Which Land Mine Did David Step On?

So I'm on the subway, headed back from the (rained out) Angels-Yankees game. I was standing next to a group of rough-looking thugs, who all managed to be taller than me somehow. I was doing the "I'm gonna look at these strangers invading my personal space...but not LOOK like I'm looking at these strangers invading my personal space" thing. The car was quite packed...kinda inevitable.

When the doors split open at the next stop, some dirty little rude punk pushed his way through the crowd, making his way to the center of the car. And in the most projected yet unenthusiastic & whiny voice I have ever heard, he said,

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen my name is David I'm down on my luck had some hard times and now I need your help to continue my pursuit of becoming a world renowned opera singer"

The thugs laughed out loud, without tact.

"Any amount of money you can give me will be put to good use even if its pennies."

This punctuation is correct, by the way. No pauses for breath.

"Now I will sing for you a piece I once wrote that was important to me."

Crap. I hate when this happens. I really do NOT enjoy opera. Or socially awkward situations. Double whammy.


WAIT.


What the hell is THAT? This guy's voice is INCREDIBLE! I'm talkin' bonafide, genuine protege talent. A surprise of Susan Boyle proportions. Maybe even Paul Potts.

So my mind began racing. What can I do to help this guy? Music contacts? Money? Some food? Paula Abdul's phone number? I don't think her life has room for more crazies.
(For the record, I don't watch American Idol. The names are simply hard to avoid.)

In the end, the thugs standing next to me acted as a deterrent, and David never made his way down to our end of the subway car to ask for money. I never got to ask him questions. He just appeared, sang like god, and was gone. But days later, I'm still wondering. HOW does someone with such rare talent not rise to the top? How does this incredible voice get buried under life's struggles, muted for the mainstream?

I know the answer. I deal with it everyday at ArtiSans Label. I just still don't want to accept it.

Talent is not enough.

The music industry is a field riddled with mines. Talent has to navigate shady business practices, finite funding, group dynamics, family challenges, damaging hedonistic influences, etc. Step carefully! Any one of these can kill a career. But thing about mines is they're hidden. There's no threat if you can identify that which will bring down your career & disarm the mine. It's the hidden ones that getcha.

For my own career as an artist, years ago, the hidden mine was my distrust of industry people and the subsequent protective bubble I kept my career in. I found it incredibly difficult to relinquish control over my career and trust a notoriously shady industry to keep my best interest as the priority. So I made a strategic decision to "do it myself". Did I know best? I thought so. But only in hindsight can one determine where they made mistakes. It was damn near impossible to excel at art and business simultaneously. If I had to do it all over again, I would use my energy to find trustworthy business people who can help my career, instead of using my energy protecting it from the world. Very counterproductive.

Had I not made these mistakes, however, ArtiSans Label wouldn't exist. We're working very hard to bring you a new concept in the music industry...one that I SORELY NEEDED back in the day...a record company powered by good ol' fashioned customer service infused with integrity. Integrity! (Make sure to check out our Artist Bill of Rights when you get a chance).

I don't know what tripped up David's career. Maybe it was his own fault, maybe it wasn't. But that voice should be bouncing off concert hall walls, not subway tunnels.

Don't be David. Don't be me. Ask for help.

Michael