SONGWRITERS- Has Anyone here actually "made it".. or even got close?

FMM ... lemme give ya something that might make ya wanna hang on a little tighter to that dream...

True story:

I live in Windsor On. And hang out with a few of the "old timers" who've all at one time or another decided to bail out on the dream... (myself included - but thanks to reading stuff here I'm feeling the tingle again... thanks all!)

Anyhow... I'm sure you remember Kim Mitchell and their hit song "Might As Well Go For A Soda"? Well, I know the bass player that started out with that band. They used to play this area (Detroit / Windsor) before they went big. "Might As Well Go For A Soda" was the most requested song... everyone in the bar(s) loved it and they'd end up playing it 2-3 times a night. Well, Bob (The bass player) used to tell me (during their breaks) "I hate that song... I'm so sick of hearing / playing it... " etc... etc... "It'll naver make it... it's crap..." get the picture?

He left the band and about 2 months later they got a record deal... Now Bob works as a night manager/doorman at a local strip club...

... so... don't let go of those dreams (Unless ya like staring at naked women all the time...) ... ok... maybe not the WORST fate a man could have, but the pay suck... :)

- Tanlith -
 
maybe the people who haven't "made it" in here just don't have the magic

As an artist, I'm all about a strong hook and great guitar work......a great jam with great strong hooky songs. I'm really picky about that, but ya know, even most of the stuff I hear on alternative radio lacks strong hook and often I hear pieces of music put together that just don't fit together well,.....it lacks that magical catchy flow, like in songs such as Ramblin Man or Down on the Corner......the music today lacks that classic vibe and is hookless. I think some of the people in this room had lacked that magic in their music and that's why they've never made it or maybe didn't have the wisdom on how to market themsleves.
I'm still in this fight to be heard becasue I know I have the magic and alot of it in my songs, so if you are an artist and you know you have the magic, don't listen to the people in this thread because if they had the magic or had the wisdom to get the magic out there, they would not be in this room spreading hopelessness and despair.
My advice is, take it slow and for the long haul and keep chipping away. Keep gettin out there and playing your stuff. If you have the magic, you're gonna break thru. If you don't have the magic or "annointing" is what I like to call it, then get out as fast as you can and do something else with your life.
You don't belong in this.
 
How does one know when he has been blessed with such "magic" oh mighty one? Does one receive a wand of some sort? Perhaps you could just use your wand and perform your magic on some record exec. I would think it would take up less of your valuable time to do it that way. Or maybe you prefer not to "cheat".



bd
 
Has anyone who's posted in the clinic actually gone on and gotten anywhere with the song(if so.. why aren't you sharing secrets)?

I think people who have actually "made-it" don't spend a lot of time on places like this. I could be wrong but if they do post here, i dont think ive seen it.

In general I would say, there are no short easy answers. There is no sure path for success in the music business. My guess is that the road to success is as much forged by luck as it is by hard work and of course marketable talent. The odds of making it big in music are a bit like winning the lottery.

Think of the 100,000's, perhaps millions, of musicians all out there hustling to various degrees trying to achieve the same goal: the goal of becoming famous and making a lot of money writing and/or performing music. So.... its really up to you.. Can you go out there and be clever and lucky enough to make it all the way?

I dont know about all this magic stuff an earlier poster talked about, but I will say that life is what you make it and there are no guarentee's.

-Alex
 
magic, but not without wisdom

here is an article that really can help some of you

http://www.musicbizacademy.com/comment/klovegreed.htm

I never even considered much of what you guys were talking about ,"making it big", I wasn't reffering to that mind set.
I was referring to simply making a living with your music and if you have the magic in your music, you can hold a big enough fan base to make a living at your artistry, but have to have the marketing wisdom with it.
If you guys have the "making it big" mind set, I'de say stick to your hopelessness and despair, casue that's the reality of that mind set, but if you simple want to make a living and pay the bills with your "magic" or "annoining", it is very feasable to do it. Read that article
 
man...

what that article talks about is not news... everyone who has really dedicated some portion of their life to music knows this stuff.

what gets me about you is your arrogance.

who are you tell anyone anything with such authority:

And I quote:

"If you don't have the magic or "annointing" is what I like to call it, then get out as fast as you can and do something else with your life.
You don't belong in this."

good to luck to you with your magic.. and for that matter with your cancer curing coral calcium.

-alex
 
Alex,

You obviously didn't notice that his highness has the prestigeous "Nashville" address.

We should be graciously accepting his flogging.....we're simply not worthy.



bd
 
Everyone has a different idea of what success is and weatherbill feels making a living works for him. I have many friends who play on the weekends in part time bands and are quite happy just doing that.
Just because he is from Nashville does not change anything. If anything being from Nashville can be a problem. many guys work for tips alone and there are so many players that its hard for many to get good session paying gigs. Alot of guys are playing for free just to get in the door. Everyone is either a player or a songwriter in that city.
 
