How to Succeed as an Original Band

[DaDrew2112]

it's different for everyone, drugs that is. Some people can handle it, some can't. I know people who are both...the latter is quite annoying because they still think they can. No real resolution here except it's one more thing to distract you from your goal. If music doesn't bring you intense joy sober, imo you don't have what it takes.

 

[matt descending]

No sir I would never make that assumption. That being said, the stoner culture is what made them. As a fellow stoner I also indulge but I don't advocate performing high. However, some of my best licks have been cannabis inspired. I have a HORRENDOUS case of ADD and smoking really helps me focus(kinda backwards huh?). It's all about the time and the place.

Love and Peace

If you really want to make some far out stuff, you gotta do heroin! Kidding of course, but look at all the great music made on it. I will leave you with the words of Bill Hicks: "...if you don't think drugs have done good things, I want you to go home and take all your tapes, all your CDs and all your records, and burn em. Cause you know the musicians that made all the music that's enhanced your life for all those years?..........Real f*****ng high on drugs"

 

[JohnMCA72]

None of these bands made it big because they were high, they made it big and also did drugs. Are you suggesting Sublime needs drugs to play music? As a regular pot smoker, I can't think of a single thing you can do better while high. Drugs are for those in the audience, not for those making music.

Drugs just make you think you're playing better, when they're having the opposite effect.

 

[Caeros]

We smoke a lot of pot as a group at our weekly practices; it's just an accepted part of our process. That doesn't mean I'd advocate it for just anyone. Our practices have a laid back feel that's enhanced by the amount of weed we smoke. We're also perfectionists and mull over our arrangements and riffs ridiculously until they're perfect, sober or not, and then demo the songs so our singer can start coming up with vocal parts. Pot is the least of anyone's worries, I'd be more concerned if someone showed up stinking drunk and unable to play or strung out or something like that.

 

[Jason P Bass]

We smoke a lot of pot as a group at our weekly practices; it's just an accepted part of our process. That doesn't mean I'd advocate it for just anyone. Our practices have a laid back feel that's enhanced by the amount of weed we smoke. We're also perfectionists and mull over our arrangements and riffs ridiculously until they're perfect, sober or not, and then demo the songs so our singer can start coming up with vocal parts. Pot is the least of anyone's worries, I'd be more concerned if someone showed up stinking drunk and unable to play or strung out or something like that.

What type of success does this band have?

 

[jmattbassplaya]

We smoke a lot of pot as a group at our weekly practices; it's just an accepted part of our process. That doesn't mean I'd advocate it for just anyone. Our practices have a laid back feel that's enhanced by the amount of weed we smoke. We're also perfectionists and mull over our arrangements and riffs ridiculously until they're perfect, sober or not, and then demo the songs so our singer can start coming up with vocal parts. Pot is the least of anyone's worries, I'd be more concerned if someone showed up stinking drunk and unable to play or strung out or something like that.

That wouldn't fly with me. I had a band ask me to join them once, so I came out to practice one day and "jammed" with them. Trouble was, they were all stoned and what they thought was awesome sounding was actually total crap. I told them if they cleaned up I might be interested in coming back as they did have some decent songs written. They told me I was being controlling and they said they wouldn't want to play with a guy like me. Last I checked, they've yet to get out of the basement over a year since then.

 

[Caeros]

What type of success does this band have?

We've done several DIY weekends, did a weeklong DIY east coast tour where we actually brought money home (all of the gigs were pretty well attended and received for a relatively unknown band), perform outside of Connecticut on a regular basis and have played in and out of state with several larger, touring bands including some of our biggest influences. We put out an LP last summer with our most recent EP on side A (recorded by Jay Maas of the band Defeater, who's recorded several big names in the hardcore/punk scene) and our first EP on side B for all the fans who wanted to hear it on vinyl. As a result of being in this band, I started booking shows at the American Legion in my hometown. The run has been pretty successful thus far, and it's helped a great deal with networking with other bands, in bringing them to CT, getting us shows out-of-state and making some pretty good friends as well.

I don't know if I'd call what we have "making it," but we have achieved a small level of success while making music that is fairly unconventional, without answering to anyone but ourselves, and that is more than I could ever ask for. Especially since the people in the band are all very talented, hardworking and some of my closest friends.

 

[DaDrew2112]

^^ that's making it imo. that's all i want lol

 

[Caeros]

That wouldn't fly with me. I had a band ask me to join them once, so I came out to practice one day and "jammed" with them. Trouble was, they were all stoned and what they thought was awesome sounding was actually total crap. I told them if they cleaned up I might be interested in coming back as they did have some decent songs written. They told me I was being controlling and they said they wouldn't want to play with a guy like me. Last I checked, they've yet to get out of the basement over a year since then.

Different strokes for different folks! Sounds like their problems would exist with or without the weed, but in this case I'm sure it doesn't help at all.

