Editorial: Parting With Your Art

“…it’s the knowledge of all the effort, the passion, the thought that goes into creating something original…”

 

 

On Tuesday night, the Grace Emily Hotel raised $7,200+ for charity with its 10th edition of the “Bald Clanger” Exhibition. It’s one of my favourite events of the year.

A play on words of the “Archibald” nationwide Portrait Prize, this annual event is an art competition and charity auction, whereby artists of all levels of skill submit their impressions of someone / something that represents the Grace Emily community. They usually get around 30 or so entries.

Bar staff tend to feature heavily, but there are plenty of others honoured in the artwork – you never fail to see some local bands and musicians amongst the portraits. After all, for many people, the venue is synonymous with live music! The winning entry is hung on the pub’s wall, while the rest are put in a public auction. This year, all proceeds are going to Médecins Sans Frontières.

I can see at least 5 local musicians on this wall.

Some of Adelaide’s finest artists are Grace patrons, and always participate in the Bald Clanger. Daryl Austin’s lovely homage to the pub’s name sake, “Grace Emily” herself, fetched over $1000. But something I truly love about the event is that anyone can have a go. $20 buys you a standard canvas (and a bonus pint of ale), and you can paint, write, use mixed media – whatever you want. I believe the youngest artist this year was around 7 years old.

Can’t paint to save my life, but I’ve even summoned the courage to offer up a couple of mixed media entries over the years. And this is where the “music” theme of this editorial comes in…

On auction night, the artists are highly likely to have their original work purchased by someone else – and then it’s gone from their own hands forever. At those moments, it always strikes me how, as musicians, we’re extremely lucky to retain at least a copy of the fruits of our labour.

The winning entry of Grace publican George, by Kate.

It’s not necessarily narcissism that creates the desire to ‘keep’ your own work; it’s the knowledge of all the effort, the passion, the thought that goes into creating something original. You expressed all of that for a reason; it’s natural to want to hang on to the moment.

A visual artist doesn’t have that luxury. Their blood, sweat & tears may be forever hidden from their view in a stranger’s house. Now, if you can make reasonable copies of it (e.g. nice prints or something – not just a photo), that’s fine I suppose. But the original piece is by definition one-of-a-kind. What if an author had to relinquish their own novel once it was finished?

What about Michael Jackson owning publishing rights to the Beatles’ back catalogue? Sure, McCartney can still play his own songs (for a price!), and anyone can listen to the recordings, but Sir Paul was apparently “furious” about this situation, and admits it’s not just business, it’s personal.

Perhaps it’s not quite the same thing – giving up rights to your work vs. having someone else own an actual, original physical item – but the feeling of ‘authorship’ would surely be similar.

I’m even slightly uncomfortable at being a buyer in some instances… Three (and counting) of our band’s CD covers have been created from local artist Charlie Roberts’ unique paintings. We don’t just take a photo and use the image; the bonus for us is that we actually buy his paintings – and in the process are getting a pretty kickarse collection of original art! They all have personal meaning to us. As for Charlie, it makes me a little sad that they’re no longer ‘his’ to own… but at least he knows they’ve gone to a good home, and he knows where to find us!

At our house there’s also a drawer full of master recordings, everything from proper studio albums to demos. They should probably be in our fire safe, I reckon, along with all the old photo negatives (look it up, kids) and other precious ephemera. It makes me happy that the collection is there, at any rate, even if we never listen to some of those recordings again.

Authorship, and ownership.

Who knows, maybe it is all a little selfish. But my fellow musicians, when it comes to original art, I still think we’re the lucky ones!

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

Comments welcome below.

Editorial: What’s Your Studio Personality?

“…maintain an even keel as much as possible – it’s not always easy…”

 

 

Hey musicians, who doesn’t love to make a record??

I think it’s one of the privileges of modern times that musicians of all types are in a better position to make records, one way or another. In my own years as a contemporary musician, I’ve particular enjoyed the time spent in studios.

