The phrase you could be the best band in the world but… gets thrown around a lot. Usually in the context of the hustle, the grind, the dick sucking everyone thinks they have to do to make it.
It’s taken for granted that you could be the best band in the world but if you don’t network, socialize, hustle, promote, it wouldn’t matter. Those things are more important to a career than being excellent.
This sets up the unfortunate paradigm that quality doesn’t matter at all. If you establish that being good doesn’t matter than neither does being bad. That’s why all our social media is clogged with awful bands. They think musical greatness will sort itself out over time but shameless self-promotion has to happen now.
I hear talk about the hustle all the time but I can’t think of anyone pointing out the notion that if you suck all the networking in the world will only get you as far as filler pity slots on weekday shows.
I see everyone wanting to be in a band for themselves, because there were bands they loved they imagined it would life affirming to be in.
What I don’t see is anyone asking if they actually have something to offer. To the audience, to music, to their own band.
Except of course for the few great bands I know of in town who just bring greatness to every stage, love the doing rather than wanting to get somewhere else.
Because I think if you were literally the best band in the world and all you did was play in your garage people would flock to that garage. If your band is any good people want to support you, they don’t have to be asked or cajoled.
Author/Athlete, Thinker/Doer
Alastair's Ego 