(from Derek Downham)
If you want to do what you love and are passionate about making this your life, you must be prepared to travel uphill, take a punch or ten and still be able to laugh at yourself.
I wish for the younger players/writers coming up to stay strong, stay focused and never let anyone take advantage of your talents.
There will be sharks. Oh yes, you can set your watch to that. (Some are musicians as well, so keep your head on a swivel.)
There will also be amazing, talented and encouraging artists/producers/engineers with a wealth of knowledge to share with you to help sculpt your own distinct path. Listen to them, ask questions, write things down. I am so grateful for these angels in my life and I try my best to reciprocate and share. Surround yourself with these people every moment you can.
Beware the hanger-ons. There will be those who will want to spend your heartbeats and talents. "Yes people". They can infiltrate your personal life and manipulate you to appease their own egos. They are generally loud, opinionated and will not help you move forward. They will try to tell you what you need to do without any experience. Keep them at least at arms length.
Engage with your audience no matter how big or small. Look into the whites of every eye you can. Meet your audience at shows. Cut to the core of every heart you can, but do not feel that you have to please everyone. Be in the moment, unscripted, passionate, confident.
Play empty rooms. Play the same way you would to an empty room as you would to a full one. Never phone it in.
There will always be those who don't "get" what you do, and that's ok. Get used to harsh criticism, as everyone is a critic.
Your greatest tools in your arsenal are great songs.
Care deeply for the instruments you have. Wipe them down after every performance, dust them, humidify them, change your batteries, clip and clean your strings. A well respected and maintained instrument will only enhance your talent. Be militant about it.
Listen critically, practice diligently, play emotionally.
Be nice to other artists. Be humble. Help other artists on the bill. Help/thank the staff at the venue you are playing at as they are part of your team. Work together. Be kind to strangers. If someone forgets a capo or a cable, lend them yours. If you're going on before another band make sure to get your stuff off stage immediately the end of your set so they can set up quickly. Remember to leave the forest cleaner than how you found it.
You may not like someone else's music, but remind yourself that music is ultimately subjective. Spewing off about how someone else sucks is generally childish and shitty. Your music will always be someone's favorite or least favourite. You don't have to like everything, but shooting down a group or artist because you personally don't get it is narrow and closed. Open your mind to other genres and artists who take risks. Also, the music scene in Canada is small. Very small. Every face you kick on the way up will kick you harder on the way down. Be Humble. A little humility goes a long way.
Take pride in your craft. Show up like a pro. Look good so you feel good. Check your bullshit at the door and remind yourself that every gig, every session, every interview, every accolade is a gift.
You are where you are because of who you are.
Make mistakes, own them, learn from them.
Never stop learning what to do and what not-to-do from younger and older players alike.
Laugh out loud as much as possible
Don't forget to floss.
(from Kim Doolittle)
The Staff/Crew of wherever you are working have to like you. If they do not, you are sunk. You will not get a return gig. I am not even talking about you being a virtuoso musician, I am talking about you, your personality, tolerance and reliability.
They want numbers, attendance and respect. Any musician who has been on the other side of the bar is the best hire when they are following their Muse because they have done the job.
The person hiring is your boss for however many hours you are there. Make sure they know realistically what they are getting before you start singing/playing. It is only fair. If they hired you to play ambient jazz and you are playing Trad Country, the odds are that will not go over well. Better to recommend a friend if it is not your thing.
Show up on time, dress up like a singer, be set up before the people start arriving and know your shit. Make sure that you have reached out to your audience and if you are building one, spread the word best you can. That still won't guarantee a full house, but it will help.
I always have a back up PA in the back of my car just in case so that my sound is good. Bad sound is a gig killer and so is over the top volume. Never underestimate anything and expect the unexpected every single gig.
Stay sober (I know some of you are laughing out loud who worked with "younger" wild child Kim). Partying hard slows your progression. Trust me I know from experience. No regret, I know a clearer head in those young daze would have served me well.
Put your head, heart and soul into the gig, be polite, don't ignore your audience for your cell phone, they don't have to show up for you so give them your attention when they interact and do songs you freaking love. Appreciate your fans. Without them there is no us.
Don't be afraid to do your own songs. Why write them if you don't play them.
Don't take gratuitous breaks and then expect a return gig. I have seen that one a million times over, it does not go over well. Rightfully so.
Keep working on being better. Practice and refine and then refine some more, evolve, repeat. Try things that make you very uncomfortable every chance you get. Your hot body and cute face don’t last forever so get really, really proficient at what you do.
(and some parting words from jazz giant Thelonious Monk)
Just because you're not a drummer, doesn't mean you don't have to keep time. Make the drummer sound good.
Don't play the piano part, I'm playing that.
The inside of the tune (the bridge) is the part that makes the outside sound good.
Don't play everything (or every time); let some things go by. Some music just imagined. What you don't play can be more important that what you do.
Whatever you think can't be done, somebody will come along and do it. A genius is the one most like himself.
Always leave them wanting more.