The Career Conundrum
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Hmm. I wonder if my music should really become a career. It seemed like a brilliant idea at first, but I think there’s a negative side to this that I’ve overlooked until now.
Since I started making music for money, I seem to have become less interested in making music for myself. As demands fly in and clients slap me with ridiculous deadlines, I’m starting to treat my music like more of a chore than a hobby. This is probably why you’re seeing less from me these days.
I know what you’re thinking, “you’re profiting from your music, you should be proud!” The thing is, once you start working for somebody else, you’re doing exactly that. I’m given a film to work on and a specific (usually minimal) amount of time to produce a track and video. Doesn’t matter if the film sucks. I’m getting paid so I need to make it work. This is usually the point where whatever passion I once had flushes right down the toilet.
This is how business and art collides. Again, I’m not sure if I should be mixing them together. They’re two forces of very different natures. I didn’t wake up one day and think “Right, I’m going to start a track called Alice and it’s going to land several million views around the web”. I sat down on my own time with my own enthusiasm, and happened to be in the right zone at the right time.
Making a stellar track is like having a conversation with a stranger, sometimes it merrily rolls along, other times it’s like pushing a square wheel up hill. When I’m making music out of my own passion and the juices go down, I just bid it a farewell and catch up with it next time. However, when I’ve got a deadline next Monday and a giant investor expecting gold, I need to get cracking. Ever tried continuing a dead conversation with a stranger? That’s right, it doesn’t get better.
So I say again, hmm! I’m not sure where things are going right now. I fear one day I’ll have to make a choice. Do I sell my passion for money? Do I stay at home and keep panning the gold? Time will tell.
i guess this post is pretty old, now, but i think that if Steven Spielfburg really wanted to make an small film, he could find a way to do it. If you find yourself in a situation where you can’t handle the consequences of being monetarily successful, you can burn your bridges and quit or assume another name or just choose to work on your own terms. If you’re not famous enough, you’ll sink into obscurity and be a little better off than you would be if you stopped commercial work now. if you are famous enough, then people will keep giving you money for it and you may be happy. At any rate you wouldn’t be the first famous artist to choose this path
Right now, though, you have kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You’re on a wave or popularity and you have no way of knowing how long it’ll last and where you’ll be when it’s finished. I say ride it as far as you can, and make the best art you can. Life’s an adventure! Carpe Diem and all that jazz.
Pogo,
don’t shy away from making money, but demand creative control. consider this illustration: film directors have to appease producers, & try to make a film that is attractive to audiences so that the film pays for itself, etc. and yet many beautiful, poignant films are made. the business side of your work isn’t necessarily going to choke out all the art of it. as long as your voice remains your voice. sponsorships / or /whatever you want to call it allows your music to reach many people. your music is your gift, & you can choose to give it to the world. there’s my best advice Pogo- I wish you the best of luck in whatever you do
David
You should do whatever makes you happy. Your fans will always be here to listen to what you produce, and we’re happy when you’re happy. Art will always be good when the artist makes it with joy and passion. If making tracks for profit makes you unhappy, then perhaps the music won’t be as enjoyable, both for yourself and the fans.
Perhaps you’ll find a compromise, or a way to work while still enjoying your hobby. No matter what, we’ll still be here to listen to anything you produce. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm with us ^_^
I have a lot of respect for you. You really see things and you care about your music. There are many artists but great ones are rare. Let me give you some examples of great artist who were at where you are now. Whether you like these artists or not is you, but take from this. Lauryn Hill stepped out of the spotlight for a bit because she felt she was being controlled and it wasn’t about the music anymore. She left a great mark on music and she has influenced many artists in her career. Do you know why Michael Jackson always took him years to make an album? 6 solo albums, excluding the remixes. Because he cared about his music to make sure it was perfected to the way he listened to it in his head. Every sound, because he beat boxed his music first, lyrics, and every voice in him had to be perfect. We almost things get Thriller because the first listening party wasn’t how he imagined it would be. That’s when music becomes a passion more than it comes about profit. Yes, it is great that you are getting payed for your work. I don’t know about others, but I would rather have a Lauryn Hill or an MJ than an artist who keeps releasing okay work just to fit a deadline. You earn the respect and end up influencing others. You really contributed to music, real music, and push to improve music rather than have people just say how much they rather go back in time and stay there because music was so much better then.
