|
SillyWilly
member
Registered: 05/04/04
Posts: 196
Last seen: 19 years, 1 month
|
Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones?
#2671909 - 05/13/04 12:50 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Hey guys, Im an inspring musician and even though I am trying my best to create stuff that is worth listening too, I always find myself becoming envious-jealous of these artists I admire while I lip sing there songs and do that whole "imagining" thing. This process I guess makes the drive stronger but at the same time makes me depressed at the thought I will probalby never be able to make shit as tight as them. Does anybody else here experience the same thing? thanks-SillyWilly
|
automan
blasted chipmunk
Registered: 09/18/03
Posts: 8,272
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#2672068 - 05/13/04 01:39 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
dont be envious, i have been on the road with major acts and for the most part it sux. last tour i went out on, i was the youngest person on the bus by 15 years which is basically like being out there alone. most people think they will like the road, but they usually dont. i dont think i'll ever go out on the road on a large tour bus again unless i am the main artist. but to answer your question, i dont feel envious hearing great music, i feel privaleged. it has always changed my life in a positive way. i cant imagine how bored i would be without groups like radiohead, bjork, NIN, MMW, etc. whenever one of their albums is about to come out, i am like a kid at christmas. i am the guy that is at the record store waiting for it to open when they release an album. my best arguement is... remember the first time you ate 5g of shrooms and heard dark side of the moon? i do. i'll never forget that for the rest of my life.
-------------------- No, no, you're not thinking, you're just being logical. ~ Niels Bohr
|
mr_kite
The Watcher
Registered: 09/16/02
Posts: 2,577
Loc: shambhala
Last seen: 11 years, 8 months
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#2672270 - 05/13/04 03:21 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Good to hear you're inspiring, though I guess you meant aspiring...!
Just keep it up. Lennon and McCartney wrote well over a hundred songs before they got to "Love me Do", and most of them were shit. It takes time and practice to develop a style and a feel for what you like, but it'll get better all the time. Even if you're not the next Thom Yorke you could easily be a huge amount better than a load of bands that sell out major venues and have major label deals.
Just keep going! If you've got talent and belief, however big, it's worthwhile.
-------------------- let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love
|
Shroomism
Space Travellin
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#2672466 - 05/13/04 06:40 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
A musician's life is rarely an easy one. Especially in this modern corporatized, consumerism society, and with the state of the music industry... Many people want to be famous musicians, very few actually make it there. If you want to look at statistics you will see less than 1% of musicians actually ever make it "big" enough where they can support themselves with just their music. As far as producing an album, going on tour, etc is concerned. Those who DO make it usually have to work their asses off for it, and it rarely happens overnight (though there are always exceptions) Most musicians, who are touring, or have albums out, or are on MTV had to work very hard to get where they are. (or someone else worked very hard for them..or they had tons of money..) But in most cases, bands have to go through tons of crap together before they even see any money or even get an acknowledgement from a reputable source. Bands will have problems. If it isn't the drummer being an alcoholic and never showing up for rehearsal, it's the guy that stole $600 worth in tickets for your next show that you are responsible for. It's when you're first starting out and you don't have many fans but the club still wants you to bring 50 people anyway or you can't play there ever again so you have to pay for the extra tickets out of pocket.. it's when your guitar spontaneously bursts into flames in the middle of a set, it's when the van's rear axle breaks, and it's when everything goes wrong. But that's just the easy stuff... when you start messing with the music industry it can get a lot trickier. Basically I'm just trying to tell you to be prepared for the worst. But if you can be aware of these things beforehand, they can be recognized and avoided. The point is that most bands never make it past this point.. they give up. Face a couple hard times and somebody leaves the band or they just quit altogether and the dream slowly fades to black. That's why the persistent ones usually succeed. Of course, you have to be good too. Remember.. there is always 5,000 other bands in line willing to take your spot. So you have to be unique and stand out. Your primary drive as a musician should be above all - love for the music. You should play music that you enjoy, music that makes YOU feel good. You should constantly strive to improve your playing abilities and evolve your style and "personal guitar freedom", because the better you are at playing without thinking, the better you are at playing what you're thinking. Always be improving. As far as being jealous.. don't. The music industry is not all it is cracked up to be.. the media makes it appear to be a very glamorous lifestyle (intentionally) and while this may be true in some scenarios.. it is very much an illusion. Things are not always what they seem. The truth is "behind the scenes" of the music industry can be very ugly. There is a lot of corporate power hungry shit mongers who like to manipulate musicians. Beware. Of course you could learn all the ethics and customs of the industry on your own.. but I suggest if you are even considering it, and you aspire to be a professional musician, that you should start preparing yourself.. now. The more knowledge you have going in, the better. (To avoid being fucked, or having some of your fingers stolen when you shake their hand) Basically, if you want to succeed as a professional musician.. you have to want it enough. You have to work for it, you have to study, you have to practice, you have to fail, you have to STRIVE and PERSERVERE. You have to immerse yourself in it.. you have to become it. Other famous musicians should only be your inspiration and you should draw creational power from your inspiration.. being jealous only harms that energy. But you really can do anything if you will it for long enough. Basically it all comes down to, do you just want to play music for yourself and for others to enjoy, or do you want to play music for the fortune and fame. (hint fortune and fame is rare.. even for signed bands) Anyway.. if you are passionate about playing music, then that is all that should matter. It shouldn't depress you hearing other musicians that you admire.. it should inspire you! You should hear them and think "I could learn to do it better than that!".. you can learn from others mistakes and then take it one step further! You can allow your "personal style" to be influenced by many different styles, and then fuse them all together with your own individual twist. All musicians draw inspiration from other musicians. You can be jealous, and go nowhere and do nothing, or use that inspiration to drive you to where you need to go.
