Music Business is a People Business

Life is about relationships...and the music business is a people business. All the talk about the newest technology for creating music, all the AI and the hottest, newest platforms for sharing and finding music, when it comes down to the difference, the true tip the scale difference of a knockout, ass kicking successful career or not, the music business is still a people business.

0:00:00.0 S1: I walk in to the show that explores the methods and strategies on rock and the financial side of your music business with over 40 years combined experience. Here are your host, Chris Webb and Dave Camp Kielce. To you must step. Can we talk about musicians and money here we like to spend more time dropping knowledge on Japanese, I'm your host, Chris web, joined by my co-host. And the name, I drop it every Jian for the family discount. Dave Takin. Thanks for having me back, Chris web. Do you know that my family has owned Jimmy John's shops for 12 years, and I have never made my own sandwich, but when I go there, I'm just professional taster that work by contribution to the family is... It could bite and saying, Yes, this is fantastic, thank you.

0:00:53.1 S2: Well, we all have a role to play in our family's down... Quote of the week, it's not what you know or who you know. But who knows you, Susan Ron?

0:01:03.3 S1: This is from Frank, from the south side. Hey.

0:01:07.3 S2: I love these guys, and as my father has always said, life is about relationships, and the music business is a people business, all the talk about the newest technology for creating music, all the AI and the hottest newest platforms for sharing and finding music when it comes down to the difference, the true tip of the scale difference of a knock-out as Kicking successful career or not, the music business is still a people business.

0:01:37.0 S1: We will throw our weight around on this and more, right after this, in 2005, but Hendricks and began working on an amplifier to fill what he saw as a void in the marketplace for a guitar amplifier designed to meet the needs of jazz guitar players who wanted extremely high quality sound and a portable package, Henriksen amplifiers designs and manufactures high quality analog musical instrument amplifiers in Arvada Colorado with the 100% customer SAT is faction guarantee. You really won't believe the tone coming from either your electric or acoustic guitar and string instrument with a pick-up for that matter, not to mention the volume, these beautifully made compact lightweight amps are capable of cleanly producing... I have one, I love it, it's the best amp that I have played in the last 20 years for what I need with the versatility to cover almost any kind of a... This is a must have piece of gear for the working musician. Learn more at heifers dot com, and enter M-T-J-10 for 10% off your purchase. Welcome back, everybody. This week's non-profit is hungry for music. In 1992, just Campbell organized the street musician concert to benefit the homeless, and within three years, he formed a non-profit organization called hungry for music, dedicated to expanding opportunities and use it for children.

0:02:56.1 S1: Since then, how Greer musicians has placed more than 11000 instruments in the hands of aspiring musicians, children whose trajectory has been forever altered by the life-changing gift of music, they have delivered everything from trombones and violins to ilocos and guitars, to children in 49 states and 25 countries, learn more at hungry for music dot org, and make sure you rate subscribe to this podcast, leave us a comment and go to our website to sign up for our free weekly newsletter, where we will deep dive into the week's topics even further. Connect you to other related articles and provide you with other helpful resources for your music business.

0:03:35.7 S2: How do you make your social life with your work? Do you find you are the same person on social media as you are in person or on stage...

0:03:46.4 S1: No, I cry a lot. No one wants to pay money to see that, I'm getting to that age, which good commercial can really get me, not gonna bring that up on stage or on social media... Well, you could actually, I probably should be on... This is better.

0:04:04.8 S2: Do you find you being you, when you meet the head of the record label, or that famous singer, or even a great guitar player at a show one night, do you meet people with the thought of how can I use them to benefit your career, or do you take a genuine interest in who they are, but they actually are who you know and who knows you, is still all built on good relationships, so building relationships is about creating a relationship and it should be separate from your aspirations, it's about friendship, it's about positive interactions, what we really sell as artists are human values, and your unique spin on those values, values are what people take from your brand, from your social media, and mostly from your music, so tears, you're saying people will take crying from their experience with the real me? No, well, if you're singing about it, well, that's why the music industry got rich selling counterculture movements like the grunge and the glam rock, I think of Kirkman is a good example of this. Caravan was anti-fame and anti-mainstream, but the industry knew that and made millions promoting that exact personality and the most erotic part was...

0:05:34.2 S2: Kirkman knew that was happening. I was totally against it, but that's just how the industry worked... Right, but the thing was that people still connected to his honesty, so there's a lot of layers there, and algorithms react to human behavior, what are the values and interests and passions that they relate to, those are there, that they're gonna follow down the trails of social media, success of an artist or a band is ultimately made by the people who support it.

0:06:01.7 S1: And your algorithms reference, this happens over time, like attracts like you're bringing up Jimmy Johns and something that... My family knows it takes years to cultivate relationships and earn trust from their perspective of their customers, from our perspective, friends and fans, and what you're talking about right now is your network and the people you surround yourself with, and it could just take one bad experience when bad interaction can be enough to make it not worth anyone's time to continue that relationship.