By ‘enjoyed’, I mean yes, I’ve experienced the euphoria of nailing a difficult take, and love to have a physical representation of our songwriting. But I also mean that I (ultimately) enjoy the composite of the emotions that comes along with the process, be they good or bad: the horror that can come with unfamiliarity or uncertainty, the intense time pressure, the bonding, the arguing, the spontaneity, the frustration, the concentration, the ‘finding the answer’, the connection, the exploration… and that weird feeling you get when it’s all over. It’s always a journey.

Every studio has its own personality, too. One suggestion is try to make yourself at home as soon as possible. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll perform. This is not always easy, because they all feel so different…

Recording at someone’s home studio (if I knew them well, or if I didn’t), vs. recording at a scary, ghost-filled building interstate, vs. recording at a world class facility where some of my favourite acts once stood – and all the logistics that came with it – they’ve all cast their own unique light on the proceedings. The studio can’t help but seep into your music somehow.

Some even let you leave your own mark on the door!

And then there’s the personality you yourself bring to the occasion. It might vary dramatically, depending on many things.

What sort of mood are you in? If it’s not good, can you break out of it and concentrate? If you’re on fire, does that momentum cross over into the rest of your takes? If you’re making it up on the spot, what head space do you need to be in to achieve that?

In my opinion, ideally you aspire to maintain an even keel as much as possible. Again, not always easy…! But it should be a goal.

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve had a few special guests join us in the studio, bringing their specialty skills to our music. We know both of them quite well, so there’s an immediate level of comfort & trust there, but it was still a foreign location to them, and they’ve never recorded with us before now.

It was fascinating to see how they ‘worked’ in that environment. They were amongst friends, with freedom to create whatever they wanted – but in a small space with a super short time frame to get it down. Absolutely no dramas. They didn’t even mind a certain social media person hovering around taking photos & video for Instagram (cough cough).

I salute them. No worries at all. Couldn’t have been easier. If you’re ever guesting on others’ recordings, keep in mind the ways these guys acted and performed; they’re excellent role models. Be prepared. Be enthusiastic. Keep it together. Just warm up and go.

Who knows? You may find yourself recording with the same mic Paul Kelly once used!

For those who have a healthy background in recording, hopefully you’ll relate to a lot of the points above. For those who haven’t recorded, hopefully you’ll keep some in mind and enjoy the ride!

And for the non-muso punters (or for everyone, really): the next time you listen to a record, try to imagine the story behind its creation.

There’s sure to be quite a tale to tell.

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

Comments welcome below.

 

Editorial: Make First Impressions Last

“…the worst kind of judgement someone can hand down to a musician… is that they are dull…”

 

 

They say you only get one chance to make a first impression.

This is true by its very definition, and I was reminded of it last night while judging a live song competition.

The 5 competing acts could hardly have been more disparate in sound and style, but I found I could get a measure on each of them reasonably quickly. Within a minute I knew how they talked, looked and performed; their respective levels of writing skills, musical talent and professionalism on stage were all immediately apparent.

Congrats to all of the performers for being part of an entertaining event, and for having the bravery to put their art out there for critique.

Officially, they were being assessed on originality and how ‘studio ready’ their songs were, as the prize was recording time. Yet, as much as you can try to focus on the songs themselves, you can’t divorce them entirely from the whole package.

Now, this was in fact a competition, but make no mistake: as an artist you are being ‘judged’ in pretty much this same way, every time you set foot on stage.

You’re also being compared to the best artists of all time, because we all have built up a musical knowledge over the years that doesn’t disappear just because you’re watching someone on a smaller stage than Wembley Stadium.

Must be nice.

You need to give this some thought, and try to consider things from the audience’s point of view.

In my opinion, the worst kind of judgement someone can hand down to a musician – assuming they have at least an average skill set – is that they are dull.

As you make your ‘first impression’, I’d say you should try to make an impression.

