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Selasa, Oktober 21, 2008

Windows To Fame When All Else Falls

All you wanna do in your life is write and sing great songs that people will still sing in their bathrooms decades into the future. You know you are destined to be one of the music legend of Elvis Presley’s caliber. But oh! The record company keeps turning drown your demo tape and the audience keeps throwing empty bottles at you when you sing. Oh tragedy! Does that mean that you have to start composing suicide notes and looking for the tallest building in town? NOOOO! Are you kidding? The future is full of promises even for those who did not pass the audition for Indonesian Idol.

People say that when a closed door stands between you and your destination, go find a window. Here’re some windows that you might try climbing through when the door to the music world is slammed shut in your face.

1. Be a music critic. Music critics observe and analyze trends and developmnets in the music industry. They write critical reviews of singers, bands and albums. Of course they can only do this if they have enough knowledge of the music world. They ought to know who the father of blues is, what sound a dulcimer makes, what in the world glissando means, and how guitarists perform that particular technique called ‘slurring’. Musicians and music producers alike respect and … ahem … fear critics. So you’ve got power, brother! Mwahahaha!

2. Be an artist manager. Artist managers make deals, negotiate contracts, organize gigs, and get a whopping percentage out of the artists’ earning. Sounds good, eh? But first of all, you need to find yourself a promising band to manage, build a vast network of acquaintances, and learn a thing or two about the legal and business aspects of artist management. Managers stay behind the scene, but they are very wellknown in show business.

3. There’s more to music than albums. You can try cafes and restaurants that offer live music to entertain their patrons. You can compose jingles for commercials. You can try making music illustrations for sinetrons. Maybe you won’t be stalked by fans clamoring for your autograph, but at least no one will think about selling pirated CDs of your jingle J

4. You have other talents; use it! You can cook? Offer your services to event organizer holding music gigs in town. You’re a talented painter? Sculptor? Designer? Offer to decorate stages, design posters, fliers and banners. You’re a whiz with make-up kit? Be a make-up artist! You drive like an F1 racer and know you way around town? Offer to drive the artist from their hotel to the venue. Getting behind the scene will give you the chance to chat with people from the music industry. If none of them can help to get your first album produced and launched, at least you know that you won’t be jobless and starved.

So you see, not getting that record deal is not the end of the world. Maybe your way to fame does not life in singing or making music. There are many ways to become a celebrity. And even if you don’t get there, hey, who needs a life where the reporters will hound you day and night and your love life is analyzed by millions of people, eh? What kind of life would that be anyway? :) (C’nS Volume 4 No.25)

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