0:06:35.1 S2: And the people you attract on your journey will determine your success almost than any other factor. I think about this all the time, and how my life is led down the path it has... Right, it really does come down to those relationships and those connections from true. Relationships to healthy relationships.

0:06:56.7 S1: Absolutely. Where are you gonna go for the smiles and where you feel safe. And also challenged, I say this about you quite a bit, that I have no problem failing in front of you, and when I go do vocals, I call you first to record them, because not only do I know you're gonna be honest and show me a new one, but I feel safe there, like it's okay to be vulnerable, and I think that's why we've been friends for so long, and then there's other friendships that they've been there because you've known them forever, but they don't bring you up, you just have history. And sometimes you have to pay attention to the history and it might not be something that benefits you

0:07:41.4 S2: Well, on another layer, when you come to do those vocal takes, those vocal takes turn out so well because you feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable. So there's a lot of layers there too, but find the characteristics of people you want in your life, think about it on paper, write it down, who are the types of people that you wanna find in your life, it will raise your orbit to find them. Remember, you can't get the opportunity you need for your career if they don't know you're there to give them to...

0:08:13.2 S1: We were talking about when you get a new car and then you see that car on the street all the time, 'cause you're in tuned to that vibration, and I think it's the same for people too, you're looking for those connections and people that are uplifting, you're gonna pay attention when they come around, more than you would if you were still driving a delay. Wanna say, Julie, I've had a lot of those. I just correct my engine black, and then they told me how much it was gonna cost, and I said, No, I'm not gonna pay that. I'm gonna run this car into the Brown, and then I'll have my own delay once again and look for good vibrations

0:08:52.4 S2: Eyes, how do you grow emotionally and in your business? Motivation and drive comes from community for more on this referred to episode 14 when we talk about the power of community, but in this context, your reputation matters as an artist, as a creator, what others think about, your treatment of them, matters how you represent yourself on all facets of platforms and music will determine how people see you.

0:09:21.2 S1: I wanted to tell you about a Logie in Denver. I had a friend that was touring through and I... No Hole books there, and I said, Can you please give my John John... My friend John, a chance to play. He's new to the area. John came in there, he's a master guitar player and crushed it, and then three weeks later, guy who books there called me and said, Take a look at this, and it was a thank you card from John saying, I appreciate the opportunity to play your venue, and that was years ago, and since then, guy, his name's guy who books it, so I'm not just saying some guy who books it, but a guy said, If your friend ever wants to come back and play, he's always welcome here, but he made that relationship go even further than just the night on that stage, and he appreciated the opportunity to play up a Los and let him know that, but thank you for letting me into your house, but since then, I've made postcards and after every good guy play, I write a thank you letter and let them know, I appreciate the opportunity to play that stage.

0:10:26.0 S2: And that's something that we've both decided to adapt from that story because it's such a simple thing to do to build relationships, and we have a link to Vistaprint, if you are interested in creating some of those for yourself, it's a pretty inexpensive way to build great relationships with your community of bookies, I'll also put John's website, he's also a great photographer too, so you could check out his music and his photography, the best relationships are symbiotic. It's never really about, What can I get or what are they trying to get from me? Those things happen organically in the best relationships, and when you... Around people that are interested and passionate about music and the music industry, those things happen more organically because they're often a part of the conversation, they're a relevant situation, because that's the industry, you're both in the human connection is what makes music powerful. There's a lot of Tolley about AI writing music. And I spent a lot of time in my class is teaching about how the music industry is gonna change in the future with AI, but I hold to that belief that when it comes down to it, especially for song writing, there will never really be AI being able to truly capture the emotion and raw human emotion that a song can do, it can replicate somebody else's song, but it can't really come up with an original thought about human experience and replicate someone's emotion, so in that same frame of mind that they can't create new emotion for now, anyway, artists have perhaps one of the most powerful roles of influence in our society, and it's from this power of influence that we are also able to make our impact on the world, music will always be about what it makes us feel.

0:12:17.3 S2: From artists to listener.

0:12:19.0 S1: Direct human connection. I remember when... And father passed away, and I was having a conversation with my friend Mike, who you know very well. And at that time, touring was pretty prevalent and a lot of my income just depended on the music side, the business side of music, and I remember feeling just a void of emotion, like after that, because I just couldn't find the weight of the music, the emotion side after that for a little bit and I said, You know what? Does this matter right now writing the song... Why does it matter? I was just that sad at that time, but might just kind with his word, slept me across the face in a positive way to say this is where you began, was making songs about emotion and music, and this is where it comes from, and it was just... I'll never forget that conversation, the human connection, and I know that might sound to people like, Yeah, no shit. But when you dive deep into the business end of things, you can forget that sometimes it could become a product, it could become, I have to get this done, book this many shows, write this many songs, record this many songs today, whatever it can become more on the business and if you're not careful.

0:13:46.7 S1: And for me, it was something different than what I started out to be in was nice for you set in the worst... For the worst reason. You know?

