VLOG 33: What Matters More in the Music Industry, Skill or Connections?
Thinking out loud on a controversial subject... many think it all comes down to the connections.
I'd say connections only can amplify your skill. If you suck, getting a big gig will just show the world that you suck.
On the other hand, the best bassist in Kansas might not live long enough to get discovered.
There's a balance... the best artists need both to manifest skill into real world results, I think. But of the two, actually being good at music probably matters more.
Which one do you think is more important?
How does one define the term "music industry"? I think that's important to know.
TL;DR: Yeah, I pretty much agree that connections are a speed boost to skill, but with the right connections the level of skill required can be greatly reduced. Also, sorry for the long comment, but you really got me thinking on this one, haha.
I think that it's kind of impossible to say which is truly more important, I think each case is unique in that regard. For example, Willis Earl Beal is an absolutely phenomenal singer and songwriter but it's taken him years to get noticed, whereas somebody like Rebecca Black pops up virtually out of nowhere because her parents hire a self described "music factory" (which will obviously come with it's own connections) to produce a cheesy, generic pop song with accompanying video. Now I'm sure Rebecca Black has some skills as a singer but with a decent production team behind them pretty much anyone could give her a run for her money, and in that sense I consider her case to have been one where connections have played a larger role than skill/talent. Willis Earl Beal on the other hand has gained success mostly from his talent.
Another example where skill/talent wins out is the case of Benjamin Clementine. He was a homeless busker in Paris after leaving his home in London. It wasn't until four years of busking that an agent heard him play as he (the agent) was on his way home from a gig, they arranged a meeting for the next day and the rest, as they say, is history.
One last example that shows both skills and connections are important (or maybe symbiotic) is John Frusciante's first solo album which is one of my favorite albums. This album sounds like complete garbage (to an average music fan) compared to the music he had been making with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. What's interesting is that while Frusciante has incredible skill, even on his first solo album, I still think the only reason it was released on Rick Rubin's American Recordings label is because he was "former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, John Frusciante", if he had been just some dude making these recordings in his bedroom we'd probably never have heard them. But, to bring us full circle, it was his skill/talent that initiated the whole process by allowing him to become RHCP's guitarist in the first place... But then, maybe he knew someone who knew someone who needed a guitarist and it really was just his connections that allowed him to release Niandra LaDes and Usually Just a T-Shirt.
Jesus Christ... I hate myself for writing such long comments.
Awesome point with Frusciante, and Willis Earl Beal.. Which is interesting, because of the latter I've started listening after hearing his song Too Dry To Cry on The Orange Is The New Black series. The song was so amazing that I immediately wanted to find out who was it from..
I've never watched Orange is the New Black but I'm glad they used one of Beal's songs. Somebody with his voice deserves the exposure. Have you listened to his Acousmatic Sorcery album? It has some of my favorite songs by him.
Frusciante is a great example of a guy who had it both ways. In his case you can really see the limitations of style I guess, since he doesn't reach that large of an audience now with how weird all his non RHCP stuff is even tho it's so good
Clementine's story is super inspiring too, I didn't realize he was a busker for so many years before meeting his agent.
This is completely unrelated to your topic but I'm a sucker for a good story and Benjamin Clementine's is a fantastic story. If you have time and haven't already done it you should check out his Wikipedia page. Normally I'm not a fan of getting information from Wikipedia, especially about a person, but Clementine's page really gives a good overview.
The story of why he wasn't able to play the North Sea Jazz Festival might be one of my favorite anecdotes from his personal saga. I mean, If somebody doesn't make a biopic about him in the next five or so years I'll be very disappointed.
From the "music loving" side of me I would have to say skills. But we all know that the music industry is a biatch. Or mor correctly: Giant Psycopathic Pimp.
So the rational side of me says: looks, contacts, money and skills.
Yet, today has the big advantages of: cheap and good recording gear. Distribution is also posssible for everyone. So I'm optimistic because it is possible for ppl to record and release music easily!
great post btw!
