These columns struck a chord in me, so to speak, in that they reminded me of a certain situation I have been dealing with in regard to some prospective artists as well in the realms of Booking and Record Promotion. It is the negative trait of "selfishness," of which I will cite two recent examples:

Example 1:

A Contemporary Christian artist, whom I initiated contact with for Booking purposes only, executed the following blunders. After receiving my promotion agreement, which stressed in no uncertain words that upon affixing his signature, he should then notarize the document, I was surprised to receive the signed document sans notarization.

I, subsequently, chose not to sign it, but believing in his product, proceeded to promote him to some major religious organizations in the areas of television, radio, and print media. At one point, he and I had scheduled an appointment via telephone, however, the appointment was preceded by another client with a very pressing issue.

Surprisingly, the previously scheduled artist was not understandable and expressed that this type of incident is what would make it difficult for him to hire me as his manager.

His manager? I had not once even offered to manage him! I had no idea where he gathered that I would consider doing so. The artist never even thanked me for going outside my proposed area of Booking in regard to him, and getting television and radio appearances for him and his recording.

Example 2:

This example is of a Pop female artist who sent me her recording for promotion. Upon receiving my fee schedule, she expressed that she was unable to afford my services at the time, but would be interested at a later date. Okay, great! Case closed, right?

Nope. Nothing doing. She chose to add me to her mailing list without even getting my permission to do so. In fact, several artists have done this, and it is something that I do not appreciate.

Well, after receiving innumerable mailings about how she was climbing the MP3 charts, and that we on her mailing list needed to vote for her so that she could climb even higher, I had just about enough, and unsubscribed from her list.

During the time I was subscribed to her list, I occasionally reviewed her recording more in-depth, only to decide that I could not promote it, as I did not find what I considered to be any selection that had the potential of becoming a "hit." I'm not implying that she didn't have one...perhaps, she did.

However, I could not see it and, therefore, I would have been dishonest to work with her while not believing in her product. Another reason is that I consider her chosen genre to be totally out of her musical element, as her execution of the material comes off contrived.

In response to my unsubscription to her mailing list, which I never even asked to be placed on, she fired off an angry Email to me, basically, expressing how I probably never believed in her and her product, how I didn't want to work with her after I learned she couldn't afford my services, how she had others who believed in her, etc., etc., etc. On and on she went.

The injury to insult was that, at the end of her Email, she asked me to return her CD that she had sent me six months earlier. Un-be-liev-able! "Rejection" is an awfully ugly beast to perceive, isn't it? One that can slay the best of us at times. I, however, believed I was doing her a greater service by being totally honest with her upon more in-depth review of her recording.

Needless to say, I succumbed to a compelling feeling to "educate" her on such trivial business etiquette but, somehow, do not believe she will be "graduating" into reality any time soon.

Out of feeling as if she was experiencing total rejection, she did not even investigate further as to the possibility that I might know of someone who WOULD believe in her product. Instead of handling the situation in a more business manner, she allowed her emotions to override common sense. What's more, in a subsequent Email, she even admitted to as such.

In both examples, these individuals exhibited pure, unadulterated selfishness, though their approaches were dramatically different. In the Entertainment industry, very few, if any, actors and musicians can afford to "burn bridges," no matter how weak they deem the bridges to be at the time.

The bridge you burn today, might just be the same bridge you need to return across an even greater (and more raging) ocean. Even if that means crossing it months, or even years, later.

These burned bridges will not only, ultimately, keep your current product from being the end result you are seeking in having it available on record store shelves for your fans to buy, but is the sure process of canceling any future product on shelves for your fans as well.

If you don't believe that, witness other prima donna actors and musicians who are your predecessors. In both the film and music worlds, some, believing they were the sole making of their success, popularity, and sales, chose afterward to burn their own bridges. Many of them can now only be found in the "where are they now" record shelves.

Even more sadly, after being blackballed from the industries due to their severe negative attitudes, many gave way to drink, drug, and suicide after staunchly realizing they were not the "be all" they once perceived, only much too late.

I wish I could attribute the two previously cited examples to a lack of maturity, age-wise. However, I cannot due to the fact that the female is well over 30, and the male is close to 50. So, go figure.

Obviously, these are further across-the-board examples of artists needing to check their egos, not at the door, but beforehand at the curb. Then, checking them once again... at the door...any door...every door. Otherwise, selfish will get you shelf-less.


(C) 2000 - Kenny Love


Kenny Love is Editor of "The B# Newsletter," published by the National Booking Agency. Get your FREE copy by sending a blank Email to bsharp0200@smartbotpro.net. Subscription instructions are contained within the free copy.