I’m not suggesting you should try to be something you’re not. Authenticity is an important part of artistic expression. Sometimes you can make an impression for qualities that aren’t doing you any favours, too! But I still think that’s better than being forgettable.

What we need to keep in mind is that things ‘get smaller’ on stage. You’ve got to be you, to the max!

Think of it like stage makeup – you need a whole lot more under the glare of a spotlight to even just look like you normally do on the street.

Perhaps not the best example…

A friend was telling me of the occasion when he was booked to play at the casino. These types of shows are generally ‘wallpaper’ ones, where you’re basically just there for atmosphere. He became concerned when, through the course of the evening, the casino staff kept making him to take a break every 15 minutes or so, after he’d only played a couple of songs. Why?? It turns out, he was TOO engaging, and people had stopped gambling to watch him. Classic.

Put him in a live music pub though, and it’s exactly what you want.

There were some very intriguing performances going on last night, and some that could’ve amped things up a bit. As time goes by, it’s the former that I’ll remember the most.

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

 

Editorial: “Free” Has a Cost

 

“…If you’re giving away music, at least value your product – and yourself – enough to collect something in return…”

 

 

I generally believe the old adage, “you get what you pay for”, but these days does it really apply to music anymore?

In my rant last week about U2, I briefly mentioned the idea that “a band of multi-millionaires who scored a cool $100 million to give away their album” is NOT a model to encourage in this industry. (Just today I learned The Beatles are getting in on the act, too). There are countless bands who can’t afford that, yet fans have just been told “even music from the most famous artists should be free” – and how many of them are thinking / caring whether at any stage the band got paid or not?

As musicians, we are CONSTANTLY giving things away for free, our recordings, our performances, our merchandise, our dignity – oh wait, that last one is just U2.

Really, guys? Hmm.

The “incentive” is that the exposure will earn more fans …um, who then get everything for free? yada yada yada.

This is not evil in theory. Who doesn’t love a free sample? Key word being “sample.”

I adore gift bags of makeup in trial sizes, and never miss a chance to follow the ‘Yellow Brick Road’ at the Royal Show to collect a swag of goodies. But even in these cases, it’s not technically free. Those ‘gifts’ come with a purchase. Somebody pays, somebody profits. And if I like the free sample enough, I’ll go buy the full size product. Mission accomplished.

There’s another scenario at the Royal Show that’s not quite as appealing. My friend runs her own business making tasty condiments + dips, and one year she set up a booth in the ‘Tasting SA’ section. She was horrified. Free samples are pretty much expected there, but the locust-like hordes that swarmed past her booth barely looked up to catch the name of her business. Grab a bite, move to the next booth, repeat. A huge waste of time & money on her part. I can’t help thinking this is kind of how it feels to be an independent musician sometimes…

If you’re giving away music, at least value your product – and yourself – enough to collect something in return. Email addresses are good commodities, for instance. In the Yellow Brick Road, every ‘free’ item came with a brochure about the producer, so my eventual attention is the commodity. Risky, but better than my poor friend’s example.

Playing for free is a trickier topic (and is admittedly a bugbear of mine). If you MUST play without pay, make sure you actually leverage that opportunity in a way that’s meaningful. Invite industry to the show and use it as a showcase, or really plug yourself to the audience and get them to join your mailing list – or hey, to buy your music!

(A quick aside to venue & festival bookers: if you only book bands who offer to play for free or vastly undersell themselves, maybe you DO get what you pay for in terms of quality…).

Some bands give away their entire catalogue, but they make a killing at live shows in merch and door sales. Fair enough. There’s not one model to fit all. But in each case, if YOU don’t decide what your effort is worth, the audience will. The latter actually worked in Radiohead’s case, and plenty of bands offer the ‘pay what you want’ option on Bandcamp. Again, that’s fine. At least the audience has to put some thought into it.

Radiohead. Not really my thing, but they do make ‘cool’ seem effortless
(which is how ‘cool’ should be).

But if audiences are constantly TOLD all music is free – free meaning $0 – then it’s worth… $0.

