Playing music full-time is one thing, playing metal full-time is another thing-it’s a profound leap of faith in either case, but it doesn’t have to be a blind one, and it shouldn’t leave us destitute. a dude whose livelihood depends on selling a dream to people like me. In literal hours of searching, I found one, single article that contained numerical figures (estimates, though they may be), and it was written by a band manager i.e. There is a veritable black hole of information on the subject there’s no roadmap for aspiring musicians, no instructions on developing a viable long-term financial plan, no numbers by which any serious adult can chart the course of their lives. There is a monumental lack of transparency in this industry-the metal/underground industry in particular-and no musician, ever, anywhere, seems to be discussing their personal finances, or the economic model of the industry at large. So, what is the right direction? I have absolutely no idea. That seems to be the extent of public discussion on full-time musicianship-that, and a whole frenzied horde of articles, videos, and listicles determined to drown you in a sea of vapid clichés-“be yourself,” “promote your music,” “network!” and “work hard.” Of course, just like the others, “work hard” is a meaningless phrase when devoid of context it doesn’t matter much that you’re digging a tunnel if you’re digging in the wrong direction. Want to make a living playing music? Go fuck yourself, figure it out, good luck, and prepare to be destroyed. Want to be a plumber? Sure learn the trade, do some research, be a plumber. You want to be an accountant? Sure go to school, do some research, become an accountant. Together, we have hope to make our lives, and the lives of the musicians we love, better. Remember: our struggles appear unique and insurmontable when we face them alone. Read on below for Matthew’s take on what being in a band and trying to make a living looks like today. Heavy Blog, on our podcast and in articles, has been calling for such a discussion for a while now it gives me great pleasure that we can now add the voice of an unsigned musician to this call. What resulted was the article below, shedding some light on what it means to be a musician today and ending with an emphatic call for more business oriented discussions within the musical community. So, I reached out to Matthew and offered him to use our platform to communicate the unique and stressful situation he was in. On the other, this person I considered my friend was clearly going through a challenging time, involving plenty of risk. On one hand, I was highly expecting a new release and one with professional sound production promised to be amazing. When Matthew posted on Facebook that the band’s next album would be produced by Jamie King but that this feat was going to cost both members a sizable sum of their savings (due to the fact that they needed to travel there, take breaks from their work in order to record, and pay King himself for his services) I had conflicted feelings. However, it’s still one of my favorite albums from that year and a virtual friendship formed between me and Matthew Cerami, who is one half of the project. The album was excellent but, like most other people I sent its way, the production was clearly executed by the musicians itself and was, at times, challenging. Editor’s note: in 2017, I came across Iapetus, a promising progressive death metal which had just released their debut full length album, The Long Road Home.
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