0:13:55.4 S2: Yeah, and it can be overwhelming, but remembering that the listener is the person that's going to make you successful or not in the end really reminds us how... What we're writing for is to relate it, to relate to those around us, and in that sense, there's nothing more of a people business than music, and that's coming from someone who I completely respect in the music business world, that advice, so that was just who you want in your corner, when your music comes on his plane, in his ring where he does his business, you want someone that continuously feels it for the right reasons. Yeah. Well, we have a little section here. We're starting to call the does and donuts

0:14:40.3 S1: Wants donuts 'cause I can make you angry.

0:14:44.9 S2: So let me start with the first obvious one, which is, do not use people... Everyone can smell it, especially people that of power in their industry, you go running up to somebody with your CDs in your sweaty hands and make it small you from 15 feet away, they know what you're doing, the industry doesn't really work that way. As you climb up. So I just need to say it in a funny way, but I seriously don't approach somebody with the only thought is that I need to get the cd into their hands.

0:15:16.4 S1: It's not even at the high-up start where your plan in an open mike can give everyone that respect because you never know where... They might be hosting the Open Mic this year. Next year, they might be booking the room you... After that, they're booking three rooms... Yeah, had everyone with respect.

0:15:34.6 S2: We had a lot of that experience with the open mic that you and I used to host, he said Some people rise their ranks after that and they were just among the crowd. Everyone was sharing the space.

0:15:44.4 S1: Yeah, and then when you get to see them and hear them play to all those people, that is just a joy.

0:15:51.3 S2: Yeah, it's pretty amazing. And everyone still has mutual respect, right, because it was never about climate on top of each other, you know the thing is to listen more than Utah. I like this practice in general in life, and I think we all need to remind ourselves... This is one of those ones. It's a practice

0:16:08.3 S1: That was a Larry King quote too. I never learned anything while I was talking... Oh, that's good. Remembering people's names, I think is important. And one thing that I found was, if you don't focus on it, it's not gonna be a quality of yours, so many people say, I just suck it, names, I'm really bad at remembering names. Well, if you keep saying that you're gonna be bad at remembering names, but say, I can just think I care about people, that's who they are, I want to know their name, and if you need to practice like anything else, just remember something about them, Frank, from the south side... Oh, it's Frank right away when I see Linda kick ass glasses, next time I see Linda with the CAS classes. What about Matt? People walked all over him last night, I remember him, I lean... She can't walk straight. You know, art, he hung on the wall all night stew, that guy I met in the hot tub, I'm never gonna forget that. Or especially Teddy, the guy wearing the laundry, just find little qualities about them in the room and just hold on to that and it'll be fun the next time you see him.

0:17:16.4 S1: That's recall.

0:17:17.3 S2: Ted. So what are some actionable things that you can do from all this content and try to make your business a little bit more of a people business, when you meet others in the industry, introduce yourself and ask what they do, take a serious interest in what they are doing with their careers and what they are interested in outside of careers, don't talk about yourself, be genuinely interested, you might learn something. Number two, be a resource, think of a fellow musician that you are inspired by an offer to help them with any skill set you have just because you can... No strings attached, not everything has to be a track of position or for a fee, and finally embrace your power of being an artist, you need to hold it up high and find ways that you can make the biggest impact on those around you and on that note, I just wanted to say something serious for a moment, we are based here in Colorado, and Dave, you up in Boulder, and we had a horrible, horrific tragedy happen in Boulder, and it's just so hard in the community and it's been hard on us and everyone, and we even have friends within Friends, and so it did affect some of the music community and some of the community of music supporters, and so we felt such pain this week, and it's a reminder of how we need to take care of each other, because there's a lot going on in this world and music is a powerful source to heal, and hopefully we can find some power in that and heal some of these wounds, it's gonna take some time, and we know that your time is valuable, so we appreciate you spending this time with us and being a part of this community, it is our hope that you feel the same sense of community here at musicians tip jar, and they're willing to get involved and contribute, even ask us questions when things come up, what's the best way to get a hold of his day?

0:19:08.9 S1: You could try us... We might get back to you ways to connect with us, musicians, pcar dot com, Chris web, or email us musicians teacher at gmail.

0:19:20.1 S2: And that's always... Thank you for joining us and remember, there is already enough for everyone, you just need to know how to get it until next time, on behalf of Dave tampon and myself, Chris web, please stay safe to stay healthy and take care of each other after all, whether we're talking about music

0:19:36.1 S1: Or talking about money, it's all really about the power to impact people's lives, this... His musicians, there

0:19:45.4 S2: Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice, please consult an appropriate tax, legal business or financial professional for individualized advice, individual results are not guaranteed and all Descartes have the potential for profit loss, the hose there operating on behalf of musicians tip jar LLC exclusively is not a AA. Also say, or you can snowshoei. I Nortel always on have.

0:21:19.4 S1: I can... PAC were always on haemonetics. I anaesthesia. Peter, remember? Free to say I misano. I notational-I-aaaaa.