blog
The Comparative Success Metrics of The "Phenom" and The Working Musician
Archives
171 entries
Back to Latest Entries
Back to Latest Entries
Last night while I was just site surfing checking out the new music being posted here, I came across the well-scripted Profile of Maggie McClure.
I was immediately struck by MM's potential as a Phenom [being defined by me as someone, generally young in chronological years, who rides the rocket-ship to the moon], wrote a quick review about her one uploaded song ["What's It Like"] for streaming here, about someone Twenty Going On Life, and asked many of my Fuzz Friends to listen to her.
Many responded sharing my view that Maggie has a wonderful future in front of her, and the resonating nuance of the uploaded song beyond her years. My review went on to express the hope that the Big Music Machine does not chew this talented musician up.
One very capable and experienced pro, picking up on my concern for the Phenom and the Machine observed that someone assembled a great team for Maggie, and probably a very expensive one at that. But, "she's the right age, with the right skills, hope she resonates in the billions so she can live too, and build a career that lasts. Or, she may be back at fuzz someday singing new tunes with 5 to 10 years of trouble behind, and realism ahead, happy to reassemble her life into something more manageable. But, let's hope she has good people behind her, and pray that she's protected from those things that would chew her up... I see things like this, though her talent is undeniable, her vulnerablity is more undeniable. So, I'll pray for her."
I don't know anything specific about Maggie's "support structure" other than what I read in her Profile. My curiousity lead me to her separate website [which was pretty slick] and then to a fetching youtube video [which I posted for the Fuzz community]. It was the combination of all this that compelled me in the first instance to write the short review that I did: a young artist with lots of promise, lots of vulnerabilty to the Machine.
On further reflection after the aforementioned responses, I thought that MM is an interesting test case as a possible Phenom as contrasted with the archetype of the "long tail" of music generation in its myriad forms [bless her, she has nothing to do with the direction of my more generalized commentary]. The various PMs that I received overnight about MM raise a point that I would like to blog about in public.
The issue of the "Phenom" in contradistinction to the "Working Musician" deserves to be fleshed out a bit. As contrasted with the Phenom, I have defined the Working Musician as someone [or a Band], carrying one or more other jobs/ventures, while pursuing an abiding love for music, just to survive and without the benefit of coteries of paid professionals to help them ride that "rocket to the moon", which I think, in their heart-of-hearts, all artists would like. Why not. It is a ride we all seek at the dangerous and delicious edge of chaos and adventure of the free spirit.
The comparative success metrics for perfoming artists under the current music ecosystem is a lop-sided model of the Phenom [few in number with a high reward/high risk] at the needle-thin top of the pyramid and a large base of Working Musicians facing years of hardship and uncertainty. The problem is in the "needle-thin" pinnacle and the flat and broad base at the bottom. The risk/reward metric is distorted. There are too few at the top and too many at the bottom and not enough in the middle. For both excellence and diversity in music to florish, the Success Metrics should be better calibrated.
Not to take anything away from the Phenoms who will always be with us [and I also pray and hope MM is a Phenom who "rides that elusive rocket"], where the system really needs to change is with respect to the day-in-and-day-out bone grinding operations of the Music Machine for the Working Musician. The Success Metrics for the working musician willing to fight the good fight with "5 to 10 years of trouble" [or in many cases a whole lifetime] are out of whack. What's the solution?
I was immediately struck by MM's potential as a Phenom [being defined by me as someone, generally young in chronological years, who rides the rocket-ship to the moon], wrote a quick review about her one uploaded song ["What's It Like"] for streaming here, about someone Twenty Going On Life, and asked many of my Fuzz Friends to listen to her.
Many responded sharing my view that Maggie has a wonderful future in front of her, and the resonating nuance of the uploaded song beyond her years. My review went on to express the hope that the Big Music Machine does not chew this talented musician up.
One very capable and experienced pro, picking up on my concern for the Phenom and the Machine observed that someone assembled a great team for Maggie, and probably a very expensive one at that. But, "she's the right age, with the right skills, hope she resonates in the billions so she can live too, and build a career that lasts. Or, she may be back at fuzz someday singing new tunes with 5 to 10 years of trouble behind, and realism ahead, happy to reassemble her life into something more manageable. But, let's hope she has good people behind her, and pray that she's protected from those things that would chew her up... I see things like this, though her talent is undeniable, her vulnerablity is more undeniable. So, I'll pray for her."
I don't know anything specific about Maggie's "support structure" other than what I read in her Profile. My curiousity lead me to her separate website [which was pretty slick] and then to a fetching youtube video [which I posted for the Fuzz community]. It was the combination of all this that compelled me in the first instance to write the short review that I did: a young artist with lots of promise, lots of vulnerabilty to the Machine.
On further reflection after the aforementioned responses, I thought that MM is an interesting test case as a possible Phenom as contrasted with the archetype of the "long tail" of music generation in its myriad forms [bless her, she has nothing to do with the direction of my more generalized commentary]. The various PMs that I received overnight about MM raise a point that I would like to blog about in public.
