Bands, those funny little plans

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

The reality is that these days that songwriting credits can have little correlation to the actual contributions of the musicians/songwriters involved. Also exactly how much each of the named songwriters actually earns as a proportion the songs is unknown - there no requirement for everyone to have an equal share.

Indeed - if you look at most chart songs, the credits for songwriting is a long list including management companies etc.

[Happy Jack]

If you find this stuff interesting (as I do) then it's hard to beat

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-Ay-dodgy-business-popular/dp/178352104X

as an intro to the subject.

Despite being written by a music industry insider [BLURB: Simon Napier-Bell has been a leading figure in the music industry for over forty years - a songwriter, record producer, artist's manager, and entrepreneur. Amongst others, he has managed the Yardbirds, Marc Bolan, Boney M, Asia, Ultravox, Japan, and Wham!] this is not the usual shallow money-grabbing ... this is a comprehensive, properly-researched, well-written history of how the finances of the music biz came to be what they are today.

Apart from being a very entertaining and informative book in its own right, it also makes a great companion read for

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Shock-Gramophone-iPhone-Years/dp/184792218X

[Rich]

Anyone who seriously uses phrases like “receiving songs from the ether” and “dissolving this iteration of the band” should be smeared in honey and pegged out over an ants’ nest.

Sad but dare I say not exactly surprising that she’s now badmouthing your entire ‘iteration’. You are far far better off without that sort of negativity, and it’s good to read that your new band is more enjoyable. Onward and upward and good riddance to up-themselves divas.

[BigRedX]

6 minutes ago, Rich said:

Anyone who seriously uses phrases like “receiving songs from the ether” … … should be smeared in honey and pegged out over an ants’ nest.

So where do your song ideas come from?

Mine just pop into my head at any time so to all intents and purposes they really do come from the ether!

Certainly most times when I actively try and "write a song" nothing very good ever comes of it.

[Happy Jack]

13 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

So where do your song ideas come from?

I believe that, traditionally, the start point was always today's newspapers. 😉

[Crusoe]

How long do you think it will be before you see her auditioning on the X Factor or similar?

[ezbass]

27 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

I believe that, traditionally, the start point was always today's newspapers. 😉

 

[Dankology]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

So where do your song ideas come from?

Mine just pop into my head at any time so to all intents and purposes they really do come from the ether!

Certainly most times when I actively try and "write a song" nothing very good ever comes of it.

I think there is a difference between recognizing having to wait for inspiration to strike -fed by whatever conscious and subconsious influences are around- vs believing songs are being mystically beamed in by some higher power.

It's one of the reasons I try to expose myself to a constant soundtrack of new and old stuff as well as music I don't necessarily enjoy - you never know what good bits might filter through, or what misheard bits can be appropriated.

Anyway, I'd have hoped the ether, being infinite and all that, would manage something a bit more inspiring than that same two chord hook we were constantly having to rework...

[martthebass]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

So where do your song ideas come from?

Mine just pop into my head at any time so to all intents and purposes they really do come from the ether!

Certainly most times when I actively try and "write a song" nothing very good ever comes of it.

I thought Einstein proved the aether didn’t exist.....

[Horrorhiker]

18 hours ago, BigRedX said:

So where do your song ideas come from?

Mine just pop into my head at any time so to all intents and purposes they really do come from the ether!

Certainly most times when I actively try and "write a song" nothing very good ever comes of it.

I write quite a lot that are basically my internalised feelings about a film I've watched, or a book I've read. For e.g. I wrote a song recently about the film 'Midsommar' and the lyrics are all about having problems, and then finding yourself, but in an unhealthy way.For the music, I tried to write something that sounded a bit folky with a sinister undercurrent (like the film). It isn't what came out exactly, but having a starting point is what's important. I find it's a good way to write, as the emotions and whatnot are already there by default..if that makes sense. 

I'm also into creative writing, and invariably write song versions of the stories I'm writing. 2 birds, 1 stone. 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Horrorhiker