What should you let people in on in the interview?
Should you be like Jack White?
Or Katy Perry?
What part of your personality holds the mystery about you?
Is mystery cool?
Is being an open book better?
Can open books be mysterious?
I ask all these things, but I really really really want you watch this video…a 24 second clip from the directors cut of Almost Famous. Your free lesson.
Maybe the best thing about this movie is that…everyone who likes this movie, loves this movie.
And everyone who loves this movie, loves when they find someone else who loves this movie.
There is instant connection. They’re in on the jokes, the story, the sweetness, the characters, the quotable quotes.
Jimmy the talent, Lenny the fool, Faye, Guy the smart one, Mr White….and of course, T.B. Player.
This movie, about a rock band, created the thing that all bands aspire to create.
It figured out what story it wanted and needed to tell, and told it in a way that we wanted to watch again and again.
(That last sentence is important, probably worth reading again.)
If you’re looking for a even more That Thing You Do, go grab the deluxe version on DVD and watch the directors cut. It’s about 35 minutes longer and has some fantastic new scenes.
After The Wonders play the Hollywood Television Showcase and the fallout afterwards, it cuts to a scene in the recording studio.
Again, an amazing scene with great dialogue.
But watching this scene when I was a kid, there was a line I always wondered about.
When Jimmy quits and walks out of the studio and it’s apparent there won’t be any recording, the fill-in bass player, Scott Pell (i.e. Wolfman), says he’s gonna take off for the day too.
As Wolfman is walking out, Mr. White says,
“You’re a good man, Scott Pell. Give me a call later on in the week. We’ll do something.”
I always wondered, hypothetically, did Scott Pell call, and if he did, did Mr. White answer, and if Mr. White answered, did they actually do something?
I bring this up for one very obvious reason.
Of course they didn’t get together. Why? Because in the music business people say “Give me a call later on in the week, we’ll do something” but what they really mean is “This conversation is ending, and I need to look like I care”.
If you say you’re going to call, call.
If you invite someone to call, answer.
If you answer the call and you set something up, follow through.
After The Oneders win the Mercyhurst talent show, of course a guy like THAT would walk on to the actual stage to ask the band to play at his “spaghetti place out by the airport”.
If you’ve ever started a band, something like this has happened. And of course, you take the gig, as you should.
Cut to The Oneders playing the beautiful ballad, All My Only Dreams, at the restaurant, Villapiano’s.
When the song is finished, there’s some golf-clapping, and then someone shouts an incredibly defining and important line from the back of the club…
“WE CAME HERE TO MEET GIRLS AND DANCE…AND WE CAN’T MEET GIRLS UNTIL WE DANCE!!!!”
The band fires up the hit, the dancing commences.
Oh if every band could be so lucky. For a fans to yell (unknowingly) in great phycological detail their specific purpose for coming to your show.
You might not have the good fortune of this being delivered to you like a script from a Hollywood movie.
But if you start asking the questions, the answers have probably already begun revealing themselves.
The scene with manager Phil Horace (wearing shorts and tall black socks) in the camper, where he offers to be The Oneders manager and have them sign the paper work. Amazing.
Phil Horace: I’ve found that a hit record is like a stew. All the ingredients have to cook together just right. Otherwise it’s just soup.
(skip some lines)
Jimmy: I’m not sure about this.
Phil: It’s a standard management contract. It says if I do my job, you guys make money.
(skip some lines)
Jimmy: I don’t know. I’m reluctant to sign anything that has to do with my music.
Lenny: What! Are you crazy?! A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio! Give me a pen, I’m signing, you’re signing, we’re all signing.
I love this entire scene so much, so many subtle music business-isms creep in. And it’s hilarious.
But just a couple things.
If you find yourself in a “really nice camper” (or the equivalent) being offered a deal, and the crazy aloof guitar player (or the equivalent) is spear heading the charge , slow down. Wise council is worth every penny and worth the extra time it takes to get it.
Whether it’s a lawyer, manager, business manager, get trusted, wise direction. Even if you have to pay for it.
The Wonders lucked out. But if a guy from Eerie, PA (or the equivalent) shows up at your next gig promising you the moon, you probably won’t be so lucky.
“I’m reluctant to sign anything that has to do with my music.” This is a fear-based, overly general attitude to adopt.
Why be reluctant if it’s a good deal? Why be reluctant if you get what you want? What’s the point to holding on to 100% ownership if you’re making zero dollars? Better to own 1% of something making $100.
And when you succeed, you want others to be succeeding with you. Because in life, you don’t want to be lonely (even in success), that’s one of our deep fears.
You don’t need to be reluctant, you need to be educated. You need to be interested and intentional.
