So the band broke up. The drummer took his mike stand back, the guitarist took his girlfriend back, and you're left with 3/4 of a working PA and 870 copies of your CD. What do we do now? It's not the end of civilization as we know it. Let's just call it a speedbump on the road of life. (Poetic, I know.) It could be sort of a crossroads for you as well. If this is just a temporary setback, then so be it. Remember why this band didn't work out, figure out why you only sold 130 CD's and move on. Start a new band, go back to page one of the book, and do it again. Now if you're 40, have two children, and a wife who wants you to 'stop making that racket' and get a job, then there are issues to discuss here. Are you done playing live? Is it your time to move on? I can't answer these questions for you. It is a big move to realize that you're done trying. I only ask that you give up only after you've given everything you have to make 'it' happen. If you've done that and it's time to walk away, then you can never say 'what if'. The best thing to do whenever any problem shows up is to assess the situation with a clear head and write things down. Step outside of yourself for a second and look inside. Now, maybe life has reared its ugly head, and maybe jumping around on stages that are too small and drinking half-priced beer are not your thing anymore. You can take a 'real job', still play weekends and there is no crime in that at all. So you didn't make a million dollars. Who cares? The biggest problem for musicians entering the workforce is that we have a hard time adjusting to someone else's schedule. What if you aren't the 9-to-5 type? Well, there are still alternatives to donning a suit and filing TPS reports. If you aren't completely burned out, then stay in the business. There are 1001 ways to do this. First, if you're in a big enough area, you can do studio work. Find producers in the area (myspace searches can't hurt), put together a demo reel and tell them you're available for demo work. It may be slow at first - $100 here and there, but then again, so were your first gigs, right? Get yourself known as the guy that lays it down solid on tape, and you will have plenty of work. Look outside of your genre, too. I have a friend who is an amazing rock player who is doing rap sessions on the side. Of course, much of this is the result of networking and contacts. Don't be shy, and do your homework. Maybe you don't feel you want to play anymore, or at least not at the pace you were keeping up. Look into the other side of things. Did you do the web design for the band? There's a lot of money in that line of work, and plenty of people needing your services. (Bands, for example). Again, put together something people can see, and market yourself. Did you do production on the band's demo? Are you good with talking to players and getting sounds in the studio? Jump into producing new bands. Put your musical knowledge to work for someone else. You could be just what a band needs - an outside musical opinion - to push their sound in a new direction. Can you run sound, monitors, or lights? There's probably a company in your area that will pay pretty well for you to bring your knowledge to the table. Did you do most of the driving for your band? Get your CDL and work for a tour bus company. With any of the ideas above, you're still in the business, make good money, and your image consultant won't care about your beer belly. Did you have any endorsements? Remember those good relations you were supposed to keep up? Maybe one of those companies is hiring. You can become a clinician, salesman, help with R&D, or even better, Artist Relations, and be on the other side of the desk. There are plenty of alternatives to playing music for a living, and lots that still involve music. You don't have to sell insurance just yet. |