Social Lubricant, Business Detriment
Phil Simon
2004-01-30
So I have been doing this for a long time. By this, I mean trying to make a living making music and residing in the music industry. Whether it was through hanging posters, writing songs, performing, booking, publicity, journalism, whatever, I have been actively pursuing a living through music since about 1991. In that time I have seen folks in the industry partake in nearly every type of drug imaginable- buying, selling, and consuming. You really can't help it. Drugs and alcohol and tobacco are all around the music scene- in the audience, up on stage, in the green room (not so ironically named), in the studio, in the practice space, on the tour bus. The very notion of drugs and alcohol is tied into the fabric of what the industry is. I am no preacher- and am certainly no saint either. I have had my fair share of evenings where I imbibed too much- of whatever it was I was choosing to do. My wife always tells me that she knows that I have had too much to drink when I start wagging my finger. When that finger comes out, I usually start saying, "Let me tell you how it is." She knows then to grab me by the arm and lead us to wherever home is for the night. Anything that happens if she doesn't is only going to serve to embarrass us all. But I have noticed a trend lately. Perhaps the musicians that I am handling are starting to age and mature- or perhaps I am just hanging around too many degenerates, but I have noticed a larger number of musicians and bands struggling in our scene lately with alcohol. These struggles range from frustrations of those who have to share a vehicle with drinkers, to those that may well have blown their biggest chance at a career because of too much drink. Obviously names can't be named in this article, but lessons can be learned nonetheless. Most notably, one of the bands that we represent recently had alcoholism fall into their band with a thud. We have all gotten used to the fact that many of our friends and associates drink. Everyone begins to notice slowly that maybe someone in your circle perhaps drinks more than everyone else, or perhaps handles it more poorly when they do. This band knew that they had someone in the band that partied and drank a lot harder than everyone else in the band. But they had been dealing with the small inconveniences and never really dreamt that it would lead to larger problems. This is a band that is starting to take off- They are being noticed by some of the heavier hitters in the journalistic side of the jam scene- jambands.com; Relix, jambase, etc... They were reaching far beyond their own region and are stretched most of the way across the Eastern half of the US. They have been getting on festivals and shows with larger national bands, and the belief among everyone involved was that the band was taking off. A great weekend was set up in another region- one that is important to the band. Two shows were set up- the band's first show headlining a major venue in a large market city, and another show opening for a band that packs a 700 capacity venue in a college market. Articles were printed, posters sent and press kits out. Hundreds of dollars were invested into these two shows. But alas, when it was getting time to load up the bus- one band member was missing. Now he had never missed a gig before- and everyone believed he would show up. Hours passed, and no one had heard from him. The time for the band to leave came and went, and since he was an absolutely vital member of the band- they couldn't go without him. Four other musicians, 2 management team members, a booking agent, record label- all the efforts toward this weekend went down the drain, and possibly the future of the whole band. More shows were missed as this bender extended throughout the month. The very foundation of the band was shaken to its core, as no one knew for sure what was to happen to the health and welfare of the individual- never mind the band. Thankfully, he was found, and entered treatment. Apologies and efforts are being made to the venues affected, and mostly they have understood. What damage was caused to this band? How will they make up for lost time and more importantly the lost trust between the band members and between their business team and the agents, bands, and promoters that were affected? Worse yet, how would we all have dealt with it had the downward spiral resulted in tragedy? I have recently had 2 band leaders of different bands on my roster complain to me that they were sick and tired of riding in the van with guys who were drunk all the time. Both had expressed amazement at how adults could start cracking beers before noon day after day, and how every night folks could get wasted and yet still be functional at all on a normal level. Now I don't have that many bands on my roster- to have two different band leaders complain about the same problem- seems to be indicative of something. I understand that there is something about the road, being away from home- always being in bars that makes alcohol all the more appealing. But there are other effects at play here. As Americans and as consumers of Rock n Roll- we are all steeped in the traditions of Sex and Drugs that go with it. The very image of the Rock n Roller includes a cigarette and drink in the hand. Some American Icons are so legendary in their consumption of alcohol that an imitation of them includes a bit of slurring. Would any Dean Martin imitation be complete without a bit of reference to his alcohol consumption? What about a look at the career of nearly any rock legend from Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Page to David Crosby, to nearly anyone you can name who is a famous rock star. Alcohol and drugs are tied into the image of who they are. Fans go to see shows- and they want to party. They want to party not only with their friends, but with the band members themselves. While a band is out on the road nearly every night, it is a special occasion for a fan- who may not get to see the band but once a year. They want to meet the band, and they want to party with the band. It is understandable. But the musicians are on the road encountering people all the time who want to party with them. Musicians are constantly being housed and are playing in environments in which alcohol is present, and usually free. Temptation is not even the right word. You don't even have to be tempted- you just have to have lips and a thirst. Recently one of the bands with whom I work had a brush with super stardom. They got to meet with a major label head, and a management team that could easily deliver them to national prominence. The track record of the folks involved is truly inspiring. But even though the band traveled thousands of miles for this opportunity- they couldn't seem to resist getting drunk not only after their performance, but before their meetings with these very important business folks the next day. Surely, those people must have been left with the impression that these guys might not be the best investment in the world. Negotiations have stalled, and the band is struggling to survive with the heaviness of the flirtation with success, only to fall short. I have confidence that they will rise again, but how many once in a lifetime chances does someone get? Decades ago, the music industry tolerated, and perhaps even encouraged alcohol and drug use. But with millions of dollars invested in the promotion of musicians who die early deaths, the industry started to wake up. While drug testing is probably never going to be common in the arts industry, it seems that labels and management teams are far more wary of investing into musicians who are not dependable because of their habits. Following the untimely deaths of the lead singers of both Sublime and Blind Melon- the industry started to circulate articles and information about drug and alcohol abuse, and began to invest in bands that had cleaner images. An era of boy bands, pop divas, R&B wannabes, and clean scrubbed bands from Hootie and the Blowfish to Lifehouse and Sheryl Crow became the normal investment for record companies who could no longer take the risk that their superstars would be dead before they could really accumulate a decent catalog of work. No matter how many times we all say the clichés of how difficult and unlikely it is to become a working musician- there are many of us out there who are trying- probably close to a million people in North America. The odds of making it are about as slim as they come. Yet we watch as those around us who have true talent can squander their opportunities by not giving every single thing that they have to their craft and the pursuit of their careers. I watch while I see folks who have devoted years of their lives to making it as a band without ever realizing the handicap they put on themselves by not drinking responsibly within the context of a business relationship. When I played in a band- we certainly drank. And I'm certain that if I ever have another paying gig that I will drink on that night, too. But I also know that as I focus my career, and help others for whom I work focus their careers, that in order to increase everyone's chance of success- alcohol consumption must be limited and we all need to be open and honest with each other when help is needed, or a fresh dose of reality could really advance someone's perception- and eventually their career. I'm not really sure why I wrote this article. I'm not sure if there is an epidemic of drinking within the jam scene's musicians or not. It just seems like there are examples springing up for us everywhere from our peers and our customers, to the musicians themselves. Perhaps for the good of us all we can at least talk about responsibility and moderation. I hate prohibition- but I hate silence and failed opportunity more.
Simon Says Booking is a full service agency providing booking, publicity, and management consulting services for bands, venues, and festivals.
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