I can’t find the actual quote for the life of me, but it went something like this:
“If you want to be an actor, ACT. Find a community theater, or an indie film. If you want to be a STAR, well that’s a different story. Move to Hollywood, sell your soul. But that’s not acting. There’s a big difference.”
This quote pops into my head at almost every show we play, or if I’m chatting with a new fan or a fellow musician. The discussion usually comes around to “what are you (Adams Wilson) doing to try and be famous?”
My answer? NOTHING. Family and friends have encouraged me to go audition for American Idol, X-Factor, or the Voice. I politely brush it off. That’s not being a musician... That’s something different... it’s being famous. I don’t want that. I want to make music. Now, don’t get me wrong... would I love to make a reasonable living with my music? Sure. I would also love to build a time machine and visit ancient Egypt or Rome at the height of their power. But neither of those things are going to happen any time soon, and their chances of actually occurring are about equal.
This is not negativity. This is not lack of vision. This is not even fear of failure. If I wanted to be “famous,” I’d move to NYC, LA, or Nashville, and I’d shop a demo to every person I came in contact with. I’m not doing that. I am, however, rehearsing with my band, writing new music, and putting it out myself. In between, we play shows, and try to pick up new fans whenever and however we can. I LOVE doing that, and as long as the band keeps showing up, it’s what I intend to keep doing for the foreseeable future.
What I DON’T want to do is tour 364 days a year. My throat simply couldn’t take it! I don’t want to have a label tell us what kind of music we have to make based on current trends, or pay them back for an advance on a new record. I don’t want to have to force myself into leather pants and a feather boa and pretend I’m cool enough to pull it off. I want to make and play music. And that’s what I do.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Here's What I Don't Know
I don’t know anything about the “music industry,” but I know enough to put the term in quotes. So many people talk about the state of this inconceivably complex machine/topic as though it could really be defined in a word, a paragraph, or even a multi-volume book. Well, I’ve been pecking at the extreme edge of the music business in the upper Mid-Atlantic region for almost 7 years now through gigs, networking events, an internship, seminars, and meetings, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that I can make less sense of it now than when I started. Some of the things I’ve learned I’ve shared with you over the years. Here’s a little summary of what I don’t know:
1) Record labels? What record labels? Notwithstanding my internship at a radio station in 2006, I’ve met dozens, maybe hundreds of musicians in my day, and to my knowledge, I’ve only met one that was signed to a label. ONE. AND YET, the term “signed” comes up so often and in so many different situations that you’d assume anyone with a guitar in their hands has a development deal.
Saying you want to get “signed” is like saying you want a magical blue elephant to spray endless streams of money at you with its adorable magical snout. It COULD happen, yes. But it’s much more likely that it won’t. Now, you have lots of bands who create their own “labels” and release albums on these “labels,” but printing money from your deskjet doesn’t make it currency. These people can’t market to large audiences. They can’t book tours with headliners. They can’t use their influence to get national or even regional airplay.
The problem is, every musician obsesses over this fantasy of being “signed” and having money and supermodels handed to them on a daily basis. That fantasy ultimately leads to...
2) Carpet-baggers. In any industry, there are the charlatans, schemers, and hucksters that go around selling people magic potions and then skipping town once you inquire about the ingredients. Adams Wilson has dealt with MANY of these people, and truth be told, we’ve been burned. A few times, actually.
One guy agreed to book some shows for us. He took some money, then he stopped answering our calls. Another guy promised us film & TV placements. We were wary. We had a couple meetings, we asked around about him, he seemed pretty legit. We gave him a good deal of money. (Far too much.) He essentially gave us a studio’s phone number for some recording, and then he stopped answering our calls. He’s still on facebook. He’s still going around working with “clients” and probably stealing their money like he did ours. I’d love to give his name and warn people not to work with him. Heck, I’d love to ninja-kick him in the nuts if I’m being honest. However, I doubt I can say anything specific about him without risking libel and the potential lawsuits that go along with it.
