“Everyone’s got a plan, until you get punched in the face…” Mike Tyson
This year has meant the passing of a number of great artists who I grew up with and who have been a major part of my life. Two of the most memorable ones are ‘David Crosby” and “Jeff Beck” who I have seen many times time and whose music I have loved for literally decades. I felt a genuine sadness at the passing of such artists, a real sense of loss.
Of course both artists were in their twilight years, but it reminds me of the old Mike Tyson quote “Everyone’s got a plan until you get punched in the mouth” highlighting the reality that we truly never know exactly what lies ahead and this makes it even more important to value each moment and especially value those brilliant artists who are the very best entertainers.
Post Covid 19 reset for live music
Covid 19 put a global pause on all live events and many musicians globally found themselves in new unknown territory. My friends who toured stadiums internationally found that many support staff for festivals and major events were in short supply. One band noted that it was often hard to get reliable transport to get to the events on time and of course there was an ongoing issue that if key members of the band got covid, the whole tour would be cancelled and they would have to literally refund tens of thousands of tickets. Its tougher than ever for artists to earn a living simply from music and to do so requires good strategic thinking as well as creative skills.
Local music scene implications
The local music scene as well as major events have also been affected. Playing live was never an especially a lucrative opportunity, but now paid work is from what I see harder than ever. This is one of the reasons I now mostly only run and play ticketed events where I can ensure great sound and a listening audience in attendance. I set up the Music for Head and Heart events to showcase the best in entertainment. In recent years I’ve selected the very best artists including Jon Gomm and Martin Simpson.
I was amazed during covid 19 when some artists were massive covid deniers and the encouraged the myths that vaccinations were some government plot! The exact same characters of course were very happy to receive medical help for other issues and never questioned such professional advice in any way. Some inevitably disappeared from playing live as reality set in and they realised that some form of medical protection is no bad thing. I have massive admiration for anyone seeking to learn a living from the arts. From what I see, only a few people manage to generate a reasonable living from following this route.
Playing live when feeling unwell
Last year I played a support slot to a sold out audience where I later found I was going down with covid as well as having other health issues. I tested negative for covid on the day of the event or I would not have played and by the time I started the set, I was feeling really unwell. That said sometimes, its a case of “Just get on with it!” and this was a baptism of fire. Anyone in this situation knows that its not an enjoyable experience, a real baptism of fire! My producer always says “One live gig is worth 8 rehearsals” and this was a reminder how important it is to be in good health for such situations.
Music and mental Health issues
In my non music capacity I have worked professionally in mental health teaching across the globe. I’ve had many well known artists as clients and this has given me a unique insight into the working like of an artist. I helped one major international artist with stage fright and many others with anxiety related problems. There are all kinds of mental health challenges in the music business and I talked to Jim Glennie founder of James about this.
Many artists suffer from mental health issues and such issues can really affect their ability to perform and to make sensible business decisions. I’ve seen some car crash decisions by artists who insist on following a particular strategy than is doomed to limit their audience size and income while then complaining that they don’t have audience reach.
Examples include removing themselves from all streaming platforms, refusing great offers of cooperation for projects and having websites that are so complicated that they will never attract a wider audience. Its a lot worse since covid 19 and I’ve given up trying to explain basic marketing strategies and why its useful to ask questions about potential income opportunities BEFORE declining them! At least explore what any deal might be, before dismissing it! These individuals always blame everyone and everything else for their misfortune, when many of the problems they experience are self created by their own poor mental health. In contrast there are some artists that manage to do really well despite such issues including Jon Gomm who is the perfect example of a brilliant create artist who also has the smart mind to know how to reach an expanded audience. He’s also a great supporter of other artists.
Final thoughts
All of the above has taught me to value each day and those musical moments when playing live and/or listening to great music. Such moments are truly magical and inspirational.
STOP PRESS
I just heard overnight Tom Verlaine had passed. Tom and Television were a massive influence on my musical tastes growing up and he is greatly missed. Fortunately I did get to see him live and its another reminder to see musicians while that window of opportunity exists and to support great music.