So, should I try out to be in Courtney Love's backing band?

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All those millions of promotional dollars for nought!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

Kate, PLEASE cheer up. Or learn to count your blessings when you feel like this. You get so down sometimes you get incapable of seeing up: the EBA is coming! You have *strong musical allies*! You can play guitar *and* bass beautifully, just learn Gun Club and Bunnymen covers for the Courtney campfire to add to New Order ones. You know more about music than anyone else I know that would try out. I would never have forwarded the Courtney audition ad to you if I didn't think you would be good for the job (my only caveat is that CL might hijack the term DDB).

As to the cavilling about sales, talent and the rest: my first book never sold as well as it should have after I'd worked damned hard to make it good. Disappointing as that was, it still means a great deal to me to meet people six years later who not only bought it, but cherish it. At the time I was concerned that a) my PR wasn't doing enough with the contacts I gave her and b) the marketing department were even worse. Hence not very many sales after mostly brilliant reviews. If you beat yourself up over an apparent lack of interest, it only hurts you and kind of makes all the people who *did* go and see your gigs and buy the records feel a bit chopped liverish.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:20 (twenty-one years ago) link

What Suzy said, I thinks. :-) All them Lollies songs I have heard are all supercoolpopchewyfun! And despite what others might think, I do like fun. :-) Yay Kate and her coolness!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

Well, not to further discourage auditioning, but I've talked to some people in the past who auditioned to be Hole's bass player. (This was early to mid 90s, now). Here was a sample of the interview process:

Courtney: "So, do you like the Ramones?".
My friend:"Well..(pause)... I think they are incredibly influential, though I don't listen to them every day, day in and day out,..."

My friend found out the desired answer was "No". She never got the gig. (based on that question alone, or other reasons, I have no idea)

― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 8 May 2003 18:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Alex in NYC not to thread.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 May 2003 18:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh kate, don't be so down! It makes me sad.

Yes, Kate - Cheer up! Look at the Top 40, ferchrissakes, record sales do not correlate with talent! I love the Lollies tracks I've heard, and I know talent. And you're one of the most talented ILX posters! ;)

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

haha Hole's version of ILX: instead of fill-outable text fields there are two radio buttons for every question:

Yes
No

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

(kate if you get the job be prepared to use the above template in all discussion with ms love, actually you will just need this one: )

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

So, should I try out to be in Kate's backing band?

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

As a (semi-professional) performer, the biggest problem I find with the "Sales are rubbish!" argument is that if you're actually trying to make a living, sales are actually more important than talent. Also, marketing aside, sales can be an indicator of how people are responding to your music. (Although it's a proportional thing; you have to look at the base of people you're reaching and correlate that with the number of people actually buying. If you sell 50 CDs out of 20 shops, that's better than selling 50 CDs out 2000 shops, etc etc.)

So, while I don't think you should let it get you down or discourage you, Kate, I can DEFINITELY empathize with where you're coming from. I also think you should audition for Courtney, if only for the opportunity to call her an asshat if she does something stupid.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

She'll probably give you a quiz on spiritual beliefs as well. I believe she's one of those people who won't work with anyone who is not "spiritual".

― Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

I may be Spiritualized, but no way in hell I'm spiritual.

No, I've decided not to do it, for more reasons than I can outline. Not the least of which is, my gut reaction says "don't do it" and I'm trying to listen to my gut more. Hell, it's big enough.

I'm recording this weekend, I've decided to concentrate more on making music (even if it's just in my bedroom) that makes *me* happy, and stop trying to make a "career" out of music. You have to make too many sacrifices that I'm not prepared to make.

― kate, Friday, 9 May 2003 08:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

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