I enjoy your music, I pass your music along to others. Whether you don’t profit from it, believe me, your fan base is only going to get higher. Love your passion, and protect it. Don’t let anyone change Pogo. Much Love.
I work in the radio/music business in the states and know exactly what you are talking about. My solution has been to work in industry part-time and focus on other work part-time. This has allowed me to genuinely love what I do everytime I go to work, because the suits aren’t focused on me and my ratings and changing me to what they want me to be. The less you make, the less they meddle and you the more you can stay true to yourself.
You may find the same works for you – doing what you love part-time, or sticking with smaller budget projects. The more money they pay, the less voice you have.
I’ve had times in the business where I made a lot of money and had my name above the marquee, but what I produced wasn’t my own. I’d go to work with a sick stomach and hated having zero control over everything I did. Constantly under the microscope.
I don’t love being poor, lol, but by living with fewer monetary things and keeping projects small, I can continue doing what i love. Fairly empty pockets yes, but a full and happy soul each and every day : )
Hey Pogo,
I have been listening to your work for a very long time, but I read this post and thought i’d give my two cents, which is the same as everyone else here.
Keep making music if you enjoy it, but don’t sacrifice who you are or what you want to do to make money, if people are giving you work that you aren’t enjoying don’t do it. You are the artist, do it on your terms. Obviously if you love music and are able to find a balance of work and personal life involving music do it. But don’t turn what you love into something you hate, it’s not worth it and you won’t be happy. Money isn’t everything.
There is not much I can add that hasn’t already been said other than please… don’t stop. Your music, the music that moves you and makes you excited and makes those ideas click around in your head, is what you do the money work for. So, again, don’t stop. You’re brilliant.
Hi. Long time listener, first time caller…
I’m sure you’ve already received tons of wonderful words of advice on your subject and I simply can’t be assed to read all of the replies. My two cents: You need to monetize without selling. Make money off of what you love doing, instead of doing what other people want you to do to make a buck. For instance, putting together your numerous works into a great album, teaming up with a radical artist and putting together a wicked rad CD/art set. I know I’d buy one… and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
I think the summation of this semi-nonsensical ramble is: make yourself your only client.
Capitalize on something, and your motivation shifts from what you love to what you can gain financially. If music becomes a chore — and surpasses the personal satisfaction you can get out of your talents, I would steer away from something that sucks the joy out of a creative endeavor.
I was in the same situation 2 years ago — I’ve played piano for about 17 years now, and was considering a (second) major in music. I started composing stuff for friends’ films and games, which was fun, but the focus of music wasn’t the “fun” aspect, but rather “how much is this worth.” I’m a full film major now, and keep music on the side, where it stays
Best of luck with your decision. Whatever path you choose, make sure that you don’t lose sight of what a gift music is.
Just my extra cheesy 2¢.
- Sebastian
I think your fans have said here over and over: Don’t do it if you don’t love it. A huge part of what makes your music wonderful is knowing just how wonderful you feel about making it. Your emotion and empathy is startlingly evident in your work. Don’t lose that.
Is there anywhere I can donate to you, directly, to show my financial support for your work?
If you don’t mind working on a tighter budget and running a more everyday job alongside your hobbywork (not necessarily office or retail, but something that brings in a steady wage and still leaves you with half a brain at the end of the day), it makes it more possible to work on the projects you enjoy instead of having to pander to the wishes of every single client. This keeps things fresh, and you feel less pressured – thus continuing to enjoy what you do.
P.s Dont stress cause no one is ready to make a life decision all takes time :D
Best advice my mother ever gave me. Do what you love and the money will follow :D
Here’s my two cents:
How about you only work with clients that have projects that really excite you… projects that you would have probably done yourself. You allow clients to apply for your time and you pick and choose.
That way, you’re still in business (to an elite clientèle that you choose, allowing you to charge more if you accept the job) and you’re still having fun.
Just an idea.
And are you good enough to actually pull that business plan off? Yes, you are.
