I've just devoured my second book in a week and thought I would share my thoughts. So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer's Life by Jacob Slichter is an insider look at how the music business really works. Now with my background, about half of this book is kind of a recap of what I went through about two years prior to Jacob, who was the drummer for Semisonic. I related to a lot of the situations that Jacob was forced into, especially considering how as a drummer (or in my case a secondary rapper) you are somewhat expendable. You never have the chance to really enjoy the spoils of "being a rock star" since you never really know where the money is going or for how long it will last. And when it's over, you really have to venture into the unknown and become a regular person again. All in all, the story of Semisonic is interesting in that they actually acheived success both in America and Europe, albiet with different singles from the same record. I guess the book is vanilla in the sense that no one gets kicked out of the band or has a drug problem, the guys in Semisonic are just regular guys who write songs and hit the road. I dont' know, I was kind of a fan of Semisonic and I was in a band and my band was hard to market, so maybe this book just speaks to me more than it will to you but I'm glad I read it.
On the musical tip, I finally watched I Am Trying To Break Your Heart about the plight of Wilco to put out Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Quite another fascinating look at the horror show that is the music biz. Here's a band that is critical acclaimed and has a strong audience that supports them and they turn in their masterpiece and get sent packing by Reprise Records. Along the way to finally wresting away ownership of the record and ultimately selling it back to BarNone Records (a divison of parent company Warner Brothers, as is Reprise) for 3 times what it cost to make, the band loses long time guitarist Jay Bennett...all while the cameras are rolling. Unlike that crappy Metallica movie, this film focuses on the music as art. Jeff Tweedy is a very unassuming and focused songsmith and watching the process unfold organically in black and white with cigarettes everywhere, I was itching to get back into music for about 90 minutes. If the business wasn't so fucked, I'd be back in there.
In lighter musical news, check out The Shout Out Louds record Howl Howl Gaff Gaff. It makes me think that as shitty as the business is, thankfully the end result when it touches my ears can be amazing.
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