Your Future is in Your Hands

I was at concert the other night and happen to see a really great band. They sounded very good, connected well with each other on stage, and the songs were well written. After the show I eagerly approached the singer to tell him what I great job they did. He was very receptive of my opinion. It wasn't until I asked him what their plans for the future were that I realized the bands big misconception. "Playing shows and selling CD's" is what he said to me. This is a mindset that I think far too many bands still have. They tend to focus all energy and planning into nothing but playing shows and recording.

There is SO much more bands can be doing and all of the tools are available and ready to be used. There are no more secrets. Anything you need to know can be found by the click of a mouse. The Internet has changed the way artists achieve their goals. It has leveled the playing field. You now have the same advantages as anybody else.

The way I look at it is like the Gold Rush. Over night the average person found a way for his dreams to become reality. The gold was there and ready for the taking. Driven by opportunity men took everything and embarked on a long and hard journey through the wild west. Only those who were willing to take their future into their own hands and see it through to the end found the gold.

The road to turning your dreams into reality is not an easy one, but it is achievable, and it's entirely up to you. Bands ask me all the time, "How do we get to there? How do we do what that band is doing? How do I make a living in music?" The first thing I always tell them is, "You just do it." I think it's hard for some artists to understand this concept at first. But it honestly is the best advice I have for any artist trying to survive in our modern wild west.

Now let's go out and do something that matters.

-Barrett