sucks

[vermeer]

You know, in every business you have people who are willing to deal with the "corporate bullshit". They are usually the leaders and the top earners. Then, there are those who just want to com in, do their work and punch out. Nothing wrong with that, but don't expect to do great. Somebody *will* have to go out there and earn the bacon and you've just decided it wasn't going to be you.You can't have it both ways. I don't think Taxi misrepresents anything. If I were a record company, I would not put money in a band that doesn't tour or promote itself. And I would kick anyone who thinks that my job is "corporate bullshit". Yeah, I'm crazy that way Vermeer

[anne]

Quote:My turn to suckIf you want to be a rock star, then you haven't put your "life on hold" because touring IS your life. No matter what profession you choose, you will do the things that those in that profession do.When the listings mention "touring" they are really only saying "play out enough to sell records"I'm taking a big chance at having my name next to sucks since I just posted a song for some feedback. If it bombs, this thread will be ringing true1Yod said exactly what I took away from one of the Taxi events at the rally last year.Its a way of proving yourself and honing your performances, seeing if you can hang tough and still put on a hell of a good show even when your in a playing situation that may suck or to see if you can do your thing in front of a packed house without choking. Either way, they want you to be able to play and perform and sell CDs. It also shows willingness to push yourself out of your comfort zone (i.e. playing in new or different types of venues or even traveling.) Naomin summed it up well too - if your a performer, you ARE living your life when your out playing, not putting it on hold. Even when I started out as a tech doing sound and lighting, people would ask where I'd been mixing to see if I was serious about developing my career or if I was just a poser (it was the 80s and every groupie thought he/she could be a lighting or sound tech...)Its no different - you hone your craft by getting out there and actually doing it, rather than by sitting home just playing at the "right" type of venue. (But you have to also sell cds on top of playing for the labels to like you).Ok, someone else's turn to suck!

[squidlips]

Look, WW, I did what you're talking about.....spent 10 loooong years on the road doing rock and later, whatever else sold. AND I was a girl in the days when Madonna was jes starting and every dang agent in the midwest was more interested in me dressing like her than in what I could do with my voice (sigh). I already had the big hair. If it wasn't for Bonnie Raitt and Pat Benatar and Heart to keep my voice interested in what it was doing, I probably woulda killed myself, since the guys I worked with didn't write originals, didn't have a lot of respect for women writers and at the time, only copy music sold out the clubs.It's a bit like this.......the listers have already fought, crawled, climbed, assasinated their way to whereever they are, to where they can list. They're looking for bands who can do the work without the listers having to do more work. This is the nature of capitalism. Get others to work for you, not work harder yourself. So selling units via shows (along with other merch) and keeping track of your fans via email sign-ups, etc, show them that you're willing to be farmed out by them until you drop. Welcome to the label world!! Rock is notably the most physically demanding of all the musical fields. It's big work and you really do hafta gig. You already know this. On the other hand, you can write really great rock music and shop it to film/tv and not hafta leave the comfort of your studio! Or you could combo. Not bad options, really. Since you're getting tired of the illusion of good rock (I feel your pain, hon) and you want to get the good stuff out there and you're now starting out again solo, why not try both? I don't think you necessarily hafta hit the road for weeks on end but you can certainly make a name for yourself regionally on the weekends if your band has the chops.This is jes me, though. My name is Hope and I guess I suck now too. A perfect ending to a perfect day!

[anne]

Quote:Look, WW, I did what you're talking about.....spent 10 loooong years on the road doing rock and later, whatever else sold. AND I was a girl in the days when Madonna was jes starting and every dang agent in the midwest was more interested in me dressing like her than in what I could do with my voice (sigh). I already had the big hair. If it wasn't for Bonnie Raitt and Pat Benatar and Heart to keep my voice interested in what it was doing, I probably woulda killed myself, since the guys I worked with didn't write originals, didn't have a lot of respect for women writers and at the time, only copy music sold out the clubs.Hey Squidlips - we have parallel lives in this!If it weren't for Pat B., Heart, Joan Jett, Bonnie Riatt etc I'd have never had 1/2 the encouragement I needed to keep going. That was not an easy time to be a female rocker, especially if you didn't have the "look" at the time.

[squidlips]

Yeah, and you played every single instrument in the band as well as they did. Boy were we doomed or what?

[geo]

I'm just posting here so I can see "geo sucks" on the boards geo.Oh and young apprentice, you gotta do it, hit the road, you're only other shot is to have songs so good they make an exception, but that's a long shot.