The Irony of Rock Music

There is this irony in rock music that makes no sense. Many bands (like Journey, REO Speedwagon, Starship, Foreigner, Green Day) struggled to "make it" (and make a living with their music). When they finally do become successful, suddenly everyone claims their "original" stuff (that no one wanted to pay money for or support) was better than their "new" music. And on top of that, since they became popular, they "sold out" and are no longer hip/edgy/(add your own adjective). Its almost as if people wanted bands to fail and starve.

What few seem to understand is that the music business is just that: a business. For a business to succeed, it must produce a product that people want to buy. This is one of the lessons I failed to learn when I played in a band. I did not get that our band was and is a corporation consisting of us in the band. We were a partnership and we employed each other. Unfortunately, I was very non-professional and did not take my commitment and part in the corporation seriously enough. The idea of a band being its own corporation, and acting accordingly, was a very hard lesson for me to learn.

When a band "makes it," they are not "selling out." They are doing what is necessary to succeed in a very difficult business. And that is what it is, too -- business. While there are some artistic elements, the music business is not about art, it is about selling a product, which happens to be music.

If you want art, take up painting. If you want to make a living with your art, you learn to produce what sells. If you like a band you want them to be successful, buy their CDs, go to their concerts, and help spread the word about them!  But if a band becomes popular and sells lots of records, don't hate the band for being successful.