Several “labels” have contacted me over the years saying they loved (insert song title here) and wanted to work with us. Talk to them for five minutes and you find out that they want money up front, (for what exactly, I don’t know) and “hey, we’ll see where it goes, and we’ll see what we can do for you, but no guarantees.” Or, they’ll say something like “we’ll get you into a studio in Nashville and see how you work with our ‘producer.’” It’s always nebulous, and it’s ALWAYS cash up front. One of them even said they hadn’t heard the song yet, but they read the lyrics on the website and they’re sure the song had to be good. Wow! Where do I sign?!
There are THOUSANDS of these people and businesses that exist solely to steal (yes I said STEAL) money from musicians who will hand over their hard-earned money without thinking twice when someone mentions buzzwords like “label,” “producer,” “signed,” and “deal.”
3) Live music is on life support. I/We have played countless gigs in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York. That’s my frame of reference. It may be different in other parts of the country and world, but here in our area, it goes like this: The vast majority of these shows are some version of what I like to call “pay to play,” meaning you and 3-5 other bands get booked to play in some dive bar in _____ city on a Thursday night at 11:30pm. Cool! We got a show!
Catch: you have to bring what’s called a “draw.” A “draw” is 10-50 people (depending on the venue) who buy tickets, drinks, and food. The band’s musical ability, their talent, their live show is MEANINGLESS. You could walk up on stage and belch the alphabet backwards for a half-hour AS LONG AS YOU BRING YOUR DRAW. I am not kidding. Now, can you imagine trying to sell that ticket to a friend? I can, because I’ve done it for years. (operative word: “tried.”)
Adams: “Hey, man, we’re playing this show at [insert venue here] in [insert city here] on Thursday night.”
Friend: “Cool, what time?”
Adams: “11pm.”
Friend. “Ooh. That’s rough. I’ve got work in the morning.”
Adams: “I know, but the venue only plays local bands on weeknights.”
Friend. “All right. Maybe I can make it, because you’re a great friend and a talented musician, and you single-handedly built me a house when my old one burned down. How much is the ticket?”
Adams: “15 bucks.”
Friend: “Ooh. That’s steep. I’m not made of money, you know.”
Adams: “But I built you a house. Plus I revived your grandmother when she had that heart attack.”
Friend: “All right. Who else is playing with you guys?”
Adams: “Four other bands I’ve never heard of and I have no idea if they have any talent whatsoever. I don’t even know what genre they are.”
Friend: “Coooool. Well, maybe I can just show up when you guys play. When is that?”
Adams: “The venue doesn’t want people doing that, so they won’t give us a time.”
Friend. “Okay then, well how long are you playing? Will I at least get my money’s worth?”
Adams: “A half-hour.”
Friend: “But I could just see you guys next week at ____ venue for free, right?”
Adams: “Maybe....”
Friend: “We’re not friends anymore. And I poisoned your dog.”
Even if I sell that ticket, I’ve still got 14-49 more to go. And let me tell you, this example is not the exception, it is the RULE. This is how shows are run. Successful bands are not groups of musicians... they are audience-bringers. I’m the first to admit that I don’t know how to hustle people. I can’t sell you on that type of show. I doubt most people could. So, as a result, we don’t gig as often as we should. And, by extension, when you as a fan get suckered into paying for one of these shows, you’re going to see some pretty “interesting” acts.
4) The good stuff is where you least expect it. So far, this all probably sounds like bad news, or cynicism. I’d say it’s just experience. But the great part about the music industry that I’ve experienced is the NON-industry venues and people. Our best shows (in my opinion) have been at a winery in Pilesgrove, NJ, and at festivals in small towns. They don’t expect massive draws. They don’t make you sell tickets. They support original music because, strangely enough, they care about original music. They pay you. They PAY you. Actual money. They start on time. They answer your calls. They don’t book you with a metal band, a rapcore band, and a kid who just picked up a guitar for the first time last week.
If you had asked me 7 years ago that this would be my reality as a musician, I would have laughed at you, and poisoned your dog. But honestly, the non-industry places are where it’s at. You want to hear good, original music? Go check out the street fairs in the Summer and Fall. Stick around. Don’t just keep walking. Come out to our show at the Auburn Road Winery on Groundhog Day. (Shameless plug.) Buy CDs and merch from bands you like. If you don’t want to hear any more mindless sugar pop, put your feet and your money where your taste is.