I used to draw silly things like dragons and elves in my spare time – but I haven’t done a single illustration that didn’t come with a brief since graduating as a graphic designer, and now I see what I used to do for fun as silly and infantile. I guess “true” artists have it better than we commercialised versions – they make something then stick an enormous price tag on it and wait for some sucker to come along and buy it. They don’t have clients saying that they don’t like it, it’s not working for them, marketing pressures, deadlines…
But you’re something special. Your remixes are pure gold. If you lost your passion, I think we’d all be poorer for it. I wonder if that model of getting people to pay what they want for a track would work in your case? When I read about your thoughts of travelling all over, mixing as you go… it’s such a lovely thought. I’d love to see you do it. It would give the rest of us some hope that maybe we haven’t sold our souls, lol. Might I suggest starting a fundraising button on your site? Tell everyone what it’s about, perhaps make a video, get us all to spread it… you never know. Even if it takes a year or two, that’s really nothing in the scheme of things. If you don’t get enough to start, then no harm. And if you do, then you might just find yourself following a dream, and not having it be another regret.
I know I’m just adding another voice to an off-key choir here, but you’ve managed to get me all inspired by discussing a lack thereof! I wish I knew you personally, it sounds weird but it’s easier to support someone when you actually know them, perhaps because you see more of the picture, see what’s there and what’s needed. Even so, I promise whatever help I can manage to help you achieve your dreams.
And now I have to go finish some work for a day-after-the-long-weekend deadline. :(
Your music is evocative, vibrant, nostalgic and inspiring. You have a great gift and what you choose to do with it is entirely up to you… you could very well be the next Vangelis in my opinion. You bring surges of warmth and deep longing with your magnificent orchestrations. I would love to hear more of your sound as the years go on… I would be more than pleased to purchase a future album of yours and add it to my collection one day. You inspire me and countless others, I wish you well and hope you prosper in your future endeavors Nick.
I have loved and will continue to love your music for years. It’s gotten me through hard times and has been there with me during the best times- it’s got that kind of soul about it. It’s like a great friend. After reading this, however, I can understand why you, or anyone, would feel that way about selling their passion. Some people get wrapped up and develop the ego behind their work, it waters down, you begin to notice the flavor of what you originally loved has faded like a stick of gum, etc. While I don’t see this happening with you, and understand the stress of deadlines, you could take one positive approach to coping with this- look at it as honing your skill and getting a taste of the real-world politics and demand behind it. Peek your head through the curtain of the commercial art world and if you don’t like what you see- then that’s all you need. It’s not something anyone is forcing your hand to do, and while the money may be fabulous, it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it or not. Regardless of your choice, you will always have a true love of your music and a sincere interest in your well-being in everyone you’ve touched so deeply with your art.
Say I could offer you the chance to do what you love for the money you need to make. Would you consider it?
if have got quite the same problem.
I love to draw backgrounds and kind of realistic pictures. A friend of mine loved the idea mixing his pictures with my style.
Good idea at the beginning, our funeral at the end.
I stopped drawing for a whole year now, runnig out of creativity. BUT i started a few days ago, drawing again… and it was good :)
don’t stop making music.. i a huge fan of yours. scince you have started at last.fm with… i think 10000 listeners.
thanks for your tracks :) they inspired me
Can creativity and energy flow when there is conflict?
http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/krishnamurti-teachings/view-daily-quote/20100505.php
It’s a conversation that every artist (visual, musical, written, or otherwise) has to have. Stay true to yourself, but be pragmatic about your choices. Even if something sucks now, does it open doors to places you want to go later? Or does it just open doors that lead you further away from where you originally wanted to go? Understand where you want to end up and make the best decisions you can about how to get there. Best of luck and keep up the amazing work.
Despite my love for your music..be selfish about it. Keep it as personal as you can for as long as you can. The true passion you weave into your music is what gives it its sparkle.
Note to self – Anonymous are 2 thirds wimps, 1 third awesome.
Really, what I like about your work is that you take the time to work on it – you take days to weeks polishing your work until it is ready. In a world where music is spitted out as fast as possible.
Whatever makes you happy, makes us happy. Your music is so beautiful… you don’t even understand
Would you guys really be willing to pay for that shit he produced? How fucking dumb are you people?
Pogo fans are faggots.
Like the majority of peoples comments on here, I can’t give you sound advice one way or another; but I can at the very least let you know that your music is always beautiful and inspiring, truly so. I doubt you’ll find any Pogo fan that isn’t willing to pay for your tracks to show you that we love your work and how much it means to us. It is true though that you should only be doing this if you are enjoying it, otherwise, like some have said you’ll begin to resent it and business will crush your passion.
