, here's some places where you can seek out compatible musicians & gigs:

'Getting and playing better gigs': http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?i...0631&ref=share

'Indaba Music': http://www.indabamusic.com/

'Gig Guide Ltd UK Discussion Forum': http://www.gig-guide.co.uk/foRum/ind...d7d6bc25488245

'Join My Band' (U.K. and U.S. listings): http://www.joinmyband.co.uk/

'MusicianWeb': http://www.musicianweb.net/home.php

'Musicians Wanted WWW': http://www.musicianuniversity.com/Musicians_Wanted/

'Wanted: Bass Players': http://www.talkbass.com/forum/forumd...prune=30&f=154

'Bassists Wanted and Available': http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showforum=25

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In case you haven't seen this already, here's a page of links to a GOLD MINE of time-saving info & experience useful to ANY bass player, courtesy of TalkBass Gold Supporting Member 'Stumbo': Hello

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A book on the music biz that's worth the read:

'The Platinum Rainbow... The Re-Release'

Here's a quote:

"This book is primarily designed for people who want to become successful recording artists. But to be a successful manager, producer, publicist or agent, you must first know how, to some extent, to make someone else a successful recording artist. In addition to this, there are special sections devoted to becoming a successful manager, producer, publicist, agent, songwriter, engineer, record label executive and publisher. Basically, if you want to be involved in the music business you should read this book.": http://www.musicmusician.com/

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Disclaimer: I have a soft spot for kids who choose to pursue their creativity.

[grovest]

Fboy, would you be satisfied to have a "day job" and an active weekend party / bar band on the side?

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by kydnav

I stopped reading after this. Damn near every teenager thinks they're 'more mature' than other teenager

"Where all of our children are above average."

Consider two ways of making it big, setting aside the question of what that really means.

1. Hitch your horse to a band, and hope that the band makes it big.

2. Play in bands for enjoyment while you educate yourself to be the best and most versatile bassist that you can be.

It is my view that with vanishingly few exceptions, no band is good enough to provide a bass player with sufficient room for growth. And there are just so darn many bands that unless you outgrow your first or second band, you won't make it big. Given that bassists don't typically "make" a band, your best bet for advancement is to focus on your own technique, musicianship, and versatility.

[Against Will]

Originally Posted by fendsboy417

Can a hard rock band still hit it bigtime?

No.

Making a living on music is a tricky thing nowadays regardless of the genre, those who do have to be clever and pragmatic. I've known a couple of guys who have been in bands that I would consider reasonably big [i.e.: Albums reviewed in mainstream publications, generous press coverage, touring with big acts], and many of them still have day jobs in one form or another. A few have been able to make the transition to full-time, but it sure isn't easy.

I suppose there is a market for the kind of hard rock you're talking about, but its ilk nowadays is Nickelback, Saliva, etc. And I can imagine the field is pretty thick with competition. It is worth mentioning, also, that while I loathe the aforementioned bands, they do work their asses off.

[gnome_hunter]

I know this may sound lame but....

never ever give up on your dreams. If you put everything you can to it, then you can do it.

[john turner]

if you approach it appropriately, then there's no reason you can't find some measure of success.

where folks fail is they don't treat it like a business from day 1. you're wanting to be an entrepreneur, a small business owner. you have to approach this like that, not like you're a twittering fairy prince going to turn lead into gold with your leet rock skills.

get serious, get busy. develop a business plan, develop a valid product, develop a delivery mechanism, put together a solid team of coworkers (bandmates) and then market your product.

----^ if that doesn't sound like the dream you thought you were pursuing, then give it up right now, because, just like every other entrepreneurial business in the world, that-----^ is the way to success.

the good news is that if you really stick to it, and you have something original to say musically, and you work your butt off and take real pride in your craft - not only must you be a business man, you must also be a craftsman - then you will find success.

build it (play it) and they will come.

just realize that there's a much higher threshold of failure in the music industry than there is in most industries.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by john turner

just realize that there's a much higher threshold of failure in the music industry than there is in most industries.

The only way to fail is to give up. Look at Anvil, they didn't give up and are now getting the recognition, 25 years later.

lowsound

[fendsboy417]

Originally Posted by fdeck

Given that bassists don't typically "make" a band, your best bet for advancement is to focus on your own technique, musicianship, and versatility.

I appreciate your post but Motley Crue. Nikki Sixx indeed made that band, and look where they are.

[grovest]

Originally Posted by fendsboy417

I appreciate your post but Motley Crue. Nikki Sixx indeed made that band, and look where they are.

Did you read what everyone wrote? Any other reactions?

[Blueszilla]

Originally Posted by fendsboy417

I appreciate your post but Motley Crue. Nikki Sixx indeed made that band, and look where they are.

[fendsboy417]

Originally Posted by grovest

Did you read what everyone wrote? Any other reactions?

Yes I read everything. I definitely appreciate all the responses. Reaction wise...well I think I'm just going to keep up my hard work, and hope that I run into some luck. Haven't had too much luck lately, so maybe I'm due for some. Thanks for the help, sorry for the "poor-me" post

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by fendsboy417

Yes I read everything. I definitely appreciate all the responses. Reaction wise...well I think I'm just going to keep up my hard work, and hope that I run into some luck. Haven't had too much luck lately, so maybe I'm due for some. Thanks for the help, sorry for the "poor-me" post

Making music has to be rewarding in other ways, worth doing for its own sake, because those who "make it" do so not only due to hard work but because of a whole lot of luck. Think of all the hundreds of thousands of high school football players who dream of going pro; there are only about 1700 jobs in the Pros, and most are very short term. The odds against a musician having a pro level career are even worse. The frank and simple truth is this: being good is not enough; here in Austin there are some absolutely stunning musicians playing to empty rooms and struggling to feed themselves. You've got to be very lucky as well.

The challenge is this: Believe it or not, you have enough time to both be as good a musician as you possibly can AND develop another skill that you can use to feed yourself, but you have to start early on both tasks and be dedicated to them at the expense of a lot of other fun things. If you are looking for an easy course in life, this ain't it.