Recording Artist Advocate: Everybody gets a trophy. Screw that…

The only people who think participation trophies are a good idea must own trophy shops. Instead of one trophy, they get to sell them to everyone on the team. 

The kids who get trophies for doing nothing are the same employees who think they should get praised for just showing up. Or, that they should get promoted for the same reason. Have you heard someone say, “How is she getting promoted? I’ve been here longer.” You can bet they've got a shelf full of these worthless awards at home.

So we're clear, I think “everybody gets a trophy” thinking sucks.

The music business may be the best example of a field where it’s all on you. Your Mom can be in the audience, but she can’t get you gigs or make sure you are asked back. In fact, the fewer people she talks to the better. Trust me on this.

So, even if you got praised for just showing up, put that behind you. It's not how this business works. It’s not how the real world works either. You’re going to have to work harder and be better than the other bands you are competing with. It's lots of work, and luck, but mostly work.

The upside is that if you’ll do the heavy lifting you’ll set yourself apart from all those whiney, self-absorbed, cry-babies. You’ll get booked more and asked back.

Success is the real reward and only a few achieve it.   

Recording Artist Advocate: Would you want to have a Beer with these guys?

A business writer said people don’t buy drill bits, they buy holes. It’s the end result they want.  The tool just helps them get there. Think about that when you market your band or music.

Who are you talking to and what do they want.

Band pictures and show posters are a good place to start. Who is watching and what are you telling them? If a picture tells a story, what’s yours?

Step back and try to see how you come across to a total stranger.

Is it even worth looking at? Does it stand out or blend in? Does it look like every other band’s?

What is the take-away? Cool guys to hang out with or self-important posers?

There is a great book called Accidental Magic. If you can find it, buy it and it will change your thinking about what you can do with a picture.

While your Googling around, check out “Rock and Roll Confidential” to see the “Hall of Douchebags” compilation of the worst band pictures you will ever see. 

Do this as a band and you will spend hours laughing together. It will bring you closer. Then make sure you never take those kinds of pictures.  Ever.

You may want to rethink the way you present yourself from now on.

Recording Artist Advocate: Rah Rah Rah, Blah Blah Blah

So, I’m not usually a fan of self-help books. Or, I haven’t been. But today I’m at Jon Acuff’s Start conference in Nashville and I think every singer-songwriter I know needs to be here. Almost everything talked about here applies to folks in the business of writing songs and presenting those songs. People like you! As much as you like to think of music as art, and it is… it’s also your business.

If you are not treating it like a business you will likely never be able to do it full time.

To mix things up, there was a songwriter round with Dave Barnes, Steve Moakler, and Derek Webb. Sandra McCracken was scheduled to be here but was unable to attend. They told stories about playing for packed houses and empty houses with the same intensity. The people who encourage you and discourage you, all in the context of the principles John Acuff and the other conference presenters talked about. They were at the conference to entertain, but also drove those points home.

As much as it’s an encouraging environment, they are realistic about how you still have bills to pay and other responsibilities. If someone came here expecting a pep talk ending with, “Just get out there and do it!” instead they got a reality check, a call to be realistic and to get busy doing the fundamental things it takes to make your dream a reality.

I read Jon Acuff’s book “Start” and will get his other book “Quitter”tomorrow. People I talked to say these books inspired them to get off their asses, quit complaining about their boring or soul destroying day jobs, and do something productive to move towards doing the work they love.

That’s the situation a lot of artist are in. Does that describe you? Music is a part of you. It may be the purest form of expression there is. You would do it even if you couldn’t get paid. But, do it right and you can make a lot of money.

You are the business. You are the brand. You are the product. Treat your music and career like the business it is and you’ll rocket past most other bands and live the life you want.

Recording Artist Advocate: Train Tracks and your Brain

Taking a dinner break with a singer, her shuffle played a new version of an old song. The artist changed up the song so that it was still interesting but there was more going on to make it apealing to us. Every time we heard the original version of that song, our brains actually connected cells to connect that song into our long-term memory. The new version was able to piggy-back on that. So the new version was actually taking advantage of established brain structures to get our attention. We automatically attributed the feelings associated with the original song to the new version.

You don’t have to re-do old songs to take advantage of these connections.

Any group has shared experiences. A first car means freedom and independence to a young person. A song about driving has added appeal. It won’t make the song, but it helps. When the song is about driving to a new place or experience and you get an extra boost.

Think about the experiences we all share and how you can tap into them.

The struggle between wanting freedom and needing to be a part of a group is another theme that resonates. Attraction, embarrassment, and voyeurism are more universal themes. Think we’re not voyeurs? Explain the popularity of reality shows.

These brain structure connections are train tracks your song can ride on to help connect with your listener’s experiences. They have more distractions than ever and you need all the help you can get. A clever lyric is not as good as anything that resonates or connects. Dig deep. That’s where the gold is.

Do it wrong and your just more background noise. But do it right and you’ll be a part of their lives. Your music will be loved for generations.