So during my visit to big label in New York, there was something said that got my goat. In a meeting with a lot of label executives, we discussed, all the things it takes in order to make it in this business. After being encouraged to ask questions, someone asked if there would be a point when we could exchange information with some of the executives in the meeting. Well in turn, “Mr. Talent”, a head A&R guy felt the need to point out that we were getting a shortcut but making it was really hard work.
I am surprised that the steam coming out of my ears did not peel the paint off the bland walls of the conference room. A shortcut? First of all the reason we were there was because of deciding not to be bums and becoming involved in a program that would help move us forward in our careers. Anyone could have been a part of it but we were the ones to take the initiative. Also, everyone that was there is a hard working individual. We all have all types of things going on in music, so in no way did we think this one meeting was going to be some type of big break.
A shortcut? Does that explain why I work basically five days a week doing things that don’t pay? I am gaining an insurmountable amount of experience, but experience doesn’t pay rent. So someone working that hard for free and working a real job to pay bills wouldn’t be taking too much of a shortcut.
A Shortcut? Isn’t that how you get your foot in the door in order to be able to network with people and ask them for their information to try to keep up with them? I am here to tell Mr. Talent that there are no shortcuts sir; but best believe I will still call you, even though you ticked me off with your comment. So that goes to show how much of a hard worker I am because I worked very hard not to give you a piece of my mind. Thanks Mr. Talent.
Monday, September 1, 2008
No One Will Take Your Call
So after an encouraging visit to a big record label in New York I was pumped. Told from the horse’s mouth, which in this scenario was a head A&R guy, that all you had to do was your research. This was in response to a question I had asked about finding out what artists are looking for songs. He made me think that all I had to do was call up the record labels and they would tell me what artists were that were looking for new material. How didn’t I know that it wouldn’t be quite that easy?
I decided to begin by looking through my list of contacts that I had made to figure out who could point me in the right direction of these mysterious record label workers that knew this privileged information. Ah … I had found it, let me call this guy at I met from another big label in New York. We can call him Mr. UK. So I say to myself, Mr. UK was very nice, I can all him and find out who that person might be at his label. So I call and he actually answers and I say “Hey, I just wanted to touch basis with you to see if you can point me into the right direction as to who the people are that are looking for music at your label.” He then said to me “ Hey listen, I could give you all the names I want but no one is going to take your call. They’re too busy for that so they don’t have time. So if your good at what you do, look through our roster, write songs for those people and then maybe something can happen. I’ll have my assistant send you the links.” As my face dropped, dejected on the other end, “I offered a thanks a lot and will do.”
After hanging up the phone I could have sworn I quit the music business. I felt so discouraged about the possibility of finding out who these people were. This is part of the reason that creative people, hire business people to take care of this kind of stuff. Being that I think I am extremely important, I did not want to hear that no one was going to take my call. I mean I know these people have down time at some point in their day. But I sucked it up and realized, “Hey this isn’t personal.” No one will take my call because they don’t know who I am yet, not because I am a nobody. So I sucked it up, sent Mr. UK an e-mail, thanking him and asking for the links. You gotta start somewhere and hopefully Mr. UK is leading me in the right direction. And mark my words; these people will know who I am…eventually!
I decided to begin by looking through my list of contacts that I had made to figure out who could point me in the right direction of these mysterious record label workers that knew this privileged information. Ah … I had found it, let me call this guy at I met from another big label in New York. We can call him Mr. UK. So I say to myself, Mr. UK was very nice, I can all him and find out who that person might be at his label. So I call and he actually answers and I say “Hey, I just wanted to touch basis with you to see if you can point me into the right direction as to who the people are that are looking for music at your label.” He then said to me “ Hey listen, I could give you all the names I want but no one is going to take your call. They’re too busy for that so they don’t have time. So if your good at what you do, look through our roster, write songs for those people and then maybe something can happen. I’ll have my assistant send you the links.” As my face dropped, dejected on the other end, “I offered a thanks a lot and will do.”
After hanging up the phone I could have sworn I quit the music business. I felt so discouraged about the possibility of finding out who these people were. This is part of the reason that creative people, hire business people to take care of this kind of stuff. Being that I think I am extremely important, I did not want to hear that no one was going to take my call. I mean I know these people have down time at some point in their day. But I sucked it up and realized, “Hey this isn’t personal.” No one will take my call because they don’t know who I am yet, not because I am a nobody. So I sucked it up, sent Mr. UK an e-mail, thanking him and asking for the links. You gotta start somewhere and hopefully Mr. UK is leading me in the right direction. And mark my words; these people will know who I am…eventually!
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