sucks

[wattywatts]

OK, so heres what I want to bitch about concerning the taxi listings.Before i joined up I read some crap about how the best way to make it was to hit the road and gig till you got somewhere, and I was thinking, "yeah, but who can put their life on hold to do that?", which was convenient, because that was the just of the next sentence. So theres where TAXI comes is right, they bring the industry to you and all that. Well, yes they do, and it's great, but heres my little rant:Almost all the rock artist listings ask for groups who have extensive fan bases or have toured. Thats it. Get it? I don't know, maybe that only sounds idiotic to me, but I've said my peace.toodles

[davewalton]

Quote:Before i joined up I read some crap about how the best way to make it was to hit the road and gig till you got somewhereIf you translate that statement into something more generic like "the best way to make it is through hard work and persistence" it makes more sense (to me anyway). Quote:heres my little rant:Almost all the rock artist listings ask for groups who have extensive fan bases or have toured.If a group has no fan base and hasn't tried or can't get a regular touring schedule anywhere, what is there to work with?

[jchitty]

This topic header 'sucks.' Coz when you're the last person to post and it shows the last updated topic in the listings section, it will say something like "jchitty (in) sucks." And that little 'in' isn't so noticible. So everyone who posts here 'sucks.' I notice the weird things.

[jchitty]

Quote:as jchitty noticed about herself,steve a gilbert SUCKS,until the next post here anywaySteve, I am sacrificing myself here by posting last again so that you don't have to 'suck' anymore. Don't say I never did anything for ya.

[arkjack]

Sorry I was away while this thread got started.... Cause' it makes me want to change my screen name to ArkJack Really........ Anyway WW.... I have this piece of input to offer because on another thread I think I gave some ideas about things to do..... This weekend I attended Gerald Veasley's Bass Bootcamp.... a three day intensive bass and music workshop.... I had private lessons, workshops, and master classes with the some of best bassists in the world.... ... Brian Bromberg, Adam Nitti, Anthony Wellington, Gary Willis, Gerald Veasley, Richard Bona, and Maurice Fitzgerald.... I've never seen a conference like this for the rock, pop, guitar, or other genres and instruments, but then again never looked.... of course there are a lot of big songwriting camps and conferences.... I'm sure Road Rally is the same kind of experience.... and in the same terms.... the panelists and workshop leaders and master class teachers there are also the universal greats.... Anyway ,my point is, you should explore your opportunities to experience something like this... it puts everything in the right perspective.... these players are just incredible... and they blow you away.... and it humbles you to realize just how incredibly talented the top artists are.... and what you are currently and in the future going to be striving to achieve.... Another point is that I would bet a few screeners are at that ajax level of the song, recording, and music business.... and certainly the listers are at that seasoned veteran level......Just thought I'd throw that out there ..... ArkJack

[mikehelms]

Hey WWI think you got in here at just the right time... at least at this point your starting your own thing under your own auspice... having also done the band thing for years.. . I may be a bit late for the Rock Star status.. But you ...you still have a shot and your in the right place to start.. To start with I think your looking at the wrong adds...Think Movies and TV... get your name out... spend the extra 10 or so bucks a week to get a piece criticd... grow your fan base by doing some shows but also use the tool in front of you..ahem YOUR COMPUTER...! How many web site's do you have!!! Myspace, and Taxi, Broadjam, do you have a dot com. site youtube, yahoo Google AOL...oh my god there's just so many now, and looking a some of the other posts there some I haven't heard of till now.. ask Vikky she could point out a couple..My point is you got to do it in all the ways that you can to show yourself to this great big WORLD at the fingertips... as well as the stage gigs...But you do have a great start with Taxi...so build it from here... get up that WW myspace... the WWdot com. and pick a couple more... grow them... get a camera and shoot that beautiful smile and plaster it across the INTERNET with A.. 'I sound LIKE!' WHOOP!! And lay it on us..Learn from the critics and maybe get some placements and make someone notice WW... IF YOUR REALLY ONLY 24... then Please!!! you got a way better shot than I do at this point... and I ain't givin up!!! $#&! that!Let's go Rocker! Let's bang out some sh@# and make them love you!!!check ya on the charts.. Laters, PeaceMichael

[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

[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?