sharke


I always liked what Richard James aka "Aphex Twin" once said, which is that he only ever created music for his own pleasure, and that anyone else wanted to listen to it was just a bonus. I could never understand certain artists like Zappa, Fagan etc, who said that once an album was released they never listened to it again. Screw that! If I had made music as good as those two gentlemen I would be blasting it all the time, if only for the boost to my ego!

I'd never dare put myself anywhere near Zappa. BUT, as far as I'm concerned, the two things can co-exist.


The pleasure is in the creation, in breaking new grounds, reaching personal goals, finding new ways to say things. Once that's done, even if you're relatively proud of what you've done and even if you'd stand for it, it doesn't mean you want to hear it again. 
 
If not for my wife, writing music is one of the very few things that can make me happy in life. Though it also makes me totally miserable when I try and nothing comes... But for a moment, when I'm writing something that works, I have a reason to excuse my own existence to my own eyes. It's like a redeeming process...

But once that's done, a written song becomes little more than a step on the way to the next song, something which helped prepare me, it taught me things that I must now use to accomplish something much better.


Taking pleasure in listening to my own stuff would be kind of like, I don't know, starting to place the drawings you did as a kid all over the walls of your house and stare at them for hours...

Rain



Taking pleasure in listening to my own stuff would be kind of like, I don't know, starting to place the drawings you did as a kid all over the walls of your house and stare at them for hours...

I hear ya, but I still find it very strange that they wouldn't want to have the occasional listen at least. I love having a look at childhood drawings every now and then! 

Rain


Taking pleasure in listening to my own stuff would be kind of like, I don't know, starting to place the drawings you did as a kid all over the walls of your house and stare at them for hours...

Um...  So I shouldn't be doing that?  Wonderful...

I'll admit, I've had times just playing through my own albums multiple times. A lot of it comes from the need to see what I did bad and what to fix, and them what I did GOOD and how to improve on it and recycle it. 
Additionally, being that I make music in genres that I like to listen to, I definitely listen to my own stuff just for the heck of it.

craigb

Rain


Taking pleasure in listening to my own stuff would be kind of like, I don't know, starting to place the drawings you did as a kid all over the walls of your house and stare at them for hours...

Um...  So I shouldn't be doing that?  Wonderful...

I think I was 8 when I destroyed all my drawings and paintings because I was quote "worthless as an artist and would never amount to anything". What a brat, uh? lol

IIRC, and I'm no longer sure... but I think no less a composer than Johannes Brahms destroyed much of his work as not being "good enough".  One wonders what good things may have been lost as a result.

Personally, I think some of the stuff I've written is absolute junk, and am glad no one has heard it.  OTOH, some of what I've written is of much higher quality, and the responses for the better pieces have been very positive at such times as others have heard them.

As for "the industry" there is no point of my being concerned with it, as what I do write is very far afield from it, and where the commercial industry is, is not where I would care to be on many different levels.  I'd rather write things that have no "economic value" but are true to how I think/feel.

If it's your job then it's like any other job.  Fill your book with stuff that pays and turn up for work.   If you work in a car factory you don't fret what the whole motor industy is up to you just play your small part and stop pretending you are Henry Ford.
 
If you can't make your job pay or are not enjoying the work, then get another job.
 
Sure I've had plenty of funks over the years but if you've got work to go to and bills to pay you just kind of get on with it and it passes.
 
It usually means that any notion of 'artistic integrity' being compromised or any idea of having such a precious project that is going to have an influence on raising the consciousness of the planet has to be smashed.  You take the work that people are offering the money to do.  It ain't always glamourous, I've worked cross-channel ferries, holiday camps and even a circus for awhile and still enjoyed myself whilst getting paid to do what I love.  Very occasionally there have been times where the money has been good and it's been some really inspiring work, mostly though I guess like most peoples work it's more likely to be the daily grind but there's much to be said for appreciating that also.
 
Do other stuff as well there's plenty of interesting stuff to get involved with part-time and you never know you may even get drawn into that instead.  I ran a shop while I was playing did some computer stuff and even some work with the local soccer scene.
 
I think the biggest reason for ending up writing something like this thread is having too set an idea of how things should be and how they ought to progress.  Reality can often dictate another path than the one I can insist for years with complete futility, that I ought to be travelling down.

I give up every day but forget by the next morning. Right now I'm focused on vintage guitars and amps. A change is as good as a rest, and winter has knocked me down. 

Come on Spring, and bring some inspiration.

Give up?, Never!!! 

I was very fortunate to have played in some of the best venues in Australia. But those breaks were 'also' made possible thanks to good management. {tip}  

But, professional managers won't deal with just any band, the band must be great and know how to captivate the crowd ((entertain)).

That said; What a lot of bands don't realize is or don't want to be told is, major booking agencies prefer to deal with professional management and usually the best gigs will come about. Gigs that pay well, including free overnight accommodation and drink rider (beer, soda and water)! 

. If you're a self-managed independent band? It will be a tough long road.

. If your music is not aimed at the larger club/venue scene? It will be a lot tougher.

You better believe this... "It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll" [By: Young, Young and Scott - ACDC] 

My music tastes are very broad, I appreciate and respect ALL styles/genres of music particularly when its done really well.

Unfortunately there's jealousy among a lot of fellow musicians who whine, nitpick, insult and disrespect others over irrelevant and stupid things or based on subjective matters, all whilst completely losing sight of the larger picture.   At the end of the day, well known talented artists/writers are getting the work, massive exposure and rolling in the money.  Music and the business has always been tough and it continues to evolve, 'times change', and if you can't stand the heat? Get out of the kitchen. Try other similar career paths for example, music placement in film, jingles and games, or A/V Production. 

Nowadays, I'm content being solo, focused primarily on writing and production.  I love most of the new styles/genres that have emerged over the later years and enjoy experimenting.  I also believe it's important to face challengers because it helps to improve ones own skills but always retain what is 'you' (not someone else) in which case, you develop your own trademark sound and most of all, enjoy what you do. :) 

--

No reason to despair about music. It has been there as long as language, and will always be a source of pleasure if not meaning.

People who ever had hope related to the music industry were always deeply deluded, and only rewarded in the rarest of circumstances.