Make the music business YOUR bitch! Safety word? MONEY!

   
Recently read an article on "Making it" in the Nashville music world. I know nothing about Nashville by I know a fair bit about being a professional composer/Song-writer. Here's what I say to the cowboys scavenging for the elusive "Deal"


Hey! WANNA-BE!  ............just stop

I'm talking to those whimpering toadies who scour facebook and  try to befriend music row employees are worse yet hang out where they have lunch and attempt to start awkward and completely unprofessional  "random encounters" (Not that kind) to try and forge some phoney social bond with the person who they think holds the keys to the cookie jar. I will admitT.  I have zero experience in Nashville, but from what I've been told it's similar to L.A where I have tons of experience. and in L.A one of the worst tricks in the book is for a social climber to join Alcoholics Anonymous and take advantage of the social support network, trying to use it to further their career instead. 

I would imagine Nashville has some of that as well. One type of climber you may not have in Nashville is the "Fake" or "Industry Jew" I don't know if  Nashville music is Jewish controlled, I do not believe it is, but in Los Angeles,  the power brokers,  everyone from the top executives and nearly everyone on down is Jewish, Enter the phenomenon of "Industry Jews" these are people who are as Jewish as Dolph Lundgren (Asshole) but attend Temple and claim Judaism as their religion only to further their career. It is the fake Alcoholics and Jews I have the least tolerance for, you can feel their presence in a room and it poison's the atmosphere. But they have one redeeming quality in that most of them (Except the real sociopaths, beware, they are there) These people, when pressed will more often than not, admit what it is they are trying to do. And in a world where the divide between the haves and have-nots increases daily, I understand why they try, I believe the efforts are misdirected and counter-productive, but big points to anyone who is full of S$#t and will admit it.

Unfortunately some people are full of shit and won't admit it.

I'm talking about a lot of would-be Professional Nashville songwriters. There is a certain type I've encountered that tries to pretend being an unsuccessful songwriter is somehow a noble and romantic fate, and that being  one they are like Jesus, remaining impoverished while bestowing upon the world the redeeming power of their music (Which no one is hearing). They feel lack of success qualifies them for sainthood and future generations will revere their martyrdom. S

everyone wants to be successful in their chosen field, "I'd rather work 2 jobs?"Gimme a break! And that by being unsuccessful that means you are glorifying god? Oh PLEASE! Some make it some don't some have intermittent success, I'm not in the NAS scene but I make my living writing elsewhere. You want the answer? Here it is....

ALWAYS be ready to walk out on this business if it doesn't deliver what you've worked for, NEVER be sitting around waiting for scraps from the music biz, it's waaaay too fickle a mistress, and doesn't care if you starve. You must stay in a position of power and never let it think you need it for anything. Then Pitch your goods (Which you should be working on and improving everyday) when the opportunity presents itself, forget what "Music row" thinks proper conduct i.s if you care about that you have let them into a position of power in your life that they never should have been allowed into. 

People can sense whether you are bringing them something that can help them, or if you are a simpering sycophant waiting to be "made famous" NEVER be the latter. Today I suggest you quit music for good, let the dream die. Go find your fortune in any other l businesses available on this earth. But do not quit CREATING music. Do that everyday. be disciplined, don't make it #1 but make it a consistent daily effort. When you feel you have something, contact a music attorney about shopping it, if everyone turns you down....

YOU SUCK..congratulations! But you will not be broke or broken, plus you just go away for another year and write another batch of songs, songs you can AFFORD to demo, to bring to a lawyer you can AFFORD to see for the first visit (NEVER pay them to shop after the first visit, if they are paid they won't do it well.) this business isn't that complicated, but the reality of it must be accepted and the pitfalls avoided. And the major pitfall is being financially dependent it. Do it this way and you won't give a s#$t what music business gate keepers think of anything you do, and you shouldn't, you rate THEIR clothing and see if it suits YOU. DON'T give your power away to people who didn't want it in the first place.