CREATE YOUR OWN DESTINY BY BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT YOUR CAREER
In his book Wild Thing, Ian Copeland, founder of Frontier
Booking International (FBI) and talent agent to The Police, Sting, and No Doubt,
says, "Doors were usually closed to newcomers in the industry. We decided to stop
beating on them and create new ones."
It's not enough to simply give
someone a business card or demo tape and then sit back and expect to gain employment
or procure a record or publishing deal. No one's going to hand you success on
a silver platter. You need to take more control of your career and create your
own destiny. Whether you're an individual musician, a songwriter, a solo artist
or a member of a band, attract the attention of those who can help you by helping
yourself first.
Musicians
If you're a musician who
wants to be known as a great player rather than simply as a member of a band and
you want to perform with successful artists and play on lots of recordings, then
get out there and be heard! Don't wait for the phone to ring. Try starting your
own band first. You'll have the opportunity to showcase your individual style
letting people know what you do best and most comfortably. Attend local jam sessions
to find other musicians whose personalities and abilities you admire and then
perform together everywhere you can. Eventually, more successful musicians and
bands will begin to notice you, and may even ask you to play on their records
or tours. Get to know the producers and managers of these acts. Your reputation
and opportunities can build from there. For instance, when Guns N' Roses was looking
for a replacement drummer, GNR's guitarist Slash happened to attend a concert
at which drummer Matt Sorum was performing. Slash liked Sorum's heavy/solid style,
and without auditioning thousands of candidates, Slash offered Sorum the gig.
Sorum worked hard at putting himself in situations where he could shine. As a
result, he got a great job. At the time, Guns N' Roses was one of the greatest
rock bands in the world.
Songwriters
If you're a songwriter
(not a artist/performer), who wants to get a publishing deal and get your music
placed with successful artists and in television commercials and films, you can
start off by contacting some of the more popular bands in your area yourself and
see if they'd be interested in performing one of your songs or co-writing one
with you. If the group ends up getting a record deal, bingo, you're in business!
Some writers even go so far as to develop their own artists, writing songs for
them to perform, and then producing them and helping them get signed to a recording
contract. It's a long-term approach, but you have to start somewhere. You can
also try contacting the film departments at local colleges to make your music
available for student films. The film may go on to win an award, or that student
may even go on to become a successful director one day and you'll be one of the
first people he or she calls. Try contacting some of your local radio stations
to see if they're interested in using your material for their advertising spots.
Start with the smaller radio stations and work your way up from there. Also try
contacting a few of the many "music libraries" that exist (organizations who help
place songs in video games, corporate video presentations, phone music on-hold,
elevators, etc.) such as www.mastersource.com,
and see if they'd be interested in using your material. Another viable option
to further your career can be to try services such as Taxi (www.taxi.com)
and Tonos (www.tonos.com), who generally serve
as screeners to industry professionals who are looking for material. Also Keep
your eyes open for the number of songwriter's workshops and competitions offered
by the performing rights societies (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC) as a way to gain exposure,
earn a few bucks, and also improve your songwriting skills. Check out www.ascap.com,
www.bmi.com, and www.sesac.com.
Other organizations to check out include the Songwriter's Guild of America at
www.songwriters.org, Association of Independent
Music Publishers (AIMP) at www.aimp.org, and
Society of Composers & Lyricists at www.filmscore.org.
The opportunities to take charge of your career are endless. For over 8000 more
places to promote your music, try checking out the Indie Bible, now in its fourth
edition, at www.indiebible.com.
Solo Artists and Bands
If you're a solo artist or part of a band
that wants to get a record deal, cut your own record first! Digital technology
has greatly reduced studio costs and has made home recording equipment more practical
to own. CD manufacturing has also become more affordable. You can sell your CDs
at live performances or over the Internet (the Internet provides a number of marketing
opportunities through online stores and MP3 sites). Create a buzz! Build a following.
You'll be surprised at how many people in the industry you'll attract once you
set the wheels in motion. Everybody likes a winner and will want to be part of
your success by associating themselves with you. Singer/songwriter Ani DeFranco
was actually able to by-pass the record companies altogether by starting her own
label out of her parent's garage. She was only twenty years old when Righteous
Babe Records began. At the time of this writing, sales of her albums are known
to reach up to 30,000 copies per month. This brings the old saying to mind," You
ever notice how fast firewood burns when you cut and then chop it yourself?" Though
DeFranco is a rare example, it shows what you can accomplish when you take the
initiative. In yet another example, both Guns N' Roses and Motley Crüe were selling
out Los Angeles clubs before Geffen Records A&R man Tom Zutaut "discovered" and
then signed the bands. There we're literally lines around the block to see the
band's performances. As Zutaut says, "YOU DON'T NEED EARS TO BE A TALENT SCOUT;
YOU NEED EYES."