Here’s another shocking truth bomb that many of you I know will call “bullshit” but it’s true. Knowing from my own experience of dealing with local musicians over the years, most of them don’t really care about you. Most of them only care about themselves really. You want to know why a lot of musicians around the scene are friendly with other musicians and sharing gigs with others and all that stuff? It’s because musicians will only like you if you do stuff for them. Like, if you give them positive feedback on their playing, buy their music or go see a show of theirs that’s when they’ll be all over you, but at the end of the day… they don’t give a flying fuck about you. You may support them but many of them will not support you in return knowing from my own experience.
A lot of people make the mistake that a lot of musicians out there in your scene are good people and a bunch of sweethearts. Um, no. Like I said in a post before, not all of them are gonna be good people. Some of them will be but from what I’ve experienced throughout the years of my life in the music scene, most musicians around here are nothing but flat-out douchebags. Like I said in a post before, you can’t really trust a lot of them. You will meet musicians with many different personalities. Yes, you will meet some musicians out there who can be good people and sweethearts but you will always meet some that have many different personalities. You will meet musicians who can be real jerks… a lot of them can have short temper problems. You will meet egomaniacs, attention whores and you will meet musicians who are really weird.
There will be a lot of musicians out there who only accepts positive feedback about their playing and their music. If you give them any criticism of any kind or disagreements of any kind, they can be all defensive. Maybe that’s a part of why a lot of them hate me ’cause they don’t like that I can disagree with them.
A lot of musicians in your local scene like to promote themselves as if they are rock stars when they are not and that has always been a problem for years. It still is a problem and it’s even worse now with all this social media stuff going on with bands. Yeah, I understand they use social media as a way to promote your band but acting like a rock star when doing it is wrong, in my opinion.
Some of you may ask, how do local bands act like rock stars when promoting themselves on social media? Hmmmm… let me give you some examples: announcing tour dates (even when the shows are all local they still call them tours), announcing release dates for their records, releasing singles, having a merchandise section on the band’s websites (sell t-shirts, posters, etc.), bands & artists being mostly about themselves instead of engaging with the fans, etc. I can go on all day. You don’t need to promote yourself that way and I never did.
So many live in rock star fantasy land. It’s pretty crazy, ya know?
I never took myself seriously as a musician. If I wrote a demo or a song, I’ll just release it. When I promote myself on social media, I like to be more engaging with people and actually talking with everyone and replying to everyone. I just want to make music and play. That’s all I want to do. I’m an unsigned musician and I act like it. Even though I am an unsigned musician, I don’t pretend that I’m a signed artists like so many local musicians do around here. That’s the rock star wannabe, I’m talking about. What’s even worse with “local bands” acting like rock stars is that a lot of them have managers and booking agents when you don’t need either one of those.
The reason why so many unsigned bands pretend to be “signed” bands is ’cause they think they’re entitled to success and recognition. That’s why you see many of them going off about their successes and accolades in front of their fanbase. Many of them just don’t let the music speak on it’s own and they think success/recognition will fall in their lap. Either that or many of them already think they’ve been established in the scene when they are not really.
I don’t see myself as a professional musician or a rock star and never did. I just want to play, play, play and that’s all. Just play, rock out and have fun. I just want to do like what everyone else is doing is playing music.
No doubt that a lot of musicians are big narcissists and I’ve been saying it for years. I’ve had too many musicians who got so hell-bent on destroying me and had many refusing to talk to me ’cause of my “right-wing” views in politics. This is not good for the scene and it’s getting worse. I’m sure many of them still hate me but I don’t give a shit, ya know? Life is real good. I’m still playing the guitar, singing and focused on powerlifting. Life is great.
There are some music lovers that want to believe the local music community is wonderful, positive and enjoyable to be a part of but not always. As someone who has been a part of the local musician’s community for a little over a decade, you will experience some negatives and positives. There will always be ups and downs for sure. Knowing from my own experience of being a part of the local musician’s community, I can tell you for sure that it’s not always going to be positive.
