Lead singer Sam Cromack spins his wisdom for us in the latest instalment of our Savvy Seven interview series…
1. The best live music venues in my area are…
Black Bear Lodge is a favourite. We have played there over thirty times, although it was known as ‘The Troubadour’ when we visited. It’s a cool place and it holds about 250 people when it’s full. I think the atmosphere is great and it’s the perfect spot for emerging artist to play and hone their craft.
2. The music scene in my hometown is…
Healthy. I think Brisbane caters to a lot of artists. Fortitude Valley is notorious for its nightlife and it contains so many great music venues that it becomes a one-stop shop for punters on most nights of the week. It’s very helpful for emerging artists because a lot more punters can end up at your show by chance. It’s not the coolest place in the world, but it sure is great for seeing live music.
3. My top tip for artists who self-manage is…
It’s been a long time since we managed ourselves but I certainly remember how chaotic it was to be in charge of everything. Non-music aspects of your career can bog you down but you’ve just got to keep on plugging away. I think a lot of artists believe that a business mindset and a creative mindset are mutually exclusive things, but I, personally, disagree. It took me a long time to accept that someone can be good at both. Another piece of advice: don’t go chasing managers. When you’ve got something good happening, they’ll come after you.
4. In my opinion, the most important issue facing the music industry is… (and what do you think would be a good solution?)
I think it’s kinda sad that record sales have shrivelled up so much. I know they’re not coming back. People don’t want CDs. Hell, I don’t want them! Vinyl is beautiful and is an area that is growing, but not to the point of being the industry’s saviour. It means that, for most artists, their primary income has become touring. Don’t get me wrong, I love touring, but I’m not sure if it’s healthy for the arc of someone’s career to be perpetually touring and playing shows. Downtime is a healthy part of the creative process. If there’s no time to reflect – and no money to be made while you’re not touring – it can crush an artist’s spirit and curb their creativity. I think that streaming can *maybe* offer some solid income as that model grows and welcomes more paying subscribers. We’ll have to wait and see.
5. When on the road, my favourite pit stops are…
Cafes! I love coffee and I love breakfast. Often on the road there’s only time for two proper meals; one when you wake and one in the evening between soundcheck and showtime. So yeah, I love hunting good breakfasts spots and splashing more money than I should on my morning feed.
6. My biggest career mistake has been…
Rushing. It’s truly impossible to tell what your life or career may have been like if you’d done things differently, but, in my gut I feel I rushed a lot of things. I feel like I rushed into a lot of relationships, rushed into making records, rushed into presenting our sound/style/image in certain ways. I’m very hard on myself and there’s lots of things I look back on and cringe at. But I also think that those feelings are the same ones that drive me forward and propel me into new things.
7. My best advice for emerging artists is…
Be a sincere artist and work hard.
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