“Well, there are 101 ways to get fucked in this business – the more you are aware of – the better off you’ll be. Right? This is a very dangerous world and when you come un-stuck it isn’t always just “aw shucks that was wild” it could be bankruptcy, loss of friendships, divorce, death, you might end up in a cover band.” – says Martin Atkins and he continue: “It’s a little bit Disney, a little bit Tarantino….two conflicting ideas, the yin, the yang, two halves making a black hole battling it out in the tumble dryer with someones severed foot.”
Martin Clive Atkins (born 3 August 1959, Coventry, England) is an English drummer and session musician, probably best known for his work in post-punk and industrial groups including Public Image Ltd (PiL), Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Pigface, Killing Joke, and his murderous projects such as the industrial supergroup Pigface, The Damage Manual, and Murder Inc.
Martin Atkins is the definition of entrepreneurial activity in cultural arts endeavors, his 30+ years in the music business spans across genres and borders and industries.
He is the owner of Invisible Records and Mattress Factory Recording Studios (est. 1988). He is the author of Tour:Smart, a Suicide Girls columnist, taught at Columbia College Chicago for six years and currently teaches Madison Media Institute. Martin is a producer, drummer, documentary film maker, DJ, and father of four.
Now you can download for free his fabulous write-up about music industry, “Welcome To The Music Business….You’re FUCKED!” from HERE by giving-up your precious contact details.
And Martin have a couple of useful advices for you (excerpts from the book):
“The music business is the easiest place in the world to blame someone – probably multiple people – BUT it’s also a place where nobody cares and whatever words follow… ‘It wasn’t our fault…’,
‘If it wasn’t for…’, or ‘ We were fucked over by…’…”
“You don’t need to make albums any more. Incremental releases of EPs or singles are much easier and more effective. (…) You need feedback from your audience(if you’re smart). You can spend months tweaking a version of a song but let go, lighten up; nobody gives two shits* right now. Just release something – in small quantity. The sooner you start the earning and the learning, the better.” So, “A mediocre Christmas album that’s finished on Oct 25th is better than an amazing Christmas album finished on Jan 1st, right?”
“Stay on top of the newest innovations, platforms and tools, but don’t be a slave to them. USE the tools that work for you, don’t let them use and consume you.”
“It doesn’t matter how good of a violinist you are if you cannot get up in the morning and catch a bus. Pursuing technical ability on its own, for its own sake is a path to nowhere.” And “It doesn’t matter how fucking good you are on your instrument of choice if you have ZERO people skills, or lets say: NO personal hygiene, right? Let’s keep it simple. It doesn’t matter how good of an engineer you are… …if you STINK!” ( 😆 😆 😆 😆 )
If you still want to play music, eventually start a band, you might be crazy enough to be fit for this business!!
R.I.P. Eric McNary
Tour:Smart
Invisible Records
Martin Atkins @ MySpace
Martin Atkins @ Facebook
Martin Atkins @ Twiter
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZBzdqGXDq0&w=545&h=409]
