How To Become Famous!
Top tips on maximising your chances of getting your big break
How to become famous: – I know the title is a little attention grabbing but hey, you’re reading it! Really it’s about creating our own luck to boost our music career rather than the X-factor fueled dream to become famous.
This is an article I wrote that was published in Modern Drummer December 2007. I know that was a while ago but the advice (including some from well respected drummers such as Bill Bruford and Carmine Appice still stands firm.
“Sorry Sting, my schedule is too busy to do the tour,” or “No can do Mr Bowie, I can’t find the time to record the album.” Have you ever dreamt of being such a busy drummer that you can’t find the time to satisfy the demand for your expertise? So what, exactly, does it take to become such a player?
You’ve practiced for years, honing your skills, you’ve performed at countless gigs and recording sessions but you’re still not first on the list to open at Wembley Stadium. But how can you make that leap from amateur musician to well-respected professional?
Undoubtedly, this happens over many years of consistently great playing but everybody needs that ‘lucky break’ to propel them into the spotlight. So first of all, we need to make sure that we get that chance to show our talents.
STRIKING IT LUCKY
Along with all the attributes a working professional drummer must possess, even the ‘greats’ have had some luck along the way.
ALAN DID ALL-WHITE. It is impossible to have failed to notice the mark left on the British rock scene by Oasis over the last decade and four of their six studio albums were powered by Alan White on the drums. Although Alan is the brother of Steve White (Paul Weller’s sticks man), it was through chance that Noel Gallagher walked past the door and heard him playing at Matrix Studios. Noel knew right away that he had found the replacement for Tony McCarroll, who had recently been sacked. Alan was in the dream position to be told that Noel liked his playing, so as long as he wasn’t 18 stone heavy and ugly, he was in the band.
FRANK ZAPPED VINNIE UP. Vinnie Colaiuta is a household name amongst the drumming fraternity now, but he had to prove himself to get where he is today. His break came through Frank Zappa when Vinnie was only twenty two years old. He auditioned in 1978 playing the notoriously difficult piece, ‘The Black Page,’ so titled
due to the mass of notes on the page. Needless to say, he passed and went on to play with Zappa on many memorable recordings and live performances.
GADD HAD A LUCKY BREAK. Steve Gadd is another player on the tip of every drummers tongue. He puts his opportunity down to a Chuck Mangione concert that Steve and Tony Levin played in Rochester. PBS picked it up and it was shown in New York. A lot of players took note of the rhythm section at that gig so when Steve and Tony moved to New York, they already had a name for themselves. He also credits a good attitude and having no baggage when it comes to doing gigs.
All these players were fortunate enough to have their bit of luck so, assuming that you are the next budding Steve Gadd with the chops and groove to match, how can you maximise your chances of being spotted?
Bruford’s Top 5 Tips
Prog rock and jazz legend drummer, Bill Bruford (www.billbruford.com) offers five great tips for achieving success.
1) Bring plenty to the table.
There are so many good drummers out there that the task seems impossible so we need to have as many strings to our bows as possible. “The more you can offer, the better. A singing drummer; or a composing, singing drummer; or a composing, singing drummer with a van – all are better than just a drummer.”
2) Price it right.
Get your foot in the door and wait for a chance. Hanging around, learning the ropes and waiting for your moment to have a go is not uncommon and when that time comes, be prepared to do it for free. This may be the case for a while until you have established yourself enough to get paid. “Meanwhile take work in the nearest ancillary industry that will bring you close to the people you want to be with. Want to write songs? Take a day job in a publishing house. Want to break into studios? Tea-boy in a studio. Live work? Back-line rental. These ancillary occupations have traffic going through, opportunities arising.”
3) Don’t be fussy
If you are narrow minded then you will miss out on opportunities so be prepared to play absolutely anything for anyone. “At the beginning, any music is good music. You can always play four beats in a bar well or badly. All the time you are meeting people.”
4) Smile.
Do not underestimate a good attitude and easy going, willingness to work hard. If you’re easy to get on with, it makes the pressurised working process that much easier.
“Nobody cares about your problems, they have plenty of their own, so quietly getting on with it is the best approach. Be someone who’s nice to have around – because if you’re not, they’ll find someone who is.”
5) Make calls.
“Always try to get an onward referral at the end of a cold call. Well you can’t offer me a gig, but do you know another promoter who can? You can’t hire me to play drums, but let me leave a number if the position changes. You don’t want to write songs with me, but maybe you know somebody who does? Sorry, but this is all sales and cold- calling in the first stages.”
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Depending on how dedicated you are to your art, a change of location maybe the answer to become famous or successful. Many a musician has made the move to London, chasing the dream and many have been disappointed but king of rock, Carmine Appice stresses the importance of being in the thick of it. “You have to be where the action is. You can be a great drummer living in Nebraska but the chances are you’ll never get discovered in the middle of Nebraska. If that guy moves to LA or NYC, he may end up getting some luck, getting a break and being successful. But he must move to a city where music is a part of the industry like LA, NYC, Nashville or Atlanta. To get a break I moved to LA and joined Rod Stewart because I was in LA. If I was in NYC it would not have happened, I would not have heard about the gig in NY.”
London band ‘The Infrasound’ moved from their Hampshire homes to the big smoke in order to network and become a part of the scene. They are now causing a buzz and have a dedicated London fan base as a result of their exciting live shows and hard work. The Infrasound drummer, Jez says, “We knew we had to be in the city to attract the gigs and meet the right people. Now people are starting to take notice of us in a way that wouldn’t have happened if we weren’t in London.”
TAKE A RISK
Sometimes you need to employ the art of derring do and cheekiness to get to speak to the people who matter. Talking to receptionists is no use at all but getting past them and on to the main man is not usually a straight forward matter. This is a great time to
use your imagination and wit by exploiting your creative powers, i.e. LIE! A great story of the comic actor/impressionist Peter Sellers may give you some inspiration.
Sellers called the producer of a BBC radio show and impersonated a popular radio star of the time. In this guise, he recommended Peter Sellers to the producer. After a minute of two of conversation, Sellers confessed to the shenanigan. The Producer was so impressed by the acting that he subsequently offered Sellers a spot on the air.
But beware, although this approach may get you that all important audition, there is a chance it could back fire and gain nothing more than a bad reputation so think carefully before embarking on such a mission.
BE ONE STEP AHEAD
Unfortunately there is no magic formula that ensures total success, but if you follow those guidelines set out above, you can definitely increase your chances. Remember though, that nothing can substitute being the best musician you can possibly be and this is obtained by practice and hard work alone. That way, when you get the chance, you have the ability to make people sit up and listen. This however, is no good if nobody ever hears or sees you play. So get practising, get out there, and smile.
Good luck!
I hope you enjoyed this article and found some useful content in there. You might also like this article discussing how to become a session drummer.
If you want to browse the other drum learning content available at Total Drummer check out the free lessons, single lessons, mini courses and main courses. The mini courses page has courses on how to market yourself as a drummer which is vital if you want a successful career.
You might also be interested in the drum less playalongs and the charts of famous songs.
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