Spoke to a young man who works at the Coyote Cafe yesterday. He told me something that is as true in the music business as it is in the restaurant business. Eric DiStefano, who is the owner and chef, told him he would always rather hire a young sous-chef who had a couple of years experience cooking than somebody fresh from cooking school. While the latter might have more theoretical knowledge, it would be unknown whether s/he is able to deal with the enormous stress levels that rule the kitchen of a successful restaurant, while the former is known to be able to cope and can quickly be taught the recipes of the chef. Not unlike soldering, I suppose.
There are lots of books about the music business, and they really don’t convey anything about the experience. Hustling gigs, dealing with some of the shady characters that populate the music scene at ever corner, performing, traveling, living on a bus with 5-16 people (((yes, some crew busses are known to carry nearly twenty people, 12 in the bunks, and the rest in the lounges…))) and so on. There is no school for this. There is no try, only do, as Yoda says.
I believe it to be true with any business. It seems that the person “fresh out of college” with “the signed degree” learns the business or craft from the wisdom of a seasoned day to day worker but the “businessman” rewards the “fresh out of college” with advancement to become the trainer’s boss. Why? We wonder with youth do not respect the senior?
I value people not their papers. Hmmmm when you train a puppy you need lots of papers.
opps .. We wonder why youth do not respect our seniors in the present time?
Three weeks ago we traveled to Reading, Pa for a wedding and took a detour to Hershey, PA to experience the history of “chocolate” and enjoy the fruits of a passionate spirit. I wonder if growing up in such a famous little town also inspired Eric DiStefano; that dreams do become reality.
There should be a subtitle on the side, ” to a budding musician”.
“Letters to a Young Musician”. Nice to read.
I don’t know the process, I only know the results. You create sound that are like no other, and if I were a guitarist I would study that paragraph carefully . As it is I will remain blissful ignorant, and keep on listening.