- Welcome to the Fog Machine
- By the time you get wise, it could be too late
- Why Indie? Why not?
- What do you want?
- Business or Art Project? You make the call.
- Most people make less money playing music than you would think, but some make a lot
- If you make music, know what kind of flower you’re growing. If you sell music, know what kind of flower you’re selling.
- If you want to be a rock star be prepared to persevere: in most cases the four year minimum applies.
- Sometimes it helps to be enigmatic
- Usually, being an asshole does not help you
- In school, if you’re right 60% of the time you’re a failure. In the music business, if you’re right 60% of the time, you’re a genius (unless you’re starting an indie label).
- Artists and Art
While it seems like the straight line is the most effective way to achieve your goal, this is not always the case. Sometimes, it is better to keep people wondering a little bit about who you are and what you’re intentions are. Don’t get me wrong; you have to be who you are. I’m not sure it’s possible to will yourself to become this kind of a person, if you really aren’t that way. But this does seem to be a strategy that works for at least some people in the music industry.
People are often drawn to the mysterious, because they can paint their own meanings on it. This certainly applies to enigmatic song lyrics. People love to puzzle through them (sometimes even as they complain about how hard they are to understand). But this principle also extends to human interactions within the music industry. By being enigmatic, and holding off asking for a favor right away, you can sometimes increase your odds of getting something you want or need later. People are always looking for favors and an edge in the music business. Those folks who have the power to hand out such goodies are often inundated with requests for them. They start to feel like everyone wants something from them. And they develop intricate strategies of insulating themselves from such folks.
If such a person pegs you as someone who is looking for a favor, they will probably shut you down immediately. On the other hand, if your intent is a little murkier, you may intrigue them. Or at least you may avoid giving off the “hey can you help me out” vibe. This may allow you the opportunity to get to know this person and this will probably incline them to want to help you out further on down the line (it you’re willing to be patient).