I remember once; a few years ago, riding in a very, very nice car with a somewhat known recording artist. Despite my years in the music business, I had never been able to purchase anything like it, and was enjoying the ride. The artist, who shall remain nameless, was in rare form. He/she was really feeling like a “Big Dawg” and couldn’t stop talking about his/herself. I thought, whatever. I’ll just tune the artist out (something I learned to do early on in my career), and enjoy the ride. We stopped at a convenience store. It seemed, to me, to be a deliberate attempt at getting attention. It worked. Fans were falling all over one another to get a glimpse of the artist in all her/his glory.
Then a strange thing happened. A fan, with a cheap camera, asked the artist to join them in a picture. The artist looked at the cheap camera, at the inexpensive clothes, the not so new shoes, and without skipping a beat said, ”Nope. Your lil’ cheap camera won’t do me justice, and you definitely need to go home and change into something better, if you want to take a picture with me.”
WHAT?!!... WHAT?!!... I was floored! The artist stayed in character, and kept it moving; didn’t apologize, didn't see the obvious devastation on the fan’s face. I watched this child, who could not have been more than fifteen years old. I stood there in disbelief. I watched as the young fan slowly walked away; shamed and embarrassed. I wanted to say something, but what?
After that display, the artist and I climbed back in the car ad drove off. What the heck had just happened? The artist picked up on my confusion and said; “Oh, you gotta’ let ‘em know where they stand and where you stand. They can’t feel like they’re on your level, because then they won’t worship the ground you walk on…Unbelievable!!!
And these people that you treat like crap! Are they the ones you want to buy your music? I’ve seen varied versions of this story many times. Artists developing an unhealthy “god” complex, forgetting that the dollars; the ones people scrape together just to survive now-a-days, matter. The people spending those dollars matter. Artist forget that fans make and break them, so they should at least show some gratitude for a fan’s patronage.
This economy is no joke. It’s a crisis of confidence on a national level, with international ramifications. People are afraid. The idea of America as an economic power is for the first time in a long time, a shaky concept. People don’t have money to waste on things they don’t actually need, but if they should scrape together some pennies to download a single 99 cents mp3 instead of a whole album, you really need to recognize the sacrifice someone made for the sake of your art.
I did have the pleasure of meeting and working with another artist. The artist was a very well known and respected artist, both nationally and internationally. We were talking when we were interrupted; by a mother holding a cheap disposable camera and wearing a big smile. She very graciously begged for a picture for her son. The artist and I stopped talking immediately, and very graciously said yes. The artist took about eight pictures with the mother, gave her CD’s, t-shirts and told her that she/he would be there all day if she wanted to bring her son back to meet. After this, the artist and I resumed our conversation. The artist apologized for the interruption and explained; “You take the time to talk to fans. Even if that person is not a buyer, the story of how you took the time to acknowledge them, could spark interest in someone she or he talks to.” The artist said,” you always take time for your fans.”
Now this artist... I definitely want to buy your album too.
-THE POST
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