Im really not impressed with credentials of any sort, .......I do what I do for the last 40 yrs, support my family and like to keep a low profile...no need to toot my horn...I let my fans do that....

If your happy in the way you make a living thats great....if not choose another road...
have a ball out there.

"What could you do to stand out in a crowd and make perspective paying clients say "WOW" I have to have these guys!!!!"

Take my clothes off??



roflol

TP

Easy question Tom--just play what the audience wants to hear and play it well. You'll end up with more work than you can handle.

Merry Christmas old friend,

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

Aloha,

I want to thank you all for your great insights and sharing your knowledge with me. When you come to Hawaii (Oahu) the MaiTai's are on me!!

May I offer a little background, a little insight of my own and ask a few more questions?

I've been in R&R since I was 14 when I roadied for my brother who was playing with Mytch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. Been in bands forever (including one whose members later formed 'The Romantics') mostly as a front man and singer and later some Rhy. Guitar and later still keys and now (due to neccesity) as a OMB. Played on the same bill with a few biggies like America, Wille Nealson, Bob Seger, GFRR, and once played a party for the cast of Miami Vice! Through the years I've also been an actor (national TV commericals, films, TV) and on-air radio personality (Mom sez I have the perfect face for radio!!) as well as a writer for music and A/V production magazines and WWW sites. Stand up commedian grad of the SF School of Comedy (Robin Williams, Sinbad, etc.) RIA certified recording engineer and a degreed telecommunications professional. Have played it seems like every dive from one end of this great land to another... but also got luckly and was a 'headliner' and opening act on Cruise ships, USO and in Vegas. So as background you can see I've been around a little... Anyway about 4-5 years ago I was doing a gig in London and afterwards we went to this pub and there I saw my first OMB. I was hooked... No more fooling with musicians who can't read or follow directions, spliting the check, playing what others want, etc. etc. So after 9/11 my 1 year contract with cruise line was canceled as they went belly up and so I decided to move to Hawaii (have worked for Amer. Hawaii Cruises in the past and have had a place on Maui to detox after a gig for years) and Oahu.

I love Hawaii (as I'm a water person) but it has effectively killed my 25 year plus music career. (I've only ever held a 9-5 once for about 4-5 years). In the last 3 years I've had maybe 25 gigs... mostly parties and a few bars. (this will be the 2nd time in 20 years that I don't havea NYE gig and frankly I don't know what to do with myself...) As for 'island' music... ever heard 'slack key'? Almost all the bands here play the same style of 'local' music which is a cross between Reagae and Hawaiian and sorry but I'd rather sit in the garage and play with myself than play that. At the same time _every_ time I've played folks have been impressed (at least that what they said). I do a wide variety of tunes from Sinatra to the Stones but only a handfull of hawaiian and ragae (sorry but that music is the only music other than perhaps arabic that does not speak to me) tunes.

I guess I fall into the 'Entertainer' area... as yes I think we are there to entertain them and put on a show and yes I think that (at night in bars and dance venues) does call for a little flash (threads, lights, etc.) and I feel it also calls for some communication with the audience. Too many don't. I tell some jokes, intro the tunes an talk about the music, make fun of some news or someone in the audience... as well as sing tunes that sound as good or better than the original artists. I have spent 3 years seqenceing and arrangeing tunes for my voice, style, etc. and I play keys on top... sometimes add a guitar player and/or a drummer. But my #1 is I'm a singer first, then a KB player, then a comic. And the upshot is it all sounds great and everyone has a fun time.

So why am I unloading all this...
well I need your advice and I guess just to comisserate.

I've created a great demo CD, dynomite brochure, full color biz cards, web site, MP3's... I'd welcome any constructive cretique on.

I can get the materials out there but;
• having a hard time getting it into the right hands

• have a hard time following up (as I guess I'm affraid of rejection and I'm a s&%ty negotiator which is why I've always had a good agent).

• Ever been to Hawaii or lived here? When you live here as a newcommer there's a definte anti-haole (anti-white) bent to many. So I've dealt a little with that and some have let me know in no uncertain terms that the 'Aloha' is for the tourists and that they "no need no classic rock haole boy play here".
That said when I played in Waikiki the tourists LOVE ME and are glad to take a break from 'local' music. I had a great gig at a club there but the Music Mgr. there who had promised me a regular gig after I worked the hoildays... gave the gig to 2 friends of his. (so what else is new?)Some, not all and not most, are like the old song sez 'they smile in your face ahhhh the backstabbers' and can be very passive agressive. Oh well the weather is gorgous
as is swiming in the ocean every day!