There’s a great deal more to say, but all the how-to guides on writing music blogs tell me not to exceed 1 page, and I’m already at 3. Does any of this surprise you? Does it intrigue you? Does it make you want to grab a torch and a pitchfork and tear down the art-industrial complex with your bare hands? If you have thoughts on your experience in or with the industry, I would be interested to hear them.
1) Record labels? What record labels? Notwithstanding my internship at a radio station in 2006, I’ve met dozens, maybe hundreds of musicians in my day, and to my knowledge, I’ve only met one that was signed to a label. ONE. AND YET, the term “signed” comes up so often and in so many different situations that you’d assume anyone with a guitar in their hands has a development deal.
Saying you want to get “signed” is like saying you want a magical blue elephant to spray endless streams of money at you with its adorable magical snout. It COULD happen, yes. But it’s much more likely that it won’t. Now, you have lots of bands who create their own “labels” and release albums on these “labels,” but printing money from your deskjet doesn’t make it currency. These people can’t market to large audiences. They can’t book tours with headliners. They can’t use their influence to get national or even regional airplay.
The problem is, every musician obsesses over this fantasy of being “signed” and having money and supermodels handed to them on a daily basis. That fantasy ultimately leads to...
2) Carpet-baggers. In any industry, there are the charlatans, schemers, and hucksters that go around selling people magic potions and then skipping town once you inquire about the ingredients. Adams Wilson has dealt with MANY of these people, and truth be told, we’ve been burned. A few times, actually.
One guy agreed to book some shows for us. He took some money, then he stopped answering our calls. Another guy promised us film & TV placements. We were wary. We had a couple meetings, we asked around about him, he seemed pretty legit. We gave him a good deal of money. (Far too much.) He essentially gave us a studio’s phone number for some recording, and then he stopped answering our calls. He’s still on facebook. He’s still going around working with “clients” and probably stealing their money like he did ours. I’d love to give his name and warn people not to work with him. Heck, I’d love to ninja-kick him in the nuts if I’m being honest. However, I doubt I can say anything specific about him without risking libel and the potential lawsuits that go along with it.
Several “labels” have contacted me over the years saying they loved (insert song title here) and wanted to work with us. Talk to them for five minutes and you find out that they want money up front, (for what exactly, I don’t know) and “hey, we’ll see where it goes, and we’ll see what we can do for you, but no guarantees.” Or, they’ll say something like “we’ll get you into a studio in Nashville and see how you work with our ‘producer.’” It’s always nebulous, and it’s ALWAYS cash up front. One of them even said they hadn’t heard the song yet, but they read the lyrics on the website and they’re sure the song had to be good. Wow! Where do I sign?!
There are THOUSANDS of these people and businesses that exist solely to steal (yes I said STEAL) money from musicians who will hand over their hard-earned money without thinking twice when someone mentions buzzwords like “label,” “producer,” “signed,” and “deal.”
3) Live music is on life support. I/We have played countless gigs in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York. That’s my frame of reference. It may be different in other parts of the country and world, but here in our area, it goes like this: The vast majority of these shows are some version of what I like to call “pay to play,” meaning you and 3-5 other bands get booked to play in some dive bar in _____ city on a Thursday night at 11:30pm. Cool! We got a show!
Catch: you have to bring what’s called a “draw.” A “draw” is 10-50 people (depending on the venue) who buy tickets, drinks, and food. The band’s musical ability, their talent, their live show is MEANINGLESS. You could walk up on stage and belch the alphabet backwards for a half-hour AS LONG AS YOU BRING YOUR DRAW. I am not kidding. Now, can you imagine trying to sell that ticket to a friend? I can, because I’ve done it for years. (operative word: “tried.”)
Adams: “Hey, man, we’re playing this show at [insert venue here] in [insert city here] on Thursday night.”
Friend: “Cool, what time?”
Adams: “11pm.”
Friend. “Ooh. That’s rough. I’ve got work in the morning.”
