A lot of musicians around this area make the mistake that you can be yourself and act how you want to as a musician and a human being. When somebody calls out their unprofessional behaviors in music, that person will get told they should stay out of someone’s business that doesn’t concern them. I have been told that, a few times. You see, here’s where they are wrong. When you’re a musician, put yourself out there publicly. You become a well known figure in your area of local music. You’re posting on your websites, social networking pages (like FB, twitter, etc.), posting in public forums, blogs, etc. Everything you do publicly, it is no longer your business. Everything you do publicly, gives people the right to respond their thoughts, whether you like it or not.  I used to think it was okay to be yourself and act how you want to as a musician, but as I got older, I learned more about being a musician as I was gigging out in the scene. I started to learn that having a professional attitude in music is a big deal.

Do you want to be looked at as a good person or a bad person in music? You must have a good attitude in music. So you can get more respect from the fans and from your fellow musicians. How do you have a professional attitude in music?

Simply put, be nice and friendly to everybody. It’s okay to be honest and real about things, but don’t be an asshole about it. There are better ways of being real about things without being way too negative. There are several other musicians I know who shall be nameless at this time, who’ll put up angry rants daily in facebook and other forums. They’ll even go as far as bullying and harassing other people if they don’t agree with one another’s opinions. I see it in craigslist, all the time as well.

Yes, there’s going to be a lot of assholes in music, but the professional thing to do, if you want to have a good & positive music career is don’t pay any mind to them. Musicians have a problem of replying to everything which is unprofessional, the way I look at it. If someone wants to be an asshole to you, ignore it, and let it slide right by.

Don’t like the music of other bands or don’t like other musicians as a person? Keep that opinion to yourself. I used to do this stuff in my blogs, bash other bands & musicians publicly, but I learned that it was wrong.

You must take proffessionalism seriously even when gigging. Didn’t get paid as much as you would like to? Who cares, move on, and get over it. Didn’t get to play a long set at a show that you were originally booked for? Who cares, move on, and get over it. Not the end of the world. The bartender or the booking person of your gig, decides to treat you badly? Don’t respond back and become defensive, just continue to be friendly and positive, anyway.

Are you getting nasty critics from music fans, and music blogs giving you bad reviews? Ignore it, let it go. Responding to that stuff, and begging for respect is not the way to go. Musicians have a problem with this. Just be glad that you’re being talked about ’cause sometimes bad publicity is good.

I’ve had made my mistakes too, but I learn from them. I know a lot of people will accuse me of having an unprofessional attitude, but sorry to say, but when I was out there gigging, I had a 100% professional attitude, all the time. Having a professional attitude in music, is all about being careful and responsible of how you put yourself out there, and honestly, a lot of musicians around here don’t have that.

If you mess up and don’t have a professional attitude, you will get a lot of bad karma from it. Clubs & venues will refuse to book you. Fans will refuse to support you, and all kinds of stuff. I take professionalism from other musicians and other people in the music scene very seriously. I’ve ran into plenty of people with horrible attitudes. I don’t want to be around with people like that.

I’m learning much better to have a professional attitude. It’s a good thing to have and really wish other people in this music scene will learn to have it too.

Kev

Edit to add: Something else I forgot to say, you see, being a musician is just like your day job. You know how you must have a professional attitude on a day job? You must treat your music career the same way. Sorry to say, but this is the truth.

Edit to add #2: Fixed this blog post up a little bit.

There’s a certain band out there who has been well known to play a mix of originals and covers. They’re a pretty established band who should be nameless, at this time. They’re announcing that they are giving up cover song gigs, so they can focus on original material only. So they are having a final cover song gig, as a way of ending an era of cover songs. I look at this, and I’m like, really? If a band is going to give up cover songs, just give them up. Giving them up quietly is the best way to do it. They’re promoting themselves like they’re retiring from playing cover songs after years of doing it, just to give their fanboys something to love them up over. Giving up cover songs for originals, is not really that big of a deal. It’s not like they’re giving up music or anything. Giving up covers for originals, is fine and good. I think it’s great when bands do that, ’cause most original bands started off playing covers, anyway, but, they usually give up cover songs quietly. I’ve never seen any of them promote it as big news. Having a final cover song gig as a way to celebrate their final era of cover songs, is just lame, but that’s just my opinion.

You have to ask yourself these questions. Should I really give up cover songs completely? Will people really care about my original material, now that I’m not doing any covers? Will I still make a lot of money doing originals, just like I made some good cash playing covers? If you think you’re going to be as successful playing originals only and make a lot of money playing originals, then think again. Playing original music only around here, is a tough journey.

Nothing wrong with having a change of direction, in your careers, but man, leave your ego at the door when doing it. On top of this, bands shouldn’t give up cover songs completely, though. It’s always a good thing throw in a few covers in your original sets. I always do. It’s good to play a mix. If I’m going to give up cover songs (which I won’t), I’m not going to promote it heavily like it’s a big deal. Who cares. Bands and their crazy egos. Nothing new here. They just do it just so they can make their fans feel sorry for them and feel sad for them. It’s not like they’re going away, christ. They’ll always be around.

Kev