The Disguise

I have been writing about it before, that people some think that it's their things I write about. Today I had another incident of that. A person thought it was their story I was writing about. It was not but when I thought about it, yes it was kind of similar.

And that is the problem, the issues we actually are going through is the same all the time. I sometimes have trouble to write about something new. It feels most issues have already been written about on the blog. They are just another version, but the center of the problem is the same.

It's about ignorance. It's about not going for it full time. It's about not having good enough songs. It's about not being an asshole. Not always thinking with feelings. And most of all the fear of making mistakes.

I write these beforehand so sometimes when I have written about a subject days before the exact problem comes up days later and I have to hurry to reschedule so the person doesn't think I wrote that about their problem.

Right now it feels like all problems are in the air so whatever I write about it's there.

Some knowledge is required!

I just got a mail.

Hello, I'm the manager of the artist **** and I have some questions about some stuff. Can you email me or call me at ****.

This is an artist that we dropped three years ago, mainly because he was a pain in the ass stupid. The funny part is that the manager is also an artist we dropped several years ago for the same reason. I guess now they joined forces to be the stupidest team in the music industry.

And yes they are stupid, you just look on the email which contains two rows and you see it. So you want me to dig something up from years ago around an artist that we don't work with any longer or have any rights around any longer? But you are not smart enough to write what you want to be dug up. No, you require that I should take my precious time to write back to you by email or call you up to find out what you want!

Second, whatever it is that you want we probably can't help. Whatever you forgot back in the past is not worth getting back to. Specially when the things never worked out and didn't go anywhere.

In reality, I don't have time to spend on shit like this so of course I just marked it off. And yes I know he will bug around trying to make contact but not revealing what the fuck he wants. And he will be complaining that we never answer.

And here you have the answer why people say we are hard to reach. Yes for some people we are. The ones with the right questions get answers in minutes others days and some never.

Knowledge like this is crucial and required.

Listen first, write later!

Going through applications from different artist both on the demo side and on the festival side. And man people are dumb! Mainly managers think that sending an email with their artist will get them on the company or the festival. First, the festival has an application system so we get in all the info we need around a booking. Without doing that application your artist will not even be considered. How hard can it be if you doing a tax form you won't write the government a fucking email saying that you will do the VAT this year. They only care if you really fill out the form. Same here. The artist won't even be considered if they haven't done the application, which is kind of an easy form to fill out.

I mean I won't even consider a damn artist that doesn't want to take the time to fill out the most elementary. Not doing that just shows ignorance and that I really don't want to book to the festival. In other words, the form takes off lazy asses and loose cannons.

And I tell this to everyone, even the mangers that keeps insisting sending emails straight in begging to be booked and in the end get a big paycheck out of a showcase festival seems to be unknown for them even though we meet on one. And if I didn't tell them it says straight on the site what is possible. So just sending an email tells me directly that you haven't read the site.

Demos is even worse. We have the same procedure. But here it is okay if you meet me and I told you to send stuff straight in. Here is more the problem that people won't say what they want me to do with their music. Is just music and a story what they have done not what is coming up.

So in all listen to what I have to say before you just write to me out of the blue. Follow the instructions will take you closer to the goal, I promise.

Weekend off

I just did it. Just shut everything down over the weekend. Turned my phone off, didn't look on social media. I just turned things on and see who thought I disappeared from the earth surface.

Now you think that I found out that no one was seeking me out. That was wrong my mailbox has over 100 new emails (I guess though many of these are GDPR stuff). I see my facebook has over 6 new messages and over 50 different notifications. So yes there was activity. I still find it that most of these messages can wait. But people are demanding to get everything instantly and here is where we will have a huge problem. In fact, I have been working 24/7 the past three months. No days off and with a very big traveling schedule. And this Friday I really got a bad headache and last time I had a headache years ago I had severe meningitis by a tick bite. I kind of warning that you are overheating the system. Just to take the weekend off.

So back now Sunday evening checking all. My headache disappeared slept a lot. The weather was great and I did some gardening work and some fishing. It was great and needed. Who were the people that are screaming out that they need my attention? You would guess the ones I work closest with or the festival where I should speak on in a week or my bands releasing stuff in two weeks or the video shoot we are working on?

None witch actually has some real stuff. No the ones that have sent several messages complaining that we don't answer is demo artists. I can see several emails from bands that haven't got an answer on their application that ends on Thursday. First these artists I probably not being booked anyway but since last day is 31 of may it would be kind of mean to say no to them after we have gone through all applications.

