Everyone who makes music should read this ... scary times folks!

[Super 8]

Thanks again Hilary. Yep, totally agree with you! Apologies for my rant here (although I must admit that David Byrne's article did hit a deep nerve with me - it makes a very strong point!) Anyways, I've 'slept on this' now and I'm feeling slightly more calculated & balanced about stuff. The thing is, I've never been a 'go getter' & I think you really need to be to get anywhere in this game. You mention whats-her-face being prepared to live on the streets in order to pursue her dream. Fair play to her but sod that for a game of soldiers - LOL!

Speaking personally again, lots of folks down the years have 'bigged me up' (for want of a better phrase!) telling me how talented I am & that I need to 'do something' with that talent. ("Thanks very much. I don't really see it myself but everyone's entitled to their opinion!") That said, I thought (for once in my life!) I'd actually stop 'dicking about' & try to take myself & my music a bit more seriously. Hmm ....  

I dunno ... I reckon it's a character/personality thing. I guess I don't have that in-built drive or confidence that enables self-belief in oneself & the fruits of their creative labour ... if I can't even believe in what I do how the hell can I attempt to convince others to do so? I can't even give a performance in front of more than one person without looking like I've had a shower with my clothes on by the end of the first song - it's a nerves thing! You've got to be fairly headstrong & clued-up in order to be able to to forge any kind of 'career' within the creative industries. Lots of confidence & self-belief (ie: the complete opposite of where I'm at!)

OK, enough of this psycho-babble! This rare 'public outing' here has actually enabled me to exorcise some deep-rooted demons and, in some way, helped me realise where I'm coming from. I'm at my happiest musically (and in general!) when I'm just 'in the moment' working up a new song idea in my boxroom studio.  I don't really feel I was made for these X-factor/Spotify times! As such I'm gonna go crawl back under my rock now! I realise what it is that I need to do and that is: 'Get back to just making music for the sheer fun of it with NO EXPECTATIONS!' I've been trying TOO hard of late. Music should be enjoyable. (That phrase: 'Never mix business with pleasure' springs to mind!)  Anyway ... ENOUGH ALREADY! Thank you for my time on the couch here people - you're a nice bunch so you are! I won't bother you from here on in (apart from the occasional daft song now & again no doubt!)

All the best on YOUR musical journey of discovery .... wherever that may lead YOU.

CHEERS! x  

PS: In the hope of being able to 'sign off here' on a happy note here's one of the (many!) out-takes from my latest above video (it's really not ALL doom'n'gloom ya know!)  


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E47KSnCJc9c

[Hilary]

I've already seen the vid  

We all need a bit of moral support from time to time and Songcrafters listened to me (and gave me encouragement) when absolutely no-one was listening. I've had to overcome crippling nerves to perform - so much so that on my first outing I could only manage the odd downward strum on the guitar and it was probably over a year of open mics before I could even stand up and play and sing at the same time. It's been a long and slow road for me but you'd be surprised what I can do now    

There's no need to apologise, practically every month I'm on the verge of giving it up but as the song says, I'm still here.

As you say, bring the fun back and you might even start to see what everyone else sees in you xx

[Geir]

I won't get into the topic right now, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your music (and videoes) Paul and GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!

[Super 8]

You REALLY are a lovely bunch you know! Thanks SO much amigos

[Mike_S]

Good luck Paul, I hope it goes well in the end. I think most people who play an instrument or sing have harboured a dream of making it to some degree to a bigger audience. I only tinker around and upload stuff to this site, but wouldn't have the guts / confidence (or talent!) to take it seriously, but i have to admire anyone that really gives it a go. But as others have said, take care along the way as it is a rocky road.

Cheers
Mike

[Super 8]

I'm sort of 'back-to-front'. Let me try to explain. When I was younger and in bands I DID have the confidence (in fact I was perhaps TOO confident!) The thing is, I wasn't very good! Ironically I'm considerably better at music these days (IMHO!) but sadly lacking the confidence I once had to do anything about it performance-wise! 

