[Pearls Of Wisdom]

Don't get sand in your vaseline

[Erik Mongragne (Spelling Is Suspect Lol)]

Guys like that I wanna kick their ass and say 'Ow, stop being so bloody talented'. What technique the guy has though

[Pearls Of Wisdom]

Never go on stage with projectile diarrhea, unless thats how you sing

[Worst Gig You Ever Played]

Most of my gigs have resulted in some minor disaster or something to cringe over.

One gig in a coffee shop in Edinburgh resulted in a 45 minute set with no clapping and between one song I heard someone say quite loudly 'I wish he would shut up, I'm getting a headache'. On the upside I got free coffee and the best roast chicken paninni I've ever had. Getting no reaction is worse than getting a bad reaction in my book.

I've been wary of coffee shop gigs ever since.

I've also had the string break, string detune, strap snap, dodgy leads, drunk hecklers, drugged hecklers, fighting etc etc etc.

I did have one guy who kept shouting for dead kennedy tunes which I don't do as I only do originals.

It's all a laugh though and keeps the mundane reality at bay for a short while

[Who Cares About Songwriters?]

Somewhere out there, among all that wretched "bubble gum," there must be someone who's gonna blow all our socks off someday. But he or she might not be a "singer + songwriter."

[Who Cares About Songwriters?]

OK

I love reading but hate replying so i'll keep this as brief as possible.

I love songwriting for me. I gig occasionally around Glasgow, Scotland as I work full time. Too me it's a hobby that do not believe will go much further, it's a kind of therapy for me and it saves money having to go to a shrink.

Cowell et all have the biz sowed up for the next few years so lets concentrate on our art. It's just a bugger that the art is being, as some might say dumbed down in some areas but it has also been said that progress demands sacrifice (don't know where I heard that). It will be interesting having this debate in 20 years just to see where the art has taken us, if it exsists at all in the current form.

I know many people in bands and songwriters who have given up trying to make it as it costs them too much time and money. In Glasgow the number of artists of the singer songwriter variety coming up is insane. There are literally hundreds of people who think that they are the next big thing and many of them are damn good but try and get them even an inkling of publicity is impossible.

Personally I blame Jedward. When that is the standard in the UK for pop music then you know we are on a slippery slope to mediocrity.

Does any of this make sense as I have only had 3 coffees and am still half asleep. Answers on a postcard.

[Getting To Know You]

1. Do you sing, play an instrument or instruments?

I play guitar (acoustic) and sing. Started in 1991 after I left High school and I taught myself

2. Are you in a band or bands?

What is the name of the band?

What do you play?

What other instruments are in the band?

Do you have a band website?

None of the above

3. Do you write songs?

Do you write lyrics, music or both?

Do you have a writing partner?

I write all my own tunes on my own

4. Do you record your music?

Do you use a home studio? If so what gear do you use?

Do you use a recording studio?

Do you have music available on the web? if so where?

I record my music under the name of traite walker on an old 4 track and some times straight to the PC using the 4 track as a mixer, Its my mates gear so I dont know names. I have music on myspacecom, amazingtunes.com and putiton.com

5. What other roles do you perform in the music business?

Management? Label owner? Publishing? Promotion? Other?

None of the above

6. Are you a tech head?

No

7. What country do you live in?

Scotland

8. What are your ambitions?

To have a full stomach and have people hear my music just enjoy the ride

9. Do you draw/paint/write stories/computer art/dance or other creative pursuit?

Im trying to write a book

What are your pastimes?

Playing guitar, reading, getting out and about, walking and going to rugby

10. What would you like to get out of Songstuff?

Lasagne

[Struggling To Get People In]

OK, I'm coming into this thread a bit late but what the hell.

I'm an acoustic artist (check the myspace page out www.myspace.com/traitewalker)

Apart from 2 gigs last year as rehearsal gigs I've done 28 this year so far, all local around Glasgow and all free entry. Only at the last 2 gigs have I noticed a few familiar faces from previous gigs turning up which is nice. I have been advertising my CD ep at the last 6 gigs but no one is biting yet. I don't expect them too any time soon. I'm concentrating solely on enjoying myself rather than looking into the whole other side of the 'Biz' now. I aint 18 an have no visions of Granduer. For me it's a hobby and I'm having a barrel of laughs, hell I even offend the odd person now and again.

If your good and people are into it they will gravitate toward you bgut you do have to do your part. Don't go into the whole thing blind and be prepared for a looonnnggg hard slog. It is a fun ride though.

chinese chow for now brown cow

[The Reasons To Get Rid Of Major Labels?]

If I was 18 years old with youthful naivity about me I would find the whole magical allure of a major label too tempting but I'm a 30 something cynical old toss pot who believes that Simon Cowell is the devils spawn. That aside I print up my own CDs and sell them to people at my own gigs. I have however noticed something rather peculiar. People do not seem to be into buying genuinely new music from an unsigned act but will buy a £10, £15 or £20 CD when a tabloid paper says so which may explain why Pop Idol, X-Factor et all do so well in the mainstream world. I record on a 4-track then bugger about till it sounds good. Ultimately I am doing this now as a hobby with no illusions of Granduer. It's more fun too

Did that make any sense?