John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A question from Carol the bar owner:

Hello John,

I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me.

Our bar booked a show with a band by verbal agreement for two weekends in a row. The first weekend they were there they were incredibly rude, and were even overheard in the bathroom telling people to not come to this show because they don't like our bar. While onstage they called us by the name of a different bar, and when corrected, they lead singer said loudly in to the microphone "I don't f-ing care"!!

The manager took him aside during the next break and asked him to correct himself in the next set and he spent the rest of the night sarcastically stating that he was at "The correct name of our bar" and he was "Sooooo happy" to be there.

At the end of the night the manager told him not to bother coming back next weekend, that we would find a band that wanted to be there.

Long story short, they are taking us to small claims court for breaking a verbal agreement.

We're wondering if they even have a case? Does this type of thing happen often?

Thank you for your time.

Carol

WWJDD?

SUCH DRAMA ! ! No, I don't think that they have a case.  How much money was guaranteed? $100? or was it just a door deal?  This band really should get a life & spend a little more time making music rather than bitching & moaning & working on their rockstar attitude. You ought to have one of the burly bouncers find the band & threaten the shit out of them (most likely they'd fold like an oatmeal outhouse) . . . KIDDING ! ! I don't think this happens very often 'cause people usually have better things to do.  Maybe show in court, roll yr eyes at the judge & say, "Really? Are you kidding me? you're going to all this trouble for some crappy bar gig?" (Of course that's not to say yr bar is by any means crappy). Have they actually filed the small claims suit? I doubt that they will actually get around to that. Musicians are really wired that way.
 Don't forget; wear a tie in court, have fun & thanks for writing,
Jd

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

Hi John,
My question is in regards to management. When would you say is the
right time to seek out management? As a solo pop singer/songwriter,
seeking out a manager or talent agent seems like a great way to get my
music into the hands of those in the industry which I could not do on my own.
On the other hand, many people suggest that you should manage
yourself as long as possible. What do you think? What are some
qualities I should look for in a management team? Any suggestions?

Best,
Derek Adams
www.myspace.com/derekjadams

Hey Derek,
   I'm not sure what the advantage of managing oneself is accept to save the 10 to 20% in commission that they might charge.  BUT if there are other reasons; write back & I'll address them.  X, The Knitters & myself have had management almost the entire time I've worked in entertainment.  But that never allows you to be unaware of yr business or removed from the other people (record company, booking agent, lawyer, publisher etc.) that you work with.
  Anyone you work with should be someone enough like you that you're proud to have them speak for you & represent you because that's exactly what they're going to do.  You want someone who's organized, honest, knowledgeable & being good company at dinner doesn't hurt.  As powerful or connected as they may be, you don't want some asshole making demands you wouldn't approve of or do yourself if that was yr job.  And in a way it is your job: to make sure you know what's going on & weigh in on most all of the decisions, especially the important ones.  The last quality to look for is someone who's priorities are the same.  Try to match the degree of fame & fortune & reasons & methods to achieve them with you own.  Working with friends is OK especially at the beginning but that doesn't mean that they can slide on any of the qualities that I talked about above.
   Like all relationships it's a great when you find the right person & keep working together to maintain that. I can also say that I've had the good fortune to stay in touch w/ & love almost all the managers that I've worked with. Trust your intuition, I know it's not easy.
 
hope this is some help and as always, thanks for writing.
yrs,
JD
  

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

today is the day

be part of history and

VOTE ! !

Attached is a Public Service Announcement by Yo La Tengo and Chris Stamey entitled "V.O.T.E" in MP3 format. We encourage you to forward to any of your friends and neighbors who have not yet voted.

thanks,
JD

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A Question from Jen in Atlanta

Hello John,

I was thrilled to finally get to see X on tour this year. The band was incredibly tight and the energy of the show was "off the hook"! I'm in the process of forming a new band and wanted to get your take on what to look for in bandmates. Everyone in the last band I was in shared an interest in the same type of music, had similar favorite bands etc. But once we started playing together regularly it became clear we all couldn't be more different in our approach, work ethic, songwriting and so on. Needless to say it didn't work out well in the end. What's the best way to find out if new potential bandmates might be a fit? A friend suggested I put together a list of questions to ask but I'm afraid the "vibe" of that process could be a real turnoff for people who might be a great fit.

I would love to hear what you think.

