Posts about Music Ensembles
On April 17th
covering Music, Music Ensembles
The band Machine Head has gone public with its rather sensibly making use of Oakland therapist Suzanne Slyman to help with the working relationship between frontman Robb Flynn and bassist Adam Duce.
The remarkable thing about this is that it’s not done more often. In any normal business, using a consultant or mediator is an absolutely ordinary thing. If there is a personality conflict that threatens the operations of Apple or Nextel (to pick a couple of serious companies at random) you can bet they will avail themselves of consultation and help — perhaps from this guy. They can’t afford not to — the stakes are so high. Read more »
On March 11th
covering Business, creative partnerships, Music Ensembles
More on the theme of “business startups and bands have a great deal to learn from one another”. Daniel Tenner has posted some lessons learned from starting a venture with a friend. He emphasizes the importance of making assumptions explicit, and adds a cartoon featuring a T-Rex as an xkcd hommage.
This should be read by musicians and entrepreneurs alike.
On March 7th
covering creative partnerships, Creativity, Music, Music Ensembles
Following up to a comment to this post, There is certainly the sentiment that it’s better to make a statement and quit than fade away. Long-lived bands are always subject to complaints from their fans that it’s not the same, etc. Metallica is a great example of a band whose fans seem to include an army of whiners. Do Metallica fans like anything Metallica has ever put out? (I think the real complaint is “you’re not young any more and neither are we and it’s your fault”).
I prefer to think of this as a creative problem, especially for groups who fill stadiums when they are young. What do they do with themselves as they grow up? There are a lot of ways to play it, and I don’t feel the need to prescribe how they should go. My big point is that when bands implode from their toxic social dynamics, this creative problem and creative choice is taken away from them, and that’s a shame. Maybe they’d do something interesting with it. Read more »
On March 5th
covering Bands, creative partnerships, Music Ensembles
I was fortunate to talk with Peter Jenner a few weeks ago. The former manager of Pink Floyd, the Clash and others as well as current manager for Billy Bragg, Jenner is vitally engaged in issues of digital music policy and payment systems.
- photo: futureofmusic.blogspot.com
But since I don’t know anything about all that, I got to ask him something I’d been wondering about for a long time.
When a revered band breaks up, the fans mourn and protest, and hopes for reunion dog the band members until enough of them die off.
But maybe the band has run its course and it’s time to end before it becomes its own tribute act. There are times when it is better to declare victory and go home, put out the box set, shed a tear and go on to new projects. It can be liberating and dignified. Read more »
On February 26th
covering Bands, creative partnerships, Ensembles, Music, Music Ensembles
Bands and startups have a lot in common. I have been exploring this idea for a couple of years. I’ve been spending time talking to musicians and tech entrepreneurs.
I’ve been gestating a blog post on this idea — but it’s out of hand and it wants to be a book. I will try to be a good little blogger and offer my thoughts in little bites. This goes against my nature, but it’s a good discipline.
So for now: all you musicians, go read this post by the always-pithy startup guru, Paul Graham. He begins with one of his favorite ideas: Read more »