By all means give things away when you need to do so. Just know the true cost.

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

 Comments welcome below.

Editorial: The U2 ‘Virus’ – Marketing Genius or Jerk Move?

 

“…credibility, integrity, humility – these are traits that make me respect an artist (or company)…”

 

I had a different editorial planned for today, but you can’t take 5 steps without someone mentioning the “U2 Virus” scandal, so here are my two cents…

For those who haven’t heard, U2 and Apple struck a deal whereby the band got paid $100 million [!] to essentially give Apple their new LP, and in turn the latter ‘gifted’ it to 500 million iTunes account holders. Meaning, the LP simply turned up in your iTunes library for free, whether you wanted it or not.

My personal Facebook page has been enjoying a healthy debate on the ethics of this marketing ploy, and it was certainly a hot topic at ye olde pub last night. Why all the fuss?

There’s a camp that views this as genius – not only a way for the band to grab a mountain of cash without spending a cent on marketing, but a way to reconnect with old fans or make potential new ones. An $100k profit is a pretty good incentive for not having to worry about selling your LP.

To some, it’s also perceived as merely a new format for the free giveaway model, likening it to the bonus CD that comes with a magazine, or getting a free “cassette” (Google it, kids) when you purchase a “walkman” (ditto).  In this opinion, the delivery mechanism for the digital LP just reflects modern technology.

“U2, shoving their music down your throat since the early ’80s”

Photo: Snopes
(alas, it’s a fabrication, but made me chuckle anyway)

I say, it’s the delivery mechanism, AND the way it was handled, that make it an epic fail.  (And I believe this to hold true whether or not the LP eventually soars to #1, although apparently they’re only eligible for those stats after the LP is available everywhere… Anyway.)

Firstly, the delivery. There must be something in the lengthy iTunes ‘terms and conditions’ that allows them to access my account to deliver new material, whether it’s initially just in the Cloud or not. Otherwise, how is this even legal? To my knowledge it hasn’t happened before this, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t give them the ‘right.’ HOWEVER, I think it still feels like a violation of privacy. It makes me uncomfortable and I now distrust the platform. Is that a good result?

As for the ‘free giveaway’ model, I find it’s more akin to someone coming into my house and putting a CD amongst my collection on the shelf without my initial knowledge, permission, or desire, then telling me it’s a “present.” Even if somehow, sometime I’d given them keys, this is still creepy with a capital CREEP.

And it gets worse. I only just discovered that for a short period of time, you couldn’t even get rid of it. As a friend pointed out, it’s like they ‘glued it to the shelf’. It was only after a big enough backlash that Apple set up a special page with instructions of how to remove the LP. You can’t just delete it like any other file. Again, creepy.

But it looks so “innocent”…

Photo: Opt Out

 

Sure enough Apple and U2 considered these risks, and decided that the cash & publicity (good or bad?) was worth annoying someone like me who wasn’t going to buy the LP anyway. Why would my annoyance matter to a band like U2 or company like Apple? The phrase ‘crying all the way to the bank’ comes to mind. But credibility, integrity, humility – these are traits that make me respect an artist (or company). I can’t truly like an act, or their music, if I don’t respect at least something about them.

Maybe it’s much ado about nothing. Maybe I’m part of the ‘misguided overreaction‘. What’s the big deal? I you don’t want it you can (now) get rid of it. BUT – what if this opens more doors? Think of the 10 bands you loathe the most, then consider how you’d feel if their new material kept arriving unsolicited and cluttering up your music library, just because they received a big payout from Apple. The horror. These are some scary floodgates.

Speaking of which, we haven’t even touched on the ‘message’ this sends to people about music being given away free. If the world’s richest band (I’m assuming) starts gifting their work, what about those who can’t afford to do so? That’s a whole other blog…

A friend used 2 words that resonated with me, and I reckon do a fine job of summing up the whole fiasco: “arrogance”, and “disgust”. If they’d simply sent an email saying you could download the new LP for free if you wanted to, that wouldn’t have upset me (notwithstanding the point above). MAYBE I would have checked it out. As for the music? I have no idea if it’s good or not. I deleted it.

