Francis Rodino pointed us all to Bob’s blog and asked for our opinions on it. I had a long think about it today, and here’s my view point. It’s not really a direct come back on his blog just some observations and ramblings of my own. Some of it will echo his sentiments others wont.

I agree with most of what Bob says, the blog is a good reality check for budding artists of any genre … music or otherwise. Pounding on investors to believe in you can be very frustrating for the investors and clearly rejection for the artist is equally as soul destroying ….. that’s life folks, in any industry. If you can’t take rejection then walk away, you’re going to get it a lot, and on the flip side if you’re not prepared to listen to what’s out there as an investor then you probably wont stumble across the next greatest thing you’ll just be an “also ran”. I can be as guilty as the next person when it comes to investing in something “safe”.

I think my view diverges from Bob’s on a couple of things:

1. As an investor in this internet world I think I’ve got to get myself out there and engage with the up and coming artists a bit like the traditional A&R folks. Yes I will rely on word of mouth to lead me there in some instances, but I still need to kiss a few frogs on my own and follow my own instincts.

I also suspect that many of us investors have clocked up a number of years more than the artists we’re listening to and investing in, and to that extent I think we need to cut them some slack. They’re not marketing experts, and I find it increasingly frustrating on Sellaband that artists are expected to constantly update their profiles, do this, do that, and if they don’t heaven help them. I think as seasoned professionals in our various fields it behoves us to help out more than we do and nudge them along rather than just drop them. If you like what the music offers then go with that instinct and worry less about their sales ability, that’s not their skill.

I have an example of one of the artists I invested in who I think has become so frustrated with the “beauty parade” aspect of Sellaband and the rules that the believers have made up for themselves that they’ve walked away from SAB and got a recording deal elsewhere. These are talented artists, hard working… you know a bit like Francis and Electric Eel Shock. Yes this is a subjective view of the artist and yet everyone I contacted (and no not family or friends) said the same …. odd.

And yes I know the stock answer is “Sellaband is not for everyone”, but you know, if the music’s good then why would we as believers want them to go elsewhere and take away the potential investment and returns, it makes no sense to me. I don’t personally expect the artists to bow and scrape to me just because I bunged them a few dollars… it’s a 2 way street, I expect to have to work for my returns as much as the artist. I want the artist out there on the street and in the clubs gigging, writing and recording. I couldn’t give a flying f@ck if they come onto the forum or update their pages, because the hearts and souls I really want them to capture are the students and kids who have no financial ability to become a believer. Lets face it they are more likely to go onto MySpace or facebook to keep in touch with their heros.

2. I think if the only way an artist can get themselves out there is by writing 4 verse, 3 chorus, middle 8, middle of the road “Hits” then we’re in deep shit. Yes I agree that in the 60’s and 70’s you could be different and succeed, I guess it was easier then… but please, lets not encourage artists to stifle innovation just because it doesn’t fit the “Simon Cowell’” type view of life… I’ve had all I can take of X-Factor and the other spin offs. Sure, artists have to realise that to be different you’ll have to take the rough with the smooth and accept that not everyone’s going to follow, but we’d still be listening to big band music (which I love by the way). There would have been no Rock, Prog Rock, Punk, Glam Rock, 80’s, Rap, House, grunge, Death Metal, Emo or whatever….. that would be a crying shame… I can pick out something from almost every genre that I can connect with. Although I agree with Bob that you need to hook people, I personally like music that can take me a couple of goes to understand, somehow it stays with me longer that way. It’s a tough call, but I believe that the internet and the fact that music is cheaper to produce and record gives more scope for this, not less. The problem is the sheer volume.

Frankly if an artist is churning and burning the same old formulaic crap then I’ve got little time for them, I want to hear the artist and what they’ve got. Differentiate yourself, speculate to accumulate. You have to offer something different to be noticed in any walk of life.

I also write music, bad music, and I understand the pain of playing your music to other people. I send them to the band members and ask for candid feedback…. And boy sometimes it can be painful, you just have to accept that 1 in every 15 or 20 things you put together will get a positive reaction and the rest is condemned to death. I had one track I called “Waste”…. And the response I got back was “Yup, I agree… it’s a waste”…. Mind you it was crap and I’d finished it at 3am in the morning and thought it was a hit. I always liken it to putting your children in a room and then being forced to stand behind a one way mirror whilst people pass comment, lets face it nobody wants to hear their babies are ugly, not that mine are of course.

I agree with Bob, it does seem that the music industry has lost it’s way and it’ll be a while before it settles back to some sense of normality, however I think we should be very wary of “trusted filters” because it’s generally the trusted filters who push back on change and innovation and look for the “safe” and formula.

I personally can’t wait to see what’s round the musical corner…. Bring it on!

As Bob quite rightly alludes to if you think success is your god given right then you’re barking up the wrong tree, and you probably should “F@ck Off!” , however if you truly believe in what you’re doing and you’re prepared to be knocked back time and time again then go for it!! And lets hope you find investors who will cut you the required slack.