Please help with my music career (Los Angeles, Redding: fit in, how much, unemployment)

[gsbkv]

I have a dream as a musician. I play old songs from 60's such as The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis, Roy Orbison, Motown Sounds, Otis Redding, Len Barry, and my own songs too.

First I've been thinking about NYC, but I gave up because of cost of living.

My second thought was Nashville, but I heard that Nashville is for country music. Do you think my music style doesn't fit in Nashville?

My third choice was Austin. But I heard someone saying that Austin would be good for performing experiance but you don't get anything more than that. Is it true?

So I decided to go to LA, but it seems that I might need lots of money to live in LA. And also I heard someone saying that you have to pay to play in LA. Frustrating. Is it true?

As John Lennon said; 'How can I go forward when I don't know which way I'm facing?'

[BVitamin]

Be it any artist from any discipline, it's going to be a struggle anywhere, I'm one of them although not a musician.

I think you should release your music online. If you get a following, start advertising yourself, that you'll be playing in so and so place. And as to what city, all of them, travel, if you have the funds. If you don't have the funds, play local first. Where are you now? I think a city with easy public transportation is a good start, I would think. You're going to have to tough it out at first. Living in hole in the walls, playing in small venues. And you should do research on bars, some of them will be more than happy to invite musicians to come and play, if they think they're good.

That's my two cents.

[gsbkv]

Thanks for your advise. I will keep that in my mind.
But I have to decide to go somewhere. There's nothing around here where I live right now. I wish I could travel, but I have no fund for that.
And when I decide which city to live, I have to be stuck in there more than 2 years.

[SoCal35]

Chuck Berry, Elvis, and Little Richard launched their careers and were in their prime in the 1950's......

[sucrose]

First realize that playing music will not be a source of income (at least not in any of the cities that you mention). Los Angeles has way too many musicians already (think tiny fish in huge pond). Nashville has all kinds of music (most of the locals aren't really country fans either it seems) but again, we have a ton of musicians that you will compete with, professionally. Or you could view it as tons of people to be in bands with! But again,no money.

The pragmatist would suggest finding a day job you can live with that allows you to pursue what you really love. Maybe in a medium-sized city with a reasonable cost of living? Unless you don't mind struggling financially, figure out how much money you need to survive and how to make that in the fewest number of hours per week so you'll have energy left over for music. Lots of musicians end up rediscovering the joy of playing once they give up the struggle to 'make it' in the music business.

[impala666]

They were the “Marilyn Manson's of their time.
To be big fast you need to be new.
But don't think it will last.
You can become famous and rich $20k a month on u-tube just by being ill.

[readymade]

Austin is a great place to play music. It is to music what LA is to acting. i.e. in LA everyone is an actor. In Austin, everyone is a musician. It's a lot easier to play out, get gigs, & meet other musicians in Austin than it is in Los Angeles. People are friendlier and as long as you're talented and not a jerk, they really want to help you out. We got offered a TON of gigs there. Also, it's a LOT cheaper to live there and easier to get a job there as well. You don't HAVE to "pay to play" in LA, but a lot of places expect you to. I don't think I ever got paid for a gig there. I did get paid in Austin, but not very much.

NYC and LA are more cutting edge in regards to music, but it doesn't sound like you're doing anything particularly extreme, so I think Austin would be a good fit in regards to music.

You might also consider Boston. There's a good scene here (I'm currently in Boston), and I get paid WAY more here for a gig than anywhere else I've played. That being said, I'm moving back to LA (after living in LA, Austin, & Boston), but not really because of music. You need to look at the other aspects of your life as well to see where would be a good fit for you.

[ferretkona]

You might need a day job in LA.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I say do the you tube thing. You get known and they will come looking for you. One thing is for sure, if you get a following the music industry will realize that they have a product that they can sell and make you a deal.

Well were just another band out of boston
On the road to try to make ends meet
Playin all the bars, sleepin in our cars
And we practiced right on out in the street
No, we didn't have much money
We barely made enough to survive
But when we got up on stage and got ready to play
people came alive

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/boston/#share


Playin for a week in rhode island
A man came to the stage one night
He smoked a big cigar
Drove a cadillac car
And said, boys, I think this bands outta-sight
Sign a record company contract
You know Ive got great expectations
When I hear you on the car radio
Youre goin to be a sensation!

Boston

[passionatearts]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

You might need a day job in LA.

He's going to need a day job regardless of where he goes.

gsbkv, based on everything you've posted, I think you'd have a better time in Austin. Nowadays, with the internet and decline of the big record labels, it isn't as vital for musicians to be stationed in New York or Los Angeles if they want to gain mass recognition. Los Angeles is a very hard town to break into anyway, and the economy in that region is in ruins right now (very high unemployment + high cost of living = bad news).

Austin is a much easier place to live in general, and the musicians I've dealt with in Austin are much nicer and more willing to help each other out than in LA, which is an extremely cutthroat environment.