 

[Note: Recommended reading for a particularly erudite take on the matter (thanks Darby!) : Wired >>]

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

Editorial: It’s Called the “Music Business” for a Reason

 

“…Being great at business won’t make you a good musician. But a good musician can go a long way by doing great business…”

 

The vast majority of musicians would eagerly jump at the chance to make it a full-time career, myself included. That’s a good sign – it means you are truly passionate about your art.

However.

For music to ever support you in this way, it is absolutely essential that you approach it as a business.

Sure there are rare occasions where someone is plucked from relative obscurity and molded into a star, and some pretty average artists can be given an armchair ride through the journey. But even in these cases, SOMEONE is doing the ‘business’ side of things that creates this success.

It’s unavoidable – but it needn’t be seen as a ‘necessary evil’ either. Admittedly I have to give myself a pep talk every now and then. I’m terrified of sharks, but as a shy gal, I’d rather go cage diving with the biggest white pointer than do ‘networking’ (come to think of it, there are some parallels…). Yet I know it’s for my own good, and the alternative is that nothing will ever happen. Unacceptable.

I’m inspired by some SA artists who are making the effort to go to Bigsound next week. It’s the biggest music conference/showcase opportunity in the Australian industry, and attracts VIPs from all over the world. As an Adelaide act, it can be quite expensive to get to Brisbane and stay for a week. It’s also a great investment, if you approach it in a strategic way.

Thinking of “strategies” during the
live showcases, Bigsound 2013
Photo: Elleni Toumpas

There are lots of parties. All night parties. Believe it or not, some of the best ‘business’ can happen at them, especially in terms of networking. That shouldn’t be your only angle, though. The savvy, organised and brave acts will seek out meetings with top agents, managers, label reps etc, and score coveted one on one time that couldn’t really occur anywhere else. I spoke to such a gal last night, and she has a very ‘business-minded’ approach to the event and is well prepared. I predict good things to come of this…

Several years ago, another formerly-local gal was working the room at Bigsound with aplomb. At one point, in her own inimitable way, she said something to a gang of us SA folks along the lines of “You’re great but I can’t talk you anymore. I KNOW you. I have to go find people I don’t know.” Fair enough, and she was right. She now makes a career out of managing one of the hardest working bands in the country.

Being great at business won’t make you a good musician. But a good musician can go a long way by doing great business.

Whether you like it or not, your reputation is made up of both. Throw certain names around in front of some industry people and you’ll hear stuff like “Well, they’re good, but they’re really disorganised and are a nightmare to book.” You don’t want that.

If you’re serious about your career, get serious about the business. You’ve got nothing to lose, and potentially everything to gain.

See you at Bigsound!

Note: You can keep up with Music SA’s team at the conference by following our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

Editorial: Putting the ‘Super’ in Super Group

“…Together, they were more than the sum of their parts…”

Editorial * 19 June 2014

One word: superb.

That’s my review of last night’s show at the Cabaret Fest, “Vandemonian Lags“, presented by musical genius Mick Thomas.

If you missed it, you’re out of luck – one night only, unfortunately. (Pity. I would have gone again!)

The ‘extraordinary musical journey’ took us through a detailed history of the convicts transported to Tasmania, and featured an enthralling combination of original songs, multi-layered instrumentation, some interjecting theatrics, and eerie bespoke video footage.

Oh, and then there’s an all star cast of some of Australia’s best known and loved musicians: Mick Thomas, Tim Rogers, Jeff Lang, Ben Salter, Darren Hanlon, Van Walker, Liz Stringer, Sal Kimber, Brian Nankervis and even more.

Talk about a ‘Super Group.’

