"It takes more than girls' jeans and a hip haircut to make music," Elliott Rothman said with a smirk.
Sadly, this seems like the antithesis of a career musician's life. Take a look at MTV or head over to the next big show. Kids dressed all in black with dyed black hair, big belt buckles and spacer earrings observe their favorite musicians in the same attire looking sexy as all get-out.
One way to "make it" in music is to get five of your "hottest" friends and slave away making mediocre, easily digestible music until a record label realizes you can sell your act to the coveted teenage girl age bracket. Nature being the way it is, this will bring teenage boys to the shows.
The other way isn't as fun. It requires hard work and being creative, two things that may be the bane of American society today.
"You have to be willing to make music your life and No. 1 priority to succeed. You have to be willing to sacrifice relationships, friendships, and potential job opportunities. You have to mentally, physically, musically and financially prepare, and above all else, you have to believe in what you do and love the people you're pursuing this with," Rothman said.
Rothman knows a thing or two about being in a successful rock band. The former bassist for League and founding guitarist of Tomorrow Is Forever has done myriad things in the music industry, including touring the continental United States and booking shows for touring bands in Fredonia, where he is a junior majoring in media arts and music and sound production at SUNY Fredonia.
Mike Literman recently finished his degree in digital media at Niagara County Community College. As bassist for blossoming Buffalo indie band Minuet, he finds himself in the tough position of graduating before his band members, and facing multiple career options. Already experienced in management, he faces the obstacle of choosing money or music.
"I'm going to try working enough to give myself the time that I need to give to 'the band.' A job that will give me enough to pay the bills and give me time off to tour. You may have to give up that management position with more money, but you will have the time. Working management was fun and I made good money, but I had to work a set amount of days/hours so I couldn't devote a set day for anything because I didn't have a definite schedule," Literman said.
"It's a matter of give and take with yourself."
Making a career out of music generally begins by living the least glamorous life of all. Relentless songwriting followed by side jobs as glorious as "coffee-schlepper" and "burger dealer" followed by four hours of sleep followed by, in today's society, a full day of school.
Andrew Wildrick is a junior at Illinois State University, majoring in music (of course). Taking a novel approach to his position as guitarist for thriving Illinois emo outfit the Junior Varsity, Wildrick is working as a guitar instructor.
"My only job since I was 14 years old has been to give guitar lessons. I am able to make more money doing that than any other job and I can set my own hours," Wildrick said. "I would recommend that anyone in a band try to do that instead of working 40 hours a week for peanuts."
An easier, yet less ideal, approach to making it is not attending school all together. Working enough to get by until the next tour is the only task necessary in the "no school" approach. Jason White, drummer for the Buffalo rock and roll trio Johnny Nobody, is trying this lifestyle in pursuit of his dreams, but keeping his head on his finances.
"Keep your own money separate from the bands' collective money (money from shows or merchandise sales), like in its own bank account for example," White advised. "Only use that band money for important group things such as merchandise, money for tours and whatnot. It keeps rent able to be made. Keeping a tight budget on the road to make it last as far as you can, and you can always have your money as backup."
White, a self-described "laser technician by day, rocker by night," has been at it for a while with Johnny Nobody. Their success on the road, whether it is Cleveland or Sloan is giving it their all with flash.
"We play the tunes that keep the toes tapping and the beers flowing in any city," White said.
Touring is an essential step in doing it yourself, or "DIY" as it is known. The best idea is start playing in markets short drives away from a home base.
"There is no need to drive across the country if people in your own state don't know who you are yet," Rothman said. "Pick 12 to 20 areas that are a weekend's drive away from where you live, and contact other bands in those areas. They will be excited to play with another band that isn't from their town, and will help you get a show if you return the favor."
Touring is often cast as glamorous, but for bands starting out, it's not as much rock star lifestyle as it is marketing yourself to people in a higher position to help you out. Record labels keep tabs on names they hear from different areas of the country. Rothman has some sound advice.
"Get your record Soundscan tagged, play good shows, sell CDs, generate some numbers and you'll have a bidding war going on. It doesn't matter what you look like, money speaks," he said. "By money I mean numbers and by speaks I mean speaks."
Brian Wood, of the Massachusetts band Falling Without Wings, has even better advice to those considering an attempt at professional musicianship:
"If you eat, sleep and breathe performing, if you feel at home putting your soul into something expressed to complete strangers, if you are willing to play every show to your full potential regardless of the size of the crowd and venue, than you have a future in rock. If these don't fit you, don't quit your day job."
