Although Curt [“Confessions of a Music Guy,” Letters, June 22] has made some valid points, I still fail to see the problem with running a “business.” Even though people seem to think that music is the wonderful thing that inspires their lives and makes all of these great memories for them. Let us look inside the business behind all of the people that are behind the music. Even though I am not an expert, and I do not claim to be, I have worked for WBR, a major rock station, toured with bands, and played music for the last 13 years.
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He specifically cites that label reps persuade the program directors of radio stations to play the latest hot track. Is this any different than another large corporation trying to get out there and “schmooze” to sell a new product, or a lobbyist trying to convince a politician to pass a particular bill or law that suits the company’s needs? I think there are a lot of similarities in music companies and other large corporations that have to answer to stockholders and have to somehow raise money to pay their employees.
So let us look at the other side of the music business. The employees, not the promotions guy that tries to push Product X onto the music director over a steak dinner, rather the artist that has spent the majority of his life learning a trade and working hard to promote themselves and make it into a career. What about these people? Shinedown toured for almost three years straight! Living on a bus to try and make themselves known throughout the United States, sacrificing their own lives, family, and friends to make a name for themselves. Shinedown did a USO tour and as they got off the plane in the USA on the return flight they had to go straight to another concert in the U.S. They barely slept on the flight, and were tired after several dates in the Middle East for our troops. Yet someone trying to tell a music director that “Heroes” is a great new song and should be in the air is a crime. Is this any different than a mason learning how to build a foundation of a building or a landscaper mastering his craft? I do not think many musicians get the credit for all of the things they do to get noticed and get to the point where a promotion guy is trying to talk to people into listening to it.
