The Rules: rule 1

(These have been transported from the old blog and touched up for the new blog)
I'm a music writer --not a big time music writer, not a great music writer, but I write about music. I interview musicians, occasionally comedians and very rarely actors. Technically, this would mean I'm an entertainment writer, but I don't feel like one. That smacks more of celebrity journalism and I'm not really into that. Really, I could care less who fucks who, who cheats on their taxes or whether someone is drugs or getting fat --unless it screws up their show. I care about their show and their album. I'm interested in what they have to say and why they have my attention (besides being fat, stoned, delinquent and sleeping with members of the San Diego Zoo).

I've done this now for about five years and have educated myself along the way. It's ongoing. They don't teach classes in this stuff. At least, they didn't teach them at Concord College, where I attended school. Even if they did, I probably would have missed the important stuff due to a hangover.

So here's what I've learned so far...

Rule one/part one: You'd probably be better off doing something else. First, the business of music is a very affable sort of business. People are friendly, but they aren't always friends.

It's complicated. Musicians, promoters, producers all need music writers to encourage people to buy their records, come to their shows and eventually steal their music off the Internet. Music writers need musicians, promoters and producers in order to have things to write about besides the weather or whatever evil horseshit the government is doing.

While this sounds simple, it isn't. It's a very personal kind of business. You will tend to know more about the people you write about than you want to know and almost always more than they want you to know. It is a false intimacy that is acquired from websites and PR bios, which are often chock-full of absolute lies. When you meet them, they will want you to like them and if you're human, you can't help it. You'll empathize with their plight and their battles. Chasing after any kind of dream is a hard life. There's an odd loneliness to it.

From time to time, you will tend to forget there are lines and sides. You will want to believe we are all one and the same, but that's not really true. It's a very friendly business, but it's business.

It's OK. When the time comes, someone will remind you.