JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Getting cut by a major artist

Tamera - Kevin, I never cast myself in the role of a victim.
Could have fooled me

Ben - I don't see what the big problem is with saying someone sucks
Maybe the "artist" should check their ego at their door
you'll never get better if you think your songs are the best
People expect honesty but then don't want it when it comes to them

you also know what it fascinates me when you criticise someones song they go on the defensive right away and ask you what songs you have cut etc, diverting the issue away from their song
You don't have to write songs to know when a song sucks and I say sucks because blunter is better in this business
I've listened to your songs Tamera, wasn't too impressed by the lyrics but the music was fantastic

Because it doesn't mean anything potentially positive - it is a word which is just overly negative in its connotation. This site should be about constructive criticism. What's specifically is wrong with a song, an idea, a delivery? Saying someones "sucks" just means that you don't have the imagination to come up with anything constructive or helpful.

Hey Mike not all scots wear kilts and play bagpipes. Just as not all americans are overweight bigmouths with no fashion sense and appalling accents. As I said the country and christian music so popular on this forum and in the States is as popular in the UK as pork during Ramadam is to a muslim. I am not a prolific song writer and most of my stuff cannot be published or made available for download. I will not go into reasons but they are genuine. I am currently working on a way to get out of contractual ties which currently prevents me "SHOWING OFF" my work. I hope to post some new stuff for critiques in the new year. And maybe pitch them in Nashville if folk think they are any good. Sorry the last line was a joke.

Get your point kevin but sometimes people need a boost
sometimes hearing your songs sucks can help, others just get offended ( I was offended once) then realised they were actually trying to help

Well Airun, I guess I will take the 50% of my songs being ok as a compliment. Thank you!! For whatever that is worth. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Tammy

www.tammyedwards.com
www.myspace.com/tammyedwards2

Jim, Actually, I knew not all scots wore bagpipes or played kilts. I just don't see what's so "uncountry" about cowboys and "wanted dead or alive" as you have on your soundclick site. And you've got that wrong about Americans...we don't all have bad fashion sense...the rest is right, however.

Airun, You sure know how to make friends don't you. I thought that I was clarifying the fact that perhaps you were misunderstood in your comments. I guess I was wrong, you meant what you wrote. So if you just want to be argumentative I suggest you go dig your hole (like I've seen you do on other threads) somewhere else because your comments add nothing constructive to the subject though it is entertaining to watch you dig yourself deeper. No one is diverting away from the subject by asking you what you have done. That is all in your mind. They simply want to know your credentials and what authority you have when you make such a crude statement. It sounds like you are diverting when you make a statement assuming that people think that their music is the greatest. If that were true their would be no need for this board or the lyric boards or the MP3 board. Ben

Getting the first cut is definately the hardest task any Songwriter will face....If you are exclusively a "country" writer then i suppose it makes sense to target Nashville,especially if you are based in the U.S.A...but it is not the be all and end all.Country music has a wide appeal in Europe as well,and then again it is all down to the song.Johnny Cash as we all know,was a prolific country writer...but not many folk know that he made a visit to Ireland went back home to the USA and wrote "The Forty Shades of Green"...would he have wrote it had he not visited Ireland?..Who knows!..would it have been a hit if anybody else wrote it?..YES...was it a country song? NO not really,it was his perception of Ireland..so we have a mixture of Johnny Cash,Ireland,Non-Country Song,and probably Nashville...so mix it all up..what do you get..a hit song...so taking the analargy further,if Johnny Cash had gave the song to a singer in Ireland to record it first, would it still have been a hit song YES with or without Nashville..it was a very good song which captured the imagination of the Irish..then bounced it's way back over the pond...so at the end of the day it is all about the song..and also the grit,determination,and single-mindedness of the writer..you very seldom get one without the other.......Cheers&Merry Xmas to all on JPF...Terry...

crude statement? Am I supposed to spare feelings to build up ones ego? How is that good for anybody in the long run? It's fine and peachy for them when its said in the moment...
So basically you're telling me to lie when I hear a song I don't like? A lot of people don't want to fix their songs anyway, yeah there are some on here that actually do want help... there was a thread about this on t u n e s m i t h even if I do give constructive criticism on their lyrics they're not likely to care anyways (unless they are the few I am talking about on jpf)

Ben I'm only talking about writers interested in being commercial
The rest who write just for themselves, good for them!

