"I recently volunteered to help promote a very professional sounding new London band.
Incredibly they had the amazing good fortune by getting a recording session at the world famous Abbey Road studios. You would think well they're on their way.!
But sadly, I realise now things are never that simple; only after spending two weeks on their case, I was able to gain the interest of a very well connected agent, both in the music and media business, so you would be forgiven in thinking, job done, but no; Talk about self destuct !
Without going into details, they are just not willing to take on the most simplest of comittments to get things moving, so sadly they now continue to remain unnoticed, except from some local interest.
So my question: Is it the fate of all artist to make their own lives difficult, why is it artists have this dangerous streak?"
My reply:
I can sympathise with you completely. I had the same plight here in Brazil. I had organized the band to meet the director of an independent recording company to sign a contract for two albums.
When everybody met, the members of the band started to argue among themelves in front of the guy. I was so emarrassed. Of course no contract was signed and the band broke up (or broke down!).
I think that it's a case of, at that time, my inexperience of not noticing the end result from earlier on; the inexperience of the band, as there is a lot of pressure when all of a sudden you are being noticed and being seperated from the rest.
As some other of the posts in response to your question suggested, 'success' is relative. For one to have their name in the newspaper is enough to satify the "I am a star" ego, for the other it could be a stay in a hotel during a two day festival.
I think who is responsible for not letting these situations you told us about is us. We should be only interested in a band or artist that has knowledge of the business, experience as an artist (I won't say musician because you probably know that it isn't the most important) and a personality that is compatible for the work in hand, in other words, a good personality with no stress.
In the music business only the best survive, and the best need to learn about the music business and the commercial side of music to do this.
Steve Allen
Steve Allen is consultant and music producer.
Author of "Marketing Your Music – Success Strategies", "Personal Management in the Music Industry" and "Street Teams – Expand your Fan Base"
http://www.marketingyourmusic.net