Adams: “I know, but the venue only plays local bands on weeknights.”
Friend. “All right. Maybe I can make it, because you’re a great friend and a talented musician, and you single-handedly built me a house when my old one burned down. How much is the ticket?”
Adams: “15 bucks.”
Friend: “Ooh. That’s steep. I’m not made of money, you know.”
Adams: “But I built you a house. Plus I revived your grandmother when she had that heart attack.”
Friend: “All right. Who else is playing with you guys?”
Adams: “Four other bands I’ve never heard of and I have no idea if they have any talent whatsoever. I don’t even know what genre they are.”
Friend: “Coooool. Well, maybe I can just show up when you guys play. When is that?”
Adams: “The venue doesn’t want people doing that, so they won’t give us a time.”
Friend. “Okay then, well how long are you playing? Will I at least get my money’s worth?”
Adams: “
Friend: “But I could just see you guys next week at ____ venue for free, right?”
Adams: “Maybe....”
Friend: “We’re not friends anymore. And I poisoned your dog.”
Even if I sell that ticket, I’ve still got 14-49 more to go. And let me tell you, this example is not the exception, it is the RULE. This is how shows are run. Successful bands are not groups of musicians... they are audience-bringers. I’m the first to admit that I don’t know how to hustle people. I can’t sell you on that type of show. I doubt most people could. So, as a result, we don’t gig as often as we should. And, by extension, when you as a fan get suckered into paying for one of these shows, you’re going to see some pretty “interesting” acts.
4) The good stuff is where you least expect it. So far, this all probably sounds like bad news, or cynicism. I’d say it’s just experience. But the great part about the music industry that I’ve experienced is the NON-industry venues and people. Our best shows (in my opinion) have been at a winery in Pilesgrove, NJ, and at festivals in small towns. They don’t expect massive draws. They don’t make you sell tickets. They support original music because, strangely enough, they care about original music. They pay you. They PAY you. Actual money. They start on time. They answer your calls. They don’t book you with a metal band, a rapcore band, and a kid who just picked up a guitar for the first time last week.
If you had asked me 7 years ago that this would be my reality as a musician, I would have laughed at you, and poisoned your dog. But honestly, the non-industry places are where it’s at. You want to hear good, original music? Go check out the street fairs in the Summer and Fall. Stick around. Don’t just keep walking. Come out to our show at the Auburn Road Winery on Groundhog Day. (Shameless plug.) Buy CDs and merch from bands you like. If you don’t want to hear any more mindless sugar pop, put your feet and your money where your taste is.
There’s a great deal more to say, but all the how-to guides on writing music blogs tell me not to exceed 1 page, and I’m already at 3. Does any of this surprise you? Does it intrigue you? Does it make you want to grab a torch and a pitchfork and tear down the art-industrial complex with your bare hands? If you have thoughts on your experience in or with the industry, I would be interested to hear them.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Hold Me Down Revisited
I’ve gotten some questions about the lyrics for “Hold Me Down.” I was going to give a pretty straightforward explanation of what they mean to me, where they come from, etc., but where’s the fun in that? So, instead, here’s the lyrics to “Hold Me Down” in the form of a pulp novel:
Temptation is a cocktail waitress, holding a tray full of $4 shots, staring you in the face with a practiced smile, saying “choose your poison.” I say, “No thanks, I quit.” She laughs and says, “sure you did.”
If I don’t get out of this dive bar fast, I know I’ll be here way past my bedtime, but before I can even finish this sentence, I drop a week’s paycheck on the roulette table. I put it all on red. The guy behind the wheel doesn’t even bother spinning the thing. He says, “It’s out of order. But it would probably would have hit black.” He takes my check.
The bartender sees the whole thing. He offers me a drink that someone else never finished. For some reason, I accept.
Problem is: I can’t just sit here and enjoy a drink. Next to me is a travel agent. I think maybe we went to school together. He won’t shut up about some all-inclusive getaway. I give him my credit card and say “take this, if it means you’ll shut up.” He asks if I want travel insurance. I roll my eyes and shake my head.