All we have to do is look great, be connected, wealthy, and talented? Sounds like I have my work cut out for me.
Both are pretty darn important, I am also not sure that it applies only to the music industry. This is what makes the world go around. Also, money can buy you both.
But that is if you are trying to become a professional musician.
If you just want to be an artist, and do not care about the money then skill is all that matters.
However, when it comes to skill and art... Art is subjective. Music is subjective. Phillip Glass has a lot of skill, he really super duper talented... But Mr. Glass will never land on my playlist.
So beyond skill, there is style.
I think that style actually plays a bigger role over skill.
It is not that hard to play music, but is there an intentional conscious decision to sound a specific way? What about in a way that is particularly successful.
Much of that style concept carries over to mgt. Have you ever wondered why Christina Agulara doesn't do like a blues album with Clapton or something? Same applies to folks like Justin Timberlake.
Those folks could choose a style that fits another market, a market that I connect with more. But, would their mgt let them do that? Or are they scared? They know they have a model that works, and they just are not willing to risk that with changing up to something new.
I would love to say Justin Timberlake is not talented but it is not true. Not at all. He is certainly well connected but it is his style that has carried him through his career.
Style can vary a lot with similar results right? You have superstars who play rock, hip-hop, metal, folk, blues, etc
Yeah, it's an amplification! But as you said, firstly you need really good "skills". Altho' I would put in the set of "skills" something that a lot of people lack and don't spend their time perfecting, and that's authenticity, clarity and sincereness. If a person is developing his "craft" in playing, writing, any art form, a lot of people neglect the aspect of discovering their unique language, and for that it takes a lot of time and a lot of experiments. Because as you go further in discovering the arts you read through the mystique and manirisms. And at that point it depends what is your focus.
For me, I mostly catch on to musicians and art that is authentic and vunerable, where the feeling cuts through the bullshit (most of the time - it's the show). But those artist tend to stay (by their own choice or not) on one level of "success" because rarely authenticity beats mainstream... But it has always been like that i guess...
At the end of the day, I think it just depends on your focus - what do you want to do... If you wanna be a session musician and play with a celebrity band then you have to chase it, not just play in your town, but move to somewhere bigger and be persistent (I've met an amazing drummer called Larry Belton Jr. who moved from Sacramento to LA and after a couple of months he started playing with some better musicians on jam sessions, and one of the bassists was a bass player with Jason Derulo - and guess who's the drummer in his band for the last couple of years ;))
But if you want to focus on the music and style, then I think it's counterproductive to "make it big" because that kind-a makes you being in a rut and subjective towards your music, and I guess you're "more afraid to make mistakes" which is not good for the whole process of discovering stuff about your art.
Any connection is as good as you use it.. You can do good just by a word of mouth if you're unique and of quality, but it can really help if you're in a position to use your connections without making big compromises - and there are always some.
Very very interesting point that "making it big" could be considered the opposite of creativite success - you could get boxed in to some really generic style if you find success the wrong way.
yeah, I've seen a bunch of bands that held on to that "winning" sound and weren't feeling comfortable going outside that.. but it's not a definite rule, most of the time some boundaries result in best creative solutions
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Connections are most important, down to a baseline of skill, which we can call "competence."
As long as your skill level is "competent" or higher, connections will win the day.
But once your skill level falls below competent, connections become less and less powerful - such that the further down you go in terms of skill, the more bad ass your connections need to be in order to meet with success.
Best example I can think of this - Roseanne singing the National Anthem on live television: Total lack of musical skill + being Roseanne = one live, nationally televised performance of the national anthem.
Ancillary Modifiers:
Likability can sometimes fill in gaps otherwise left by skill, if all connections are otherwise even.
Incredible skill can sometimes overpower the need for connections entirely.
Pure crapshoot luck sometimes makes everything said in this comment meaningless :)
You really summed it up here! I agree completely with your elegant statements. Indeed - connections are more or less useful on a kinda spectrum depending on your own music skill, that's a good way to see it