Back in the day, before Facebook and Instagram there was MySpace. An online platform where as a band you could share your music and build a fanbase.
Now it’s long gone, but even back then I wrote little stories.
Going through the archives I found one that’s still relevant.
So here it is.
Money for Nothing (and chicks for free)
That’s the prejudice about musicians and of course the famous Dire Straits song co written by Sting.
Well I suppose that goes for the real famous bands, although playing in a band is hard work. So I guess it’s well earned.
As a musician I know from experience that that famous phrase doesn’t apply to your average band or musician. It’s hard work and it costs a lot of money to start with. And for the girls, well there aren’t that much. Or maybe that’s just me. But really groupies aren’t the smartest creatures on earth, so unless you’re in that blond bimbo thing, forget about the chicks for free part too.
The idea for this subject came to my mind last Saturday when I had to wait an hour for my train at 2.00 am at The Hague central station. I can’t remember how many times I sat there on my way home from a gig. Order a disgusting meal at the burger King, because there’s nothing else around, to kill some time and not so much the hungry feeling. Actually I think I’m gonna vomit the next time I smell a Whopper…
So in that moment of reflection at the Burger King I started to think about the performance of that night, which to be honest sucked. But, hey you can’t always be brilliant.
When you think about it, why on earth do people play in a band. You have to travel to some far of village, where they never even heard of you. You drag along this huge backline and PA system. If you’re lucky you get some drinks and if you’re really lucky you earn some money, just enough to pay for the van and gas.
You do a killer gig in front of 5 people, who are actually your own friends that came with you, pack your stuff and drive home. And if you don’t own a car like me and depend on public transport or band members who are kind enough to drop you of at a train station, you find yourself for the umpteenth time at the Burger King late at night.
Well the answer is, it’s so much FUN!! Play the music you like, hang out with your band and other bands. And what else can you do when you’re a narcistic, extravagant and egotistical guitar player like me. Those moments on stage are definitely worth it, wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Neil Young once said: ‘Keep on rockin’ in a free world’ amen!
Johnny G. Smith 