--------------------
|
Shroomism
Space Travellin
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#2672490 - 05/13/04 06:58 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
oh yeah but my point... here's the average day of a touring musician.. 3pm - wake (on bunk in back of bus) 4pm - eat & whatever 6pm - chill drugs 8pm - show starts 9pm - play set 12am - show over, packing up drugs 1am - bus starts leaving to go to next show in florida drugs 6am - band falls asleep to drunkenness Repeat 50+ times yeah it looks good on paper or glass but it's not a healthy lifestyle. Just imagine being on a bus with 4 male musicians, and maybe an asshole of an agent and some other random people.. for four months.. going to a new city you've never been to every night and playing in sweaty stuffy smoky clubs.. and you wonder why so many touring musicians are always overdosing on H..
--------------------
|
automan
blasted chipmunk
Registered: 09/18/03
Posts: 8,272
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: Shroomism]
#2675977 - 05/13/04 09:30 PM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
shroomism, its not just 4 musicians on an average tour, you have 4 musicians, the tour manager, and all the teks on a prevost (if ur extremely lucky) bus. there are 12 bunks, 6 on each side 3 high. plus you have the bus driver, but he is usually the coolest guy on the bus. if ur bus is packed with people, the layout assumes that 4 people will be in the bunks at any given time, which means that there is only adequate seating for 8..... and did i meantion that there is only 1 bathroom. most road gigs have a rule that you can only piss in the john so it wont stink up the whole bus. you have to wait till you get to the venue.
myself, i'd rather tour in a van with friends swapping out who drives.
-------------------- No, no, you're not thinking, you're just being logical. ~ Niels Bohr
|
jux
I'm better thanan STD!
Registered: 04/06/04
Posts: 924
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#2676250 - 05/13/04 10:18 PM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
SillyWilly said: Hey guys, Im an inspring musician
come over to my house, i need some inspiration
--------------------
|
Shroomism
Space Travellin
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: automan]
#2676916 - 05/14/04 05:41 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
yeah..hence the 'some other random people'.. but yeah I am aware that it usually sucks, even if you are rich and famous. I'd rather tour in a van too.
--------------------
|
DoctorJ
Registered: 06/30/03
Posts: 8,846
Loc: space
Last seen: 1 year, 4 months
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: Shroomism]
#2677338 - 05/14/04 09:49 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
thanks for that post, shroomism. i found it very inspiring
|
Shroomism
Space Travellin
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: DoctorJ]
#2677559 - 05/14/04 11:09 AM (19 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
No problem. I have been going through the rigors of the industry and trials and tribulations of being in a struggling band for many years now and any insight or information I can give to others is great. I had to learn some things the hard way.. so it gives me some comfort knowing I might be able to help others avoid or be better equipped to handle such incidents with a little foresight. Always glad to offer my perspective, as I am still learning about some of these things myself. but it is cool when they give you a private room backstage with leather couches a fridge with beer and a bathroom and everything. hotboxing backstage ohh yeaaah... /cue kool aid man alls I'm saying is that bands with stars in their eyes or people who are trying to make it in the music business need to have: Determination, Drive, Perseverence, Dedication, Discipline, Patience, and so on. No one is going to hand anything to you, and you have to prove you deserve it. All people starting out should not have high expectations...except towards themselves and their playing. In fact expectations in general are just bad because you will most likely just dissapoint yourself and give up when it all doesn't work out the way you planned. Almost all bands will have to go through that rough spot in the beginning.. from getting the band tight to composing songs to recording those songs to copyrighting them to playing at shitty little clubs and shithole venues for no money.. promoting your own stuff with money out of your pocket because no one else will.. struggling to maintain a 9-5 job while keeping the band together and investing money into it.. paying for equipment, touring stuff, emergency money (when everything goes wrong) all things to consider.. and so much more. It takes a very strong willed, determined person to succeed in this business, unless daddy pays your way onto mainstream radio. Take it one careful, calculated step at a time.. and always have a backup plan or three. Oh disregard everything I have said in this thread if you are a person looking for mainstream conformity fame ala britney spears and have no intention to create and compose meaningful, passionate music with integrity, and be respected as a musician. My method does not work for you.