OR A SNAKE!!
Sorry, can't help my attitude. Weatherbill comes across as condescending at best and frankly quite immature.

There are some of us here that have been down the long road and don't really need to hear some snot nose tell us you gotta have magic........bullshit!


bd
 
"I never even considered much of what you guys were talking about ,"making it big", I wasn't reffering to that mind set.
I was referring to simply making a living with your music and if you have the magic in your music, you can hold a big enough fan base to make a living at your artistry, but have to have the marketing wisdom with it.
If you guys have the "making it big" mind set, I'de say stick to your hopelessness and despair, casue that's the reality of that mind set, but if you simple want to make a living and pay the bills with your "magic" or "annoining", it is very feasable to do it."



Sure, you can "make a living" playing every gig you're offered. Motel Lounges, parties, dives, weddings :eek: , or I suppose if one had "magic", one could make a living selling Magic CD's.
Go down to the bank and try to get a mortgage; don't forget to tell them that you're a "professional musician". Bank managers love musicians! After that, take your kid to the County hospital and get in line with the other indigents. Spend every waking hour surrounded by drunks, posers and mob guys. The magic quickly wears off.

This thread was about The Brass Ring, not doing four sets a night at the Holiday Inn Lounge. Most of the pros I know do it because they simply have no other skills. They've never done anything else, and would be totally lost in the straight world.

As for The Brass Ring, all I will say is - get a good lawyer.


Bob
 
I wrote a hit country song called "What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am." It was recorded by Lee Roy Parnell. I went to Nashville, made appointments with publishers and played them songs. I finally found a few that I liked and that liked me. It ended up being one guy that was the most positive. I kept writing, making trips down from Detroit, and tried hard to write well. This went on for four years--no money, no advance, no nada. Finally, the song got pitched and cut and became a country smash. THEN, they signed me to a writing deal!

Publishers are, in my opinion, the best people to promote your songs because they keep on top of what the music community wants and needs. I don't know a thing about TAXI. It might be great or suck. I don't have a clue.

The thing is, once you start going to publishers, you start to meet artists, producers, musicians and other songwriters as well as label people. You get a foot in the door and can begin to develop relationships on the "inside". Its like going to a new school. First, you don't know anybody, but in time your circle of friends grows. If you are an excellent writer, people will catch on to you.

The thing is--you gotta go in person. With TAXI, you are making no personal committment and you aren't developing any relationships with business pros. Most people that do well posess no special luck--they are just persistent. The one's who sticks around the longest win.
 
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alexspetty said:
Has anyone who's posted in the clinic actually gone on and gotten anywhere with the song(if so.. why aren't you sharing secrets)?

I think people who have actually "made-it" don't spend a lot of time on places like this. I could be wrong but if they do post here, i dont think ive seen it.
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I strongly believe that THIS is the most logical reason why we never hear about people making it big here! To be quite honest if I woke up tomorrow to a phone call asking me to come to Nashville (or where-ever) it's not likely I'd have time for surfing and posting... I'd be too busy with all the new stuffff going on all around me... the word "overwhelmed" comes to mind.

So if I suddenly stop posting and disappear than I made it big...

... that, or I found someone REAL cute to get naked with on a regular basis... :D :D :D

And Crawdad... I know that song too dude! Keep em rolling!!!

I always have trouble writing lyrics... :P *sigh* I miss Lance! (RL Best friend ... moved away... he could make up a song in like 10 min and everyone'd be tapping toes and joining in the chorus --- or trying to ;) )

Anyhow...

- Tanlith -
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tanlith said:
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alexspetty said:
Has anyone who's posted in the clinic actually gone on and gotten anywhere with the song(if so.. why aren't you sharing secrets)?

ok.. so now i have seen one person here who has "made it".. i dont mind eating my words...

can some more of you successful musicians please crawl out of the woodwork and make yourselves known!! :)

-alex
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crawdad said:
IPublishers are, in my opinion, the best people to promote your songs because they keep on top of what the music community wants and needs...

...The thing is, once you start going to publishers, you start to meet artists, producers, musicians and other songwriters as well as label people. You get a foot in the door and can begin to develop relationships on the "inside". Its like going to a new school. First, you don't know anybody, but in time your circle of friends grows...
Click to expand...

OK!! We're getting closer! Now, how does one go about getting hooked up with a publisher:confused:

Good stuff Crawdad, and Props for the fact that you got that tune up and running! Totally impressed here. Now feed me some more brain food:D
 
Some times you just have to get off the main road, take a few dirt roads just to see where they lead you. Try not to rely too heavily on hand drawn road maps. I'm sure crawdad could probably write a book about it.



bd
 
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