8/26: THE MULTI TASKING MUSICIAN SYNDROME
I’ve often spoken about the over touring so many bands are doing these days. Playing so much their draw starts to decrease because people get tired of seeing them. It’s a by product of the fact that bands are not making money from selling music sadly. But we now have the over saturation of artists being in way too many bands. Again, same problem behind it. Artists are just casting their line out as many places as possible to see where they get a bite. All looking for something that has some traction and can be a viable source of financial and creative success. But I see it as really becoming a bit of an issue because it is flooding the market with product that has almost no chance to break through. I have been sent music featuring an artist from one label and had another label send me another release the same week featuring the same artist. How much can you do? How many interviews can you have with one person in one week? How can fans invest anything into some of these projects when you know it might already be over before it’s released or they may never do a live show? Very confusing. You have labels that will release almost anything from some bands but not ever really work it past a week. Hired gun promoters are everywhere pushing things one week to the next until the retainer they are paid runs out and then have moved on. Again I understand why it’s all happening but I also believe a less is more plan could work just as well. I miss the days an artist had one band and it was special to see them live or release and album every year or two. I know all things change and evolve but some of the multi tasking going on in today’s music world is hard to figure. It’s already hard when everyone is so over stimulated and with such short attention spans to sell music and get real traction, but when artists are hitting you with 3-4 projects or more a year you can’t blame the fan for being confused and not knowing where that person hangs their hat. Not blaming the musicians. The business has become the wild west and I don’t blame anyone for doing what they must to survive. But I have to think that it might be a better way if a band tried to just make a full commitment to one group and see what happens. Actually work and grow it and make all the focus on it. Tour, keep the priority in one spot. I have to laugh how a couple years ago my good friend Mike Portnoy was roasted for having several bands. Well guess what? Now almost everyone is doing it and it doesn’t seem so crazy.
I agree with Eddie. The side projects sink fast without even limited touring to support it. T&N from George Lynch is a prime example. Great record but-no touring=low sales. I do like side projects but it is hard to keep up with them all.
I guess it all depends on each fan at the end of the day. I can appreciate a lot a artist and when he/she does a sideproject, even if it isn’t a Platinum award album, i may follow it. But id does not necessarily has to do with having them do this great new band that will make huge World Tours for the nex 10 years.
Nowadays the music business is very different to what it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago. This is why you see many old bands reuniting and world touring, many do need the money, and writing albums may not even come to be atractive anymore, or even they may not even have the spark of writing anymore as in the old days, or bandsjust stop recording music in order to focus more in touring to get more money, considering that touring, and many people do not know this, which is incredible, it is financed by the band’s money, so if you do not sell tickets, you may not get your investement back.
For those, a little more thirsty of artistic expression, go out and do multiple side projects. Specially to those that even though you know they are great musicians, maybe if they just do it alone, will not be as atractive as being in their main band. I think it all falls into the context where you put it.
But definitely, selling albums is not the thing nowadays, specially in the rock metal scene. Pop, is a “easier” market, comapring to our genere. I guess Eddie has more knowledge on the business, so he knows what he is saying.
i think Mike Portnoy and DUg Pinnick are the worst offenders in this side project area. Don’t get me wrong, I love both artists but I gave up keeping track of all the projects they are in and could care less. I only care when DUg does a King’s X record(and maybe a solo disc) and with Mike it used to be Dream Theater and don’t really follow him anymore though I do have the Winery Dogs disc.
Ticket prices are all I’m concerned with. It isn’t nor should it be my concern how much or how little an artist tours or how many bands he or she is with. It is their life.
Lots of good points Eddie. Here’s my take: 1. FM radio will not play new music by classic bands. I love Sirius, but with the short commute I have to my job, it isn’t cost effective to pay for it, and I’m sure there are many people in that same boat. Rock radio sucks, same songs, over and over and over to infinity. 2. No videos get played by these bands either. MTV needs to take the “M” out of their name, can’t even understand why they still have a Video Music Award show WHEN THEY DON’T PLAY MUSIC VIDEOS ANYMORE! 3. Bands don’t tour like they used to. Back in the 70s/80s/early 90’s a when a band went on tour it was several months, not just a couple of months in the summer. Plus they would play more than just the big cities; any city with over 100,000 was usually on the itinerary. Now a lot of bands don’t even play certain areas of the country. 4. With that said, concert tickets are astronomically high. I understand it cost a lot to put on a show, and it is the major source of income for most bands these days, but the average Joe who’s living paycheck to paycheck can’t afford lawn seats 1/2 a mile from the stage. I still have tons of old ticket stubs in a poster frame and it staggers the minds of friends and my kids friends that I payed $15 for front row seats to see Iron Maiden. If they made ticket prices more affordable, maybe more people would go and you wouldn’t have 1/2 the arena curtained off for shows. Who knows, maybe bands could do multiple nights at major venues. You don’t see that anymore.