You bring up some interesting points Side. Some I agree with and some?...Well, I don't know that I see the role of every drummer as a "one size fits all" approach as far as predictable and solid go. I assume by using the word predictable you mean consistent right? True, both of those qualities are necessities if one expects to keep the gig. But, from my vantage point, every player that I've ever heard has a distinguishable way in which they phrase, feel, interpret the music, and sound overall thus, providing their own voice. I don't look at drumming with a limited scope. It seems to me, there wouldn't be a need to make a distinction if those qualities didn't exist. And since they do exist, I believe every player out there gets hired for there style, personality and creativity that they bring to the table. In that sense, everyone determines there own destiny by the actions they take. Just my .2 cents.  

Mr Acrolite may be right and at the beginning of this day we are both only expressing our own opinions which (although obviously disparate) are our own opinions.

I personally think it's wrong to describe any musician as a sideman.  There have been other comments on here talking about drummers not being musicians and, for me personally, it ill-behoves a musician to fuel that fire.

Of course Mr Acrolite is right about Maazel and co: they make separate entrances and have huge fees.  But some years ago we did all 104 Haydn symphonies WITHOUT a conductor and it got lots of awards.  Because of my increasing age, I can't remember now how we managed.

And prior to about 1860 the conductor faced the audience (which, in the case of some conductors, some musicians would like to see restored).

About six years ago, an oboeist in the Czech Phil collapsed in the street with a heart attack.  He was initially kept alive, as I understand,  by the paramedics before the surgeons got to him.

Unless Old Chap is much mistaken (which is very likely) it might be argued that the "sidemen" enabled the surgeons to have something to work on.  Perhaps they were all part of the same thing?

I have met many great conductors with, as Mr Acrolite says, their names prominently in the programme and making a separate, personal entrance  and and I have also discovered something else: if there aren't any musicians on the platform when they begin their programme with an up or down beat absolutely nothing happens.

On that note, I leave you.  Just a musician or a sideman.

Kind regards,
Alan M. Watkins

Re: Keith, Bart and Alan.  I think the language barrier is a big part of the misunderstanding here.  Perhaps sidemen is a derogatory statement in England?  Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

Music, like any other field, is a business.  Yes, it is an accessible business that many people can enjoy and profit from.  From Madonna to the neighborhood bar band that plays in your hometown, there is a business side to what we do.  In the United States alone, $13 billion worth of CD sales ocurred last year.  That's just the retail sales of CD's.  When you factor in recording studio time, session players, engineers, producers, advertising, graphic artists, CD manufacturers and every other tiny bit of work that goes into the production of the retail CD, we are involved in a business that generates well over $25 billion dollars a year in revenue.  There are countries in the world whose GNP is less than that.  And we're not factoring in any foreign (non-North American) numbers.

The point to this data rant is that everyone who is involved in the music industry needs to have basic business skills to succeed.  Knowing how to market yourself, track your income and expenses, pay taxes, book gigs with contracts and riders, all of this takes business skills.  Much of it is basic and simple to learn, but to not take the time is only going to hurt you in the long run.  If only to protect yourself from greedy managers, unethical people in the biz (yes, they're out there), and other pitfalls that can hurt you as a musician, a person and a business entity.  I have made a successful career by specializing in investigating entertainment fraud and trust me, the music biz is as corrupt as our Gov't  And don't think you can trust your accountant or even a family member to handle your affairs, just ask Billy Joel.

way cool... that's intense...

I know.

Guess who I heard it from LOL...Sebastian Bach of Skid Row on an MTV special LOL

IMHO, I think alot of it has to do with the type of music you play, your sound, and how good the music really is. My band has had the good fortune of being in contact with a very connected lady in the music business over the last five years. She has given us advice, encouragement, and a high level name or two, in the record business.

 We're still working her suggestions into our music, she has said she has not heard a hit from us yet,   but she knows we have it in us. and we continue to try.

 Also, she has said of late that TONS of great bands who deserve to be heard, and signed, are not getting that chance because of consolidations in the industry due to the economy right now. So, I think you should do everything you can to control what you can, but perhaps it is up to chance, and luck?. That, and being in the right place at the right time.

 But, never give up on banging on the music industry doors!.
Robert  

I have no educated opinion or experience on matters such as these, but I found this reading rather interesting.  Thanks for posting it.

Tom

A word of warning: Don't let this woman be your ONLY source of industry information. Many bands are guilty of this - hooking up with ONE person who seems more industry-savvy than them, and trusting their opinions on everything. Don't just depend on a expert like that; you need to develop your own expertise. What a lot of young musicians do is say "I just want to concentrate on my music - that's why I have so-and-so handling the business side of things." Yes you do need managers, agents, industry friends, etc. But it's YOUR industry. Be a part of it. Learn about it, and find out what makes it tick.

A huge part of a musician's LONG-TERM success is based on how well that artist understands the business. It can help prevent you from being a one-hit (or a no-hit) wonder.

Bottom line: don't look to one person to do all your thinking for you. Read up on the industry. Get involved in it. It's a business. Learn it. Keep playing and writing and rehearsing and gigging, but learn the business as well. That's your only hope of having ANY control.



This is pretty well done. One thing I'm surprised that the author didn't emphasize is that much or all of the money these record companies initially "give" you (your record advance) is actually set up in such a way that is becomes money you will OWE them. It's considered an expense - that money must be recouped before you see a dime of profit. If bands use that money wisely, for tour support and radio promotion, they might stand a chance of eventually making a little money for themselves

But I've seen so many bands blow their record advances on Harleys, houses, and general wild living. Then, when their record didn't become a hit, they were obligated to the record company to try recoup the expenses the record company had paid for, and got stuck touring without any promotional support, trying to earn enough money that they could actually work their way out of the hole.

That's a pretty cynical article, but pretty accurate. Many recording artists are getting fed up with the way this business is structured, and I think we'll eventually see some changes. The record companies historically have been the stereotypical cigar-chomping fatcats, and it's catching up with them. They dropped the ball when it comes to digitally reproduced music, and did not have an effective strategy for facing new technologies like Napster, or even the Internet itself.

I think we'll be seeing some changes in the way the business works. But even if we do, it won't eliminate the part LUCK plays in the equation.

Okay, that's enough of a rant. I'll go back to talking about maple versus birch now....    

for anyone that hasn't looked at the article, or doesn't know who the author is, Steve Albini is a famous alternative musician and producer....he produced Nirvana's "In Utero" to name one....

 I agree 100 percent! I have many friends who feel the same way. I wish many more people would wake up, and stop accepting the "flavor of the week" crap the the record companies keep shoving down our throats. I won't listen to commercial FM radio  anymore, and the collage station I listen to, is getting just as bad. There is a notch for every kind of music. Just because it's not my taste, it can still be aired, just don't shove it down my throat every minute of the day. Give the other bands, and music styles a chance. Just my 2 cents.
Robert