It’s not a term I use lightly, although these days it tends to be bandied about to describe anything from a few musical mates from different bands hanging out together, to the finely crafted assembly we witnessed on the Festival Centre stage. Nothing wrong with the former, but if you’re going to bother, I say make it count.

What made the “Vandemonian Lags” gang so special wasn’t just their star billing. Sure that’s impressive, but I felt that each person in the project was artfully chosen to fulfill a specific role, to bring something unique to that particular team of talent.

There was light and shade to those musicians, and to the show itself. Each player had their respective turn in the spotlight, but also hung back and contributed to others’ songs in their own skilled way.

If they all had sounded the same, or all sounded too much like their ‘own’ bands, there would have been no point. Together, they were more than the sum of their parts. It was a brand new beast.

Heck, if even inspired me to contemplate who I’d like to bring together if I wanted to start a special project, and what ‘core’ thing we could be working towards as an ensemble. Hmmm. Watch this space.

These guys have set the bar high, and we can learn from them.

If you’re going to create a ‘Super Group’, make sure it’s well cast.

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

Comments welcome below

Editorial: Music – It’s Not Just Yours

“…Giving to the audience is also a gift to yourself…”

Editorial * 12 June 2014

As a musician, you can choose how you want to engage with music. Write whatever you want. Learn whatever you want. Play whatever you want at home. Whatever makes YOU happy.

Except when you are playing live in public.Then you absolutely should consider others, and what they want.

Seems obvious I know, but artists can struggle with this – especially those who play originals.They’re YOUR songs. You might be sick of your old ‘standards’ and want to do a whole set of new songs that not even your #1 fan knows.

You might feel like playing all ballads to a Friday night pub crowd, or turning up to 11 to rock out at a quaint seaside café. (Good luck with those). You might have a song you insist on playing every time, or loathe one of your biggest hits.

You see where this is going… We have to GIVE something to the audience and anticipate their needs if we want to make the most of a live show.

Heck, Tom Jackson makes a career out of telling you how – and why – to do this. In his methods, it’s pretty much all about the audience, and very little to do with your desires at all.

Tom also insists that you painstakingly design your set list, choose songs well in advance and fine tune the order. A friend vehemently disagrees, saying he has to read the crowd when he arrives and adjust accordingly. Both are valid approaches, I reckon. Both are designed with the audience in mind.

Alas, sometimes nothing works… even with covers! My brother went on holiday somewhere in Alabama recently, intending to play a casual set for friends + family. He stocked up on what he thought were crowd pleasing faves. Turns out, not so much.

Aside from “Rocky Top” – which was interrupted / unfinished due to heckling once and then so popular it was played 4 times in a row (go figure) – his choices didn’t seem to gel. At least he was TRYING to play stuff he thought they’d like. I’m sure he would have rather been playing “Giant Squids” by Baterz… which we both adore, but I doubt it would go down as well in the ‘Bama heartland.

The point is, when you’re playing to an audience, the music isn’t just yours. You’re sharing. You have to learn to ‘play well with others’.

When your song choices really capture a crowd, when they really ‘get’ it, then they get you. They become part of the music, and its energy. That’s a better feeling than if you just bashed through stuff on your own.

Giving to the audience is also a gift to yourself. Aspire to it.

Unless you’re Bob Dylan. Then just do whatever the hell you want. He always does…

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

Comments welcome below

Editorial: Teaching Our Future

“…Knowing when to guide [creativity] in a different direction is one thing, being at risk of quashing altogether it is another…”

Editorial * 5 June 2014

Teaching. One of the most important jobs in the world. It literally shapes the future. Great teachers not only prepare people for successful careers, they encourage, motivate, inspire us to be our very best. Terrible teachers can put you off a topic for life.Quite a responsibility… and the same applies to music teachers.

Many musicians I know make part their income through teaching, and I know firsthand (or from trusted sources!) they are skilled at the task. Thank goodness. Whether they work at prestigious schools, company courses, or privately, it’s vital that they make a positive contribution to the industry. It’s more than making a buck. They partly influence whether someone will stick with music or give up.

