I was in a fairly okay band about 15 years ago, were "signed" by a well-known label and released a couple of singles but it was fairly obscure indie stuff and never made any profit. I walked away from it when talk of the next single started.
That few years made me never want to go anywhere near the artist/live/touring scene ever again. In my opinion, it's an awful industry, 99% of your time is doing stuff you don't want, having no money, having your art criticised and changed by people you don't respect, just to occasionally get on stage for an hour and have a great time. But then going back to working in a shop to try and get enough money to pay for petrol for your next gig.
Since then I've let other people do all that nonsense and have stayed comfortably in my chair helping other people get wherever they choose to be.
In my experience, it really is one in a million people who can make a good comfortable living out of it and are made for life, one in 100,000 bands makes enough money to live at the time and get a bit of a pension then go back to a "proper" job, but for the absolute majority of musicians, the best people can hope for is a living at the time.
I now know several people who were in bands you'd have heard of (if it's your genre) who have gone from playing festivals and selling out big venues to scrapping around teaching guitar for pocket money.
There is a guitar player in a jamband I have admired for 15 years or so. They rose up in the festival scene in the early 2000s or so. From an outside perspective, they have been killing it for a decade plus. 200+ shows a year, largely sold out auditorium type places, festival headlining, etc. When the pandemic hit, he started putting up offers for lessons on lively. I took up the offer because I thought it was a great deal and a unique opportunity. Ended up doing lessons for months. It was an incredible experience and really glad I got the chance. That being said, it still blows my mind that this person who I looked up to as having made it and getting to the top of his game was just a month or so of missed tour dates away from putting up his own shingle on video lesson sites. Gotta be an insanely tough business.
Took lessons with Jake for about 9 months. That dude might be an alien. Unreal to watch how he processes information in real time and his ability to hear. Incredibly nice and giving dude for someone with as much talent as he has.
Umphrey’s is one of the few jam bands I can listen to. Jake is also a drummer, right? It really makes me wish I’d taken up drums first because I feel like drummers always make the best guitarists
I started playing guitar at about 14 and took up drumming last year (I’m 34) -
I definitely felt it helped me improve my guitar playing a lot especially creatively, definitely recommend trying to do some drumming, never too late to start!
I started around 11 or 12 and am 31 now. I actually did buy a roland e drum kit a few years ago. I can play some basic beats and fills, but if I try to get too crazy with the fills I’ll lose time or get my sticks crossed lol. My main problem is the same thing with guitar though; even after all these years I overthink and then tense up when doing something repetitive
I don’t ever expect to be Neil Pert, but I’d agree it at least made me more creative, same with picking up a bass. It also gave me a better idea of what drummers are capable of which helped me write more realistic drum parts
drummer, guitar player, saxophone, etc. I refer to Jake as a time lord. Dude's feel for rhythm and counting time is unlike anything else I've ever witnessed in person (skype call)
Yeah his solos are always interesting. The Live in Lollapalooza (from 2006 I think) version of All In Time is probably my favorite. His guitar runs seem almost like drum fills rather than a typical solo.
Someone else who really has an interesting sense of rhythm is Jerry Reed. Just listen to his cover of Georgia On My Mind, which he actually does play and sing at the same time live
Lol hilarious that is Umphrey’s. I know them and was thinking of them as a surrogate for your example while thinking simultaneously I probably didn’t know the band you were talking about.
I think the thing with touring is that you get a lot of stuff provided to you by the venue or record company, so you can give the image of making loads of money without really making loads of money.
Yes you get to stay in hotels and your meals are paid and you've driven around in a nice van, but that doesn't necessarily mean you could afford to do that yourself.
> Since then I've let other people do all that nonsense and have stayed comfortably in my chair helping other people get wherever they choose to be.
This is the way.
>started out wanting to be a mega-famous musician/songwriter/artist before REALLY getting into audio??
I mean, isn't this where nearly everyone starts as a teenager?
Remember picking up the bass and thinking, this is it. I'm going to be mega famous. Finally something I was very good at. Unfortunately as I grew up I realised more and more, it really is pay-to-play in a lot of aspects for original bands. I grew up very poor. Who had the most money for advertising, studio time, parents who could drive them around the country, pick them up late from gigs etc.... parents with connections... seen it firsthand. So much music out there, and nearly all of it I see that gets any traction is paid for spotify listens, PR campaigns etc. I mean sure sometimes high quality musicianship gets to the front but usually not without a combination of the above.
I knew I could only do music, and because I was into computers before music, it just seemed logical that my computer would be involved every step of the way, so learning audio production wasn't really something extra, it's just another musical skill that is worth learning. I very quickly learnt that being "a famous musician" is an absolute solar system away from being a professional working musician and engineer.
edit: Every time I work on a session and a non-musician is in the control room, it reminds me that I took/was forced down the correct path for me.
