i aint afraid to pay!!! Where the salesman at?

  • Thread starter Thread starter gullyjewelz
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Greg_L said:
...a lot of people on this site pigeonhole me as a dumb punk rocker playing nothing but powerchords and fast drums...
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Hey, you said it, not us. :D

(You HAD to know that was coming.)
 
grimtraveller said:
Actually, it's an intangible fusion of the two ideals that I would say is impossible to put one's finger on. It's a paradox if there ever was one. If it were true that people only made music for themselves alone, they'd be the only ones to hear it. The very fact that people share their music and thank others for generally positive comments, for me casts considerable doubt on the claim that no one elses view matters. Making music is rarely like wanking, despite the oft made comparison.
But precisely at the same time, the paradox kicks in because when one is making music, it is often for one's own self and therefore the thoughts, desires and tastes of others pale in importance. I'd say at that time, they're not important.
Both elements are true, despite seeming to contradict each other. That's why it's a paradox.
I think those of us that tend to take the "I'm in this for myself" perspective aren't so much saying 'people and their views don't matter' as much as we are saying 'do not attempt to dictate to me the music I will play, how I play it or how you like it or want it'. Besides, each individual listener demands different things and he who tries to please everybody pleases nobody.
Considering the listener is a nebulous, vague concept though. Consider them how ? If you play metal, you'll attract headbangers, unlikely you'll attract soul boys. So who are you considering and what does the consideration consist of ?
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Well said there. By considering, lets take into the account of target marketing via genre =) My listeners would mainly be ppl who like urban music. Greg's bound to the ppl who like punk rock. It is a paradox I agree. So on one side Because this industry is made upon people who start the trends generally, so taking the account of the listeners is a vague concept. One could say in general, the more the music is targeted, the more direct audience you'll acquire (which has its ups & downs)

Lets look at hip hop. Generally there are different styles of hip hop, all which some hip hop heads like more than others. Which is true in any genre. Now Soulja Boy targets more of the club hip hop scene rather than "gangster" or "christian rap" where as 2pac portrayed a thug/gangster scene, as well as him being diverse, and his subjects of his songs show that, touching bases with various emotions of his average listeners. Song about his mother, we all have mothers, songs about friendship, hatred, etc. Nothing too epic in the average eyes. Hence his success selling more records than Soulja Boy. People felt 2pac more because they could relate to many different songs for different occasions and different emotions. So we have to balance it just right between making the music, and the business of music to succeed in what we do.

But anyways, lets get back to the subject at hand and find this man a salesman lol
 
What are you currently selling? And what are you doing now to promote what your selling?
 
I am (or have been) selling a group project entitled Waitin on the BreadTruck but I am also recording a new project that will be finished soon. As far as promotions, I perform at open mics, and other clubs that cater to hip hop. I am currently doing such in VA but looking for venues, etc. outside of VA - including North Carolina, DC, NYC, etc.
 
Yeah at any open mics/shows/hip-hop events are the best time to try to sell your stuff. Because generally the people there are supporters of upcoming artists, unless they are 1 themselves.

The hardest thing to do is try to sell music right out the gate though. When I first cut sum records with my boys. We burned about 2,000 discs at our own expense with about 6 or 7 of our hottest songs with a custom dj tag on it saying our contact info b4 and after every song. and pushed them around the city, till we had people hitting the myspace crazy, n calling trying to purchase a full length mixtape/album.

And we ended up building some serious fans/supporters who have bought multiple t-shirts and shit untop of the actual music.

So the real work is building the fanbase, then after that sales arent much of a problem.

<<Just my personal experience.. may or may not work 4 u

good luck
 
yea thats the direction im tryiin to work on now. i dont knwo about your area but in mine its like the only folk that come to the open mics are other artists, the friends/fans of those artists and the vultures!
so many vultures its almost not worth goin. but i just try to ignore them when they come my way. but its really disheartening!
but thats why im also trying to start traveling to ohter cities close enough for me to get there and back before its time to wake up and report for duty!! lol
 
You should venture out of the open mic box and start setting yourself up with your own gigs. Book the fill in artists, but your the night's headliner. Our first ever performance was being booked by someone else, had a bunch of artists in there. The following ones, I just contacted the venue, set up a day, talk about who gets what (door/bar etc). And charge your prices on tickets, setup a booth and start to selling. Its a tad bit more work, but its really easier than it seems bro.
 
See now thats the whole debate with music. Making it definitly is not free. So making money needs to happen but when money becomes a primary influence over the music, it will impact it one way or another. Thats the choice, art or business? IMO you cant do both.

A big problem with conforming to what sells, is EVERYONE and their mother is doing it. So no matter how much you sound like so and so on the radio, there has to be something that stands out. This is where the pinch of art comes in. To me its tragic. I always say, if the music is good, it will sell itself. To many people looking for quick gold by doing what everyone else does. Not worth it to me.
 
I am definitely trying to move toward booking teh venue my self. The last time I checked (a few months ago) the club owners were talking . . $1,000 for the off night. I was just like . . wtf?
 
I would gladly be labelled a sell-out if it meant I could make a living off music. The way I see it, it's a means to an end. Say lightning strikes and I get some contacts through some random beat I cooked while I was bored. That snowballs into a successful urban production house. That gives me more time in the studio to do whatever I want (ie. make music I enjoy)

It's the same mindset I have as a professional photographer taking photos of products, I'd prefer to be making money shooting models and bands, but at the end of the day I'm living off doing what I love.
 
Lt. Bob said:
...But just last night I picked up a new Thursday gig in Orlando and I can already see the drummer, an old black dude, is one of those guys that's bitter about the music scene.
he was griping and complaining all night long about the club, the owners, the audience not seeing our skillz blah blah blah.:rolleyes:
I see it ALL the time. Guys that are bitter and angry about their careers and what has happened to the music biz.
That's stupid ......... if it's not fun what's the point?
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Perhaps because that's his only (or at least best-paying,) marketable skill, and he's gotta make a living, somehow. But what a sucky position to be in, eh?
 
stevieb said:
Perhaps because that's his only (or at least best-paying,) marketable skill, and he's gotta make a living, somehow. But what a sucky position to be in, eh?
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well, I'm in the same situation .......... I'm playing that same gig with him. And I don't complain or even care.
Fact is, it's a shit gig at a high end bar ...... the bass player (it's his band ) is an 84 year old black dude who, you can tell, used to really have the touch. And sometimes I can coax a good performance out of him but other nights he may as well be playing random notes! :)
The piano player is awful ...... can't play shit without reading it ..... and the drummer (who played with the Drifters and Dee Clark and several other of those soul groups back in the day) is really good IF he's not fighting musically with everyone else. It's 50-50 whether he plays where I can have at least ONE other good player on stage or if it'll be a battle of tempos as he refuses to try and fit in with where the poorer players are going.

But I still think a nasty attitude about it is silly and I promise you, I could get a REAL attitude about this gig. :D

So I choose to play at my top level anyway and try to play in ways that lead the others to the next chord and try to force the tempo to where it should be.
It's pretty hard work but I laugh and have fun and get into playing just like any good gig I do.

I love to play and I'm still that 11 year old doing his first gig. I get excited and I make the best of whatever situation I find myself in.
Earning a living playing music these days is tough ..... you can't turn down gigs just because you don't like 'em if you're gonna play as much as I need to. 5-7 nights a week is getting harder to come by. So you gotta take the gig ...... may as well have fun. I just don't follow the concept of choosing to be mad or miserable.
 
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