Two guys across the bar jabber about a story on the news. I can’t keep up. One of the guys hands me a book. “Particle Physics for Idiots.” I don’t even open it. I just push it aside. My friend the travel agent grabs the book. He finishes it in a half-hour and says he liked the movie better. I put headphones on, but all I hear is some lady with a thick Swedish accent rambling on about how music died in the 60’s. And then in the 70’s. And then again in the late 80’s.
My cell rings. It’s my cousin. Wants to know how things are going. I say “a little bit of both.” Before he can ask what that means, I drop the phone into my borrowed beer.
They shut the lights off. They kick everyone out. They lock the door, and they make sure we hear the click. I left my keys inside. I curse. I knock. I apologize. Someone shouts from inside: “we’re closed!” My friend the travel agent offers me a ride home in his brand new 6-door sedan. I get in reluctantly. He says, “see, you just never know what’s going to go wrong... you wanna rethink that travel insurance?”
Temptation is a cocktail waitress, holding a tray full of $4 shots, staring you in the face with a practiced smile, saying “choose your poison.” I say, “No thanks, I quit.” She laughs and says, “sure you did.”
If I don’t get out of this dive bar fast, I know I’ll be here way past my bedtime, but before I can even finish this sentence, I drop a week’s paycheck on the roulette table. I put it all on red. The guy behind the wheel doesn’t even bother spinning the thing. He says, “It’s out of order. But it would probably would have hit black.” He takes my check.
The bartender sees the whole thing. He offers me a drink that someone else never finished. For some reason, I accept.
Problem is: I can’t just sit here and enjoy a drink. Next to me is a travel agent. I think maybe we went to school together. He won’t shut up about some all-inclusive getaway. I give him my credit card and say “take this, if it means you’ll shut up.” He asks if I want travel insurance. I roll my eyes and shake my head.
Two guys across the bar jabber about a story on the news. I can’t keep up. One of the guys hands me a book. “Particle Physics for Idiots.” I don’t even open it. I just push it aside. My friend the travel agent grabs the book. He finishes it in a half-hour and says he liked the movie better. I put headphones on, but all I hear is some lady with a thick Swedish accent rambling on about how music died in the 60’s. And then in the 70’s. And then again in the late 80’s.
My cell rings. It’s my cousin. Wants to know how things are going. I say “a little bit of both.” Before he can ask what that means, I drop the phone into my borrowed beer.
They shut the lights off. They kick everyone out. They lock the door, and they make sure we hear the click. I left my keys inside. I curse. I knock. I apologize. Someone shouts from inside: “we’re closed!” My friend the travel agent offers me a ride home in his brand new 6-door sedan. I get in reluctantly. He says, “see, you just never know what’s going to go wrong... you wanna rethink that travel insurance?”
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Jersey Gin Joints
Now, these are not guys who pick up a guitar every once in a while. These are guys who are seriously talented. Like, you could pay good money to hear them play at a venue, and it would be worth every cent. They can sing, they can play, they can perform. Some of them used to play with name acts. Big names. What’s even cooler is that many of them are multi-instrumentalists. It was amazing to watch them take turns soloing, or jump from bass to drums and back again.
It was pretty nerve-wracking to get up and play in the middle of that, but we did, and we had a great time. We even had one of the fellas sit in on drums. This guy has never even heard our song, but he just picked up his sticks and together we jammed on original Adams Wilson tunes. And it actually sounded good! The songs took on a whole new character.
I personally don’t understand why people pay $200 bucks or more to see an act that’s been playing the same tunes for 20-30 years when you can walk into a bar in the middle of Camden County and hear these guys play for free. The next Ray Charles or Springsteen could be playing at a bar in your neighborhood. You could meet him. You could even jam with him! Are you gonna stay home and watch the Voice instead? :)
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2012: The Year We Did Cool Stuff
I have one resolution for 2013: I would like to appreciate the positive things around me. You see, I am somewhat of a “negative Nancy...” in fact, that was the original name of Adams Wilson until I found a bunch of other bands on MySpace with the same name. So, let’s take a very quick look back at 2012:**
1) We got to go to upstate NY in the dead of Winter. Good God was it cold. We saw all the zany sights Buffalo has to offer, like buildings, dive bars, and stoplights and things. It was crazy... We also happened to record five songs with one of the Goo Goo Dolls before we left. I happen to think that the EP we made (Lies Worth Telling) is the best thing we have done in the 6 or 7 years I’ve invested into this music thing.