Sooooooo maybe I should just consider buying or starting a club? Done it twice before on small scale and Tony has a great point. If you are going to work that hard might as well do it for yourself! Has anyone any advice on it. I have an awesome biz plan,
name and idea and even some funding... anyone wanna be my partner?

I guess the other thing that's hard is after being so lucky all these years so see that its come to me playing for $50 and tips at a local place is a bit hard to deal with. But I've always said "The music is its own reward!" Maybe i should just give up... which is the first time I've ever felt that way. I'm turning 50 and started when I was 15 so that ain't a bad run... and I never went to rehab nor declared bankrupcy so...

The other thing about being a OMB is this... Just last night I played at a local coffee house and heard this;
"Is he really playing and singing?"
(I always play a solo piano piece when I hear this)
As for singing... well in the past I've made it my business to sound just like the original artists (think Danny Gains at the Mirrage) but in the past say 5 years have worked on my own style (folks swear that I must be black... on the inside... as I sing soulfully sort of like music you'll hear in the movie
"The Committments")
Or you'll here...
"How is he able to play all those insturments at the same time?"
Q: Is there an easy way to explain ot address what we do either verbally or in a printed sentence or two?

Lastly... any advice? Getting the gig is not as easy as it seems is it no matter if its paradise or the streets of Detroit?

OK I'm back to baking Xmas cookies!

Thanks for listening to an ol' Rock and Roll war horse like me and...
Happy Holidays!

Tom www.tompatrick.com
reelcom1@earthlink.net

PS: I have not participated as well as I should or could here at SZ and that was due to a conflict with someone who is now gone (and has connections here in the islands) so in 2007 I hope to share my mano (knowledge) as well as learn from yours. I'm also the former Editor @ Large for Singer & Musician Magazine. A great resource... http://www.singermagazine.com
and Onstage Magazine http://www.onstage.com
And I am starting a new publication you'll be interested in!
I will post a recent article I wrote on OMB and I welcome your thoughts!

Also sorry for my spelling

S&M has changed its web site to: http://www.ilivetoplay.net

Here's some of my stuff FWIW:
http://www.ilivetoplay.net/index.cfm?siteid=120&itemcategory=26936&priorId=0&pid=26930
http://www.ilivetoplay.net/index.cfm?siteid=120&itemcategory=26948&priorId=0&pid=26930

TP123, how much does a beer cost in Hawaii? Do they ever have a cover charge? If so, how much is it? Curious... I would think the standard of living is at least twice as much as where I am... actually, probably more than that.

------------------
Bill
SmallGig.com

Hi,
Like anywhere it depends on the place but anywhere from $3-4 to special brands at $6-8. Some clubs have cover ($5-20) but most have miragted to free and jacking the drink and food prices a bit to try to get folks in the seats. The real problem is a lack of clubs supporting live Classic Rock, Blues and Country.
There was a place called 'Lewer's St.' and then Outrigger did a hugh construction project that is due to be done late next year... on that St. were 3-4 clubs that had A) a place big enough and then B) have ClasRocBluCty music. Additionally there are the many clubs that have Jazz, reggae and hawaiian OR worse yet DJ's and Karaoke is also popular. (Why is it anyone and everyone thinks they can sing well?) And yes there are the late hours but there's nothing quite like havin an audience in your palm and/or packed and jammin on da dance floor!
Its a great feeling when someone comes up at the end of the night sweat dripping from their brow gives me a nice big tip and sex "man dat was fun!".
Ya know?
So my real problem is perhaps like you I'm addicted to performing and would do it for free... but don't tell them that! And to be fair I have met some truly incrediable people who truly are 'Aloha' so that makes the disappointments worthwhile. (With this latest shaft from a club I felt like that guy in Animal House who looking at his wrecked car is told "Face it Bluto you F&^%ed up... you trusted us!")
Yes the cost of living is about 40% more than the bay area of Cali. but I got tired of not being able to swim in the ocean! And the sunsets are spectacular.
But who knows maybe someday soon.... We'll have the first annual (ok 2nd as Tony down Mexico way is first! SZ Jam in Hawaii at my new club which will have every kind of music OTHER than reggae and hawaiian. Just a little grass shake somewhere by a bay where we'll play great tunes and dance the night away under clear hawaiian skies... damn that sounds like a song right there!
Happy holidaze
T

Tom...
I am really enjoying your posts. Thanks for the links to the articles you have written. You are a real showman.
Eddie

Why is it folks don't think what OMB's do is real music?

The public is infected with a DJ mentality plain & simple!