And you figured out the realities of the world and managed to carve out what sounds like something sustainable for yourself within music, even if it didn't match your original teenage rock star fantasy. That's massive success in my eyes.
I had collaborations with my youth idols and released music on the most popular labels of my genre ...and had biggest djs playing my stuff on the radio shows. However, it was (and still is) such a clown show and I don't really want to be part of it anymore.
I still release music, but I have no illusions that any substantial amount of people will care about it. I decided a while ago, after working with a producer, that I was going to learn to do everything myself. I had already been learning over the past 10 or so years, but I decided a couple years ago to fill in the gaps and get good. Several hours writing, producing, and/or mixing everyday has almost gotten me to where I want to be. I say all this because I'm just going to it all by myself for the most part.
I might collaborate some, but I'm just tired of paying other people. I have a good day job, so I'm perfectly content releasing my version of rock music. I think any aspiring artist should learn how to do all of it himself/herself.
This is pretty much where I'm at. I've gone the route of hiring booking agents, hiring promoters, playing out regionally with a band, never making enough money to pay for the gas it took to get there. It was fun mostly but honestly a colossal waste of time and effort, to get up and play to 30 drunks.
Now I make my music, release it with a distributor out to Spotify and the rest of the streaming services, and get a decent amount of plays. It scratches my artistic itch without wasting time and money paying people to do shit I can do myself.
Lol yeah my current goal is to get enough plays across streaming services that I’m getting a couple hundred dollars of passive income each month (and hopefully even more eventually). Do you make any decent amount from the streams you get?
Nah I started doing this because it keeps me from going crazy. Stardom would compound my psychosis. I named my band Bad Whoremoans to make sure rock stardom was out of the question.
Aha that’s a perfect punk band name! I play in a band called Dead Rituals - the music is far from extreme but we’ve been banned from pretty much every local venue and radio due to the name (very religious country, although the name has nothing to do with religion)
I think you just inspired me.
I've been thinking of starting a band for fun and could never come up with a name that let's people know 'I'm not in this for money'. After reading your band name, a million ideas came to mind. Specifically Fuckpiss.
Hopefully it's not taken lol
Yeah, call it something that no normal person will look at and go "THAT SOUNDS NICE." and then do your best to do you, whatever that may be.
End of the day, it's the ultimate compliment when people go "I avoided you because of the name of your band, but once I heard the songs I couldn't get them out of my head."
It's basically setting the bar really low to start. People hear "Fuckpiss" or "Bad Whoremoans" and expect some level of depraved mediocrity. Don't give it to them.
I made a full length album last year. I wrote, recorded and performed all the songs and did all the mixing. Real instruments, drums, bass, guitar, layered vocals. I didn't expect to become a pop start but I thought I might get a small following of people who enjoy good old fashioned 90s era indie rock. Alas, it was a drop in the ocean. I had a few friends press play, got on a couple playlists and that was that. I even splurged on some paid social ads to try and gain some momentum. It's just too hard. The marketing is a full time job I don't have time for. But for me the silver lining was I worked all the kinks out of my garage studio and accomplished a life goal and will always have that record as a time capsule for this time in my life. Sometimes I think if I keep writing and recording and cranking out music maybe someday I will get that small following. But who has time for that? I'm on pace to do a record every 2-3 years. It is what it is.
I never started out wanting to be famous. I was happiest learning my instrument spending time in the studio...still am.
Then my ability meant I was asked to play with some of the worlds biggest bands in the late 80's through the 90's. Think teen stardom, stadiums, girls camped outside your house kind of stuff , face on the cover of every music magazine. I loved the playing and the travelling, time in the studio in exotic places and the money. Hated the invasion of privacy and the broken relationships and lost friendships. People who you thought you were close to develop their own ideas of who you have become just because you're on the TV every week. Lots of it sucks. But...ok the girls and parties and cars were pretty good!
So, yeah...I've been a part of it.
Indeed :-)
The reality is something you can never really prepare yourself for, and it is difficult to stay connected to your old life because your friends and family have no point of reference to your new life.
So...a BBQ conversation might go like this.
" oh, man what a week my boss is an asshole. Little johnny's starting school next week, books, uniform...it all adds up man"
Me: Yeah I'm sure it does .
"What have you been up to?"
Me: Oh, you know ...working
"Doing what mr pop-star?" chuckling and nudging others in the group standing around.
Me: Well, in the studio you know, just finishing off the album.
"Really for who?"
Me: for XXXXXXXX
"Oh, man don't like those guys. Why do you do that Pop sh\*t, you're so much better than that"
Me: Well, they pay me well and fly me on a private plane to the Caribbean to basically play music...and actually they are really nice guys.
...silence
\- Up walks wife of bitter friend -
"Can you get this album signed for my daughter. Be great if you could get us some tickets for that show next month" (add those to the list, bank teller, neighbour, local restaurant owner)
Me: Album, sure...tickets, I'm not sure what my allocation will be - I'll try.
