I often look back on fifty years of being in the music business and recall the many times I have witnessed the wide-eyed dreams of so many that longed for the stardom that could be had by being involved in “the business”. Too many times I have seen those dreams extinguished for too many reasons. There are the expected reasons like, one, not being as talented as one thinks he/she is, or one not being as talented as his/her friends think he/she is. A true heartbreaking reason is having a “manager” that thinks you are the next Led Zeppelin or Adele (going for extremes here!!), but can’t or won’t do the work necessary to make that dream come true, yet you trust him with your souls because he talks a good talk. The darker side of that is the chance that you may well be the next Led Zeppelin or Adele, but no one will ever know! I’ve seen substance abuse show its ugly face way too many times. Nothing kills a great idea like drowning it or pouring chemicals on it!! A lack of funds comes to mind too often. Even a lack of luck can pop up every now and then.
There are so many reasons the shining star can get snuffed out! I can’t begin to list them here-I couldn’t think of all of the reasons even if I had the room to list them! But two of the most common dream breakers that I have witnessed over the years are the simple ego and the inability to get off one’s ass and work!! Let’s deal with ego first. It takes a fair amount of ego to put your dream on the table. You have to believe in yourself. But ego can truly put one so high on a pedestal that one becomes untouchable, unlikable, and unbelievable. As they say, keep it real. The other major problem is a lack of work ethic. To run with the big dogs, to get all the gears turning in the right direction, and to get anywhere, takes effort. If you sit back and wait for someone to carry you through your dream, you’re gonna be waiting a long time. Carry your own weight and help others with their burdens and dreams when you can. Be someone that other musicians want to be around, that fans want to be around, someone that reaches for the stars instead of sleeping through the whole ordeal. I once saw a poster that summed this business up for me in just a few words: Ability is important; dependability is everything.
Having a dream is a first step to having success in this business. Hard work comes in right at the top. Perseverance can certainly pay off. Talent is sometimes important, but obviously not always! The right look kicks in more often than not, but is not necessarily necessary. (As Bob Dylan once said, “I know I’m a good songwriter-I couldn’t make it on my looks or my singing!) Knowing how to get along with others always helps. Skill at leadership plays an important role in climbing that mountain, but the understanding that following someone else who is a better leader can help you scale that mountain as well.
Dreams are fragile and I hope I’ve pointed out some ways for you to make them stronger or some ways to keep you from destroying them. It helps to be realistic, but I’ll never tell you to stop dreaming.
-Johnny Divine