Remember that this is your music, your talent; you are unique and people want you to do things for them, therefore you should be able to stipulate your own timeframes. Perhaps even look at creating your own films again and releasing them, I thought ‘Out With It’ was stunning, I’d love to see more such works. I think anything Pogo has gold written all over it, I’m not sure that you could ever create something that isn’t wonderful.
Please do keep up the excellent work, either as a career or only as a hobby, we love everything Pogo :)
Good luck to you as always
Gareth
not sure how to help you there. On my end though, I never expected to manage to eke out a living on creativity in today’s world, so I kept it to my spare time and followed a career path in life science instead. I’m mainly a visual artist and creative writer and only recently have been getting into music. Anyway, point it at uni I pretty much get no time for the creative stuff, but when I do, I cherish it. I guess it’s just something you’ll have to think about, quality (ie hobby only, so less than you’d like) vs quantity (full time commission work or whatever, but not as enjoyable as you’d like). Which do you think would you be more satisfied with?
Meanwhile, for no particular reason I’ll ask if you’ve happened to see any of the following movies/TV shows, with no ulterior motive of course >.>
Spirited Away
Land Before Time
Labyrinth
Princess Mononoke
Avatar: the last airbender
ok ok I’ll stop now… Hope you figure things out and it all turns out :) LOVE your work! Keep it up!
I’m a brand-new fan, and am really amazed by your talent and style. But I also understand this crisis you’re going through, because I’ve gone through the same thing- and made similar decisions. I like to write, and I am just starting to get into music creation, too. I’ve been told over and over that my writing is professional level, and that I should be a regular contributor to various media. Yet, every time someone tries to get me into it, the spark fizzles out and my work becomes stilted and flat. For a long time, I thought I was to blame- that there was some lack on my part that made me incapable of making the leap from doing stuff on my own that was really good to doing stuff for other people that was only so-so in my eye.
I discovered that was not the case- and that there is actual precedent for this in other fields. And the conclusion is this: Money creates stress, and more money creates more stress, and stress diminishes creativity. And it doesn’t matter what it is you are creating- this is apparently true across the board. I even heard a story about it yesterday on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127352130
This YouTube video is along the same line:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc
I sincerely hope that this will help cheer you a little and put things into perspective. These realizations have done a lot to help me understand the whole mess, and have given me the courage to find a way to integrate art and income.
All the best!
Lorie (Sunfell)
Hi Pogo,
Unlike the other commenters, I am not a huge fan of your work. Not because it isn’t amazing, but because I have only seen one piece (which featured shots of your mother, a dog, and a hand sweeping over plant materials, all very beautiful).
I’m a writer. I write short stories. I say this with a guilty heart, since I have not written a real story in a month or twelve. (A year already? Oh god!) It’s killing me. I’m trying desperately to figure out how to combine my love for writing, which extends beyond fiction, into a freelance role that won’t make me regret the decision. I’ve been writing for a small business web design company for almost two years, and it’s completely zapped my creativity. But there are bills to be paid and health insurance to be paid for, so from one artist to another, I UNDERSTAND! Although your fans are very sweet for supporting you with hopeful words, they do not seem to understand that if you could make it financially feasible, you would not take jobs that overload your creative circuits.
My one piece of advice–keep going. Make bad shit and a lot of it. Make good shit whenever you possibly can. Make yourself make things, always. The bad and the good both will lead you to a more fulfilling future as a working artist, which is the only kind of artist anyone wants to be.
You are massively talented. Don’t ever give up on making the good shit.
With the best of wishes,
Anne
dude only just discovered you..did a binge on the disco… i think alice is stella. the rest of the movie vids arnt so. gardyn is so good. (always wanted to do a similar thing) even broken beats has charm. the movie vids seem almost like im just watching the trailer… get what im sayin…
You have stepped into a fundamental truth of our world. It is very rare, and very difficult, to make passion and putting bread on the table work together. I finally understood that when i read an article about Steven Spielberg who lamented he’d never be able to make a small movie anymore. He’s become bigger than his art, and could probably never make something like his earlier films ever again.
