I'm a software developer by trade, and I have plenty of flakiness. I just try to keep it hidden as long as possible - why ruin the surprise?
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Why are so many musicians flaky?
- Thread starter Killed_by_Death
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I read 3 pages and then skipped to the end. Sorry if I repeat what's already been said.
I used to hear "discipline" all the time. Have worked in the industrial/high tech sector for over 40 years now. Some time ago, if a guy introduced himself as an engineer, he might be asked "what discipline?" (electrical, mechanical, fluid power, etc); It basically meant "What's your specialty?"
Times have changed; PC used to mean printed circuit, then personal computer, now politically correct. Jargon changes with time. I think people just generally avoid the word discipline now, because it sounds like too much work (joke).
I think the o.p.'s points are valid. Jobs of different types seem to attract people who are (generally) predisposed to doing them. Guys like me tend to work with tangible, measurable concepts, artists/entertainers seem to lean toward image and illusion, and are willing to risk being thought of as "Flaky". Some of us may be mid way between.
Semi-Flaky Tom
I used to hear "discipline" all the time. Have worked in the industrial/high tech sector for over 40 years now. Some time ago, if a guy introduced himself as an engineer, he might be asked "what discipline?" (electrical, mechanical, fluid power, etc); It basically meant "What's your specialty?"
Times have changed; PC used to mean printed circuit, then personal computer, now politically correct. Jargon changes with time. I think people just generally avoid the word discipline now, because it sounds like too much work (joke).
I think the o.p.'s points are valid. Jobs of different types seem to attract people who are (generally) predisposed to doing them. Guys like me tend to work with tangible, measurable concepts, artists/entertainers seem to lean toward image and illusion, and are willing to risk being thought of as "Flaky". Some of us may be mid way between.
Semi-Flaky Tom
It has to do with self image and self respect. And respect for your art, too. Most musicians don't take what they do seriously - it's just fun for pocket change and booze. And they use music as some sort of outlet for frustration, compensation for a bad upbringing, inability to handle reality, etc. Some are lucky to be successful in spite, others ruin themselves with over consumption and bad decisions. But, unless a flake is a stark raving undeniable genius, then they fall by the wayside quickly...
What we do is not that much different from being a small business - we offer a service, and how good that service is, how well we bring it to "market" and promote it, and how much work we put into it, determines success.
What we do is not that much different from being a small business - we offer a service, and how good that service is, how well we bring it to "market" and promote it, and how much work we put into it, determines success.
No but look up his YouTube channel and you can contact him on Facebook
A friend and fellow TBer brought this point up, makes a lot of sense to me. There's plenty of professional acting musicians; BUT
There's plenty of guys out there who just like to party, and playing music is their way of "getting it out of their system" AND "getting away from the wife."
There's plenty of guys out there who just like to party, and playing music is their way of "getting it out of their system" AND "getting away from the wife."
I've encountered some flakey musicians but more often than not I'm dealing more with musicians who have a habit of being late all the time.
If you say practice is at 7 be there a 7 not 7:35 dammit!
My best friend, co-worker, and band mate is a wonderful guitarist and will I keep using him in projects until his arms fall off however his lack of coming in on time, not musical timing however, is impressive.
We joke about him and his "Filipino Time" all the time.
If you say practice is at 7 be there a 7 not 7:35 dammit!
My best friend, co-worker, and band mate is a wonderful guitarist and will I keep using him in projects until his arms fall off however his lack of coming in on time, not musical timing however, is impressive.
We joke about him and his "Filipino Time" all the time.
This was my morning dealing with a new potential drummer:
Him: I only have cymbals, sticks and a kick pedal at the moment - the rest is coming later in the month. Is this enough?
Me: (silence)...........you have to hit something!
Idiot.
Him: I only have cymbals, sticks and a kick pedal at the moment - the rest is coming later in the month. Is this enough?
Me: (silence)...........you have to hit something!
Idiot.
I'm not flaky at all, but then again i'm not a musician. I'm just a (semi retired) machinist who piddles with bass as a hobby.
I'm always on time and on task and i'm very good at completing projects ahead of schedule and under budget. While i'm something of a go getter when i'm immersed in work, on my own time i am socially inept and extremely awkward when it comes to personal relationships. If the job requires social interaction i can perform with the best, but that's all it is, a performance adapted to achieve a specific goal. For the most part, human interaction is a droll series of banal one act plays as we pretend to be interested in what our fellow cabbage is prattling on about when our inner voice is begging to be put out of it's misery rather than suffer through another minute of pretending to give a crap about the latest news on uncle Ferd and his brood, or which celebrity got caught trying to pick up a transvestite hooker named Butch.
At one time in my life i became so fed up with everything i seriously considered taking a course on repairing OMC outboards, then find a remote spot somewhere on the Pacific rim in need of a boat mechanic, but sanity prevailed and i returned to building MIRV ground transport pallets, AMRAM launcher rails, phalanx gun mounts, nuclear reactor core components. All manner of shovels and rakes and other implements of destruction for our Uncle. I truly love to take an aimless chunk of something and transform it into a thing of precise beauty, but with an actual purpose, not some object destined to be adored for a time, then forgotten.
I'm always on time and on task and i'm very good at completing projects ahead of schedule and under budget. While i'm something of a go getter when i'm immersed in work, on my own time i am socially inept and extremely awkward when it comes to personal relationships. If the job requires social interaction i can perform with the best, but that's all it is, a performance adapted to achieve a specific goal. For the most part, human interaction is a droll series of banal one act plays as we pretend to be interested in what our fellow cabbage is prattling on about when our inner voice is begging to be put out of it's misery rather than suffer through another minute of pretending to give a crap about the latest news on uncle Ferd and his brood, or which celebrity got caught trying to pick up a transvestite hooker named Butch.
At one time in my life i became so fed up with everything i seriously considered taking a course on repairing OMC outboards, then find a remote spot somewhere on the Pacific rim in need of a boat mechanic, but sanity prevailed and i returned to building MIRV ground transport pallets, AMRAM launcher rails, phalanx gun mounts, nuclear reactor core components. All manner of shovels and rakes and other implements of destruction for our Uncle. I truly love to take an aimless chunk of something and transform it into a thing of precise beauty, but with an actual purpose, not some object destined to be adored for a time, then forgotten.
I've been working with technicians, scientists and musicians.
Most technicians are well organized and diciplined.
Many scientists aren't well organized, yet diciplined.
Most musicians lack organization as well as dicipline.
Hence music is chaos.
technician here,.. YAY!
I SWEAR, this is why I'm a composer. Just got tired of pieces and composers with no clue.
I read maybe the first 4 posts in this thread and skipped to the end. I think the idea that musicians are flaky is just short-sighted. When you say "musicians", you're unwittingly covering a lot of territory. I've known a ton of accomplished orchestral musicians who achieved their positions by being driven overachievers for a LONG time. It might be more meaningful to ask "why do so many underachieving no-talent or semi-talented people under the age of 25 who still live with their parents and sleep in until 1:00pm but somehow have managed to acquire a bass and an amp appear to display the characteristics of flakiness?". To ask that question and not immediately comprehend the answer just means you need some fresh helium in your skull.
I'm not sure about the flaky people I hang out with, but in my own case I speculate it's one or a combination of three things: Genetics, the way I was raised, or that electrical outlet that dang near electrocuted me when I was 3.
I think it happens with the certain people who start playing a rock instrument to be "cool" instead of working long hours every day honing their craft. Same thing with actors.