You had some good moments Tamera, I'm not really a big fan of "christian" music but good anyway

Mike and Truman pretty much sum it up.

And Tammy does write (not always, but often) Pro level songs.

Living in Iowa is a disadvantage no question. Not being a regular performing artist is also a disadvantage. I think she's on the right track in branching out and writing with other writers outside of Iowa. I also think it's smart of her to have other artists record her songs, even though her own recordings are top notch and pro level (I've always really liked her voice). I think you need to present your songs with diversity and vary the approach. Some of the very best artists I know have other people record their demos sometimes.. because those other folks are better suited to present the song.

And I didn't take Airuns comments as an attack on anyone, especially not directed towards Tammy.

That's my comments after reading the last few dozen posts.

Have a nice day.

Brian

= )

I agree with Brian that Mike and Truman summed it up best.
Thanx to one and all for the imput. Even managed somehow to stir up some controversy! Actually, I started this thread more out of curiosity than anything, because I don't see myself ever competing for cuts with the big boys/girls in Nashville.
First of all, I don't {for the most part} write in a country vein. {More roots-rock I guess} secondly, as I believe either or Mike or Truman touched on, you have to eat,drink, and sleep songwriting craft 24/7 to keep up with the Joneses in Nashville, and frankly I don't have the time to devote to it. And thirdly, I write from the heart from personal experience, and hope others can identify, and I'm happy to say, judging from my CD sales and reviews, some people do. I can't really see myself writing too much for other people. I DO think that I've written a song or two that are "pitchworthy" which sparked my curiosity, but I don't see myself ever obsessing over it. All in all I'm doing O.K doing what I'm doing. So I'm not gonna make it as music row songwriter, and my "rock star" ship sailed long ago. Looks like I'll have to be content to make a good living as a troubador singer/songwriter/ bar musician. Still beats diggin' ditches! Thanx all! www.bobcushing.com

BC, I look at you as the hardest working musician on the boards and the go-to guy for live gig advice. Ben

BC,

Man, I'd never tell someone to give up, either. What I tell folks is that it's much harder for folks who don't live and breathe the stuff (and it is). But if you've got the ticket to play, the great song, then why not play?

I like to go fishing. For a few years, I lived about a hundred yards from a private lake and was even closer to a river. I went fishing about 200 days a year, and caught a lot of fish. Nowadays I hardly go fishing a few days out of the year...but I still go. Now, if folks asked what's the best way to catch a big fish, I'd say go 200 days a year, but that doesn't mean don't go that one or two days. Get out there and drop a hook in the water.

Here and there, people play the lottery and win, and some amateurs throw in their line and immediately catch a fish. For those of us who have other careers and responsibilities that we chose out of love, loyalty and an attempt to serve something more important that our own wild desires...here's hoping some of us catch a Major Fish despite the odds.

By the way, anyone heard from Heather Cowles lately?

Who said anything about giving up? P.S, Thanx Ben!

When you wrote, "...looks like I'll be content...etc." I thought you meant you weren't going to try to pitch your songs here. If you got 'em, pitch 'em. But, believe me, I know YOU ain't givin' up

I'm not giving up either. I'm exceptionally good at being a failure !

cheers, niteshift

Nah Mike.. ain't no quit in this dog, but I AM a realist. I'll keep pluggin', but it won't be the end of my world if it doesn't pan out. Niteshift..Good one!{LOL}

Yes.



Not yet.