Indie Music Jobs: Pros and Cons
Well, let's get the cons out of the way first, starting with: the hours are long and the pay is bad. OK, the pay is not bad across the board, but it often is and at the very least you can forget that glamorous life that many people incorrectly associate with the music industry. The hours, across the board, are indeed long. Taking on so many different roles takes up a lot of time, and it seems like the work never ends. You also often have to spend your evenings going out to shows or other music related social events. I know, "poor baby," a lot of people think, and yes, it can be fun. But it is still an obligation, and there comes a time when you'd really rather be at home just doing nothing than hanging out at a gig. Also, sometimes, the work can be a little thankless. Your hard work may go unappreciated, especially when things don't go as planned - and believe me, things won't go as planned - but usually the good outweighs the bad here.
Another con, which is kind of a funny one, is explaining your job to other people. Some people will think your job consists of sitting around and listening to records all day. Some people just look confused and don't know what to say. Some people respond with the dreaded, "oh! do you know who sings…." question. It sounds like a strange con, but for me it's one that really niggles and I know a lot of other people who feel the same way. If you're stressed out and have been working really hard, it can be like salt in the wound when someone acts as though you don't have a "real job," and other times it's just a little uncomfortable.
The pros are - you get to work with music. If that doesn't make up for all of the bad pay, long hours and awkward small talk, then indie music might not be the job for you. An extra bonus with indie music is that you get to work very closely with the musicians, and you have the luxury of only working with music you like. You don't have to be tied down to a specific genre, and you don't have to tow the line with some single you think is awful because someone thinks it can sell millions of copies. Sure, that terrible single may sell millions of copies (let's be honest, it probably will), but that's not the point. The point is that you think it's horrible music and you'd rather not be associated with it than to cash in on it. If that logic doesn't make sense to you, again, indie music might not be your dream job.
For me, another important pro to indie music is that you get to approach things with the artist in mind. Treating the artists fairly is incredibly important to me, especially in the current climate in the music industry. With indie music, you have the freedom to come up with a deal that suits all parties involved. There are a lot of people out there who prey on musicians, and they'll tell you it's ok because they're not doing anything illegal. Legal and fair aren't always the same thing. I care about fair.
My Job Now
Right now, I do a hodge-podge of music related jobs. I get to write a lot about the music business, which I really love to do because I get to share things I've learned and because I get the chance to talk to people who inspire me and remind me why I love music so much. I do some PR campaigns and I do some tour booking. I'm working with my friend Ed Pybus of SL Records on a label called Join Up that helps artists from the Caribbean bring their music to the US and UK, something else that matters a lot to me. Even on my worst day, I wouldn't change it for the world.