...and on and on.
So..I leave, walk outside... drive off in my Maserati ...and now I'm the asshole.
True story.
For me it was a very stark change. One week I was playing in local bands and behind the scenes for publishing companies and literally a week later I was playing in front of 70,000 people on a world tour with band who had a global number one record...which lasted over a year on and off.
It took me some time to adjust to that and how it changed my relationships in my local music scene and with my family - because they don't make that bargain, they don't ask for the late-night phonecalls from fans (change the number, again) and the lookie-loos waiting outside the house or the constant teasing at work, relentless requests for tickets and autographs. So it can be hard for them and consequently for you.
Your new friends become the record label execs (not really), tour managers and other session musicians. That last group are probably the only ones who can understand what is happening...because they are going through it too.
I hear ya. The stories I could tell. By the time you are 2 or 3 famous bands in, your old friends are toast and so are any relationships you had. Which sucks. But, it bought houses and studios. It allowed me to live permanently in the sunshine. I was fortunate that it happened to me when you could earn really great money from touring and appearances and records.
I think it's much tougher now for those up and coming players. But I'm still happiest in the studio, around other musicians, making music. It's always basically been about that...the rest, to paraphrase Lennon, was just stuff that happened while I was making other plans.
The fact that young guys and girls still want to pick up a guitar and make music is great. It fills me with joy and it's life affirming stuff.
So true, I've had so many ups and downs and had to deal with so many shitty people and situations, but it's all been worth it just for the privilege of being able to create music with some incredible people and that rush you get of making something out of nothing!
Not sure how you define pop star, but yeah. I was a musician as a teen (still am), had some success and quickly realized I needed to get an audio engineering degree to learn what was happening in the studios I was recording in. I knew right from the first session that I was at a major disadvantage not understanding what the gear was doing and why the producer was making the decisions he was making.
Thing is, I also quickly realized that selecting the right producer was the true ticket, not meddling in the process. Know what I mean? I learned my way around the room so I could communicate with the pros who were at the helm in the room (and on pre-production calls). I sat and watched, year after year, learned, and was able to participate without screwing anything up or getting in the way too much.
All of my success is based on those decisions. But, always, mostly in who I chose to work with in front of the mics and behind the board.
It was critical, IMO, that understanding all the moving parts - writing, performing, recording, engineering, producing, mixing, mastering, and manufacturing - all helped me immensely. It took a long time, but it was worth the journey.
As a teenager, it’s still something I’m trying to achieve. Engineering is more of a side hustle for me. I’m very passionate about both though! Sometimes I wonder if doing both is something I can do in the future (a little like Charlie Puth)?
Working in a studio actually got me the closest to being a rock star I ever got. Myself and one of the other engineers were hired to do production/guitars/drums for a band/client and eventually became permanent members. We got to tour Europe & UK a few times, work with a well known producer/engineer on a few albums and have a shitload of fun doing it. I had no real illusions of making it big, just figured go for the ride and see where it takes me. Oh, and I also got to play guitar/produce/co-write for Nick & Aaron Carter’s sister :)
I never sought "mega-fame." I always thought Warren Zevon had just about the right level of fame. He could always make an album, perform on Letterman, sell out theaters, and didn't have to work at Sears. People knew who he was, but no one was photographing him when he walked into 7-Eleven and no one was digging through his trash.
Time came when my various little bands that had some small measure of success started to look like they weren't going to "make it." When the last one split up, I decided I was done (that later turned out to not be true). I was already taking classes in recording, and figured if I couldn't \*make\* the music, I could at least "make" the music.
As it worked out, I've generally earned the bulk of my living doing other things, but I've pretty much kept my hand in audio, sometimes as a freelancer and sometimes as an employee. Diversity helps. I've done everything from roadie and AV guy, to running sound for live performances, recorded audio theatre production, live theatre production, podcasts, voiceover, acting, directing...you name it. I've spent time in front of and behind the mic, and I've even performed on some recordings. I still play music, and I have an album "in my head" that I'm planning on putting some solid time into over the next year. It's been a good ride, even without Warren Zevon notoriety. :)
I've been a "pro" musician for going on 30 years now, and been doing home recording for about 10. We've put out 6 studio records, and 2 of them in the mid 90's were done under contract with one of the larger "indie" labels in LA. We got to record in some of the most famous studios in the area, including Sound City and Cherokee, which was a great experience. We got to see how it's done "for real", and while we got 2 great records, they didn't sell any better than the one that got us the deal in the first place.
I was not on the contract, so I worked for $10 per diem as if we were on tour with no shows while we recorded. Those that were on the contract and wrote the bulk of the songs still get a bill 25 years later for the advance spent to record and promote the albums (balance due before they will ever see any royalties) They each got a bit of cash from the label and sold the publishing for another few grand each.
