General Music Chat

so many musicians fear success so much that they will do anything to keep from getting there.

They say every day they want something, at the brink of breakthrough they are not willing to commit to the point of personal sacrifice.

Comfort is death for bands.


Makes me want to curse.

Join the crowd..

I see some of them self-destruct because of nerves, but that's the dumbest thing yet.

Breakthrough implies change and transformation.
That in of itself is enough to scare people that aren't as serious as when they started out. Change can be very daunting.

You have to be fearless and believe in yourself a little bit.
Not everyone does this..they think it will be a moment of epiphany and then everything will be rosy. (never happens that way)

Anything worth anything is hard work, just get used to it as that facet is never going to change.

I do believe you have struck center body mass of the entire issue.

shhhh.....don't let the secret of success out!?!

Whether we're talking about music, or business, or whatever...it's all about risk. So few have the courage for it. The spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak.

Believe in yourself, take a chance, work it ...

I consider the problem may be my own.
I'm one, that if I want "smores", will walk calmly into a burning building with a marshmallow on a stick.
I guess I just expect others to do the same.

Anything in life you want takes committment, musically as far as making aliving from it, I never totally committed to it, I like to eat too much.

I accept musically that Im just a weekend warrior, I think a bit better than average, but i have too many responsibliltys and bills to think I could cover it all playing music at this point in my life.

Had a fantastic gig last sat, sunday morning the guy that runs the band calls and says we are booked again next friday night, I said I wont be here. I have plans out of state and theres no way too do both.

When I was younger i would have never turned down a gig like this, but hell Im only gonna make around $100 minus probably $30 in expenses, in my world its not worth it, now if it was a couple of thousands bucks, then I would look at it different.

Since then I have given the guy my schedule over the next few monthes, what weekends Im available to play. Hopefully I didnt upset him by not doing this one, only time will tell.

Its crazy cause even on a hobby level, it takes major committment. I think lots of guys hit middle age and think I want to play music, and dont realize how much work it is.

Sat night, I left the house at 6:45, got there at 7:30, helped set up, hung around and ate a burger, played a game of pool, started playing music at 9pm. We basically played 3 one hour sets, some things that didnt really float my boot, but others that did. Finished at 1 am, loaded the gear up, I leave there at 2 am, I get home at 3 am. I made $98 and paid a $26 tab for the night. Netted $72 for 9 hours of work, so basically I made $8 per hour for my work.

I love playing, but in the arena I work in thats the bottom line.

But hell I got to be a rock star for a few hours, thats worth something isnt?

shhhh.....don't let the secret of success out!?!

Whether we're talking about music, or business, or whatever...it's all about risk. So few have the courage for it. The spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak.

You want a secret? This seems obvious to me, but some have no clue even now.

"Even if you fail, if you enable someone else to succeed, you win"!!!
Sometimes you have to realize that YOU may not be the focus of whatever is going on and it's your job to help someone else.
And if you should blow that because you are a poor human being, that actually counts against you in the end.
Be as strong as you know you are. Don't be upset when life hands you lemons, as the lemonade may be really tasty and possibly the entire point to begin with, you just didn't know and that's par for the course.

"Everything happens for a reason and it's not for you to get the whole understanding of it, you just need to play your part whatever that may be and go with the flow".

JW you had a great time and you loved every minute of it.
You betcha that's worth something...
(You had a 26$ bar tab? You lush LOL j/k)

so many musicians fear success so much that they will do anything to keep from getting there.

They say every day they want something, at the brink of breakthrough they are not willing to commit to the point of personal sacrifice.

Some get to the brink, have a good look and realize the personal sacrifice is simply too great. It's ok to say "I don't want to be part of that" with eyes wide open.

I can't speak for today but many friends turned away from potential fame and fortune in the 70s and 80s for these reasons. Being a signed rock musician meant your life was not your own. You were the property of the record Co. Life on the road meant living out of a suitcase, fractured personal relationships, manipulation by managers and agents, sharing a bus with a bunch of smelly musicians, being stalked by crazed fans everywhere you go, 50 cities in 100 days and you never really get to see any of them, drug and alcohol addiction. In between all of this you get a chance to play your music.

It is very much a double-edged sword that only a few are prepared to accept. Each must choose their own path and I can appreciate both choices. Ultimately we choose that which is most important to us.

I'm one, that if I want "smores", will walk calmly into a burning building with a marshmallow on a stick.

I don't like Smores quite that much...I have walked into a fire, more than once and not by choice, but when you're the guy with a 3 inch hose in his hands...I'm just glad that other guy was behind me with that spiffy wand like a shower head, it was cool enough under that shower to get within 6 feet of 30 foot tall flames...and not even sweat...

Now after that you think I wouldn't jump in with both feet if Clapton called me and wanted a rhythm guitar player??? All you'd see is a dust trail...

At this juncture I'd just like to be able to say with confidence that we will meet the commitments already made.

That IMO is a necessity for progress.

Scott has a good point again . . . so whom are you & what did you do with him?

J/K man . . . I appreciate your honest input.

I think lots of guys hit middle age and think I want to play music, and dont realize how much work it is.

That's what I've run into, that's for sure.

George, just because you've read some 8K posts since 2007 doesn't mean you know me. lol You just think you do.



Surprises are the order of the decade..more to come.

LOL Scotty you may be right about me being a lush, lets see $26 bar tab, I had a $8 cheese burger and fries, and that leaves $18 devided by $2, thats 9 beers plus I was given 4-5, man I may have a problem!

Yea I had a great time, Im just not willing to committ to it full time, just my cross to bear!

$2 beers, what kind of dive was it?