Steve Pavey: So earlier today, I picked up a package from the mailbox we rent and the owners, knowing I’m a musician, pointed to a singer on their big screen and said “This guy’s an Indie artist that we really like. He does EVERYTHING by himself!”
I pointed out that no one does EVERYTHING by themselves, which started a huge argument about how in the days of Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, you can do it all by yourself. Then they informed me that he’d be coming to Red Rocks and just added a second night. Of course, what they didn’t realize was that the PROMOTER added a second night!
I will agree that in the Age of Tech, an artist can do a lot all by themselves. They can write everything with no collaboration. They can use digital recording media to record virtual tracks and virtually unlimited tracks on a laptop. They can use mixing and mastering software, as well as ProTools and AutoTune. They can upload or schedule uploads to social media.
BUT that’s only part of the picture. You need a good music attorney to help you with all the legal ins and outs surrounding publishing, contracts and royalties… if you want to get paid! You need a good accountant to handle your money if you don’t want the IRS knocking on your door, due to disallowed deductions and investments. You need a street team and a management team.
And speaking of Red Rocks, you need a logistics team to handle all the myriad details of travel, accommodations, promo (such as local and national radiointerviews and TV talk show appearances), coordination of road and stage crew. etc. Then there’s the career planning, that involves long term marketing, advertising, planting of stories designed to keep you in the public eye… it may look like a one man show but it’s considerably more than that behind the scenes.