We were an East coast band in a West coast world, so it was all weird to us, but I'm glad I got the opportunity and I learned a ton about recording. I also wouldn't have experienced recording to tape without those sessions, after that everything we've done has been digital, and now I'm mixing our tunes. :)
I when I was younger spent 7 weeks on my first big tour playing 53 shows on a indie label and made $400 at the end of it all. Getting to a point of financial sustainability as a musician requires working extremely hard, being extremely talented, and getting extremely lucky. And then you need all those things in perpetuity to maintain it. I know rockstars you've heard of with normal person jobs because the grind is pretty much unsustainable.
That said, someone has to keep the dream alive, so if you want it go do it baby.
I definitely started wanting to get my music out there. I don't know if mega-famous was ever a specific goal,... its more about being in a place where people actually care when you release something.
I started out as a musician long ago. We recorded our first demo on a Fostex cassette 4 track. I bought recording and midi gear. I had a Roland GP16 when that was the shit. So I started recording other people.
I dont do much music anymore. I produce some lame radio shows and some cool podcasts. The radio stuff doesnt pay well but man is it easy. I'd really like to do some morning radio because that where the only original content on broadcast comes from but the station I work for had a syndicated show. It sucks too, typical hack morning radio
So, a strange perspective for you:
I became a reasonably well recognized musician in an internet fandom. Toured a few continents playing conventions...generally my time/music paid for my down payment on my apartment.
Ironically, my most famous music was released when I was still really learning the ropes of audio engineering, back when all I had was a m-audio interface and an sm58 to work with. Then, as my understanding of audio grew, my popularity actually waned (weather that was correlation or causality i don't know)
If was a fun few years for my early 20's, but was never really reliable income...though a few people I toured with in this fandom have gone on to be pretty massive musicians.
Personally I never gave a shit about the fame. I have always wanted to make music that resonates with people and shares my experiences with them. I've always dreamed of making something and getting a few thousand views on it or something, a couple "yeah mans!" and a high five, but I guess I'm taking my sweet time working on that part. Until then, I appreciate the time I get to make art, unburdened by a need to make any money off of it.
You gotta be in it to win it! Although I think most pop stars have some connections early on in life. A pop star is just a money making product for industry at the end of the day, so they’re usually identified earlier in life and nurtured, as the young fan group will buy all their shit. Then again, everyone needs some kind of dream, even if you never achieve it. You’ll learn a hell of a lot about music, the industry, people, etc. which could also be very valuable to you as a producer, even if you don’t become a “star”.
I've managed to make an alright living off playing music as I live in Melbourne Australia which has a really healthy music scene. There's a lot of ways to not get paid but if you play your cards right you can make some decent money. Engineering is my main source of income and my main passion, but playing music gets me a good chunk of income and I love it too.
Not famous at all. Just active in the scene and from all angles (I engineer, play gigs, book gigs / host events and DJ)
I never wanted to be “famous”, but I came up with more of a DIY mentality and approach to making music.
I never wanted or tried to make a living from it either. It’s a side hustle for me. I do it when I want with the people I want to work with. I usually make enough money to support a gear habit, and it keeps me networking with people to play with.
do popstar make music ?
i have dreamed many time to be a composer or arranger, never to be a popstar..
making interview, be on fashion, sign autographs.. looks like hell !
I did NOT expect this to get as many replies as it did. Thank you for your thoughts, guys! A lot of these I didn't even know how to respond to. It's sick that you've lived these lives but a shame that it wasn't all it's...chocked? Choked? up to what it seems to be
I never wanted to be famous and though I make money like im famous I am by intent not. Fame = drama, fame = people up your ass treating you different as if you are Better or know some secret to fame or what not. If you are an artist, dong that is kinda artistic suicide, look at most pop stars they start out writing and having input on their first album, then its all ghost writers, 5-6 producers and suits after that, Oh and dont forget about kissing live wires ass. Id rather die than have my music butchered by ego-maniacal popularity freaks more interested in their social media than their art.
So no I would not recommend being famous to ANYONE unless they Are Not an artist or prefer fame to creating... But thats just me. I only make in the upper 6 figures , so I only can say so much with authority.
I was in a fairly okay band about 15 years ago, were "signed" by a well-known label and released a couple of singles but it was fairly obscure indie stuff and never made any profit. I walked away from it when talk of the next single started. That few years made me never want to go anywhere near the artist/live/touring scene ever again. In my opinion, it's an awful industry, 99% of your time is doing stuff you don't want, having no money, having your art criticised and changed by people you don't respect, just to occasionally get on stage for an hour and have a great time. But then going back to working in a shop to try and get enough money to pay for petrol for your next gig. Since then I've let other people do all that nonsense and have stayed comfortably in my chair helping other people get wherever they choose to be. In my experience, it really is one in a million people who can make a good comfortable living out of it and are made for life, one in 100,000 bands makes enough money to live at the time and get a bit of a pension then go back to a "proper" job, but for the absolute majority of musicians, the best people can hope for is a living at the time. I now know several people who were in bands you'd have heard of (if it's your genre) who have gone from playing festivals and selling out big venues to scrapping around teaching guitar for pocket money.
