Live Right Now

Anonymous asked: From your experience in music, how hard is it to work with certain musicians? I know that certain musicians like Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift or Beyonce would be extremely difficult to work with, thankfully for myself I am not too interested in working with many musicians whom also have that celebrity status. I would actually really love to work with Incubus, have you worked with them or know anyone who has?

Every situation is different, every person is different. It’s about being able to work on the fly, adjusting to whatever is thrown at you in the most efficient manner possible.

Not every musician with celebrity status is a jerk. Not every small / mid-level musician is a sweetheart. Sucky people are sucky people, regardless of fame level. If you turn down a gig because the artist is well-known and may or may not be a diva, you could be missing out on an amazing experience.

Haven’t worked with Incubus. No idea if any friends have, never asked.

thoughts-of-euphoria asked: Separate question: My biggest aspiration is to be a working musician, I have yet to truly do anything with that ambition because I know my current abilities are not up to par with what I need. I know the basics like: play shows, promote yourself, network, demos, youtube, try to get on festival that allow local/unsigned bands, try to work at venues or somewhere else you can get connections, etc.. As someone who has worked in entertainment, do you have anymore recommendations?

Are you in classes? Are you regularly writing and recording your progress? Are you studying the music you love and figuring out what about it draws you in, and using that inspiration to enhance your own work? Hold off on the marketing and business side. For now. Just write music. Constantly. Every day. Once you know your abilities are good, up to par and worthy of being shared, you’ll have that much more confidence on stage and a much better product to show someone. Then get out there and market the heck out of yourself. Hopefully, the right people will start taking notice.

Anonymous asked: Honestly, all of the above I'd love to work with a band on tour or work in a venue the only problem is my name is not well known. It is at the 2 high schools I've attended but that doesn't get me anywhere in this music industry. I live in the Houston area and is a fact that if I were working at Warehouse Live, I would most definitely make a name for myself but I would have to get a job there first and to do that I just need someone there to give me an opportunity to prove myself. Is it possible-

“-you could put me in touch with someone that could get me this small opportunity to prove myself. Honestly, I love what I do so much to the point that I would work for free for a good while.” (the rest of the question, in a different message) - A follow-up to this question.

No, I won’t. This is why:

Have you gone to Warehouse Live and asked them? Asked if there were any internships, opportunities to shadow a current sound guy, etc.? Are there any other venues in town in which you could work? How about your high school teachers and classmates, do they have any connections? Have you considered attending college and studying sound? Is there a Guitar Center/Sam Ash in town you could work at and meet people through? Are you friends with local bands, and have you offered to do sound for them to build a resume?

I don’t know who you are. I don’t know if you’re good. I don’t know if you’re good to work with. If I were to recommend you to someone at Warehouse Live, I’m putting my name on the line for someone I don’t know. If you suck, it hurts my work relationship with that person.

You want an opportunity to prove yourself? Walk right into Warehouse Live, talk to the manager, and ask for a job. The worst he can say is no. Remember, it’s the whole ’networking’ thing. Get to know everyone at every show in every venue in every band until when you ask, you hear a yes. That’s part of how you make a name for yourself. A good, ambitious name - Always be polite and respectful. Never demand and be known as that guy/gal who’s a jerk. The other part of making a name for yourself? Not screwing up. Working hard.

Sidenote: It wasn’t Warehouse Live, but the Houston venue that asked a band on a previous tour—who sold barely enough merch for gas to the next show—for friggen $1.25 as their merch cut can go to hell. That band didn’t have a quarter on them. The venue person waited for them to find one. Absurd.

If you have any additional questions, Anonymous, I’m down to answer. Just include your email address so we can discuss privately.                     

Anonymous asked: Alright so I saw your blog about Warped Tour and I have been searching and searching but come up empty. I am an audio engineer(I run sound boards n stuff) and I absolutely love doing it I did it all my high school years and record too. I can't even begin to stress how much I would absolutely LOVE the opportunity to gain that kind of experience working any park of the sound crew on any stage at Warped but I have come up empty on how to get said job or who to contact?

Here’s the thing. Do you just want to work on Warped Tour, or do you want a touring sound position, regardless of act/tour?

Friends who are audio engineers started working at venues and for artists. When Warped came up for them, it was through the artists they had already been working with, or other crew members/artists they had worked with in the past who recommended them. Same goes for people who work as part of the stage crew.

It’s networking, all of it. Who knows you? Who’s willing to vouch for you? Meet people. Work with people. Prove yourself. Then, when someone hears about a position, hopefully they’ll think of you and reach out.

(Yeah, I bolded myself for emphasis. Which may be tacky and eyeroll-worthy, but if you’re going to skim this response, at least read that part.)

Anonymous asked: did you go to film school? do you have any advice for someone who is considering going?

Sort of. My freshman year I was involved with the film program. By the second year I had moved, and my new college didn’t have a great program, so I switched to a music major. When I started touring regularly, I put college on the back burner. During time off between tours, I’d work as a PA on various sets, so I learned much of what I would have during film school that way.

If you decide to go, take advantage of every opportunity available to you. There are some terrific connections you can make through mentor and intern programs coordinated through film schools, especially the schools in the LA area. If the school will let you use their equipment after you’re finished with assigned projects, create your own and upload them to YouTube. Build a body of work so when you graduate, you have a resume or reel all ready to go. And most importantly, as with every industry: network, network, network.

Going to film school isn’t a requirement to work in film. Just like majoring in music business isn’t a requirement to tour. Many people have succeeded with a four-year degree, many people have succeeded without going to college at all. If you work your bum off, network, and show your ambition and drive, you can ‘make it’ regardless of traditional educational background.