Showing posts with label artist and repertoire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artist and repertoire. Show all posts
Guess what? My interview went so well on Friday that they hired me on the spot. Thats right, my first day is Friday and I am definitely excited. I'll be dealing with the websites for all the label's artists, something I know nothing about but am willing to learn. My interview was me and the four people who run the department, it was pretty intense. But they all seemed so nice and welcoming, and are really excited to hire an intern. Like my other internship, I will be the only intern so I will be holding a lot of responsibility. They also said that they have TONS of work for me to do but that if there is ever a slow day, I can help out other departments, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
Some people might say I sold out and gave up on my ultimate goal, but I don't think I did. I had to take a step back and realize that my path won't always be direct, and I have to accept that. In doing so, I became a lot more open to receive other opportunities, and I think this New Media thing will work out. The future of the music industry obviously lies with the Internet, and if I don't know how to use it, I'm going to be left behind. The key to being successful, not only in music but in anything, is to be able to see ahead of everyone else. If you can predict future trends, you can better prepare for them. I have predicted a surge in music and marketing on the Internet and a fall in the entire A&R process. I hope its not true, because my first love is and always will be artist development, but you have to be able to roll with the changing times. I'll miss my four day weekends, but I can't wait for my first day!
My boss knows about my intern-view set for tomorrow and he's been very supportive. As much as I think he could be a better BOSS, he's a nice guy and his intentions are good (like when I called out because I had cramps, and he said he "understood"). So around 6:00 we started talking about interview and if I was ready.
The conversation steered towards my ever out of reach girl to be the big A&R chick. He offered his views on the situation, saying A&R positions were sort of fading out, and its the type of thing you do in addition to something else. I totally get where he's coming from, have heard it before, and have thought about it myself. He showed me a long list of people that are A&Ring some projects and pointed out that although they're doing that, their titles are things like Manager or CEO.
He went into music-industry-nerd details that I ate up with a spoon but won't divulge here, and I asked more questions. I explained what it is about A&R that appeals to me so much which is this: I love the idea of developing an artist from scratch. I love taking that artist and guiding them, creating a niche for them within the genre, picking out songs that I feel best showcase their talents, developing their personalities into an image, pushing that artist during recording sessions to the point where they hate me, and then walking away with an amazing record. Vin looked at me and said that sounded like management.
The funny thing is, people have been telling me to be a manager for YEARS. I HATE the entire idea, and I told him that. He said he was surprised to hear that, I'm not really sure why (does something about me scream manager?). I think I'd be a horrible manager...for one thing, I can be pretty selfish and no one gets in the way of my sleep, so that means if I had an artist who was stuck in Alaska (with Ms. Sarah Palin!) at 2 AM, that artist can hang out until I roll out of bed the next morning.
The conversation neared an end and I said something along the lines of, "I really need to figure out what else I want to do because A&R looks like its becoming a dual role. I just have to come to terms with that" And Vin said this, something that sounded insignificant at the time, but that I will probably carry with me forever.
He said: "People can pick up on negative vibes, and if you've given up inside, but are still looking outwardly, people will still be able to tell your heart's not in it. Don't let anything stand in the way of your dream, no matter how crazy or how hard it is, you'll get there"
And so, onward I go.
You know how dogs can smell fear (dogs can probably smell my fear from 500 miles away because I am Terrified of them with a capital T). I think that bosses can smell dissatisfaction and contempt.
I'm so totally over final-internship-before-you-graduate internship. Yesterday I was inches from tapping Vin on the shoulder and telling him that I can't do this anymore and I'm GONE, content with living out my days hiding under the covers from my mother and father. It took every bit of me not to do it, my body was at my desk, but my mind was at a new internship, giggling over coffee with my new boss and intern friends.
Needless to say, attending work this morning was not the easiest thing to do, I had to pretend I was 6 years old again and my dad was standing over my bed with a SuperSoaker water gun to get me up and go to school. My first task of the day (after having it pointed out that Vin and I wore the same color shirt today) was to listen to three demos and see what I thought....trash, trash, and more trash. Next? Midday, while counting how many days I have left of this internship, Vin asked me this:
Vin: So, what do you want to be doing??
Me: What??? (Is it bad if I tell him I'd like to run out of this office like a bat out of hell and never return?)
Vin: You know, like, what do you want to learn here? I want you to get the most out of this internship so, what do you think?
Me: Umm...well obviously, I'd like to be dealing more with music because that is why I'm here
Vin: Like what?
Me: (OMGz, does everything have to be this hard?) Well, I don't even know what a publishing intern is supposed to be doing! So, if the description has music in it, I will do it.
Vin: Okay so right now I have a list of artists that are looking for tracks, so would you want to listen to some of the stuff our producers and songwriters are working on and match what artists you think would sound good on certain songs?
Me: (DUH!!!) Yea, sure...I mean, that sounds great!
Vin: Okay so you can do that, and then pass them to me and I'll look it over and we'll send it out to the Big Boss and the artists
Maybe bosses can smell potential, too.
Let's face it, getting an internship in A&R for me, for whatever reason, is impossible. It doesn't mean I'm going to give up, but it means that I'm at my wits end here, and I'd really like to walk myself into someone's office and kick and scream until that someone hires me. Not very effective, I know. I haven't had such a hard time getting an internship since my very first one, when I had no experience. But I have experience now...I mean...free help with experience, how much more could you ask for?? But apparently, there's something I'm not doing right, and I know exactly what it is.
My current internship has me on lock down. I go in there three days a week only, and sit at my desk, and waste away (I really am trying to make the best of it, ever since I posted about it). So when I send people my resume, or mention where I've worked, they're completely excited about it. Then the big question comes..."what's your availability?" I think every time I've told someone I'm only available two days a week they've had to stifle the belly laugh rising from their throats. They think that the time spent training me, or should I say "wasted" (probably their word, definitely not mine) will not be worth the time that I can put in. What they don't know is I'd do anything for that internship--hell, I'd come in the office every day and give them a foot rub just to be given the opportunity to network with other A&R's.
I can't necessarily leave my current internship...is that even in the rule book?? I keep hoping for it to get better...I keep hoping for someone who will give me that chance, that 2-day-a-week chance to prove myself. So last night, I sent out 6 messages, 6 because it is my lucky number (yes, I completely realize the ridiculousness of this, but like I said--I'm at my wits end here!). So far, one person has read the message and not responded, 2 people have asked me to send over my resume, and I'm still waiting on the other 3. If something doesn't come out of this, I think I might just have to turn my resume into a billboard sized sign, dress in some crazy get up, a la Naked Cowboy in Times Square, and wait outside someone's office for that chance.
Someone please tell me this is a bad idea--the more I think about it, the more normal it seems.
Later that afternoon, an A&R that used to work for my boss came by to do some work matching up songwriters with producers, and other exciting A&R things. He introduced himself to me and for a long time, I've been prepping myself for the day I come face to face with an A&R. This is where the nerd in me shines, but whenever I listen to new music, I break it down and think of specific things I like and dislike, or what I would change about the song--just in case an A&R ever played a track for me and asked me what I thought of it. I always knew this was irrational, but less than an hour after that A&R had arrived, I was sitting in an office with him and responding to his questions, "What do you think about this song?" and "Which one of these songs do you like better?" He asked me what my background was and I told him all the places I interned and he said, "Wow, I've never heard that come out of an intern's mouth." He seemed pretty impressed with me and took me seriously once I told him that, and he even taught me a few things about working in A&R. Remember what I said, its all about networking!
I left work an hour early to catch a train home for my exciting Labor Day Weekend. I felt a little more confident after that chance encounter and that maybe, just maybe, this internship will have something to offer me.
Don't think I'm still not trying to get another internship to fill my time!
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