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Post by obrienp on Jan 21, 2019 13:41:58 GMT
Interesting reading the comments and the voice of experience from Michael. Without the benefit of experience as a professional musician, it strikes me that being a blues musician and especially an acoustic one, is unlikely to bring fame and fortune in this day and age. There are obviously exceptions: Joe Bonamassa, Seasick Steve, Eric Bibb, etc, (leaving out the likes of EC because he got his fame in a different age) who I believe are making a reasonable living from it but there aren’t many additional slots available in the public consciousness.
I am always delighted when I discover new young musicians trying to make their way as blues artists but they really need to have their eyes wide open. If they want to get rich and famous, perhaps they should be going down the R&B route, or following the likes of Ed Sheerhan as a singer/song writer (although how long will the current trend last). I guess it is still going to be a really hard journey but they would be playing music with mass appeal, hence more money and possibly a greater chance of making it. If they chose blues/Americana, then it has got to be for love of the music and they have to accept that their rewards are most likely to come from doing what they love, rather than cash in the bank.
Probably talking out of my backside but I remember having a chat with the photographer at a wedding. He had given up a well paid office job to set up as a self-employed photographer. I asked him if he had any regrets and his reply has stuck in my mind: “never turn your hobby into a living; the enjoyment
goes out of it.”
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Post by creolian on Jan 21, 2019 16:07:42 GMT
I remember it was a rude awakening when I discoverd that the "entertainment business" doesn't care anything about music as art. With stars in my eyes I didn't realize that art for arts sake is generally not a glamorous or lucrative proposal without a generous amount of glitter.,.. question is, Do you want to be a musician or do you want to see your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone... with anything it takes some luck, but to be a successful working muscian it takes 99% hard work and a willingness to endure a lot of disappointment.
Ive known more than a few great muscians destined to live in obscurity. It always hurts to run into them and hear they are busy... hanging Sheetrock.
If you're not willing to become an "act" you might as well aspire to a teaching or a songwriting career. I wont speculate on what kind of walls the guy ran into other than to say... if he's anything like me, he's his own worst enemy.
Painful to read about, He will always be a good muscian... I suppose the "entertainer" part is yet to be determined...
.o2
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Post by slide496 on Jan 21, 2019 19:15:29 GMT
Probably talking out of my backside but I remember having a chat with the photographer at a wedding. He had given up a well paid office job to set up as a self-employed photographer. I asked him if he had any regrets and his reply has stuck in my mind: “never turn your hobby into a living; the enjoyment goes out of it.” I agree with that. I was a commercial illustrator by trade and worked by commission so there were similarities between that and an independent musician's tasks during the time when I made a living at it, These days the illustration market is dead. There were challenges and enjoyments for me being a commercial illustrator but it always included the client taste and following trends, finding clients, paperwork, sometimes collecting pay, legal fees, contracts, deadlines. As a musical hobbyist at retirement, I doubt I would even be considered to take on a performing musicians challenge. In some ways though to be excluded and confined to hobbyist, student status in the musical area is a blessing and a protective mantle that I wear happily - especially when I see musicians forced to adapt to the trend for economic reasons. Lawd lawdy, Harriet |
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 21, 2019 21:03:27 GMT
I don't think I differentiate between the two, music is my hobby and my career. It has been for most of my life. I used to think that the guitar research and collecting was a hobby, but that too is now a part of my career. I guess that took its first change when I started writing reviews and articles about guitars for glossy magazines, which was 25 years ago. What I do try and keep in my mind is that playing music is not a job and will never be a job. The 'job' bit of what I do is the travelling and the admin' side of things. I try to think of it as being paid to travel to a venue and be there at a certain time, but the actual time spent playing music is pure pleasure, not work. I think the hobby bit of it is still alive in me, or is it an obsession and a vocation, and not a hobby. Hmmmm?
Shine On
Michael
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Post by Stevie on Jan 22, 2019 10:09:38 GMT
Harriet, from what little I've seen, I would pay to see you perform your pieces live quite willingly because singing and playing from the heart has no need of the flimsy façade necessary to make a splash these days. The experience of live music is the frisson we look forward to. We have to accept that getting together sufficient afficionados in one venue is the key because dispersed as our collective number is, we remain a niche genre in today's world. Clearly I could not get to N.Y. and you'd find it economically unviable to play in a little club local to me too. There's plenty of us folk out there but maybe too far away or whatever? One day Harriet!
e&oe...
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Post by Pickers Ditch on Jan 30, 2019 13:45:39 GMT
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 30, 2019 15:12:14 GMT
Now this subject really could get me ranting. Maybe if we get snowed in I'll have time to go off on one about this subject!!!
Shine On
Michael
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Post by Pickers Ditch on Jan 30, 2019 15:25:01 GMT
Still totally off topic, but those with a very open mind, strong constitution and who do not take offence at religous parody / satire should try reading 'The Second Coming' by John Niven, too.
Synopsis:
GOD'S COMING - LOOK BUSY!'
God really is coming, and he is going to be pissed. Having left his son in charge, God treated himself to a well-earned break around the height of the Renaissance. A good time to go fishing. He returns in 2011 to find things on Earth haven't gone quite to plan...
The world has been rendered a human toilet: genocide; starvation; people obsessed with vacuous celebrity culture, 'and', God points out, 'there are f**k**g Christians everywhere'. God hates Christians. There's only one thing for it. They're sending the kid back.
JC, reborn, is a struggling musician in New York City, helping people as best he can and trying to teach the one true commandment: Be Nice! Gathering disciples along the way - a motley collection of basket cases, stoners and alcoholics - he realises his best chance to win hearts and minds may lie in a TV talent contest. American Pop Star is the number one show in America, the unholy creation of English record executive Steven Stelfox...a man who's more than a match for the Son of God.
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Post by Stevie on Jan 30, 2019 17:24:56 GMT
Ho ho! The trouble is "nice" is subjective. The ONLY commandment anyone should even need to consider if so disposed is "do unto others as you would have done unto yourself", not as it is nowadays "...before they do unto you." If you think it through, that covers all the other so-called commandments, and it should be noted transcends religion, and as such gives the swerve to becoming bogged down in religious debate which sadly never ends well...
Also I get to use the word bog on this fine forum, although what this has to do with Charlie Hicks escapes me!
e&oe...
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Post by jono1uk on Feb 11, 2019 21:10:13 GMT
he has now had it delivered...
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Post by leeophonic on Feb 11, 2019 22:20:09 GMT
very good demo/promo for the mule, Charley is a talented player and if that does not sell a few guitars then nothing will, the electric tone is impressive, I too have a hiscox pro case in Ivory, that's the end of my similarities unfortunately!!!
Regards
Lee
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Post by pascal on Feb 12, 2019 17:16:57 GMT
 She is right, but being working at theatre, music and television industry for almost 45 years, there is no distinction to me (or minor arts if you prefer). Music is not the "pinnacle" (top) of any other art , and making your career path not more easy in any way. |
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