I am going to reveal some trade secrets.
To those of you who know how to do this already, you are going to say “Well duh” because it works the same in industry, the blogosphere, etc. For other musicians out there struggling, hopefully some lights will go off and this will save you some frustration. Please read my previous posts on good manners before proceeding, as you will be sniffed out as a rat if your intentions are not pure. The following technique will also require a time commitment on your part, so while it may get you to where you want to be more quickly, I can offer you no shortcuts to success.
I moved to Portland in 1996 with big dreams of taking the band I was in at the time to the city and making it big. Countless others were doing the same thing. This was on the tail end of the grunge years, and record industry scouts were signing bands left and right. Portland was supposed to be “the next big thing”. Hazel, Heatmiser, Elliott Smith, Quasi, Pond and others were getting lots of attention.
Problem 1: Incomplete Roster
Our first problem was that only 4 out of 6 band members moved to Portland, and one homesick member left a few months later to return to Idaho. So that wiped out half of our roster.
Problem 2: No Focused Vision
The Idaho incarnation of the band had a folk flavor that featured three-part harmony. With only half the band in Portland, no rhythm section, and one of the singers gone, we had lost our sound. We also were tired of those songs, and wanted to try something different, but we didn’t know what that was. It’s hard to sell your idea to new members when you don’t know what it is you are trying to do.
Problem 3: We Didn’t Know Anyone
We had no family or friends here and had only been to Portland a few times. The only musical connection I had was a CD I had gotten while I was in Idaho by the Portland band called The Orange Astronauts. They had a song that said, “I’m going down to The Space Room – I’ve got to find my space.” I eventually found out about the deadly Bloody Marys at The Space Room, but I never found the Orange Astronauts. I eventually lost the CD. If anyone knows where these guys are, please let me know, I would like to meet them.
Problem 4: We Didn’t Do Our Homework
It took awhile to learn where the cool clubs were and who the good bands were. We didn’t know which part of town to live in and struggled to find jobs. The Internet solves most of these problems for young whipper snappers today, but this was 1996. A few trips over to Portland to check things out sure would have helped. A few copies of the Willamette Week would have helped.
Problem 5: We Were Shy
This may make your artsy-fartsy music more introspective and deep, but it will hurt you if you are too terrified to reach out to other musicians.
Problem 6: Lousy Networking Skills
We needed a drummer and did the worst thing you can do: we hung flyers and posted ads. Good drummers are in demand, and they won’t reply to unknown bands with no direction or reputation. We were so stupid that we hung a flyer on the door of our apartment stating that we were musicians in search of _______. Someone read the flyer, but it wasn’t a drummer. A few weeks later, we were robbed of most of our valuables, including our musical instruments. Welcome to the big city.
Problem 7: Wasted Time
Trust your gut instinct and immediately reject flaky losers. Do not give them the benefit of the doubt. Do not think that their style will adapt to yours and that they will eventually see the light and have good taste and play appropriately. If it is not working out, call it a day. Likewise, you need to recognize when stylistic differences are too great to proceed. We had one guy jam with us who played the first 4 songs perfectly. Our jaws hit the floor because we thought we had just scored. Then he stopped playing and said, “I can’t do this. You guys are good, and I really appreciate that you called me, but this music is not my style. It’s just not for me.” Then he immediately packed up his stuff and left. We were offended and perplexed. He was absolutely correct though. He was a jazz guy and even though he could play circles around our tunes, he hated the music. Looking back, we had totally misled him on the phone when we started talking about bands that we *liked* but that we in fact sounded nothing like.
OK, so those were some of the problems. There are others, but I want to get to the trade secrets.
It’s very simple really:
Secret 1: Get Over Your Shyness
Otherwise you are going to be sitting alone at home watching TV and hating your life.
Secret 2: Swallow Your Pride
You are going to make mistakes and fall down. You are going to get rejected and have your heart broken. Some people will hate what you have to offer and will snub you. The hero gets back up and perseveres until she/he gets it right.
Secret 3: Network
Go to shows, meet people.
Secret 4: Hang Out
Drink beers with musicians at the bar. Buy the band a round after they have packed up their stuff and have sat down to watch the next band. Shoot the breeze, ask them about a song that you liked that they played. A few months down the road, you may invite them over so you can listen to records together. As the night wears on, someone will eventually break out a guitar, and a little music will start. This is a non-threatening way to see if you can make music together. Trust your gut.
Secret 5: Join or Form a Tribe
A very special house used to exist behind the Safeway on Hawthorne. For years, a very loving, talented musician named Jarvis Trementosy (Bohemian Onslaught, Digital Knife, The Golden Greats) used to host regular jam sessions over there. Eventually I got invited to hang out over there. I cannot tell you how many bands have formed and reformed from that initial batch of musicians. Someone else can help me out here, but I would conservatively estimate a dozen bands. We all owe Jarvis a huge debt of gratitude. He plays trumpet now for The Golden Greats. I remember the first month that he got the trumpet. I get nostalgic thinking about those great jam sessions. Some of them sucked. Some of them were magic. All of them were fun. There was always lots of beer drinking, laughter, and camaraderie.
Secret 6: Time It Correctly
Just because you’ve identified Player X as your dream band member, the timing may not be right for him or her. The good ones are always in multiple projects already. You may have to wait your turn.
Secret 7: Focus
Know what you want to do before you approach the player. Have a vision. You can’t swim the whole ocean, you over-eager fool.
Secret 8: Start a Side Project
Pitch it as a recording session or a side project. Tell that person that you want them to play on a track that you are recording. If the track works out and everyone has fun, you might be able to talk them into doing a one-off show. If that one goes well, you might do a couple more shows. It’s the same thing with dating: you don’t ask a girl to marry you the first time you take her to a movie. Take your time, and don’t come across as needy, overly eager, or too ambitious. Side projects that don’t have the burden of a weekly practice and all the other grind that comes along with it are often a lot more easy to get going than a full blown project where you are asking them to commit. They might see it as a welcome relief where they get to relax and goof around a bit. Side projects also give people a graceful way to duck in and out as things get busier with their main band.
Secret 9: Play Multiple Instruments
Take the time to learn to play more than one instrument, and then be patient. Practice the second instrument at jam sessions so people can judge for themselves if you still suck or if you are improving. You might love a band and wish that you could be in it. Then one day their keyboard player quits and you offer to fill in for awhile while they look around. If they like you, they will keep you. So instead of you being jealous that you are not in the band, all of a sudden they are trying to entice you to stay in the project. How’s that for a reversal of fortunes? Good times. It works both ways. You might be surprised how many people can play more than one instrument. Make sure to ask people this question.
Secret 10: Make Lasting Friendships
You are building a lifelong network of friends. Don’t forget about that. If you are doing it right, you end up with a de facto musical guild. All those years when you were on the outside; you wake up one day and everywhere you look you see friends. That’s when you know you have arrived and are on the inside. If you stick around town, you are going to love these guys for the rest of your life. Avoid bitter band break ups if something doesn’t work out. A little time and you will be back with another shuffled up handful of them doing something else when the opportunity arises.
I can honestly say that with my new band, I am honored to be playing with some of the most talented people I know, and also some of the nicest people that I know. We have a blast together. I get to hang out with my friends doing something that we love doing. It’s the same thing with whatever hobbies that you have. You can’t ask for anything more than that.
{ 2 comments }
Your Orange Astronaut CD will be replaced. How can you be contacted?
Hi PS,
Fantastic! I just sent you an email. Please let me know if you didn’t get it.
Cheers,
Motor
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