Thanks,

Jen

hey Jen,
  Yeah a questionnaire might be way too much like a job interview or some Harmony.com dating service, so . . . NO.  How about dinner & drinks?  How about just hanging out for several evenings & see if you actually do see things similarly?  how about playing cover songs in yr living room? Always trust yr intuition.  Be sure you're in a big enough city to have a "talent pool" that's large enough. There are always exceptions but it's rare that you find everyone all at once. Most bands that I know have grown over a period of time.  A gtr player here, a singer there, a drummer etc, you get my point.  There is something to be said for fate & it seems that the best combinations & meetings have that as an element.
best of luck, hope this helps
& as always, thanks for writing 
JD

 PS: Make sure to vote on November 4^th. It’s important.

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

Dear friends of WWJDD,

This message could be one word long; VOTE!  That's my main message.  But a bit deeper lies what you're voting for or against.  Someday when we meet in some night club we'll discuss this at length but right now I urge you to go to the media, websites, internet blogs, friends & family to get the facts, however fluid they may be.  You're smart & can separate the lies from the truth (also fluid) & I'm sure you will vote for the right guy . . . no, not the one who suspends his campaign every time there's a dip in his poll numbers or some crisis he must attend (not really his job), uses falsehoods in adverts or agrees w/ 90% of Pres GWB's policies.  Please VOTE & vote for someone who can restore our FAITH & HOPE in this country.  BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT AS A CITIZEN & VOTE!  THIS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER.

Thanks for allowing me a little soap box time & for your support. Below is a list of the different state's voter registration deadlines.

yours in solidarity,

John Doe

p.s. get yr slacker friends to register & vote too!

If you have any questions about registering or voting contact your Secretary of State. Click here to for a complete contact list by state at Rock The Vote.

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com.

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A Question from Matthew in Liverpool

Hi John,

I'm a big X fan and I love your solo work particularly, 'Meet John Doe'...a  great album, I hope maybe Rhino Records may remaster it.

My question is something I've already emailed Peter Case about, I play guitar but find that when I try and flat pick I can't get the right sound. I use 12's on an old EN acoustic, I'm fed up of playing finger style and want a tougher sound. Are there any tips you can give me about flat picking? Should I be using a thumb pick or a particular plectrum?

Yours with Respect.

Matthew 

WWJDD?
 
Hey Matthew,

  Peter Case is a much better guitar player that I am, so take his advice first.  Most good gtr player that I know use very heavy picks & a very light touch. Billy Zoom uses something like Fender heavy & Dave Alvin uses a heavy thumb pick & both use their fingernails for more intricate picking parts. To avoid my own confusion in switching picks from bass to gtr, I use Herco nylon flex 75 (silver) which are fairly stiff. They do the job w/ both bass & gtr & don't turn floppy during a show.  Certainly trial & error is the best method to find out what works best for you.

best of luck, hope this helps & as always thanks for writing,

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A question from Robert in Jacksonville, FL

Hello John,

I am in the process of putting a new band together with some really strong players and experienced songwriters. We all have a good work ethic and it feels like we have the real potential to create some meaningful material. I know it's tough out there to get noticed as a new band these days. Any suggestions you have for hitting the ground running and ultimately getting signed to a record label would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Robert

WWJDD?

OK . . .  You want to be noticed? Just do EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF!!! And try to think of those things all the time.  Believe it or not that's what every one big or small in the music biz does, everyday they're at work & sometimes all night long too.  Wait . . . unless you work at a major label, then like all offices, you fuck around all day & just make sure it LOOKS like your busy.
    Write the best songs, learn to play the best you can (don't forget original style helps but not totally necessary these days), find the best gigs or any gigs, tell as many people as you can think of, make demos & send them to record companies (a contact always helps), make friends in the music scene in yr town, if there is none, then move, make a My Space & Facebook page, a web site, get yr friends excited & throw a party. the list goes on forever but you get the idea.  In my experience when a record or artist "takes off" (and there are hundreds of definitions of that) it's because they did everything & three or four elements or people actually worked. I believe that if yr truly talented, have a little ambition & not a complete social wash-out, you will get noticed.  Many of my friends debate this w/ me but I still believe it because I've seen it happen too many times.  It's all pretty basic.  Just take a shot, cross yr fingers & work as hard as you can at EVERYTHING. I know that sounds like the Prodestant  work ethic but that's the way things seem to succeed.  Though it seems like it, this isn't just drudge work.  It needs creativity & inspiration too. 

I hope this helps, good luck
and as always, thanks for writing
JD

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A Question from Pete in New York

What would you do if a drunk punk throws bottle rockets at you onstage during a solo acoustic show?

WWJDD?