I hope my hobbies remain hobbies, and that i can manage to carve time to keep them alive. Maybe you need to charge more, so you can take fewer projects and keep more time to yourself. Not saying it’s easy, but it’s the only way as i see it.
As it says in the I Ching, “The greatness of an artist is in the first place determined by his faithfulness to his truth, and only secondly by his talent.”
Dude isn’t the answer almost obvious? Marc hinted at it.
Keep just making the music you want to make, and sell it to whoever wants it – rather than making music for a single client.
Put a damn pay-pal donate link on the front page and in your youtube links already. I have 3-4 albums of content from you, plus the ~dozen or so film clips that I am always enjoying off youtube – so thats about $100 that I would instantly be willing to donate.
I know there are financial issues with royalties e.t.c seeing as you have used copyrighted work, but if you just have a donate button to support your “future” work or whatever then it would seem to dodge the issue.
Make new music using natural sounds like Gardyn (no copyright issues), or do things like how you talked to disney-pixar about upular:
Say :
– I can make this awesome video/song micromix of your song/film, and I’m gonna sell it for $1/download.
– I’m not going to pay you any royalties because every person who watches the video/downloads the song is being exposed to the original underlying artwork and being endeared towards it. It is a fact that people went out and bought the Up DVD after watching Upular (also people have said that they bought the Hook DVD after Bangarang)
- You can take it or leave it, but basically its awesome free advertising and you should say yes.
I guess i dont know much about the artist industry…i guess i thought you could choose and pick what you want to use as music at your own free will i guess its only if your really famous…? is that it? ._. those artist who…make music about there lives and such….i guess they have a deadline too but i really love love your music i think it really should be out there for the world to hear……..i mean im sure a lot of people have heard it already all over but itd be nice to let even more people hear…..but really whatever you choose i dont think you should give up what you love…your truely talented in what you do and have so many fans and people who love your work such as i….but whatever you choose i know its the right choice i hope it comes to you soon~
Well, seeing as how everyone else has already responded to this, I don’t need to say much other than I hope things work out. I definitely understand how hard it is to choose a path here but I think it’s safe to say: never do anything that makes you lose interest in the things you love. And please keep uploading videos, they are beyond wonderful =].
-Calle
If you feel like your working for someone else when making music then it’s probably best to get out of that! Just say “No” Feel free to do your own thing in your own way and get any pressure off that you feel is just stressing you out. At the end of the day, your gonna have to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are fine with the way things are! When you start losing the joy of something you once loved to do then something isn’t right . . . get out of anything that is giving you time constraints and take some time for yourself!
Pogo, having a person like you doing his music just for himself would be such a huge loss for human kind.
There are millions of us outside who feel ashamed at how low quality the music industry is turning into. I feel horrible when I see how all this is turning into a business, but when I read your interview at netmag.co.uk, I feel hope, when I hear Radiohead and look at what they say on the music industry, I feel hope. And there is a growing movement raising against this huge machine bringing us the same brainwashed dead beats all day.
Your art is an amazing force, you have to share it. You are not alone facing this problem.
The mix with your mom gardening was absolutely beautiful ;) You managed to depict the soothing vibration of nature through your melodies.
Keep your passion growing, never stop. You give us hope.
Alex-
I share the very same issue. I’ve always been passionate about capturing delicious moments of contentment using the mediums of film and photography. I have years and years of this stuff digitized on my hard drive. Pure human emotion caught on video.
Then I went to College to learn how to become a ‘proper filmmaker’. Long story short, I find I’m much less passionate about just going out there and creating something on the fly. Nowadays, you have to wade through the business end of things before a project gets off the ground. Now, things are ‘projects’. Where is the soul? I’m led to believe that the greatest achievement that can come out of the bits I create is cash.
Speaking with fellow creators, most have been roped into this way of thinking also. It’s disgusting and deeply depressing. But what is the alternative? In any case, props to you on your honesty.
Morgan
Many others have already commented on the main thrust of your post, and I agree with many of them.
I wanted to mention in case it wasn’t obvious to you that I as a fan am more than willing to help fund your work in whatever fee structure you feel comfortable with, be it an optional donation, or fee-per-track, etc. I’m sure many others feel the same way. In fact, I would gladly retroactively remunerate you for the tracks that I’ve already downloaded and that have given me so much enjoyment over the last few months.
