Smith, Case and Jones as Substackers show how it has become invaluable for established artists to establish fuller connections with their audiences, as well as for newer voices to build theirs.
Besides his work with Smith, Lenny Kaye has been a Grammy nominee for album liner notes and has collaborated with artists such as Waylon Jennings on their autobiographies.
Yes, and it's to our benefit as we get to know them as people and not just music icons. But it means they are having to do the marketing of themselves and their products now, begging the question of what the labels these days actually do. The publishing companies are the same -- still take the same huge cut but do minimal work to the point that many authors, some extremely successful, choose to go indie.
It also means people who are bad at marketing themselves or being an appealing personality, but make great music, might flounder in a way they wouldn't in the past. Our loss, I would say.
Thanks for adding more of Lenny's accomplishments. Did not know about collab with Waylon!
It seems worth remarking that behind the facade of every performer is a fierce competitor, since sucking the oxygen out of a room is what every performer aspires to do.
Some huge egos with a gnawing performance anxiety.
Take your point. It usually takes driving ambition and a very strong ego. Which is why I think so many artists have traumatic pasts they've overcome and have developed the grit to stay the course and get where they want to go.
But there are also those cases of people with a gift who are pushed into it by others with the ambition to make money off them. Not a lot, but that does happen too.
It's probably safe to say there is a long list of folks pressured into performing to the profit of others, (Shirley Temple) parents being among the culprits.
I was lucky with the girls in my teen years, (no idea why, I was a jerk) and one of them was shipped off to Dalas, Texas to pursue a modeling career (she was quite beautiful). Another disappeared from our high school only to turn up in the album covers and music video of The J. Geils Band, Centerfold, (we recognized it as Centerfold Girls) I can point her out in the video. Another ran away from home under the pressure of piano rehearsals. Yet another runaway, a young man, flopped in my camper a few days after escaping his parents and a strict regime pursuing a concert pianist career. He climbed onto a bicycle and toured the U.S.
Great examples (although not great for those who didn't escape). Britney Spears is probably the ultimate example, just a horrendous story of parental abuse to force her to perform for his benefit. The Jackson Five also.
Young girls tend to love the 'bad boys'! (Just saying, not saying you were one.)
I've got them on my list of people to cover in the Women in Rock series, but I hear you on who would be great to have here on substack. I think Substack is actively wooing musicians, so if you have suggestions, you might want to DM Hamish McKenzie (co-founder) and Dan Stone (Head of Culture and Music) who seem to be behind the deliberate upgrading of the platform for musicians and encouraging musicians to come here. It can't hurt!
Smith, Case and Jones as Substackers show how it has become invaluable for established artists to establish fuller connections with their audiences, as well as for newer voices to build theirs.
Besides his work with Smith, Lenny Kaye has been a Grammy nominee for album liner notes and has collaborated with artists such as Waylon Jennings on their autobiographies.
Yes, and it's to our benefit as we get to know them as people and not just music icons. But it means they are having to do the marketing of themselves and their products now, begging the question of what the labels these days actually do. The publishing companies are the same -- still take the same huge cut but do minimal work to the point that many authors, some extremely successful, choose to go indie.
It also means people who are bad at marketing themselves or being an appealing personality, but make great music, might flounder in a way they wouldn't in the past. Our loss, I would say.
Thanks for adding more of Lenny's accomplishments. Did not know about collab with Waylon!
At least they don’t have to deal as much with the shadier characters in the business anymore.
There is that silver lining.
It seems worth remarking that behind the facade of every performer is a fierce competitor, since sucking the oxygen out of a room is what every performer aspires to do.
Some huge egos with a gnawing performance anxiety.
One reason I'm glad to not go pro.
Take your point. It usually takes driving ambition and a very strong ego. Which is why I think so many artists have traumatic pasts they've overcome and have developed the grit to stay the course and get where they want to go.
But there are also those cases of people with a gift who are pushed into it by others with the ambition to make money off them. Not a lot, but that does happen too.
It's probably safe to say there is a long list of folks pressured into performing to the profit of others, (Shirley Temple) parents being among the culprits.
I was lucky with the girls in my teen years, (no idea why, I was a jerk) and one of them was shipped off to Dalas, Texas to pursue a modeling career (she was quite beautiful). Another disappeared from our high school only to turn up in the album covers and music video of The J. Geils Band, Centerfold, (we recognized it as Centerfold Girls) I can point her out in the video. Another ran away from home under the pressure of piano rehearsals. Yet another runaway, a young man, flopped in my camper a few days after escaping his parents and a strict regime pursuing a concert pianist career. He climbed onto a bicycle and toured the U.S.
I take your meaning.
Great examples (although not great for those who didn't escape). Britney Spears is probably the ultimate example, just a horrendous story of parental abuse to force her to perform for his benefit. The Jackson Five also.
Young girls tend to love the 'bad boys'! (Just saying, not saying you were one.)
Oh, I was one.
I have so many adds my brain explodes! Tracy Chapman for one, Joan Armatrading also….too many
I've got them on my list of people to cover in the Women in Rock series, but I hear you on who would be great to have here on substack. I think Substack is actively wooing musicians, so if you have suggestions, you might want to DM Hamish McKenzie (co-founder) and Dan Stone (Head of Culture and Music) who seem to be behind the deliberate upgrading of the platform for musicians and encouraging musicians to come here. It can't hurt!
Good idea, El!