I sat down with Pete Harper, NYC based singer/songwriter and one half of the eponymously named band,  Pete and J.  Sometimes a duo and often a band, Pete and J are one of the most working bands in NYC.  After talking at length about the music industry, it seemed like a good idea to write it all out and hopefully dispel some rumors about the biz and demystify the life of a musician.  And yes, they know they resemble Simon and Garfunkel. 

 Additionally, Pete and J have recently joined the My It Things Community and will be chronicling their career as a band.  We'll see them on the road, at shows, and get the unedited truth.  Count me in.
 

 Getting A Gig: 101

"People think that their primary focus should be getting gigs, when the truth of the matter is- no matter what city or market you're in- you should be focusing on getting fans.  The best idea is to play every couple of months and publicize that gig.  The fundamental problem is that the best way to get better is to play often.  Sometimes the best gigs to get as a musician aren't the high profile venues, but the shows that get you playing regularly.  This is where you hone your craft and become a band that people are interested in seeing.  And where you get real fans, not those looking for the flavor of the week.  The Beatles, Elvis, James Brown, these are bands that played 5 hours a night, 7 days a week for YEARS before anyone knew their names.  If you want to be a band that's going to stick around, you have to have that kind of committment."

 Incorporated venues, getting in vs. staying out.

"There are two types of venues:  independent venues and those owned by a larger corporate entity.  Right now, Live Nation [a concert promotion company] controls most of the large venues in the U.S.  These are venues that as an independent artist [unsigned/unrepresented] are untouchable.  In every city, there are at least a few very good venues that are independent.  As an up-and-coming artist, these are the venues that you should focus on booking."
 

Get a manager, or DIY

"Do not get a manager simply because you want to tell people that you want to tell people you have a manager, or because you think they'll make some magic happen.  A manager will take 20% off the top of EVERY dollar you make.  This includes live shows, CD sales, iTunes downloads, merchandise (t-shirts, buttons, stickers, etc), commercial licensing, and anything else you can dream up.  The time to get a manager is when you have become so busy that you need someone to literally help you manage your affairs (MySpace, booking, travel arrangements, mailing list, reordering merch, licensing contracts)."
 

Fame doesn't necessarily equal wealth.

"Most of the artists that you hear on the radio are in debt.  Every dollar of the promotion that went into their career, including music videos, radio promo, live shows, pyrotechnics, costume changes, stage hands, tour bus, staff, accomodations, travel... All of these things a debt that the artist owes to the label.  Only once that money is made, typically, a few million dollars, does the artist actually earn a SINGLE dollar. 

With CD sales being lower than ever, an artist can sell 600,000 copies of their record and still be in debt!  This is a very typical situation in the business.  However, an independent artist who can sell, say, $50,000 records over a few years out of the trunk of their car makes a few hundred thousand bucks.  For this reason, the most famous artists- unless they're famous for many, many years- have no chance of having a lasting career. 

Most pop stars make their money off their celebrity (commercial work, endorsements, etc) NOT off their music career."

Signing a contract is risky business.

"Most labels are making significantly less money than they were 10 years ago because people have stopped buying CDs.  In fact, in 10 years CDs will probably be entirely gone.  As a result, record companies that used to employ 30 people to promote and manage the careers of 100 artists now have 4 people to do that job.  If the A&R person [the person who signed you to the label and manages your career for that label] is fired, you most likely will have nobody working for you! 

The problem with this is that in order to be involved with a major label, they will most certainly own all of your music.  This means that you have no ability to earn an income independent of what the record label decides is best for you... or more likely, for them.

There are many independent labels where this is very much NOT the case.  But any major pop star in this country (with a few major exceptions, Dave Matthews being one of them) does not the rights to their music. 

This is why Prince could no longer be called by his name.  The label refused a record of his and held him hostage in the contract until they made the record that THEY wanted.  He waited out the deal and released a record the label would never have released.  It was wildly successful."
 

The real pirates are running labels.

"Artists have never made any real income off of CD sales.  Even the best deal would give an artist 15 cents per CD.   When you do that math, it's nowhere close to being able to support the career of a touring band.  The only people who lose from decreased CD sales are the labels. 

We, as a touring band, happily give away our music on MySpace and make it available for people to listen to [constant stream on their website].  We don't mind when people share our music or burn our CDs because the real money comes from touring and merchandise.  If someone hears our music and as a result buys a concert ticket and a t-shirt, we make 10 times more money than we would have made from selling a record to that person. 

So, as an artist, it's in our best interest for as many people to hear our music as possible."
 

Why Radiohead is boss.

"Radiohead made clear what everyone was on the verge of thinking:  a successful band can release their own record for free because that's not where they're making their money. 

The reason Radiohead can do this is because they have millions of dollars and millions of fans.  Most artists sign with a label because they can't afford to record, publicize, and tour.  Once a band is well enough established, the demand for their music already exists and they no longer need a label because of the technological marketplace. 

We are not yet to the point of labels being obsolete, but pretty soon your local CD store will be replaced by a digital kiosk (if it hasn't been already).  Radiohead simply foreshadowed this transition."

Where's the industry headed?

"Nobody knows.  And that's the truth. 

The overwhelming trend that I find reassuring is that since the money to be made in music is from live shows, the emphasis may be placed on musicianship.  This also means that music, which, throughout history has been a socially activating force, will once again leap out of your headphones and into a local venue."

If it's so hard, why do it?

"There are very few things that are a part of peoples' lives every day.  What people choose to have in their life has an impact on the way that they think, act, dress, etc. 

There are many things wrong with the world, but the point of music isn't to judge or to preach.  Instead, it's to connect you to the world around you.  That's what it does for me. 

Nobody genuinely writes music to try and save the world, but if music can help me better understand myself or help someone else express themselves or understand their world, we're all better off."

Check out Pete and J: 

http://www.myspace.com/peteandj 

These guys just sold out the Bowery Ballroom, NYC and are most likely coming to a city near you.