The Pain Of Trying To Make It In The Music Business
Yesterday I was waiting for a bus to go to Newport Beach. It was running late and I ended up in a conversation with a man in his mid-20's. He was carrying a guitar case.
I asked about the guitar. He said he was in a band and heading for a rehearsal. They have a gig at a small club this weekend.
He's been in this band for three years. They love the music but can't make a living doing that. Not even close. He''s not giving up but he's not quitting his day job.
Mortgages and bills end a lot of dreams.
Earlier this week I saw a great guitarist. He did some incredible solos. He could do all the guitar tricks. He played with one hand, played behind his back, played with his teeth. It was like he was channeling Jimi Hendrix.
He was a street musician playing at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.
In Chicago, if you look at The Reader, you'll find an entire section devoted to music. You'll see hundreds of bands you never heard of playing at small venues you didn't know existed. These guys can't be in it for the money.
Let's say you're one of the lucky ones and you get a record deal. Even then you're going to struggle. Consumers aren't buying music like they did in the good old days.
There are so many options for listening to music for free that there is no need to buy a CD. Plus the royalties are now so low that it's almost impossible to make any money on record sales.
The big money in music is now in live performances. That's why you see the superstar acts like Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac and Bob Seger doing major tours in huge arenas and ballparks.
Does this help the newcomer....absolutely not. For every huge rock star there are thousands more chasing the dream. You're much more likely to see them working at Starbucks than at the United Center.
So the next time you're at a train station or a mall, and see someone playing a violin, a guitar or whatever...if you like them, toss a buck or two into their tip jar.
You'll be supporting your local musicians. They may be in it for the love, but love doesn't pay the rent.
If you liked this piece check out this one about The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. You can also click on the Beatles or Music to find more stories in this genre.
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