Selling Out For Success!

[Daniel Gatward]

Many people have said to me why don't you go on Britains got talent or X Factor, and every time the conversation comes up it makes my blood boil... Why?? i will tell you....

 

I hate the fact that X Factor for one has ruined the image of the music industry and makes it out to be a money making business for everyone, its a money making opportunity for the labels and management etc, however i believe that true musicians play music because they love it and if a deal comes along then its a bonus... i get the same excitement playing in a local pub as i do from playing in front of 20,000 people at a festival,...

 

Music has been portrayed as a product that has to suit the public but my view is music is an expression that should get a message across from the artist i may be wrong? let me know. When i say selling out i mean these artists who go on X Factor for 15 minutes of fame and they sell their soul to the devil (Simon Cowell), they lose any integrity and pride because you become the industries bitches because you sign you writes away at the start, i find it disheartening knowing that music has turned into a shallow money making scheme that chews up and spits out innocent artists who have lost their way and want that quick easy step to fame....

 

What ever happened to good old grafting and constant gigging, travelling, getting pissed off at non paid gigs??? i personally found from experience that if you do it the hard way then when that one phone call comes to say that labels are interested it makes it all that more enjoyable and it gives a huge sense of pride to say that YOU did this and YOU made it happen, no better feeling in the world.... 

 

 

[starise]

I think everyone needs to do what they personally feel they should do. I can certainly see why you feel the way you do. People seem to get into things for so many different reasons.

 

 I agree with you that a true musician/artist isn't so concerned about these things. The music business has always been primarily about making money. I see the relationship as a kind of reciprocal thing....."they" being the music business can give an artist a way to feed his family and provide exposure and impact that he himself is incapable of  giving to himself...the old business model is becoming something of a dinosaur. The new model is more web centric and makes a lot less money.

 

The other extreme is mostly what we now have...a huge bunch of musicians giving their music away for free and depending on other income sources.

 

These talent shows are very popular right now...I can see why many might want to be on even if simply for name recognition. I think the carrot of success is dangled in the face of musicians who see it as a way out of a mundane existence. Success is a kind of misleading word IMHO. Success is like finding one diamond in 100 million tons of dirt...the effort required to get to it is huge, but people only see the end result., and when you have it...it might not be what you thought it was.

 

Success or no success, life goes on ...those people still get into disagreements with their girlfriends, spend too much money and get sick...it's not like you get to instant perfection and divinity. Humanity is the same across all lines.Some of us just have more money and popularity, but when it's all over they will eventually be forgotten just like the rest of us.

 

I say do what you feel in your soul and don't worry about the rest. Make art, live life...have fun...enjoy the ride where ever that might take you.