 

[Jason P Bass]

We've done several DIY weekends, did a weeklong DIY east coast tour where we actually brought money home (all of the gigs were pretty well attended and received for a relatively unknown band), perform outside of Connecticut on a regular basis and have played in and out of state with several larger, touring bands including some of our biggest influences. We put out an LP last summer with our most recent EP on side A (recorded by Jay Maas of the band Defeater, who's recorded several big names in the hardcore/punk scene) and our first EP on side B for all the fans who wanted to hear it on vinyl. As a result of being in this band, I started booking shows at the American Legion in my hometown. The run has been pretty successful thus far, and it's helped a great deal with networking with other bands, in bringing them to CT, getting us shows out-of-state and making some pretty good friends as well.

I don't know if I'd call what we have "making it," but we have achieved a small level of success while making music that is fairly unconventional, without answering to anyone but ourselves, and that is more than I could ever ask for. Especially since the people in the band are all very talented, hardworking and some of my closest friends.

That's cool, thanks for the answer.

It's rare to find people who can handle the green and still have any desire to work. IME, you can work and achieve success, or you can smoke and feel successful. But for some people, the feeling gets empty after awhile. There are exceptions to every rule, but believing that you're the exception means living on very thin ice.

Congrats on your results. I would be proud of that success as well.

FWIW, I support NORML but substance abuse can overwhelm and destroy dreams and ambition. Just keepin it real.

 

[Caeros]

That's cool, thanks for the answer.

It's rare to find people who can handle the green and still have any desire to work. IME, you can work and achieve success, or you can smoke and feel successful. But for some people, the feeling gets empty after awhile. There are exceptions to every rule, but believing that you're the exception means living on very thin ice.

Congrats on your results. I would be proud of that success as well.

FWIW, I support NORML but substance abuse can overwhelm and destroy dreams and ambition. Just keepin it real.

I feel like the image of the stoner as someone who sits around smoking weed and babbling deep thoughts isn't entirely accurate. While it's true of many people, there are also countless users out there that smoke casually and don't let it monopolize their lives.

We certainly practice sober, but there are times where smoking has helped put us over the edge with embracing certain riffs or ideas. And if it ends up not working, we always go back and try something else!

 

[Winemule]

I took out my video of the show.

The camera doesn't lie. And for me, at least, it's a real motivator, along the lines of "I'll never do THAT again!"

 

[TRichardsbass]

Hey all! It's been a while since you heard from me on this thread. Well, I'm working on a book that hopefully will be available before the years end.

Here is a tip that all bands, cover or original need to understand:

"Act like and expect that others will like you and be friendly, and they will and you will grow an acceptance at a fast pace."

This is a nugget gleaned from Dale Carnegie and Les Giblin. Yes, those really old guys who wrote books a century ago but are still in print today.

Too many guys try to be cool, try to be a "rawkstar". Doesn't work, and most people find you then to be an a$$h0L3.

Whenever you are in public, or going on or off stage, Look at the people who are trying to connect with you, and genuinely believe they like you, and they will. And you will wind up acting in a way that you will actually be genuine and friendly.

I saw an example of that this weekend with a band here that shall remain nameless. Lead singer is the douchy-est guy I've ever met in 30 years of music. He acted like one the whole night. One young lady in the audience who really liked the music went to talk to him after his set and he treated her like crap and really came off like "holier then thou."

She left the show Tweeting about what a d-bag he was. To everyone, especially all the guys in her company, Universal Records.

 

[stagebanter]

I completely disagree with the whole idea that "all these musicians made this great music while they were high so drugs help". I believe that many musicians made great music DESPITE being on drugs - but look at someone like Charlie Parker; his most productive periods were the ones where he was clean.

 

[Caeros]

I completely disagree with the whole idea that "all these musicians made this great music while they were high so drugs help". I believe that many musicians made great music DESPITE being on drugs - but look at someone like Charlie Parker; his most productive periods were the ones where he was clean.

Artists with substance abuse problems have been romanticized a LOT in human history. I'm sure without Bird's problem and the connotation of "genius" that comes with addiction we would've had him around for decades longer. With that said, there's a huge difference between someone with an addiction that prevents them from doing things (hard drugs, alcoholism, etc) and someone who likes to smoke a little bud on occasion.

 

[TRichardsbass]

Okay guys and gals, I've been away far too long.

New lesson - If you want to be successful you pretty much have to tell everyone else "F Off!"

No, not out loud silly, internally. If you believe in your music, you believe in your band, and you think you have it right, then there is no way you are going to make it if you listen to every Tom, Dick and Jerkoff who gives you advice or tells you that you won't make it. What few will tell you is that most of the time its you against everyone else. So, you better be internalizing the F and the U.

