Thoughts On Emerging Artist's & Protocol

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SEMI-PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE for the semi-emerging artist? …meant with love, Bibi

Bloodboiling Grit

If you feel that you are caught in between professional and non-professional status, then you probably are. You have managed to get closer, over time, to the road you desire most to be on; and you have done good. To even get near the lane, you crave to be in the most, you need some clarity on some of the grey areas, and what those yellow lines mean. Let’s clean it up and start discussing “the road grit”. We will contemplate some common mistakes in the music business, as found on stage and off.

#1- Never “scalp “ a contact.

It is considered to be a lowlife industry tactic, to be clear, a potshot taken in every industry by every form of lower life. If this rings a bell and sounds like you, remember this: Always remain in a professional capacity with those who generated your leads. To cut out any person who helped you is a big no-no, it's immediately met with regret by the person who has helped you, and "a grande faux pas" in your business that should not be ignored, but fixed. Unless you are a twinkie. A twinkie has no shelf life, but you could. To ignore this could be just short of professional suicide or worse. Umm by the way, this is found to be extremely discourteous in all business too.

How you must address it is as follows. First, apologize. You could try saying something like this, “I met some people who you lead me to, and then I cut you out. I did not mean to.” Might work, but not likely. Yes, it is far worse than bringing food to a restaurant. Capiche?

Don't make the music business MORE difficult than it is already for those truly in the industry by disguising yourself as one of us, only to step on our heads. If someone has devoted their lives to an industry, respect that veil, and do not try and puncture it with your cleats as you walk all over them, and then do not have the audacity to bend over to pick the brains. A non-disclosure, non circumvention form, as found with the International Chamber of Commerce, should not be necessary. Remember, in some industries, if you violate the ICC you might end up in Tsing Tsing. Same goes with music.

Because there is never a good reason to scalp a connection, your excuse is not good enough, however, you still must try to correct your mistake. BUT, you think, the bridge is near burning, and you are scared. Intrisically, you know that you must put it out, and you are both ashamed and aware enough to realize this, after the bridge is starting to smolder and smoke, wonder what do you REALLY do? After all, it’s an uncomfortable crisis that could get ugly. So you think about it.

Two solutions are ready. One is quit the industry. You can sell your investment or take your equipment back to the store, and head for the hills, or your basement. You can take a deep breath and sigh of relief, back in safety zone are you, having quit and failed.

Or the other solution is to (wo) man-up, calculate how much any one could be owed, and pay that piper. If nothing is calculably owed, be gratuitous. In my case, I charge $150.00 for the second hour of my time in consulting. The first hour is free. The second hour, for me in my industry, can be retained for $150.00 and it is then, and only then, during this new reception or re-entry into the industry, can your agrievious error be mended. It re-establishes a new firm ground to re-emerge, and the spark that might have set the stage ablaze to the ground is easily quelled.

#2-Get OFF the stage.

When asked by a stage manager to get OFF the stage, please get OFF the stage. By this time, they will have already given you the signal. Several times.

As far as the next performer goes, no other person who has had any length of experience, may want to just jump up and jam your tunes because you are having too much fun.

When it is THEIR turn, you get OFF, and make that BEFORE they get on. It's really simple ettiquette.

Think about it, others may seriously dislike your style or have a completely different groove all together. No lip, get off. If you ever find yourself fortunate enough to be around REAL industry folks, and they ask you to GET OFF the stage. Get Off.

GET OFFFFFFFF & without the hook. Don't make the stagemanger get on the mic either.

The only reason I would even consider bringing one of these types of people back to any of my shows or stages is simply because some one of some influence begged or coerced me. Otherwise they are “finished” as far as I’m concerned. This is important.

In a position of being beyond any corporate ladder, one makes executive decisions, usually solely. A stage is ran the same way. One person calls it. If two or more managers are together, some may confer. If one stage manager says you are finished with your show, do not make an appeal to another stage manager. That is just sick.

Your stage manager is not stepping down. They will however, surround themselves with capable people. If you are not the type of artist capable of being directed, you do not belong on any set of mine.

