What is your definition of "making it" in the music industry? (Started by Itsuka on the Bands, Fans & Industry site)
If you feel you've already "made it", what made you feel that way?
If you feel you haven't "made it", what will make you feel you've made it?
Or do you care about "making it" at all?
I'm curious because our dreams and desires are endless:
You might have supportive fans but you probably want more.
You might have a record deal, but you may be wanting to be discovered by an even bigger label.
You might play gigs regularly, but you may be desperate to play at bigger venues.
You might have completed a local circuit but you may be dreaming of launching into a national tour, then Europe, then international.
At which point is your "made it" point?
I'm a hobby musician but professionally involved in the film industry. Honestly I'm quite content so long as we stay creative and earn enough money to keep us going, but obviously it's nice if one of our films received recognition at one of the big festivals such as BAFTA or even Academy Award. I would probably regard this as we've "made it" in the film industry.
I'm very much interested to know your thoughts as musicians...
Itsuka
If you feel you haven't "made it", what will make you feel you've made it?
Or do you care about "making it" at all?
I'm curious because our dreams and desires are endless:
You might have supportive fans but you probably want more.
You might have a record deal, but you may be wanting to be discovered by an even bigger label.
You might play gigs regularly, but you may be desperate to play at bigger venues.
You might have completed a local circuit but you may be dreaming of launching into a national tour, then Europe, then international.
At which point is your "made it" point?
I'm a hobby musician but professionally involved in the film industry. Honestly I'm quite content so long as we stay creative and earn enough money to keep us going, but obviously it's nice if one of our films received recognition at one of the big festivals such as BAFTA or even Academy Award. I would probably regard this as we've "made it" in the film industry.
I'm very much interested to know your thoughts as musicians...
Itsuka
Responses to This Article
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Permalink Reply by Gray Dourman on -
Making It....
When I first heard my lyrics come out of a truly gifted and talented singer and watched an audience transfixed...I thought I had made it...didn't last long...that's the nature of 'making it'...it doesn't last...'making it' is the cocaine of creative psychology...tasty for a moment then leaves you with a craving for more...
Good to see people using the site to talk rather than punting for work...not to condemn punting...talk is good.
Gray Dourman
www.magichelix.com
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Permalink Reply by Colin Gillman on -
I have a long way to go before I will think I have made it. I'm probably at my happiest here and now. Today, my band's album was featured on Radio Caroline on a live show. The DJ bigged us up real large and played the title track
of the album, then he talked about what we were like and gave a little bio etc. and read out our upcoming gigs, gave out web details before saying he would play his favorite number from the album in a couple more hours time. He played the most surprising choice, not what I expected before rounding it off with a word to say that he would contact me over the weekend with regard to helping us find 'that' label which I had alluded to us not having in my early correspondence with him. You'd think that would be pretty cool wouldn't you? Yeah, me too. I mean, imagine hearing your band on the wireless for the firtst time with somebody raving about how good it is etc. Trouble was during it all my missus was bending my ear because I hadn't made the fucking kids beds while she was out! The row escalated because I was tense over it being my big day on the wireless and I had been loooking forward to it for a week since setting it up following the contact I'd had from the DJ in reply to a punted email. He loves the album. He plays it. She rants at me. I go into one. Neither wins. I lose out. To make matters worse he says on air that he is going to play a track in a couple of hours. I carry on with said chores (I'm supposed to be working at home at my desk) and during the bit where I am grumpily trying to placate my missus from giving me any more of her gyp before I can hear what the DJ has to say for the second time - larging up the gigs and so forth - I find that I have missed it. And the song that he played was the song that I wrote in memory of my old man. I can't play that song live without choking. To have missed it on the wireless for the first time due to a fuckin' row with 'er indoor was a killer. Bollocks! I'll never make it. Anyway you want to look at it.
Gray Dourman said:Making It....
When I first heard my lyrics come out of a truly gifted and talented singer and watched an audience transfixed...I thought I had made it...didn't last long...that's the nature of 'making it'...it doesn't last...'making it' is the cocaine of creative psychology...tasty for a moment then leaves you with a craving for more...
Good to see people using the site to talk rather than punting for work...not to condemn punting...talk is good.
Gray Dourman
www.magichelix.com
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Permalink Reply by Toby Burton on -
Hi Mick,
it'd be great to have a listen. Can you send us a link to somewhere we could hear the music.
Cheers, T.
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Permalink Reply by Seamus Anthony on -
Hey all, I'm new here! This topic is dear to me so just gonna jump in if that's cool. I have several levels of thought about 'making it'. Sometimes I am pretty hard-nosed (no I haven't made it; making it means earning good money out of music), other times I get all zen about it. I have a pretty popular post about that here at my blog.
Looking forward to hanging out here!
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Permalink Reply by Seamus Anthony on
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Whoops - seems I muffed up the link (damn technomonology). Try this.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Russell on -
When I first heard John Peel play a track off my band's album back in 1985 takes a bit of a beating. If anybody's interested, the band was called Sudden Afternoon, the album was called Dancing Shadows and the track was called Acid Rain and the track is currently available as a download from Cherry Red on a new compliation called The Things We Never Did, HINT, HINT!!
With my current band? I wrote the lyrics to our song 'In '77', the first time we played it live (at Powers in Kilburn High Road) people I didn't know were dancing to it and joining in with the chorus, that did it for me thank you!!
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Permalink Reply by dave on
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made it, is the first time you look around the audience and see all the approving nods and cheers and you truly have them in the palm of your hand,but its like crack after the first time you are always chasing that first hit and somehow it will never be as sweet.so you end up just doing it for the money and being in the right place to pull birds.the made it feeling does come back now and again just to laugh at you.its very diferent for everyone, i was at the live recording of jackie lyntons till were blue in the face about 30 years back and as the band walked on he said .weve made it .i dont think he had anything like the same enthusiasm after that night.he was still brilliant but i felt somthing was lost after that fantastic gig.
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i think yours is a very sad story,all the comments you recieved are positive because they are all from other failures.you have had to take on a whole new identity to detach yourself from failing to achieve your dream.this new you has set his sights down near the gutter, cant possibly fail.i prefer the old guy warts and all,if the other guy realy wanted it he could have done it.its a cop out to become sombody else.its as sad as calling scribbs.ok i understand your life was a neverending onslaught of crushing and grinding disapointments, but thats when you should try hardest,what are you going to be if the new you fails to deliver.
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Permalink Reply by Seamus Anthony on
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Hi Dave,
It's not a sad story to me, it's an inspirational story that has not finished yet.
I actually am still hugely ambitious, active and focussed on "making it" as a musician, but if I never do it is ok because it's not just about "making it" - it's about playing music - which I do all the time!
Life is a dynamic tension between being present and enjoying the moment - and working towards your vision for the future. There is no failure other than having been too afraid to pursued your bliss with all your heart.
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