Why? I’m about to explain 10 reasons why being a part of the local musicians community/scene is not always a positive experience. Here are those 10 reasons in no particular order, these are just some signs to watch out for:
A lot of musicians have massive egos: This is true. Throughout the years of my life as a musician, I’ve seen many other local musicians around here who have massive egos. I’m not gonna name names but you will meet plenty of musicians who think they are bigger and more special than others. You will meet plenty of musicians who will jerk themselves off on their successes and jerk themselves off over their playing ability. You’ll meet plenty of musicians who are arrogant, stuck-up and can act like a bunch of prima-donnas. There will be plenty of those for sure. I know not all musicians are egomaniacs, it’s very rare that you’ll come across someone who is humble and isn’t full of themselves. Many musicians really do think they’re important. Too many musicians around here think they’re rock stars and too many want to chase super stardom which I think is sad.
Musicians with unprofessional attitudes: You’ll see musicians with plenty of these too. Ya know, musicians who are always impolite, rude and negative most of the time. You will meet plenty of musicians who aren’t very nice and that’s the way it is.
Some musicians will always be critical of you: You’ll see plenty of musicians around the musicians community who think they are a music critic. If they don’t like the way you play and if they don’t like your songwriting, they won’t be afraid to say it out loud. If you’re going to be a part of the local musician’s community, you’ll have to expect some Simon Cowell wannabe critics out there. Be aware of some nasty reviews that are aimed at your playing and your music.
Some musicians can be untrustworthy people: You will deal with a lot of backstabbing and drama for sure. A lot of musicians will be using you and will try to ride your coattails and stuff. If you become friendly with a musician, this musician could be a secret hater of you so be careful. You can’t trust anyone in the musician’s community just like you can’t trust anyone anywhere! You’re definitely not gonna get along with everyone. That’s just the way it is.
Many musicians are wild party animals: There are a lot of heavy drinking musicians out there and there might be some drugs going around too. A lot of musicians can be a bunch of drunks at the gigs and it’s always not a good thing. There will be many musicians out there thinking music is all about partying hard and it doesn’t always have to be.
Musician’s can be one cliquey community: If you think high schools and colleges can be pretty “cliquey”, the musicians community can be just as bad. Musicians around here will make you feel left out if they feel that you don’t belong. For example, if they feel that if you’re not a professional enough musician, they’ll make you feel like an “amateur” and I’ve definitely gone through this. If you’re not cool enough and not a good musician then be ready to be feel left out ’cause you will feel that a lot.
It can be difficult to get recognized as a musician and get your music: heard: Yes, it can be quite a challenge to get recognized as a musician and it’s hard to try and earn respect around here in the musician’s community for sure. You work extremely hard on your music and you’re proud of the music you make. You put it out there and promote it as hard it as possible and all of a sudden, no one cares. I know the feeling and admittedly it hurts. You send your music out to promoters, bloggers and local music websites only to get ignored by most of them. I know the feeling and I’ve gone through this. You also try to get support of your music from other musicians as well. They know that you’re a musician but many of them just don’t seem to care about your music. I know this feeling.
Music scene can be too political, most musicians are very “liberal” and they can be a bunch of snowflakes: I’ve had too many musicians and too many promoters refusing to support me and my music ’cause of my conservative views. I can’t count how many times musicians around here refused to add me/follow me in social networking ’cause of my conservative views. The music community like to go around saying, “Support All Local Music” but that’s kind of hard to do when they’re always hating each other over political views. Yeah, I love supporting musicians and bands too. I’m willing to support them even if they are pretty liberal. We really need to keep politics out of music but they’ll never learn.
The internet and social media can sometimes be hurtful to musicians: The internet and social media is not always a great thing for musicians. You could get your reputation destroyed if you’re not careful on how to use the internet. I definitely know the feeling. Over the years of my life through the musician’s community, I’ve been a victim of internet trolls, cyberbullies and haters. I still have that problem today but I’ve gotten much better at ignoring the trolls.
Be ready to get rejected a lot when you submit your music for reviews, interviews, get some press and even getting some gigs: Another downside of being a part of a musician’s community is that you’re gonna get rejected a lot. When you submit your music to get reviewed, get interviews for radio, get some local press and even get some gigs… you might just get ignored. I’ve been there. When you’re trying to get actual gigs at venues and if you try to get on a slot with other band shows, you gotta get ready whether or not they’ll accept you. I’ve been rejected too many times. It’s pretty tough to get your music some attention in the scene. If you get rejected then you just gotta ignore it, move on and keep moving forward ’cause that’s all you can do.
Well, there you have it, y’all. Hope you enjoy the read. If not, I don’t give a fuck.
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