Here is an exercise. Imagine, we are in Alaska and I yell “Get in the boat, get in the boat !!!”... because a polar bear is fast approaching, and could only be a millisecond away from ripping off your head or mine. Simply put, lives could be in jeopardy. Water could maybe approaching electricity. Now imagine you are so defiant, that you won’t be told what to do, ever. If right now you are thinking that you have never been to Alaska, and that maybe you should not follow what the "dumb ol Alaskans" are doing, maybe you ALSO should not be on the stage, in the budget, looking at any materials, nor scalping my connections. Once labeled as defiant, good riddance. Really. Your Ego is not your Amigo.

#3 Don’t Steal Someone’s Song.

If it’s new to you, let it remain so. That adage “imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery” does not work here. Do not develop your set list off those backs of other artists’ performances, whom you know. Period. I worked and performed with a group 7 years before I touched one song placed by my director on his song list, outside of his band.

You already know that Artists take much time and carefully select special songs. If you use their song list then you are looked upon as greedy and selfish. Same goes for magicians, get hip. Work your own magic asshole. This rule applies in a festival setting, mostly, or on a tour.

When the time is right, and you finally do so, play it in tribute to them. You play a few times with a new group of folks and you feel it is appropriate to steal their set-list? Death shall come, on a black horse tonight and hopefully every night, how is your mojo these days? Not working so well? Understand, it’s rude, and not called for. Get your own life. If I have to explain this to underlings, they are not welcomed back to this show. Maybe that was your original idea, if so; it works.

I always thought it was beyond rude to go to a massive festival and know Bob Seger is playing that night, yet several bands seem to choose his climax hit to butcher all day. Ugh !!!! Why ??? To what sense??? A Poor Taste Award Trophy is just waiting to have your name engraved upon it.

All in all, the message is this: find good taste, be kind to your leaders, treat them with respect and you will go much further. Hang in there! Anyone REAL in the industry is sure to quickly forgive and forget if you improve, and try. Remember to use this quick guide, on manners, as they are essential!

ARE MANNERS NECESSARY?

Have you sworn at someone onstage?

Q: How does one avoid the Producer screaming, “You’ll never work in this town again!”?

A: Try manners. Try using your Please's and Thank you’s.

Are you a road “rager” ? Do you have the emotional equivalence, the EQ, much like an IQ , necessary, to make a career in music last.

Are you “in”, and I say this word loosely, music, to express yourself?

Do you sing songs that start out with the word “I” or “Me” or “My”?

Have you ever interrupted a funeral to sing a song for the deceased person whom you did not know, to share music to those among the living, because you feel as though you are anointed and/or have the power to heal?

Have you ever stopped a prayer or song (are they not the same sometimes?) to “bitchslap” anyone?

Do you regularly roll your eyes during a performance because you cannot gel with others onstage for any reason?

These are all sure signs that you are not ready to be on any stage run by me or anyone I know. Flushing sound goes here.

NO TO “SHOW-MANCES” !

Ethics. What are they?

• You don’t use your position as a manager to get laid.

• You do not use your position as an artist brand--a star-- to get laid. It is same rules for a corporate executive, or anyone in any position of power. Be real, don’t manipulate. Carry insurance.

• Do not push, pull, twist, nor contrive the words and actions of others to get ahead of your fellow colleague.

• Do not speak while others are speaking. This applies especially to when your music director is speaking, or when your colleague is learning a new piece with said director, that you may be already familiar with.

• Know that if you have NEVER had a director, then you are not good enough to direct. Straight up, no chaser. Go work under a director for a year or two or five, and when the director approves of you then you reach a new level. Know that a leader must first learn to follow or there will be a true Achilles heel in your musical footing.

• If someone joins you onstage, do not storm off. Being pouty is sick, twisted, and lame. Seek counseling.

• If someone harmonizes with you, keep going. Keep your tempo. Don't stop.

Music is a journey, enjoy it, and if you take it slowly and lovely, you will be fine. Because it is sounds and silences, fundamentally speaking, moving through time, do take your time, and learn it well, and only then will you progress and reach that mark of excellence.