This is not to say you shouldn't always look for ways to improve, nor to ignore all criticism. Just, when someone tells you you can't or shouldn't or that it won't ever, well, then, F Off!

I was working with two bands in the 1990's as manager and promoter. Both made up of equally talented musicians. Both with equally written music. Two different genre's though. They both drew about the same in the beginning. However, one band kept booking gigs in venues that even I at times protested against. And, as expected, some of those gigs bombed. But they kept driving through, even telling me in polite ways to f off. Well, they did eventually gain a decent following, toured the east coast for several years, made a living with their music and did better then expected.

The other band would listen to everyone and anyone inside their circle, would send recommendations to me for venues based on what the local grocer would tell them. They would even change instruments based on what they heard from one or two members of the audience. Slowly, their following got smaller and smaller. They were the wishy washy band. They once wrote an entire set of acoustic folky stuff because a buttmunch in the industry told the lead singer that they would be more popular if they were to do that. (that industry guy had no clue, and was only working for the label he was because he "managed" his sister's band when they got signed to a development deal and that was part of their deal.)

That last band died on the vine. They couldn't tell anyone F off, and obviously did not believe in what they were doing.

Now, with this, if you have a small or almost non existent following, and it never grows or it continuously gets smaller, that is a SIGN that its not working, and time to reexamine what you are doing, maybe even kill the project. Wrong time to tell even yourselves F off.

But if you have some following, and you are getting even a little traction, be willing to tell even your most favorite, closest club owner friend to F Off.

Its all in the attitude. Be confident, a touch cocky. Success.

(Just don't be a douchy cocky asswipe.)

 

[obimark]

How to succeed as an original band? Lower your definitions of success, and then half that. Then you may have a chance.
If you mean become famous, make lots of money- it's just not going to happen. YOu have better odds of starting up a million dollar company. Way better odds!
Look at where music is headed- it is simply a product, for the Taylor Swift's, Katy Perry's and even the Nickleback type bands. Product. Plain and simple.

 

[DrayMiles]

IMHO..

If I were starting now..

I wouldn't worry about being a virtuoso (Whatever that is ), I would be more concerned with expressing myself on my instrument and getting to the core of my feelings/emotions. You know... what music makes you feels like, and how to express it. I would lean toward understanding the technology out there and production. I think a bassist should play piano and have dabbled in all styles of music. Have a deep well of listening experiences to draw from. I also think that it's about control these days.. Setting up your own record company, publishing company, and trying to be true to your vision of YOUR music. Bands are great, but my experience shows me that musicians usually turn into Frankenstein when they smell money. (CYA) Don't think about money and fame. It's emotionally draining to chase dollars. The old business model is kind of dead. Think about relationships.. I remember being told "you don't break into the music biz, you get invited in.." I would work as hard as I could at my craft and put myself out there on top of everything..
Oh, and remember that you have an obligation to eat...

Just having common sense is important I think..

It can be an eye opening experience for younger players to think about a band being a family, but as soon as someone waves a contract in front of folks, they seem to lose all unity. I've personally found more honor dealing with the lawyers and business people than the musicians. They're always bottom line..

Then again, luck and attitude and your location are relative IMO..

Ciao,

D.

 

[10cc]

Write good songs. Then it's made.

 

[TRichardsbass]

How to succeed as an original band? Lower your definitions of success, and then half that. Then you may have a chance.
If you mean become famous, make lots of money- it's just not going to happen. YOu have better odds of starting up a million dollar company. Way better odds!
Look at where music is headed- it is simply a product, for the Taylor Swift's, Katy Perry's and even the Nickleback type bands. Product. Plain and simple.

Newsflash....IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN JUST A PRODUCT! Exactly why F Off!

KISS sucked huge when they first came out. It was most about chicks and making money, and clearly they weren't virtuosos nor did they hone their craft. It was about finding a niche, exploiting it and moving on. About 80% of all the most successful acts of all time never wrote their own songs, never recorded the musc to their own songs, and were "manufactured".Yes, they had talent, but what was selling was them, not the music by and large. While the music was great, did any prepubescent boy really dig the song Samantha Fox did? Or did we all just want to do her because she was hot AND had some singing talent. Yep, number two. Talent makes you generally more attractive, and the music becomes the product used to sell you.

Jazz proves the point perfectly. It rarely sells huge, most jazz musicians, even the famous ones, die nearly penniless or don't have mansions or a new car. I haven't even seen any Jazz guys with really, really, really smokin' chicks. Jazz music is often perfectly executed, musically amazing and truly about the music. Yet who are the biggest names in jazz? Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Bluble> (Yes, I know, not the virtuosos but they sing and sell more records in the genre then anyone on the planet.) Its because of their personality and appeal, the music is secondary.

I mean really, is Carrie Underwood really that great of a singer, or is she just a very talented singer who is amazingly hot publicly? (PS - I only found ONE good song on her latest album, period.)