[artokh74]

I feel like rambling on a bit now and would like to share the story of my most recent inspiration concerning all that's been talked about here. A different kind of success story here in Finland.

For the past 15 years I was certain that for ANYBODY to want to listen to my music, it would have to be produced with tons of studio money involved. At the same time ofcourse the internet, and YouTube in particular, were dragging the bar of releasing stuff online to such an amazing low, but I guess I never thought of myself as part of that world, duh!
The real eye-opener for me happened late last year when the Finnish music critics voted a home recording by local artist named Jukka Nousiainen as their album of the year. It had been initially self-published as a cassette, and later cd's were done straight from the cassettes. It was getting rave reviews along the year everywhere so it was no surprise it won, despite never really getting around the top of the charts due to lack of proper distribution channels or airplay.
The funny thing about the disc was that it sounded much more lo-fi than anything I had been doing ten years earlier with really cheap home studio gear. The recording was an analog 8-tracker, I believe, and there seemed to be little to no compression to keep the levels even, nor was there any attempt to disquise the hiss of the masters. Ofcourse, no extra mastering was done for the cd either. 
In January of this year, Jukka would get on the number one weekly morning show to sing his stuff and would be the cover boy in virtually all major Finnish music publications, so there was obviously more money out there for him to make by signing with a proper label and moving on to proper arenas, right?  WRONG!!! He kept self-releasing songs and cd's as he wished, and for the entire 2015 the guy has been making, from what I understand a rather good living touring small downtown pubs and clubs around the country by himself or with one of his many different backing groups, and selling his cd's, tapes and merch on these shows.  One of these backing groups, a Cream/Hendrix type jam rock trio gained loads of media attention in the spring and summer and certainly was the hottest live act I've ever seen with two super cool chicks supporting him on bass+drums, so of course he pulled the plug on that one once the pubs and clubs started being too small for their crowds.

For some reason ,this "success story" has given me an incredible amount of belief and hope that there is possibly SOMETHING to be gained by sharing the stuff out there. Who knows what it will be. And more importantly, even if you were good enough to get a deal with a major label or get in the radio etc., it just may not be the best thing anyway if it jeopardizes doing what you love and getting to do it exactly when and how you feel like doing it.

Some meat on the bones if you want...here's the title track off the "2014 Album of the Year" to get an idea what the disc sounds like...lo-fi but great!!     
   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0Rm_oHEms

[Oldrottenhead]

on a similar note a scottish artist called c duncan recorded his stuff at home, it's up for a mercury music prize.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-NLuJJPsVY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC-q1ldXNSY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJrmX59QM5M

[fenderbender]

Just reading your post arkokh74
It seems to be the way now
take control over what YOU want your music career  to be -never hit the big time -record company wise
Cos it seems to be that the record companies gobble artists up for a year or so and then cast them aside-
But build your name in the pubs and clubs and work for good money when you build a good reputation.
You then have control over what you do next.

For some reason ,this "success story" has given me an incredible amount of belief and hope that there is possibly SOMETHING to be gained by sharing the stuff out there. Who knows what it will be. And more importantly, even if you were good enough to get a deal with a major label or get in the radio etc., it just may not be the best thing anyway if it jeopardizes doing what you love and getting to do it exactly when and how you feel like doing it

Well worded and so true.

regards
Tommy

[fenderbender]

Just on a light note
I'm too old for fortune and fame
Would'nt know what to do with it.
However I've had a good semi-pro music career -that always helped pay the bills-
Playing covers and what most musicians would call rubbish
But hat was yesterday-and yesterdays gone
Now that I have written a few songs -
However sharing what I do here has given me a new lease of life-Ive started to write songs -never could do it when I was gigging -
My ambition now?-maybe someone will do a cover of one of my songs and it gets played on the radio-
I would regard that as having made it-silly I know -but-
now when I meet guys -they ask are you still playing guitar??
cos we are all much older now-they say great-remember when you USED to play in such and such place
great times
I hope I make a little sense here-
My father always said when I got into the music game first-
"Hold onto your day job-you'll never know when you need it"

Sorry for rambling on guys
Good luck in your ambitions and dreams

Tommy