Then there is someone that needs to release their music. He starts to mess on Friday night and is very upset that he hasn't got an answer how fast he can put things online. Also here really no one cares about his release. In fact, there should be a system stopping people like this to even give out music.

Then there is a party that also needs a quick answer, a party I really have no intention to go on.

It is what I thought most of the things that are in a hurry is usually not important. I guess now on this summer I will start to turn my self into off mode on the weekends.

Give your music the worst chance

I really don't get people that still ask how fast you can get out a track online. There is no really good reason to do that. It's just pointless and really stupid.

I just don't get the hurry? You can always push a release. I never have seen anything goes off just because you released it fast. The only thing I have ween is you lose on it. 

So there is no point to release a track in the same week it's finished, whatever you think or say.

Lazy

I was in a panel the other day and one of the topics that came up is that the new generation of artists is lazy. In my opinion, it's not just the artists it the whole society that has become lazy.

Another in the panel said to use Google when people asked how to find things. And yes the laziness seems to come with all the aid we actually have nowadays. Most info is out there and very easy to access.

You thought that if you want to send a demo to a record label you visit their homepage and check if they have info on how to send the demo to them?

No, you hit them up on Instagram and ask how to send it. And the answer would be to go to the homepage to check how to send. The laziness to not check before asking probably would get me off the hook beforehand. If they can't gather easy info from a homepage how the hell should they fix a real artist career.

Don't mix this up with when you meet me and politely ask if you can send links to me. That is really not lazy that is progressive and then I would give you my email.

Criticism

The past days I have been speaking with people around the blog. It's always hearing what people think. It puts me back where the artist is many times.

And of course, it's harder to take the critics. But it's great to hear it. You then know what you can do better or change.

Or keep. What people think is just a voice. Never forget that when an A&R people say what to change things. The hard part is to know what to change and not lose your thing. It's a just one mind. Sometimes you can get the clue that many says the same things. Sometimes if that thing is what you want to keep it.

Some say I'm mean to the artist in the blog. Yes I'm, it's part of the whole thing. I want to tell it from the industry side. Give an opportunity to see how we think. I hear so many times that we say one thing on a panel like we listen to all things we get in. Then in the green room, everyone admits to not doing that. We can see in the mail if it worth to listen to. It's like we want to wrap things up and protect the artist. But it's also not telling the truth. So this is a balance and I feel sometimes I'm on either wrong side. Still, it's just my voice, one opinion.

The other is, of course, the language. Yes, it's harder to write witty and get the point through in English, it's not easy since it's not my first language. Here are things I'm working on. Try to read through more and find mistakes. Also, use better tools when I can. Here is something that I need to work on.

I love to hear things around it. Talking about the topics and the things I can do better. I hope I can take the critics as I want an artist to use my criticism.

Reflection on New Skool Rules

Just left New Skool Rules. Had a great time. I like these smaller showcase festivals. In this case, though it's small but biggest in the Urban scene. For any artist in this genre, this is the starting point for a career. Yes, you have to work hard and put in things but this is genuine and has all the right people. This is just dope!

The Myth

Thinking big, don't let anyone stop you, you can do it. Things you hear from self-proclaimed motivation speakers. Yes, it's good that you have positive thoughts. But it's not the whole story.

Many of the stories that are going on are very often done by the Pr departments. The story that the artist was discovered on the street and taking on a fantastic journey is true. But many crucial details are taken off just to make the story faster and more understandable.

In reality, we are simplifying kind of complex things. The problem is that for the reader it looks like it just happens. The hard work from the team is mainly gone or disguised as luck.

In many cases, I also see that the artist have no clue what really was going on. So when they get the question they just it happened. A lot was done by the team.

Head first in the wall.

Your friend comes up with the smart idea to run into a wall head first. You tell him doing that will hurt. Then your friend starts to argue that he has the right to do whatever he wants, and it won't hurt that much, maybe he will even get through the wall.

After telling him a couple of times that this is not a good idea and still he wants to do it, you wonder if there is a point in arguing about this. In a way let him run into the wall head first and hope for not that much damage.

In the old days, I would keep on arguing to save it. Now I know it won't work. It's better to pick up the pieces then try to prove that it hurts to run head-on into a brick wall.

It's like small children that also want to have a decision about something. As long the damage is not severe you can let it pass.

I'm in the same stage with artists right now. I don't have the time or the urge to argue about really stupid decisions and how they will affect things.

The funny part is that the artist wants me to tell things so they can argue.

And in the end, they get a hell of a headache after hitting that wall.

The wind of change.

