tisdsrps

So You Want To Be A Rock Star?

Before climbing on the latest bandwagon to fulfil your dreams of fame and fortune, here a few things to ponder.

Gigging is great fun when you do it once a week. Do it day after day, week after week and it feels just like what it is, hard work! Why do you think so many rock and pop starts wreck their lives with drink and drugs? The answer is that the physical toll of constant travelling leaves them vulnerable. A two hour gig may require 5,10 or 15 hours of driving. Tiring if you do it, boring if someone does it for you.

If you are married or in a steady relationship, do you take your partner with you and, if you do, who is chatting her up while you are strutting your stuff on stage? Leave her at home and just say no to the groupies? Divorce among musicians is the norm.

Fame is short lived, and it seems to be getting shorter every year. Remember Bill Haley and the Comets, The Ventures, Freddy and the Dreamers, The Searchers? They were all stars in their own day but if you are under 50 you probably said, Who? to every one of these. And speaking of the Who, how about them?

The bottom line is that if you cannot stand seeing inferior musicians getting all the glory and you can stand living out of a suitcase, then go chase the dream. If not, look for plan B.

So what is plan B?

Here are B, C and D.

Well you can sell guitars. Learn the business and make your mistakes with someone elses money by working for the man. Get a gig once or twice a week and take all offers to make you a star with a pinch of salt. Eventually start your own shop.

Then there is teaching. Lots and lots of kids want to play like their heroes. You business may take a year or two to grow to full time status, your income will halve during the school holidays and the hours are distinctly antisocial but you spend your working day sitting on a sofa with a guitar on your lap and drinking coffee. How difficult is that?

Finally there is guitar making. For a few hundred you can go on a course to learn the tricks of the trade. Now what would be more satisfying, to have a number one hit and be famous for two weeks or to have your name on the heads of the next generation of iconic guitars for decades to come?

John David Coupland aka Johnguitars

To try Johnguitar's free guitar lessons and view his unique guitar designs visit his site site. http://greenguitartabs.co.uk

posted by fwwppdho @ 10:55 PM