The issue of the "Phenom" in contradistinction to the "Working Musician" deserves to be fleshed out a bit. As contrasted with the Phenom, I have defined the Working Musician as someone [or a Band], carrying one or more other jobs/ventures, while pursuing an abiding love for music, just to survive and without the benefit of coteries of paid professionals to help them ride that "rocket to the moon", which I think, in their heart-of-hearts, all artists would like. Why not. It is a ride we all seek at the dangerous and delicious edge of chaos and adventure of the free spirit.
The comparative success metrics for perfoming artists under the current music ecosystem is a lop-sided model of the Phenom [few in number with a high reward/high risk] at the needle-thin top of the pyramid and a large base of Working Musicians facing years of hardship and uncertainty. The problem is in the "needle-thin" pinnacle and the flat and broad base at the bottom. The risk/reward metric is distorted. There are too few at the top and too many at the bottom and not enough in the middle. For both excellence and diversity in music to florish, the Success Metrics should be better calibrated.
Not to take anything away from the Phenoms who will always be with us [and I also pray and hope MM is a Phenom who "rides that elusive rocket"], where the system really needs to change is with respect to the day-in-and-day-out bone grinding operations of the Music Machine for the Working Musician. The Success Metrics for the working musician willing to fight the good fight with "5 to 10 years of trouble" [or in many cases a whole lifetime] are out of whack. What's the solution?
Comments
But, Phenoms are only phenoms by virtue of the marketing muscle behind them, the $$$. The "rocket to the moon" is owned by the companies that have the $$ to give you the ride, and they don't do it for nothing, and they shouldn't. It's the music/entertainment business. I"ve personally known many potential phenoms throughout my life and career. The problem is the talent is not enough, you have to have the people with the knowledge of the business, and the $$ to make it happen. Most artists even if they are aware of record production, legalities of copyright and publishing law, marketing, team building, songwriting, performance skills, show creation, staging, booking agents, performance venues, hauling gear etc. They either are not interested, or more than likely can't wear that many hats for very long without being completely burned out. So, the lucky Phenom hopefully has a personal and/or business manager at the very least, who for starters creates a buffer so that the artist can work to develop the product. (It is a product if you have the intention to be a true Phenom). You are paying that person for their talent as well, if not upfront you will on the back end of whatever deal they wrangle. Producers cost money, lawyers cost money, marketing people, publicists and radio promotion costs money. Most artists don't ever consider this when they are young. They want the e-ticket ride to the moon, and they don't even know what they're asking for unless they have good people attending to them.
My thought and what I attempt to teach a couple of the young potential phenoms I work with is simply this: Do it yourself. Use the internet in every possible way to exploit (yes that is the correct word) your art. Perform as often as you possibly can, perform your music, even if you get paid very little. Pay your musicians and write it off as an expense on your taxes. Work on the up and up, account for your money accurately, because it's a good exercise in awareness if you should ever get signed, you'll want to understand what you're signing and what the math means.
Think about what you're selling, create an image you can live with, not an image you have to live down. Create a revenue stream so you can support yourself, and choose your team carefully.
I have them read the books, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and "The Tipping Point" at the very least. I try to encourage them to develop the nature of the "connector, maven, and salesman" and find those qualities in the members of their team.
I encourage them to stay independent until they have enough of a revenue stream that they don't need a deal, then they have the potential for the win/win in negotiation. Prior to that it's always a they win you lose scenario, unless you are the truly lucky phenom who hits in the "Platinum" sales realm, and develops staying power. The problem for the "signer" is you are signing away the only thing of lasting value, the ownership of your copyright and publishing, and that is where the real income opportunities are in the long run. That is the pay-off the Major label wants, all that promotion and marketing and you travelling the world "riding your rocket" makes them a bunch of money while you recoup at 6 to 12% if you're not cross-collateralized. Good Luck, and happy riding. When you go away they still own what you did for them, and will continue to cash in on it for as long as possible while you work at McBurgerDeath.
The working musician learns to make enough money to have a decent living, and hopefully gets to stay connected to themselves as an artist. Keeping ownership of publishing and hopefully taking advantage of the "long tail" of the internet distribution if not in their own lifetime, for their heirs in the 70 years after. Sometimes a "Phenom" who needs "seasoned" musicianship hires these folks because they deliver the goods, in a finely honed crafty manner, that makes the phenom feel good, sound better, and make money. Take a look at John Mayers current touring band and you'll see the types of working veterans I'm talking about. You also see them backing up younger country phenoms too. Many times what you don't see is the "well seasoned pro" who is helping to produce, mix, master, and perform on the young phenoms record releases.
More to come, as the CapitalClinic inadvertantly yanks my blog chain.
Love Permeates Everything, Get Some.
Cousinotes