Was on an info thing around Google play and YouTube red and I guess we see some changing. And yes it's almost 10 years since the Spotify launch should be according to the statistic a change around the corner.

So there are writings on the wall. Spotify stopped doing favors for the majors. Warner sold 75% of their stocks in Spotify. The owners have in a way cashed in. The importance of Spotify numbers is more and more being revealed as not that important.

Feel sorry for people putting their eggs in just one basket. And like it always is, it's 99% Indie or DIY artist doing that.

Three things to approve.

All the past weeks showcases quite easily put up a problem in the spotlight. The troubleshooting process. I meet people that has trouble find bookers, labels, opportunities, you name it. There is always a trouble to fix.

What I found is how you quite often miss the real problem and spend time fixing things that really not matters. The problem is usually very close not in the small details.

I was on a showcase with a manager and saw her artist. She complained it was hard to get Spotify numbers and getting fans and bookings. Quite normal things to complain about.

She had the idea was in how the artist was portrayed. She needed better pictures. I asked how the new pictures would help the Spotify numbers? Her answer was that she was not satisfied with the ones they got.

Well, I can tell they where fantastic. Very professional and she handles me a nice printout with the artist bio and pictures. And it all looked great.

Then the artist starts playing. Really boring no stage personal and boring songs. After a while, I went for a beer and meet a booker at the bar.

Really boring huh! Was the first the booker said and I had to agree.

Later in the evening, the manager was on the booker trying to get her artist to the festival the booker has. Of course, the booker was not keen to give any real answer.

Later the manager was again talking about it was probably the pictures that were wrong.

So really, even how hard it starts checking the problem like this.

1 is the songs really good and the music great.

This is hard to check you really need friends that you can trust and don't be angry when they cut down your latest work.

2 the show is great.

Also harder but same here do it over and over and approve all time.

3 does the artist has a great story.

It becomes more and more important to get these stories right. Don't fill them with things that the artist like to dance and born to be on a stage. That is a must. 

Also, things like the artist like animals and care to donate to good things. A bad childhood is not appealing either. That is not the story. The story has to be with achievement in the musical field. A good review. Quotes, a placement or performance.

I can tell you that on 90% of the cases not moving forward when the problem laying in these three categories.

The small adjustments are not affecting the big picture. Not in the beginning at least. And nothing will work until the first two are fixed.

In so many cases the hunt is to fix all other small things when the whole is ruined from the essential.

I should leave Sweden

Someone said that I'm really not having a Swedish mentality. And no I really don't. And I hate to just "lagom" a Swedish expression that is so Swedish. I could translate it like everybody else.

The problem to adept to this is so severe I really should move out of Sweden. Put off my citizenship and just leave.

And why not, I should just do it.

Stop painful export tryouts

In Swedish I sometimes put in the tag #stoppaplågsammaexportförsök witch means #stop painful export tryouts.
Kind of mean, but there is too many of them.

Like some organizations that just send the band of their own. I just saw that. The meetings with the industry people was the day before their gig. Of course the band has another gig in another city the day of the meeting. So no ground work done. Then they play on a crappy venue on a bad time. Ok that is not their fault, but it makes it more difficult.
What the band do is plaster some posters and hope for the best. Well it didn't happen around 10 people showed up and it was normal audience.
Nice but won't lead to anything. In reality totally pointless and a waste of money.

Here they had needed a person working the contacts they day before. In fact they could have traded their show for just that networking and it would have been better.

This won't lead anywhere. It's bad enough to send crappy music. But here even with good music it will not happen. I see to many of these,  so #stoppainfulexporttryouts it's time to be professional.
Stop think it will magically happen.

Fighting Windmills

I was hanging with a old friend the other day. We don't agree all the time. Still that is refreshing I still has a big respect for him.

I have more used my professional life in the musicindustry by adopting to the changing rules and try to make opportunities in a changing world.

My friend has been successful by digging in on the field he is good at. The problem here is that he also have fought the windmills like Don Quiote several times.

I remember we had hughe arguments around the digitalization. He's point was that the artist got too low paid. My point was that the old system was an apartheid system for just a few choosen ones.

Then we both in separate ways got into the live industry making things there. Same argument though, how was the best way to pay the artist. After a few years he gave up and became bitter.

I was really admire his fighting spirit, but also never understood why fight big coperate system that only will die in a Utopia. See if he can find a new field to dig into.

Empty threats

The bad threats are always funny. Like when you get in a demo and a couple of days the artist contact you and tells that it's several labels interested to sign them so you have to hurry up.

