Interesting Documentary about Backing Musicians

[Tonray's Ghost]

[tlarson58]

What a great show. Billy Joel is a jerk.

[Tonray's Ghost]

What a great show. Billy Joel is a jerk.

Love the quote: "I don't have to do shit, I'm Billy Joel"


Just wow....

[tonebender]

I will never have to worry about the trials and tribulations of a hired gun. Interesting stuff and I enjoyed the video.

[Tonray's Ghost]

I will never have to worry about the trials and tribulations of a hired gun. Interesting stuff and I enjoyed the video.

"I don't have to do shit, I'm a member of AGF !"

[andrewsrea]

My wife and I watched that last week. It was very good. It is amazing how some artist become the dominant feature, where other artists actually created the uncredited trademark sound, riffs, and sometimes the arrangements.

[tonebender]

The over-arching message to the whole documentary is, Write Hit Songs! Those that own the songs, own the money. You can help arrange, play an instrument on the song, engineer, or whatever but those are generally a one-time fee service. If you own the song the residuals can continue for years and you never know who will want to use the song in a movie, commercial, etc. Lately there has been a Publix commercial with Sunshine Superman by Donovan. The owner can also bequeath future monies to family or whoever so it erven continues after they are gone. I met as fellow years ago out in Oklahoma. His father had written a country song in the way back days that was a charter but not a hit. Residuals had actually dried up before his father passed. When the Soviet Union broke up, somehow that song suddenly became popular in Russia and he started getting residuals checks. It wasn't much money but that song was still making him money.

[Tonray's Ghost]

The over-arching message to the whole documentary is, Write Hit Songs! Those that own the songs, own the money. You can help arrange, play an instrument on the song, engineer, or whatever but those are generally a one-time fee service. If you own the song the residuals can continue for years and you never know who will want to use the song in a movie, commercial, etc. Lately there has been a Publix commercial with Sunshine Superman by Donovan. The owner can also bequeath future monies to family or whoever so it erven continues after they are gone. I met as fellow years ago out in Oklahoma. His father had written a country song in the way back days that was a charter but not a hit. Residuals had actually dried up before his father passed. When the Soviet Union broke up, somehow that song suddenly became popular in Russia and he started getting residuals checks. It wasn't much money but that song was still making him money.

Yes, I remember RJ Ronquillo putting some info detailing how little he actually makes from hired gun studio work. A guy with a skill set that's outrageous and that part of his income stream was almost just above minimum wage considering travel, equipment and time invested. That's why doing these sponsored gear demos is what keeps most of these guys afloat.

[tonebender]

Condensed version: When Skynyrd was a touring cover band they ran into Ed King. He told them they were as good as it gets but going nowhere if they did not write their own songs. They went back to Jax and sequestered themselves in the Hell House and got it done. Obviously they also reached out and got Ed King to come along. Ed was always the outsider but he was a very important element to their story.

[Spike]

Just watched this today. Loved it!