|
Matix
Matix
Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 95
Loc: The Next Solar System
Last seen: 13 years, 10 months
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#8170866 - 03/20/08 09:00 AM (16 years, 12 days ago) |
|
|
You are approaching this from a negative view point to begin with and thats not good. Never make shit as tight as them? yea right... They arent anybody special man. Musicians are just regular people like you and me. Anybody can make great music as long as they take their time and really dedicate themselvs to it. Dont look at these people you admire as idols or even admire them. Instead , respect them as PEERS. See them as equals. just because your music sounds different from theirs doesnt mean its not any good , it just means you are in a different mind state than they are. How can you produce something you dont like? Seriously...you might go "o its not good enough" but your just being to hard on yourself. If you create something wholly original and wholly yours , how is it gonna be wack? Its YOUR vision the way you intended it to be. Kinda like these rappers , they all think they are the best because every word they say is the truest shit they ever heard...because its from their hearts...they arent just relating to something someone else is saying , they are speaking their minds , so they relate to EVERY word.
|
ectolysergic
Stranger
Registered: 02/23/08
Posts: 42
Last seen: 15 years, 6 months
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: Matix]
#8170892 - 03/20/08 09:10 AM (16 years, 12 days ago) |
|
|
don't get envious, get inspired. and always remember YOU are your toughest critic. share your music with others and you may be surprised.
|
Middleman
Registered: 07/11/99
Posts: 8,399
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#8171697 - 03/20/08 12:22 PM (16 years, 12 days ago) |
|
|
It helps to remember that we are ultimately all one consciousness, and truly inspired music comes from that 'place' where we all One.
|
Hyper_Panda_GO
Team Action!
Registered: 05/28/06
Posts: 9,720
Last seen: 10 years, 10 months
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#8171757 - 03/20/08 12:39 PM (16 years, 12 days ago) |
|
|
Sometimes
The trick is turning that envy into something productive
Use the artists' talent as a foundation for the sort of sound you want to create, don't wallow in envy
-------------------- There is no valid reason you should be reading this
|
beneath
One Way Street
Registered: 10/30/07
Posts: 1,239
Loc: The un-united kingdom
Last seen: 11 years, 9 months
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplished ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#8172607 - 03/20/08 04:37 PM (16 years, 12 days ago) |
|
|
playing live music is what i want to do with my life, it's the only thing I'm truly interested in.
It sucks that the thing I'm most interested in has a shitty industry.
Still, i will try to write good music and see how that goes.
|
Spooge
The Nutter
Registered: 04/21/04
Posts: 5,189
Loc: Ice patches that last for...
Last seen: 11 years, 4 months
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#8173286 - 03/20/08 07:31 PM (16 years, 12 days ago) |
|
|
Quote:
SillyWilly said: Hey guys, Im an inspring musician and even though I am trying my best to create stuff that is worth listening too, I always find myself becoming envious-jealous of these artists I admire while I lip sing there songs and do that whole "imagining" thing. This process I guess makes the drive stronger but at the same time makes me depressed at the thought I will probalby never be able to make shit as tight as them. Does anybody else here experience the same thing? thanks-SillyWilly
A lot of people seemed to go off tangents with their answers, and while still very interesting, your question was never really answered.
I definetely am envious of many songs some of these artists put out there. I'll write something that sounds and feels good to me, but then the next day I'll hear a song from some band and it sounds and feels 100x better than my shit. And I'm like "what the fuck...how do they come up with that". A lot of these awesome songs that I hear, that make me envious because I can't make something half as good, are coming from people with pure talent. There is such a thing. And anyone who tells you that all you need to do is put in hard work, which is still essential...I'm not going to argue that, is lying to themselves and you.
These artists and songs that make me jealous, well they just have incredible talent. They were born with a natural knack for creating these amazing sounds.
And knowing that I'm probably not as talented and probably won't ever come up with something incredible, definetely makes me jealous and envious.
|
WhiskeyClone
Not here
Registered: 06/25/01
Posts: 16,509
Loc: Longitudinal Center of Canada ...
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#8174778 - 03/21/08 01:43 AM (16 years, 12 days ago) |
|
|
I am envious of some particularly great artists.
But honestly, most music you come across BLOWS and you know you can do better.
Commercial success is not musical success, especially these days. Just make your music; you live in a time where you can distribute it yourself without having to impress a record company. So just keep making it. If you don't enjoy it, stop.
-------------------- Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it. ~ R.W. Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
|
OneMoreRobot3021
Registered: 06/06/03
Posts: 61,026
Loc: the sky
|
Re: Any musicians envious of accomplsihed ones? [Re: SillyWilly]
#8175367 - 03/21/08 10:26 AM (16 years, 11 days ago) |
|
|
I'm not a musician, I'm a writer, but I definitely feel for ya. Sometimes I finish a book (like Spin, yesterday) and I'm overwhelmed with envy/jealousy for the author's talent. You just have to get over it, re-engineer that negative feeling to be a positive inspiring driving force instead. It's all a matter of your mind.
-------------------- Acid doesn't give you truths; it builds machines that push the envelope of perception. Whatever revelations came to me then have dissolved like skywriting. All I really know is that those few years saddled me with a faith in the redemptive potential of the imagination which, however flat, stale and unprofitable the world seems to me now, I cannot for the life of me shake. -Erik Davis
|
|