It seems obvious that you have to keep yr cool and fire back some choice words to the dummy who wishes he had enough talent to be on stage rather than firing bottle rockets from the audience.  As Peter Case once told me, "Don't lose yr cool, man. If you lose yr cool, you lose yr power."  Occasionally this kind of disturbance can save an otherwise dull show, it's happened to me.  Where the show goes along, good but nothing special. Then some drunk start mouthing off & you've got immediate conflict & something memorable. Just go w/ it, be witty & don't get ugly.  If it comes to that, hopefully there is some security guy to "throw the bum out" or you might just have to put up yr dukes, this if course is a last, & ultimately never satisfying, resort.  And handling these things (stupid people or equipment failure) just gets easier the more time you have to deal w/ them.  Keep yr cool & no one will notice. If they do, they just think how cool you are.

good luck, I hope this helps
and as always, thanks for writing
JD

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A Question from Christina in Half Moon Bay, California

Hello John,

I have been writingabout music for a long time, which also means I read, hear and watch tons about music. As an observer, it seems to me that so many in the media miss good opportunities to learn more about the art of and the person they are interviewing; mostly because they just don't do their research. Like a great photograph, the right question and an honest answer can tell a lot about a person without compromising their privacy. You have been interviewed a lot and appear to give answers that are honest and not canned, even when the questions are just shallow or without thought - you have the ability to shift a bad question into something intelligent. So for those of us who write about music and get the chance to interview artists, what is it really that we should be asking in order to bring out the best, not put so much burden on the artist, and tell the interesting story?

Christina

WWJDD?

Hey Christina,

  What's increasingly common is that the artist has to come up w/ "a story" to tell.  "Why this record or tour is worth me writing about?"  When there weren't thousands of records every release date, the writers or publicists used to have time to come up w/ the story or at least a direction. Telling the story behind the songs can very easily compromise your private life, especially if you're somewhat confessional songwriter.  Intuition is always the best guide for the interviewee as to how much you want to reveal. Even so, sometimes you can get tricked into saying too much. That's why many musicians & actors can be guarded during the process.
  But to answer yr question more directly; research, experience & general knowledge is obvious w/in the first two minutes.  When there's little or none, it makes yr heart sink the way a bad beginning to a first date can make you look at yr watch w/in the first ten minutes (sigh). If a writer doesn't have the time or interest, my advice is to pass it on to someone who does.  If you need the money, do a little research & PLEASE avoid general questions.  Like any good writing, the more specific, the better.  Find a couple of elements that you can indentify w/ & ask about that.  Find a few lyrics that you like. Suggest some influences that you think you hear.  Pretty obvious stuff really.  But the best ones have all that & turn into a conversation.  Lastly, it's also precarious for the interviewer to talk too much about their experience w/ the band. "Back when I was 14 I saw you guys . . ."  OK I'll stop now.
hope this helps
and as always thanks for writing,
JD
 

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .

John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A question from Bonny in Austin:

Hi John,

I have been relentlessly asking everyone I come in contact
with this question as I finish CD#2, recorded with the
magic of Pro Tools and a gaggle of big talent from here in
Austin. (at Jumping Dog Studio w/Ron Flynt)

The question I have: how important is it to spend $175
dollars an hour to master, compared to, say, $250? I
realize you can't actually answer that question but would
like your opinion on the merits of a well-known and
obviously talented master-er as opposed to a less-famous
and/or experienced one. It seems with the whole new "music
is free" and internet downloading vs. vinyl and discs, what
level of perfection is actually appreciated/necessary in
the end? I'm also wondering if as technology is making
mastering capability more available perhaps the price might
be coming down. I'm not a cheapskate or unwilling to spend
money on my art, but just trying to get the facts.

I am not exactly professional, I write and play locally
because I love to, and it keeps me (sort of) sane and
hopefully someday someone with a wonderful voice will cover
one of my songs. Or rip me off and get me some publicity.

Thanks for your response, and I loved the Austin show! I
feel very honored to have shaken your talented hand.

Bonny

myspace.com/bonnyholmes

Dear Bonny,

First, don't let anyone rip you off! ! ! Hopefully someone will cover one of your songs & you'll be rich, famous & satisfied.

There's no doubt that mastering can make a good record, great & a mediocre record, really sing, so don't under estimate it's value. On the most basic level it puts your record through the best bass, treble, mid-range EQ you can imagine, and then saves that marriage. You can make a record better w/ good mastering, you can't save a badly recorded or conceived record. Regarding mastering choices, you simply should match the cost of mastering w/ the cost of the project. Most mastering labs have mastered more than a few records. Listen to them & make you choice based on the sound & how it relates to your record. You wouldn't master a hip-hop record @ a place that usually does country records, simple eh?

If you recorded on pro tools, I would recommend using the pro tools mastering program w/ the engineer who recorded it and save you self the significant cost of mastering. I've found the program is reliable & does a pretty decent job. If it's still doesn't make the record sound as you thought it could, then take it to a mastering lab that masters records similar to yours.

best of luck
and as always, thanks for writing,
JD

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .