Smile & Wave Boys:How To Survive the Music Industry: Recent Episodes
Scott Burford
A podcast on the life of a musician in the music industry; the good, the bad, the ugly, and the bizarre! Scott is a very experienced musician from Australia, who has worked at all levels of the music industry. He also sees music as a powerful tool for social change, and in July of 2018 played guitar for 125 hours straight (breaking the old world record of 124 hours and 30 minutes) in the name of a charity that works with disadvantaged kids.
With the constant displays of idiocy on our tv screens as people proclaim their rights and freedoms with specious arguments at best (and for most that is being very kind)...well now the rest of Australia can see some of what musicians have to regularly put up with from punters at gigs.
But sometimes karma comes back to bite them hard!
You know going on a tour with a singer that I have named 'Strutting Peacock' and who shoves footy socks down his pants before going onstage is going to be a story you need to hear!
So what's it like to actually go on a tour? Perhaps it is not all that it seems!
Please enjoy the first part of what shall probably be many recounting the funny, ridiculous, and slightly insane moments of being a touring musician.
Most people (especially in Australia) won't put up with the 'Don't you know who I am' routine, so don't bother trying it.
And when it comes to being a musician, being willing to constantly learn and grow are very much a part of the whole journey.
We can always learn something new, always get better, and we might be surprised at who we learn these things from.
Some gigs sound great in theory, and then they turn out to be pretty average.
And then some sound a little bit out of the ordinary, and then turn out to be some of the best gigs ever!
The best musician might not be the best person to work with. A musician can always improve on their instrument...and to be honest some could do with improving their people skills too!
Musicians can doubt themselves...I know I do.
These are 6 beliefs that I have seen other musicians struggle with, and I have too!
It can be confronting to bare your soul to others, not knowing how it will be received.
So what can be done? I discuss a few ideas, and we can expand on that more in future episodes.
You'll come across all manner of stupid people when working as a musician...how do you deal with them?
In July of 2018, Scott broke the world record for the longest guitar playing marathon, by playing for 125 hours, or 5 days and 5 hours, He did this for a charity called 'Musicians Making A Difference', who work with kids and help them et to where they need to be.
The experience of the guitar marathon has many parallels with making a career in music, and in many ways, just getting through life.
A lot of people think you are either 'making it big' or 'living in the gutter' when you're a musician.
All cliches aside, it is possible to make a living from music with either occurring.
Here are a few ways I have generated work as a musician to keep things going for me.
Scott is a very experienced professional musician, with lots of gigs and lots of kilometres to his name.
His friends regularly encourage him to write a book of his adventures, stories, and reflections...but a podcast is probably a better way to go!