Dude, Money vs Art? Tough one. Helps if you are rich. Clearly you are talented. Can that talent be modifed to work with in the commercial art system? Maybe not. Some great artist fail at this cause they just can’t do it. (but they are amazing artist, living in moms basement at 35) Can’t evolve (or de-evolve depending on your point of view)…well WTF? Yes you can. you will learn the rules of this system. Yes it will suck, but you will be better. I promise.
And remember, the more famous you become, the more you can dictate your terms/projects. You may have to eat a few crap sandwhitchs to get there though. I say DO IT DUDE. your fricken young (and FYI, you need to eat a few crap sandwiches at your age beleive it or not, it is actually good for you), So suck it up and just push through the crap cause I think, unlike 90% of “artists” out there, you actually have an innate talent, one that has the power to move people. The world needs this. So don’t get all pussy because you have to dealy with lame-ass “business” nonsense. its temp problem I promise you. Try to see further dude. Please. And dont fear being uncomfortable.
you will learn a lot going through this. A lot more than if you dont. SO do it.
T
It’s a bit different for everyone, but here is my experience:
I went to college to study my passion. I Found that I learned very little in the strict sense. Many of my peers lost their passion in the process, but I made sure to always make some time to work on my own stuff. I did go through periods where I didn’t have much energy left after my job, but I always tried to keep some time for my own projects, even if I had to push a little, I always felt better after doing my own stuff.
What I found in the long run is that the deadlines and pressure from my job helped me to grow and develop in new ways that ultimately made me better at my job and at projects I created on my own time. The two together allowed me to develop skills that neither on their own would have done. Now I have a really kickass resume and portfolio.
I do think it’s important to play — to enjoy your passions in ways that you enjoy, and not necessarily for money. But at the same time, you need to push yourself and be pushed in order to grow and achieve things you didn’t know you could do.
And in the end, would you rather have a career in something about which you aren’t so passionate? I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else. Even when deadlines loom and I’m burned out, and I can’t do anything right, I still wouldn’t give it up. It’s what I do, and It’s who I am. I have to do it. I might as well get paid for some of it.
I know exactly how this feels. I’m a dance and a choreographer and It’s always been something that I love and have always hoped to turn it into my career one day. I started becoming noticed for my choreography and soon I had people requesting and paying me to choreograph to specific song or theme or story. I thought it was really interesting and cool at first, I was getting recognized for doing something that I love and am passionate about but its when I started choreographing for someone else and not myself my pieces started to lose their quality. The people who asked me to make the piece were happy about it but I felt weird calling the work my own, it wasn’t a part of me, it was something I did because someone told me too. Even being in college I have to choreograph to my professor’s specifications rather than it being completely organic, though it is part of the learning process I keep on having to remind myself that what I’m doing theoretically will benefit my choreographic process in the long run.
In my opinion you should create your art for yourself, not for anyone else. Create songs that you want to listen to and you’ll be happy. When you put other people, especially corporations, into the mix each piece becomes a little less you and a little more them. You didn’t create Alice to gain tons of money, you did it because you liked it and continued doing it because you liked it and so what if you don’t make tons of money, stick to projects you want to do rather than what you may get paid to do. It’s definitely the harder road and some people find it a lot easier to do things for others and to make money but for me at least I create my pieces because I love them, they’re things I want to dance to, and things that are a part of me. If you feel overwhelmed or burnt out take a break. I don’t know what the key to a successful life is but the key to failure is really trying to please everyone but yourself.
I understand what you’re going through.
All throughout my middle school and high school life I used to make little home movies with me and my friends. We didn’t think anything of it. It was just something we really enjoyed doing. We did it on our own time with no limitations other than the boundaries of our imagination. That was then and this is now.
When I was younger, the thought of doing what I loved for a living was a great concept and I lived almost every day by it. Now, I’m twenty years old and going to school for filmmaking, learning the business aspect of what I once believed to be an imaginative process. So now, while going to school I find myself making music for no one but myself and for those who just want to listen in on what I’m doing. If I please some people, then that’s alright, but most importantly the only thing that’s worth pleasing is myself. To me, that’s the art side of things. Art is a process which is best taken place within the confines of one’s own imagination, and it should matter to no one else the quality of created material that was made. Unfortunately, business is the complete opposite. In business, you come anywhere in between second and last place, and that should never be something that one accepts when testing the ability of one’s own imagination.