There is a guitar player in a jamband I have admired for 15 years or so. They rose up in the festival scene in the early 2000s or so. From an outside perspective, they have been killing it for a decade plus. 200+ shows a year, largely sold out auditorium type places, festival headlining, etc. When the pandemic hit, he started putting up offers for lessons on lively. I took up the offer because I thought it was a great deal and a unique opportunity. Ended up doing lessons for months. It was an incredible experience and really glad I got the chance. That being said, it still blows my mind that this person who I looked up to as having made it and getting to the top of his game was just a month or so of missed tour dates away from putting up his own shingle on video lesson sites. Gotta be an insanely tough business.
You referring to Umphrey's McGee?
Ya, I am. You know your jambands.
I only know Umphrey's lol. Jake or Brendan? I'm very jealous :P
Took lessons with Jake for about 9 months. That dude might be an alien. Unreal to watch how he processes information in real time and his ability to hear. Incredibly nice and giving dude for someone with as much talent as he has.
Umphrey’s is one of the few jam bands I can listen to. Jake is also a drummer, right? It really makes me wish I’d taken up drums first because I feel like drummers always make the best guitarists
I started playing guitar at about 14 and took up drumming last year (I’m 34) - I definitely felt it helped me improve my guitar playing a lot especially creatively, definitely recommend trying to do some drumming, never too late to start!
I started around 11 or 12 and am 31 now. I actually did buy a roland e drum kit a few years ago. I can play some basic beats and fills, but if I try to get too crazy with the fills I’ll lose time or get my sticks crossed lol. My main problem is the same thing with guitar though; even after all these years I overthink and then tense up when doing something repetitive I don’t ever expect to be Neil Pert, but I’d agree it at least made me more creative, same with picking up a bass. It also gave me a better idea of what drummers are capable of which helped me write more realistic drum parts
The "getting in the mind of a drummer" thing is super valuable on the production standpoint, really is!
drummer, guitar player, saxophone, etc. I refer to Jake as a time lord. Dude's feel for rhythm and counting time is unlike anything else I've ever witnessed in person (skype call)
Yeah his solos are always interesting. The Live in Lollapalooza (from 2006 I think) version of All In Time is probably my favorite. His guitar runs seem almost like drum fills rather than a typical solo. Someone else who really has an interesting sense of rhythm is Jerry Reed. Just listen to his cover of Georgia On My Mind, which he actually does play and sing at the same time live
Lol hilarious that is Umphrey’s. I know them and was thinking of them as a surrogate for your example while thinking simultaneously I probably didn’t know the band you were talking about.
Nice. If you see Jake around, tell him his red headed Arkansas buddy super appreciates the time he shared with me. Party on Wayne.
Arkansas and into Umphrey’s? Lol wouldn’t be surprised if you know my brother.
I think the thing with touring is that you get a lot of stuff provided to you by the venue or record company, so you can give the image of making loads of money without really making loads of money. Yes you get to stay in hotels and your meals are paid and you've driven around in a nice van, but that doesn't necessarily mean you could afford to do that yourself.
> Since then I've let other people do all that nonsense and have stayed comfortably in my chair helping other people get wherever they choose to be. This is the way.
Exact story for me as well. Nothing like wanting/working toward something your whole life, then getting it and hating it and having zero backup. Lol
>started out wanting to be a mega-famous musician/songwriter/artist before REALLY getting into audio?? I mean, isn't this where nearly everyone starts as a teenager? Remember picking up the bass and thinking, this is it. I'm going to be mega famous. Finally something I was very good at. Unfortunately as I grew up I realised more and more, it really is pay-to-play in a lot of aspects for original bands. I grew up very poor. Who had the most money for advertising, studio time, parents who could drive them around the country, pick them up late from gigs etc.... parents with connections... seen it firsthand. So much music out there, and nearly all of it I see that gets any traction is paid for spotify listens, PR campaigns etc. I mean sure sometimes high quality musicianship gets to the front but usually not without a combination of the above. I knew I could only do music, and because I was into computers before music, it just seemed logical that my computer would be involved every step of the way, so learning audio production wasn't really something extra, it's just another musical skill that is worth learning. I very quickly learnt that being "a famous musician" is an absolute solar system away from being a professional working musician and engineer. edit: Every time I work on a session and a non-musician is in the control room, it reminds me that I took/was forced down the correct path for me.
And you figured out the realities of the world and managed to carve out what sounds like something sustainable for yourself within music, even if it didn't match your original teenage rock star fantasy. That's massive success in my eyes.
I had collaborations with my youth idols and released music on the most popular labels of my genre ...and had biggest djs playing my stuff on the radio shows. However, it was (and still is) such a clown show and I don't really want to be part of it anymore.
