Do you refer to making music as "a business"?

brianlux

Quite a few time lately, I've read things people have said that have defended, explained, or justified the high cost of a mega star's or band's concert tickets as, "Well, it's a business."  Of course, if you make money by making music, you're in the music business.  That's just how it is, just like if you sell a painting, you're in the art business.  But what I mean is, when you think about music- bands you like to see, the music you like to listen to, do you think of all of that in terms of it being a business?  I don't, and half of what I do these days in my self-employed semi-retired years is to sell records.  Of course the selling of records is business, for sure, but I don't attach the concept of business to music, and barely even to my business of selling records. The business aspect is just a necessity in that endeavor.  I actually sold a couple of small painting, and small number of book I've written, but I never thought of doing any of that as business.  To me, music, writing and painting are art first and foremost, and any business aspect is secondary.  I also think of making a living as something more relevant than doing "business". 

All of this is no huge deal- I'm not being a Karen (or a Ralph, Pete, or Sam, or whatever a male Karen is called), lol, I'm just curious.  Do you think of music in terms of it being a business?

2-feign-reluctance

brianlux said:

Quite a few time lately, I've read things people have said that have defended, explained, or justified the high cost of a mega star's or band's concert tickets as, "Well, it's a business."  Of course, if you make money by making music, you're in the music business.  That's just how it is, just like if you sell a painting, you're in the art business.  But what I mean is, when you think about music- bands you like to see, the music you like to listen to, do you think of all of that in terms of it being a business?  I don't, and half of what I do these days in my self-employed semi-retired years is to sell records.  Of course the selling of records is business, for sure, but I don't attach the concept of business to music, and barely even to my business of selling records. The business aspect is just a necessity in that endeavor.  I actually sold a couple of small painting, and small number of book I've written, but I never thought of doing any of that as business.  To me, music, writing and painting are art first and foremost, and any business aspect is secondary.  I also think of making a living as something more relevant than doing "business". 

All of this is no huge deal- I'm not being a Karen (or a Ralph, Pete, or Sam, or whatever a male Karen is called), lol, I'm just curious.  Do you think of music in terms of it being a business?

Male Karen. Hmm. How about Karl? LOL! 

brianlux

2-feign-reluctance said:

brianlux said:

Quite a few time lately, I've read things people have said that have defended, explained, or justified the high cost of a mega star's or band's concert tickets as, "Well, it's a business."  Of course, if you make money by making music, you're in the music business.  That's just how it is, just like if you sell a painting, you're in the art business.  But what I mean is, when you think about music- bands you like to see, the music you like to listen to, do you think of all of that in terms of it being a business?  I don't, and half of what I do these days in my self-employed semi-retired years is to sell records.  Of course the selling of records is business, for sure, but I don't attach the concept of business to music, and barely even to my business of selling records. The business aspect is just a necessity in that endeavor.  I actually sold a couple of small painting, and small number of book I've written, but I never thought of doing any of that as business.  To me, music, writing and painting are art first and foremost, and any business aspect is secondary.  I also think of making a living as something more relevant than doing "business". 

All of this is no huge deal- I'm not being a Karen (or a Ralph, Pete, or Sam, or whatever a male Karen is called), lol, I'm just curious.  Do you think of music in terms of it being a business?

Male Karen. Hmm. How about Karl? LOL! 

Karl will do.  I like Karl (Precoda)!

JPPJ84

Anything you do to earn a living is a business, isn’t it? That doesn’t exclude art

CarryTheZero

Making music is the art. Getting it distributed and/or working to make a tour sustainable or profitable is a business. Doing the actual performance is the art again. 

Zod

It depends.  If your a musician that's happy enough playing some music, and making enough to pay the bar tab.  That's probably art.  There's not too much business around that.

If you've decided to do it for a living, and conduct large tours of medium to large sized venues. You are absolutely are a business.  There's most likely a corporation for the entity.  You need to employ staff for the touring side, staff to run your day to day operations, make sure you net positive from it etc.  You can't just go on tour, and hope it all works out.   Touring is a business, record sales are a business.  You're kind of self employed (or sometimes working for a record label) and you need to make your living selling your wares.   If your a bigger musician/band that's selling concert tickets, merch, and music.

smagnus1

Had to go find this and hope it’s not breaking any rules around here

https://www.metalsucks.net/2020/10/08/mastodon-guitarist-talks-going-on-unemployment-economic-realities-of-band-life/

talked with one of my coworkers who attempted the band lifestyle years ago and he broke down the touring for me. We were actually talking about Metallicas 2019 tour and how “Metallica Inc” pays for stage A group to go here and stage B group to go there while the tech staff follows the band. It made my head hurt to hear all the logistics behind the scene to put on shows of their size. Getting back to Bill from Mastodon- he did several interviews during the COVID times and broke down how mastodon inc works and man after reading some and hearing some you think why even put up with that? Is it art or is it business? Guess it all depends on perspective. Most bands want to reach as many people as possible right? No different than a business to me. Only the good ones survive long term. Kudos to Bill for knowing what he needs to do for his family and his “business”

brianlux

JPPJ84 said:

Anything you do to earn a living is a business, isn’t it? That doesn’t exclude art

Yes, absolutely, but I said...
...well, read what I said if you're interested in the thread.

brianlux

Zod said:

It depends.  If your a musician that's happy enough playing some music, and making enough to pay the bar tab.  That's probably art.  There's not too much business around that.

If you've decided to do it for a living, and conduct large tours of medium to large sized venues. You are absolutely are a business.  There's most likely a corporation for the entity.  You need to employ staff for the touring side, staff to run your day to day operations, make sure you net positive from it etc.  You can't just go on tour, and hope it all works out.   Touring is a business, record sales are a business.  You're kind of self employed (or sometimes working for a record label) and you need to make your living selling your wares.   If your a bigger musician/band that's selling concert tickets, merch, and music.

All true, Zod.  The question is, does the musician making a living doing music see what he or she does as business, or as art.  Both, of course, but what is paramount?  I've never made a dime making music (only writing about it), so I'm really not qualified to answer.

brianlux

smagnus1 said:

Had to go find this and hope it’s not breaking any rules around here

https://www.metalsucks.net/2020/10/08/mastodon-guitarist-talks-going-on-unemployment-economic-realities-of-band-life/

talked with one of my coworkers who attempted the band lifestyle years ago and he broke down the touring for me. We were actually talking about Metallicas 2019 tour and how “Metallica Inc” pays for stage A group to go here and stage B group to go there while the tech staff follows the band. It made my head hurt to hear all the logistics behind the scene to put on shows of their size. Getting back to Bill from Mastodon- he did several interviews during the COVID times and broke down how mastodon inc works and man after reading some and hearing some you think why even put up with that? Is it art or is it business? Guess it all depends on perspective. Most bands want to reach as many people as possible right? No different than a business to me. Only the good ones survive long term. Kudos to Bill for knowing what he needs to do for his family and his “business”

Oh man, yes, music is a tough gig for many who do it!  I have a friend who has been a drummer in a band for quite a few years and, in fact, his band has made 16 LPs, plus various EPs and singles, and before that he was in a band that made 6 LPs and various EPs and singles and too the best of my knowledge, has never made money doing it except for having expenses covered to do music festivals in the U.S. and Europe.  His bread and butter comes from painting houses and doing handyman work.  He's a great guy, does fine work, but lives very modestly.  A tough row to hoe!