2) We reduced our fan base by converting two fans into band members. In the Spring, we added a new bass player by the name of Brian Scorben. He is just a heck of a swell guy, and he is the perfect fit for our group in that he loves both the Counting Crows (which means he and I have things to geek out about) and Rush, which means he and Matt have things to geek out about. I think we can ALL agree, however, that geeking out about Rush is far more geeky than geeking out about Counting Crows.
2a) Last year this time, Matt handed a CD to a random lady named Andrea. She loved the CD and asked us what the band was doing to promote our career. Being musicians, we of course shrugged and said, “huh?” Since then, Andrea’s been helping us get our music out into the world. Andrea, while not technically a band member, has been an inextricable part of the band experience over the past year.
2a-1) I lost a bet to Andrea. She tried to argue that we should do a cover of Paul McCartney’s “Let Me Roll It,” and that if we did, XPN would probably play it. I said we didn’t have a prayer of getting on there, because, as I said, I’m just a negative Nancy. Anyways, in June, I had to hand Andrea a case of “7 Deadly Zins” (her favorite wine), because dang if she wasn’t right. Thank you to Helen Leicht for playing both our cover, and our original song, “Take it or Leave it.”
3) The last and most important thing: we gained new fans. At every show we played this year, we had people come up to us and say that someone had given them one of our CDs. When they played it they loved it and knew they had to come to a show. I want to thank all of you who have been our “missionaries” and ask that you’ll keep up the good work. We NEED your support, and we are incredibly grateful for it. THANK YOU.
Adams
**These are, of course, in no particular order, and I should add that I’ve spent a number of hours paralyzed at the keyboard, hoping that I don’t miss anything or forget someone.
1) We got to go to upstate NY in the dead of Winter. Good God was it cold. We saw all the zany sights Buffalo has to offer, like buildings, dive bars, and stoplights and things. It was crazy... We also happened to record five songs with one of the Goo Goo Dolls before we left. I happen to think that the EP we made (Lies Worth Telling) is the best thing we have done in the 6 or 7 years I’ve invested into this music thing.
2) We reduced our fan base by converting two fans into band members. In the Spring, we added a new bass player by the name of Brian Scorben. He is just a heck of a swell guy, and he is the perfect fit for our group in that he loves both the Counting Crows (which means he and I have things to geek out about) and Rush, which means he and Matt have things to geek out about. I think we can ALL agree, however, that geeking out about Rush is far more geeky than geeking out about Counting Crows.
2a) Last year this time, Matt handed a CD to a random lady named Andrea. She loved the CD and asked us what the band was doing to promote our career. Being musicians, we of course shrugged and said, “huh?” Since then, Andrea’s been helping us get our music out into the world. Andrea, while not technically a band member, has been an inextricable part of the band experience over the past year.
2a-1) I lost a bet to Andrea. She tried to argue that we should do a cover of Paul McCartney’s “Let Me Roll It,” and that if we did, XPN would probably play it. I said we didn’t have a prayer of getting on there, because, as I said, I’m just a negative Nancy. Anyways, in June, I had to hand Andrea a case of “7 Deadly Zins” (her favorite wine), because dang if she wasn’t right. Thank you to Helen Leicht for playing both our cover, and our original song, “Take it or Leave it.”
3) The last and most important thing: we gained new fans. At every show we played this year, we had people come up to us and say that someone had given them one of our CDs. When they played it they loved it and knew they had to come to a show. I want to thank all of you who have been our “missionaries” and ask that you’ll keep up the good work. We NEED your support, and we are incredibly grateful for it. THANK YOU.
Adams
**These are, of course, in no particular order, and I should add that I’ve spent a number of hours paralyzed at the keyboard, hoping that I don’t miss anything or forget someone.
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