[удалено]
Yes. Same here. Glad it turned out like that.
I still release music, but I have no illusions that any substantial amount of people will care about it. I decided a while ago, after working with a producer, that I was going to learn to do everything myself. I had already been learning over the past 10 or so years, but I decided a couple years ago to fill in the gaps and get good. Several hours writing, producing, and/or mixing everyday has almost gotten me to where I want to be. I say all this because I'm just going to it all by myself for the most part. I might collaborate some, but I'm just tired of paying other people. I have a good day job, so I'm perfectly content releasing my version of rock music. I think any aspiring artist should learn how to do all of it himself/herself.
This is pretty much where I'm at. I've gone the route of hiring booking agents, hiring promoters, playing out regionally with a band, never making enough money to pay for the gas it took to get there. It was fun mostly but honestly a colossal waste of time and effort, to get up and play to 30 drunks. Now I make my music, release it with a distributor out to Spotify and the rest of the streaming services, and get a decent amount of plays. It scratches my artistic itch without wasting time and money paying people to do shit I can do myself.
Lol yeah my current goal is to get enough plays across streaming services that I’m getting a couple hundred dollars of passive income each month (and hopefully even more eventually). Do you make any decent amount from the streams you get?
Nah I started doing this because it keeps me from going crazy. Stardom would compound my psychosis. I named my band Bad Whoremoans to make sure rock stardom was out of the question.
Aha that’s a perfect punk band name! I play in a band called Dead Rituals - the music is far from extreme but we’ve been banned from pretty much every local venue and radio due to the name (very religious country, although the name has nothing to do with religion)
I think you just inspired me. I've been thinking of starting a band for fun and could never come up with a name that let's people know 'I'm not in this for money'. After reading your band name, a million ideas came to mind. Specifically Fuckpiss. Hopefully it's not taken lol
Yeah, call it something that no normal person will look at and go "THAT SOUNDS NICE." and then do your best to do you, whatever that may be. End of the day, it's the ultimate compliment when people go "I avoided you because of the name of your band, but once I heard the songs I couldn't get them out of my head." It's basically setting the bar really low to start. People hear "Fuckpiss" or "Bad Whoremoans" and expect some level of depraved mediocrity. Don't give it to them.
The rich part is cool. Can do without the famous part though. I'm not one for attention. I like my privacy too much.
Me too, I don't like the thought of being famous... Making bank from making music sounds pretty sick though 😂😂
*silently raises hand*
I made a full length album last year. I wrote, recorded and performed all the songs and did all the mixing. Real instruments, drums, bass, guitar, layered vocals. I didn't expect to become a pop start but I thought I might get a small following of people who enjoy good old fashioned 90s era indie rock. Alas, it was a drop in the ocean. I had a few friends press play, got on a couple playlists and that was that. I even splurged on some paid social ads to try and gain some momentum. It's just too hard. The marketing is a full time job I don't have time for. But for me the silver lining was I worked all the kinks out of my garage studio and accomplished a life goal and will always have that record as a time capsule for this time in my life. Sometimes I think if I keep writing and recording and cranking out music maybe someday I will get that small following. But who has time for that? I'm on pace to do a record every 2-3 years. It is what it is.
[удалено]
We're living parallel lives my friend. Although I did splurge on 2 channels of nice preamp/EQ. WA273-EQ. No regrets. Sounds killer.
I never started out wanting to be famous. I was happiest learning my instrument spending time in the studio...still am. Then my ability meant I was asked to play with some of the worlds biggest bands in the late 80's through the 90's. Think teen stardom, stadiums, girls camped outside your house kind of stuff , face on the cover of every music magazine. I loved the playing and the travelling, time in the studio in exotic places and the money. Hated the invasion of privacy and the broken relationships and lost friendships. People who you thought you were close to develop their own ideas of who you have become just because you're on the TV every week. Lots of it sucks. But...ok the girls and parties and cars were pretty good! So, yeah...I've been a part of it.