Or the band applying to your showcase, but needs to order the tickets at least 8 months ahead so you need to hurry booking them otherwise the time will go out.

It never works I can tell that. The funny part it's very contra productive.

Record calls?

A professor just wrote, how do you know the person is a psychopath? They call you up.

In this case it kind of a joke. Still there is hinch of truth to it. The most unorganized people that I trust the least has a tendency to call. Not once several times in an hour until you pick up. That can be really annoying if you are abroad and really don't want to speak in an hour about nothing or at least a project that is going nowhere.

So you write a message asking, what do you want. And what happens is that you get two other calls in five minutes.

And it is part of the game. The unorganized person will promise you alot and then claim they never promised that. Of course it's easier to prove in a email then in a phonecall that never was recorded. Maybe I should start record my calls?

My usual luck

My usual luck. What's the odd:s that on a whole plane with around 200 seats I end up next to a record label owner that just release Ryan Roxies next single. He is also head over the independent organization for people in the music industry in Sweden.

None but it happened. Start to pump him on information what is going on in Sweden on the runway. What happens, he falls asleep. My usual luck.

How many tickets do you sell?

This debate is always ongoing how an artist should get paid. Especially with live events. Sure you should get paid since you are doing a job. You are rehearsing and buying your instruments and put a lot of time into it.

On the other hand, how much are you really worth. Of course, if someone wants you to play on their birthday, and do all that work it's one price. If you are playing in a pub and you draw people there so they can sell beer it's another price. On festival, your name should sell tickets, same on a concert where they don't serve alcohol.

Of course, will Metallica get more paid then you on the festival since they sell more tickets? In fact, sometimes even the artist can gain on a slot just because the arranger get a bigger act that many people would see. So would that act play for free then?

Hard to say, you probably have to take the decision form case to case.

The thing I see though is that most artist that takes good decisions usually could get more paid. When I book a headliner they are usually very easy to go with and understanding. The ones that are usually argue around the money is acts that you do a favor and just put in the last slot to be nice. They won't sell any tickets or draw anything special to the event, in reality, you could choose any good band for the slot.

The worst ones are the one that really is not good enough. People that do strange experimental music that very few people would listen to. Still, they want to get paid almost the same price as the headliner, just because they had done some work. It's like the post I did about building a house in the way you like it and then I should pay for it without taking any decisions.

If I would build bicycles without wheels and in cardboard I guess no one really wants them. I can't really expect to get the same payment for my thing like a racing bicycle. Yes, I can go for a very small target group. But I can't go to tour the France demanding that they should use my creation.

I'm really surprised that it is the ones with a questionable product that always screams the most about these things. I guess if you have a good product you can go on with it. But when you are just in one negotiation a year you seem to fall into the trap and lose the whole thing.

The highest of stupidity.

I sent a contract to an artist to take a look at. I got it back with a lot of lines just crossed out. In the email, he said I did some changes.

The things he had crossed out was all the lines that said we would earn some % on the song. He had even crossed out lines that are there since they refer to parts in the law. In the end, he had crossed out so much that it was not even legal.

I wrote back and asked why these were crossed out. He answered that he thought that was not good so he had taken off everything that was not for his advantage and all the stuff he didn't know that well since he didn't have time to hire a lawyer.

Of course, this is so stupid that you even with the greatest song you really don't want to work with this idiot. So I just wrote back that ok, well then it's nothing for us.

Now he has mailed several times trying to change different lines in the worst way. The horrible part is that this is not an amateur musician, this guy has his own studio and work out of this and has this low knowledge. It seems like silence doesn't get him to understand he blow it. I'm afraid of this kind of stupidity in the business today.

The small things.

Really, so if the picture of an artist looks squeezed on Spotify you would stop listening to that song? Or if it has a bit of blue tint to it, would you stop then? This is the kind of small things some artist can go too far with. In reality, I don¨t think it matters for the listener anyway. It's just the artist ego in these cases. Also, the people that have to change it has to spend hours on something that really makes no difference.

The funny thing is these artists then leave their youtube channel totally unupdated and there is the picture from four releases ago. Their homepage doesn't even have a press section and neither any press pictures. Things that actually matter when you are sending out stuff to bloggers and other media, who also wouldn't care if there was a bit of blue tint in the Spotify picture.

When the artist has these urges it usually is because they have to much time and that is why so much other stuff is not done. One reason also is that they can't move on until everything they see is perfect. In the end they mainly just annoy people so they won't do many things for them at all.

Just leave these small things until you do a bigger update. Focus to just have a picture at all.