An extremely common tale – practically a cliché – is that someone takes music lessons as a kid, is forced to play music they hate, so they stop as soon as possible. If one is too young or immature to understand the necessity, value, and ultimately, the joy of learning different types of music, the lessons quickly became a chore.

My hand’s in the air. I wish I’d stuck at the piano. But I was unable to convince my teacher to let me include just 1 or 2 ‘popular’ pieces in my repertoire. Consequently, I only got so far before I lost interest.

As adults we’re hopefully more prepared for the hard work that goes into perfecting your technique. However, it’s still just as important to nurture the creative side that inspired you in the first place.I picked up the piano accordion about 5 years ago, and quickly realized I needed some proper help in deciphering the 120 bass buttons!

I found a lovely older gentleman accordionist to teach me, and dutifully put up with hilariously basic music to get started – you know, the “Polly Wolly Doodle” stuff. All was going well until I brought in a piece I’d written.

It was in 6/8 time, and he had a big issue with me elongating the ‘1’ and ‘4’ on the bass part. I wanted to go, ‘onnne two three, fourrr five six’ ; he insisted that the “proper” way to play  accordion in 6/8 was ‘one-two-three, four-five-six’ in an exaggerated staccato fashion.

Now, I would absolutely acquiesce to this for the covers – fair enough – but for my own music? To hell with that. It’s my song. It’s played in time, it fits the mood, so it’s not actually ‘wrong’… just a difference of opinion. That’s just one tiny example, but we wound up the lessons pretty soon after that.

Maybe I’m just a petulant student, but I do believe that creativity is one of the most treasured parts of music. Knowing when to guide it in a different direction is one thing, being at risk of quashing altogether it is another.

My sister in law is a primary school teacher, with a particular gift for handling ‘difficult children’. She has an impressive success rate at getting them to not only pay attention, but to love school. Her secret? I believe part of it is taking time to know the kid as an individual, finding out how they think, what they care about, and approaching things from that angle (with a healthy dose of no-nonsense rational discipline, of course). She’s awesome.

Every student is different. We want them to love what they’re learning, and we should want them to find part of themselves within the process. Brilliant teachers of the world, I salute you!

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

Comments welcome below.

EDITORIAL: The Right Kind of Luck

“…we were indeed lucky not only to meet, but to also share an artistic vision and be able to work creatively together…”

e-newsletter Editorial * 12 December 2013

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing preeminent artist manager John Watson (Gotye, Missy Higgins, Birds of Tokyo) speak at several industry conferences, and he has often relayed what he believes are the essential elements to an act’s success. Top of his list? Luck and timing.

He then of course covers songwriting, musical skill, perseverance etc, but it’s interesting that his top 2 elements are those over which we generally have no control. I would also add ‘exceptional relationships within the band’ to his overall list, although perhaps a small part of that is actually luck…

To be an enduring – and happy – band, it seems pretty obvious that you all need to get along well. Sure, there are famous acts who are rumoured to hate each other, but they stick it out for whatever reason… Yet for most of us, key ingredients in what ‘works’ would be: finding people we want to spend time with,  ensuring they have the skills we desire, AND ‘clicking’ musically. Not always an easy task to find all three.

I feel blessed that my husband Matt & I have been in our band for many years now, and we are also very close friends with our bass player. We are all indeed lucky not only to meet each other, but to also share an artistic vision and be able to work creatively together. I was chatting to a talented friend recently, who was lamenting the difficulty of finding the ‘right’ combination for a new act. There are plenty of people out there that we may like personally, but with whom we aren’t on the same page musically. And in my opinion it’s not advisable to choose band members whose skills you admire, if you can’t stand being around them. Neither scenario is satisfying in the long run.

A good working relationship within a band doesn’t just fall into your lap, but certainly luck and timing can play an important role. When you are enjoying that synergy, make sure you nurture and appreciate it.

– Dr Elizabeth Reid
Music SA Digital Marketing Manager

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