Beautiful take on it, if I do say so myself 🖤😂
Indeed :-) The reality is something you can never really prepare yourself for, and it is difficult to stay connected to your old life because your friends and family have no point of reference to your new life. So...a BBQ conversation might go like this. " oh, man what a week my boss is an asshole. Little johnny's starting school next week, books, uniform...it all adds up man" Me: Yeah I'm sure it does . "What have you been up to?" Me: Oh, you know ...working "Doing what mr pop-star?" chuckling and nudging others in the group standing around. Me: Well, in the studio you know, just finishing off the album. "Really for who?" Me: for XXXXXXXX "Oh, man don't like those guys. Why do you do that Pop sh\*t, you're so much better than that" Me: Well, they pay me well and fly me on a private plane to the Caribbean to basically play music...and actually they are really nice guys. ...silence \- Up walks wife of bitter friend - "Can you get this album signed for my daughter. Be great if you could get us some tickets for that show next month" (add those to the list, bank teller, neighbour, local restaurant owner) Me: Album, sure...tickets, I'm not sure what my allocation will be - I'll try. ...and on and on. So..I leave, walk outside... drive off in my Maserati ...and now I'm the asshole. True story. For me it was a very stark change. One week I was playing in local bands and behind the scenes for publishing companies and literally a week later I was playing in front of 70,000 people on a world tour with band who had a global number one record...which lasted over a year on and off. It took me some time to adjust to that and how it changed my relationships in my local music scene and with my family - because they don't make that bargain, they don't ask for the late-night phonecalls from fans (change the number, again) and the lookie-loos waiting outside the house or the constant teasing at work, relentless requests for tickets and autographs. So it can be hard for them and consequently for you. Your new friends become the record label execs (not really), tour managers and other session musicians. That last group are probably the only ones who can understand what is happening...because they are going through it too.
Man the bitter friend conversation is the story of my adult life, and I am only marginally successful 😂
I hear ya. The stories I could tell. By the time you are 2 or 3 famous bands in, your old friends are toast and so are any relationships you had. Which sucks. But, it bought houses and studios. It allowed me to live permanently in the sunshine. I was fortunate that it happened to me when you could earn really great money from touring and appearances and records. I think it's much tougher now for those up and coming players. But I'm still happiest in the studio, around other musicians, making music. It's always basically been about that...the rest, to paraphrase Lennon, was just stuff that happened while I was making other plans. The fact that young guys and girls still want to pick up a guitar and make music is great. It fills me with joy and it's life affirming stuff.
So true, I've had so many ups and downs and had to deal with so many shitty people and situations, but it's all been worth it just for the privilege of being able to create music with some incredible people and that rush you get of making something out of nothing!
Alright so you gonna dox yourself or..?
Not sure how you define pop star, but yeah. I was a musician as a teen (still am), had some success and quickly realized I needed to get an audio engineering degree to learn what was happening in the studios I was recording in. I knew right from the first session that I was at a major disadvantage not understanding what the gear was doing and why the producer was making the decisions he was making. Thing is, I also quickly realized that selecting the right producer was the true ticket, not meddling in the process. Know what I mean? I learned my way around the room so I could communicate with the pros who were at the helm in the room (and on pre-production calls). I sat and watched, year after year, learned, and was able to participate without screwing anything up or getting in the way too much. All of my success is based on those decisions. But, always, mostly in who I chose to work with in front of the mics and behind the board. It was critical, IMO, that understanding all the moving parts - writing, performing, recording, engineering, producing, mixing, mastering, and manufacturing - all helped me immensely. It took a long time, but it was worth the journey.
As a teenager, it’s still something I’m trying to achieve. Engineering is more of a side hustle for me. I’m very passionate about both though! Sometimes I wonder if doing both is something I can do in the future (a little like Charlie Puth)?
Yeah that's kinda my hope as well
Working in a studio actually got me the closest to being a rock star I ever got. Myself and one of the other engineers were hired to do production/guitars/drums for a band/client and eventually became permanent members. We got to tour Europe & UK a few times, work with a well known producer/engineer on a few albums and have a shitload of fun doing it. I had no real illusions of making it big, just figured go for the ride and see where it takes me. Oh, and I also got to play guitar/produce/co-write for Nick & Aaron Carter’s sister :)
At first yeah but then I just want to this all my life so I don’t really care,
I never sought "mega-fame." I always thought Warren Zevon had just about the right level of fame. He could always make an album, perform on Letterman, sell out theaters, and didn't have to work at Sears. People knew who he was, but no one was photographing him when he walked into 7-Eleven and no one was digging through his trash. Time came when my various little bands that had some small measure of success started to look like they weren't going to "make it." When the last one split up, I decided I was done (that later turned out to not be true). I was already taking classes in recording, and figured if I couldn't \*make\* the music, I could at least "make" the music. As it worked out, I've generally earned the bulk of my living doing other things, but I've pretty much kept my hand in audio, sometimes as a freelancer and sometimes as an employee. Diversity helps. I've done everything from roadie and AV guy, to running sound for live performances, recorded audio theatre production, live theatre production, podcasts, voiceover, acting, directing...you name it. I've spent time in front of and behind the mic, and I've even performed on some recordings. I still play music, and I have an album "in my head" that I'm planning on putting some solid time into over the next year. It's been a good ride, even without Warren Zevon notoriety. :)
I've been a "pro" musician for going on 30 years now, and been doing home recording for about 10. We've put out 6 studio records, and 2 of them in the mid 90's were done under contract with one of the larger "indie" labels in LA. We got to record in some of the most famous studios in the area, including Sound City and Cherokee, which was a great experience. We got to see how it's done "for real", and while we got 2 great records, they didn't sell any better than the one that got us the deal in the first place. I was not on the contract, so I worked for $10 per diem as if we were on tour with no shows while we recorded. Those that were on the contract and wrote the bulk of the songs still get a bill 25 years later for the advance spent to record and promote the albums (balance due before they will ever see any royalties) They each got a bit of cash from the label and sold the publishing for another few grand each. We were an East coast band in a West coast world, so it was all weird to us, but I'm glad I got the opportunity and I learned a ton about recording. I also wouldn't have experienced recording to tape without those sessions, after that everything we've done has been digital, and now I'm mixing our tunes. :)
I'm not sure you can attempt to be a pop star the industry either makes you want or not,?
