I heard about the Song Exploder podcast while on a weekend show run this week, and started listening on Monday morning to it. In every episode, various artists break down how and why they wrote a specific song, and the story behind it. They have artists as varied as Metallica to Norah Jones interviewed, and I found myself completely engrossed by hearing how each artist thought about building a song.
If you’re a producer, musician, or songwriter, this is an absolute must-listen. I learned more about producing by listening to this than I have in the last 3 years of reading on the topic. Check it out here: http://songexploder.net/
The answer might be you’re doing great, just be patient. You’re just in a rut, in the doldrums. Keep plugging away for a few days/weeks/months/years, and everything is going to be fine. And sometimes that’s the truth.
The other answer is you need to jump ship. You need to reexamine everything you do, slash what isn’t working, amp up what produces good results, and relaunch your career.
The choice seems binary, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead of making a massive change, why not start small and see where it leads? Why not sub in one activity a week with another activity and see if it helps or hurts?
There’s something epic about burning bridges, but smart pivots usually happen gradually and with one foot firmly planted on the ground.
I spent the last weekend on a run with a Nashville-based group called the Downtown Band. We played a show in Cincinnati that wrapped up late- 2:30 AM.
As we tore down, it struck me that even after an insanely long 20 hour day, everybody was still busting tail to get packed up. Every person of the 10-man band wasn’t just going through the motions of doing the hard work of getting around 2,000 lbs of gear packed, down two stories in a freight elevator, and into the trailer. They were doing it fast and really well.
Everyone in the group is a successful Nashville musician (many of them touring with the top artists in Nashville), and this 2:30 AM vignette perfectly sums up why they are successful: these people know how to work really, really hard.
Each member has spent their lifetimes practicing the art that is busting butt when you’re absolutely exhausted, running on short sleep, hungry, under tremendous pressure, and when you just don’t feel like working any more. This isn’t something you’re born with, it’s an earned skill set that takes years of dedication to develop.
Talent is important, and skill matters. But grit is what keeps you in the game long enough to be successful.
My friend and drummer Derek who plays with a large classic country group showed this last night: we were playing a set with a difficult funk beat. He aced it, but back in the dressing room he said he’d been nervous about it for the week coming up to the gig. He’d practiced his butt off, then put on his game face and did an amazing job.
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If you are an music artist, your original music is your loss leader. Unless you’ve either been insanely lucky or worked hard for 20+ years, you can literally make more money doing almost anything other than selling your music to fans and companies
Read MoreSo you’ve gone to your local music meet up. Things are going good, so you decide to screw it up a bit, but how? Fortunately I’ve been there, and I’ve figured out how to screw things up for you. Here are my 10 favorite ways to be a complete pain in the butt when connecting with other musicians and artists:
Read MoreIt’s 7:33 PM on a Sunday afternoon. I’m sitting in the backyard of one of the best drummers in Nashville, hanging out with some of the best musicians I’ve ever been around, having the time of my life and eating world class BBQ. My friend Dan has just started an amazing solo guitar set that’s blowing my mind.
On my right is one of the most respected keyboardists in the world. On the left is a man that helped to invent one of the best pieces of studio gear ever created. I lean back, munching on my brisket and wondering what the heck I’m doing here and why anyone invited me to this incredible night.
Flash forward 24 hours. I’m holding a crying child. My wife and I have been going on 6 hours sleep every night for 4 days, and we’re exhausted. The day before I lost a gig that was really important financially, and I’m in a rotten mood. Just as we get ready to head out the door, Jackson decides to puke up all over his outfit. I have the temptation to punch a hole in a wall or run screaming from the room.
This is the musician life. I bounce between incredibly exciting ups, and really big lows. I struggle deeply with trying to stay positive some days, and other days its easy. I’d feel guilty about the constantly swinging nature of my career if it wasn’t universal- every musician I know struggles with this every day.
Why share this? Because I want you hear the truth, not just the glass-half-full side of my music career. You’re not alone. Keep trying, moving ahead, and we’ll manage this together. I'm rooting for you.
I recently posted this on my personal facebook and it got a good response from my friends, so I’m sharing it here. Happy Friday, everyone!
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