The career screwers

A friend of mine was reading to a become psychologist and said that quite many that started the semester quickly jumped off. In reality, they wanted to find out more about their own problems then become the profession. he said every starting semester was the same game to who was there for their own problems. Of course, people with problems always thought they were masterminds of helping others. In reality, it was blind leading blind in many cases, just because you have gone through it makes you a great person to help others.

This is the reason I'm pretty skeptical when former musicians take places in the professional industry. Yes, there is many that are great on it, but a rather high percentage is really not good at it. Just this week I have been forced to "re-program" some artist that former musician had got into so many strange ideas and things.

Also, age is a matter thing. Not the number just when you did your things. For example, just found a book by a guy that just had one hit ever in the early nineties. Probably that hit was more a lucky stroke since he only did one. The hit was not done by him, it was a good marketing team and the right place and the right time. Suddenly he thought he was a mastermind of giving out music and has spent the rest twenty years screwing peoples careers with strange advice that is really not good for an artist. Like here his claim to fame is a hit made over 25 years ago. it's before the internet, it's before cellphones. There is no reality to it, and all the things he is teaching is more or less for that era. Which of course doesn't fit in what is going on today.

Later on, he also became a teacher in a music school. Of course, these people never make it, they end up in schools, government programs and sits around and still proclaim disinformation. I got a question the other day why the students from this school sucked, and I had to tell the story. The person I talked to was really upset and wanted me to expose the whole thing here in my blog.

I can't do that, there is no crime being sucky. Sure I feel sorry for the students that put in a lot of time an effort and don't get a good education back. Still, I can't put people on the line here. can't tell which school it is or witch teacher. Age is the key to it though to check things out. If your teacher never left the school environment, or the last time they worked in the industry at all in a more professional way more then five years back. You should think twice if they really have the knowledge any longer. Or if they are just like the psychology students just seeing the education as a platform to make money before heading back to become a musician.

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Sharks

I was on a industry event a couple of weeks ago. The event was really good in itself but it was full of sharks.

It all comes from the song (Rock) Superstar with Cypress Hill. In the intro he tells how the industry is like sharks swimming around and wants to take a bite of you.

And it's a kind of truth to it. It's a lot of people that really don't care about you or your music. They also talk a lot and promise much but never achieve much.

I have become rather good to spot these sharks nowadays. I have been trapped several times with them and know their modus operandi.

First they talk about "big" artists, producers you never heard of. These are big but mainly in a country, local stars. In reality there numbers are good but since it is local numbers they can be faked.

Then they also talk about things that was in the past. Trends that are dying. This is a bit harder to see if you are not around on showcase festivals and hear the latest. But some sharks are that old they still talk about physical products. Also they talk 360 deals.

In many cases they are old. Their claim to fame is artists in the 90:s in really bad cases even in the 80:s. They still keep coming that they worked with Vanilla Ice and think it should impress you.

They want money. Sure we all do, but there are limits. If someone fix a gig in their town taking no cost I do the same. Here is more you fix a free gig and when they return the favor they want payment as a middle hand. It's like budget airlines, nothing is for free and to tune up it will in the end cost you more then a first class ticket on a normal airline. If you stick to the budget one it will be a bumpy ride.

Major labels, they always talk about their connections to the major labels and how good it is and they can be the gateway. It's never that good. Actually in this case a shark came up and talked how good and tight he was with Universal. I replied with a fake smile and a pretend to be impressed wondering if he had good connections to Universals streaming division. And of course he had but none of the names he mentioned worked there. How did I know, well I had meeting a couple of hours before with the streaming department and know them all. This trick I work with alot. Usually if they know the right names and you know the same people they are legit. Many times the people the shark talk about work as the coffee maker on the company.

Of course when you are new it's harder to read the sharks. You will probably end up doing with one of them and learn the lession.