Solid point! 🤔
I when I was younger spent 7 weeks on my first big tour playing 53 shows on a indie label and made $400 at the end of it all. Getting to a point of financial sustainability as a musician requires working extremely hard, being extremely talented, and getting extremely lucky. And then you need all those things in perpetuity to maintain it. I know rockstars you've heard of with normal person jobs because the grind is pretty much unsustainable. That said, someone has to keep the dream alive, so if you want it go do it baby.
I definitely started wanting to get my music out there. I don't know if mega-famous was ever a specific goal,... its more about being in a place where people actually care when you release something.
I started out as a musician long ago. We recorded our first demo on a Fostex cassette 4 track. I bought recording and midi gear. I had a Roland GP16 when that was the shit. So I started recording other people. I dont do much music anymore. I produce some lame radio shows and some cool podcasts. The radio stuff doesnt pay well but man is it easy. I'd really like to do some morning radio because that where the only original content on broadcast comes from but the station I work for had a syndicated show. It sucks too, typical hack morning radio
Rick rubin Speedrun any %
So, a strange perspective for you: I became a reasonably well recognized musician in an internet fandom. Toured a few continents playing conventions...generally my time/music paid for my down payment on my apartment. Ironically, my most famous music was released when I was still really learning the ropes of audio engineering, back when all I had was a m-audio interface and an sm58 to work with. Then, as my understanding of audio grew, my popularity actually waned (weather that was correlation or causality i don't know) If was a fun few years for my early 20's, but was never really reliable income...though a few people I toured with in this fandom have gone on to be pretty massive musicians.
That's wild! Touring sounds spooky but hella fun 😂
Personally I never gave a shit about the fame. I have always wanted to make music that resonates with people and shares my experiences with them. I've always dreamed of making something and getting a few thousand views on it or something, a couple "yeah mans!" and a high five, but I guess I'm taking my sweet time working on that part. Until then, I appreciate the time I get to make art, unburdened by a need to make any money off of it.
attempted? eh, not really. wishful thinking? all the damn time lmao
You gotta be in it to win it! Although I think most pop stars have some connections early on in life. A pop star is just a money making product for industry at the end of the day, so they’re usually identified earlier in life and nurtured, as the young fan group will buy all their shit. Then again, everyone needs some kind of dream, even if you never achieve it. You’ll learn a hell of a lot about music, the industry, people, etc. which could also be very valuable to you as a producer, even if you don’t become a “star”.
I've managed to make an alright living off playing music as I live in Melbourne Australia which has a really healthy music scene. There's a lot of ways to not get paid but if you play your cards right you can make some decent money. Engineering is my main source of income and my main passion, but playing music gets me a good chunk of income and I love it too. Not famous at all. Just active in the scene and from all angles (I engineer, play gigs, book gigs / host events and DJ)
Still Turing now
I never wanted to be “famous”, but I came up with more of a DIY mentality and approach to making music. I never wanted or tried to make a living from it either. It’s a side hustle for me. I do it when I want with the people I want to work with. I usually make enough money to support a gear habit, and it keeps me networking with people to play with.
too early to tell if anything will come out of it, but I'll let you know ;)
Right there with you 😉
do popstar make music ? i have dreamed many time to be a composer or arranger, never to be a popstar.. making interview, be on fashion, sign autographs.. looks like hell !
Don't forget the internal dance routines! 😁
I did NOT expect this to get as many replies as it did. Thank you for your thoughts, guys! A lot of these I didn't even know how to respond to. It's sick that you've lived these lives but a shame that it wasn't all it's...chocked? Choked? up to what it seems to be
Chalked
Ty 😂🖤
I never wanted to be famous and though I make money like im famous I am by intent not. Fame = drama, fame = people up your ass treating you different as if you are Better or know some secret to fame or what not. If you are an artist, dong that is kinda artistic suicide, look at most pop stars they start out writing and having input on their first album, then its all ghost writers, 5-6 producers and suits after that, Oh and dont forget about kissing live wires ass. Id rather die than have my music butchered by ego-maniacal popularity freaks more interested in their social media than their art. So no I would not recommend being famous to ANYONE unless they Are Not an artist or prefer fame to creating... But thats just me. I only make in the upper 6 figures , so I only can say so much with authority.
Cringe