Hi Pogo,
I took painting through high school and it has stripped me of my spontaneity and creativity. It became so embedded in my mind that I had to get things RIGHT for my assignment specifications that soon I grew cold and no longer carried any love for my work. It became a chore, copy my artist models, paint and get credits towards my qualification. I couldn’t stand the thought that if I went to an art school they might control my work to the point I didn’t even know who I was as an artist anymore. We create because it feels right. As soon as we force it, then it is like pushing something up a hill. Now I don’t mind doing designs because I see that as finding a problem to solve and fixing it. But for my own work, It is my subconscious, my emotions and inspiration from some source of muse flowing freely. It is hard though, when you are drained from doing something for someone else, and you have no time for your own work. For me, I couldn’t keep going. But you have to pick what is right for you. I think it may help, although you probably don’t have much choice, only to work on projects which inspire you. If a films really good, when you watch it, you’ll just hear it all in your head. Maybe if you stick at it though, you’ll be given better projects where they pay you to pan for your own gold as you wish rather than sell passion as you so put it. Best of luck, don’t let it get you down.
Hey YOU ARE THE MAN
so… to the hell with everyone’s rules, I mean that if you are not the only one that can do this kind of work
your are the one that will make it best. I really believe that you can establish the terms when someone requires your work.
By the way, obviously you have some skill on music production so u can work in a different way using your skills, I believe you can make a very good work as a DJ/VJ to make some money and yet u can still working your way as a hobby.
Pogo FTW!
keep on the good work
Hi Pogo,
I’m so sad to read your latest post.
Remember they have come to you so you can set the timeframes and the budget.
If they can’t accept your conditions they can walk.
Be selective about what you are willing to work on as you have your own brand. Don’t dilute it doing work you are not proud of or have had to rush out or weren’t inspired by.
Stick to your guns, mate – you have talent. Treasure it and nurture it.
All the best
Steve
@stevenwilhaus
Hey Pogo,
Whatever choice you make, you should know that your fans are going to support you no matter what. We all enjoy your music and it has touched a lot of people’s hearts, including mine. I always have one of your songs to wake up to in the morning, which always makes my day so much more magical.
I’m currently in a fine arts college studying film (UNCSA), and I definitely agree with your viewpoint on business vs. art. I’m so sure how similar the music industry is to the film industry, but the battle for artistic expression and monetary value I feel will forever be there, and its artists such as yourself who can lead the way for other artists who want to share their visions without being chained down to the corporate world.
The best of luck to you. I can’t wait to hear more music.
-Danny Hart
This is a common problem that artists encounter during their career. Of course, the final decision is up to you, but I’d like to say this: if you begin to no longer enjoy your passion, then it is no longer a passion. When it comes to passion, money should be no object; you do it because you enjoy it, and money should be a bonus rather than a goal. Picture where both roads will take you, and whichever ends up with a happier picture, take that road.
If it were my decision, I would say to take these commissions sparingly, as long as what they are asking for is reasonable. Your clients should understand that what you do, as with all quality art, takes time. If they cannot understand that, then they don’t deserve it.
Whatever you do, know that you have a fanbase that will always support your decisions!
-goldpikpikcarrots
I came to the same crossroads as a musician several years ago myself. At the time I was doing hardware LivePA and was beginning to to actually start making money at it. Eventually I got burnt out due to the workload and stress involved with the constant preparation of a new set for the next performance.
Much as you are now, people were telling me “but your making money”. But was I really? looking back on it at least for my experience I was making pittance per the hour. My favorite hobby, my release from all the other stresses in life became work. Ultimately my decision was to relinquish my hobby back to a hobby. I cannot tell you whether that is the right path for you because it sounds like you are making some true commercial success. Even if you do make a living out of it though so few make it to super stardom, the rest sort of eek out a baseline existence to get by on. Ultimately I ended up finishing grad school and getting into a career that affords me the disposable income to buy the music equipment I want to.
You need to do what you need to do, but I will say this. Don’t let something you love turn into work because you will ultimately end up despising it. I took almost two years off completely from making music as a by product of the fallout from my experience.
Best of luck and love the music.
Dynamic Interplay.
M.A.S.