Assholes

Just got back last night from a few days in Los Angeles...  Whenever I travel, not just to LA, I've noticed that more and more people simply don't have time for anything or anyone, which they perceive to be outside of their current tasks.

For example, on this trip, I was walking along beside a guy near the taxi/shuttle pickup area and asked him a very quick, yes or no, question about the correct area for me to wait for my shuttle...

No reply.

And things like that happened a few times over the course of this trip.

I understand that an airport like LAX has a lot of people who may not speak English.  Or maybe he was deaf.  There are a million reasons he didn't say something back to me, but I thought it was a good reminder to post an important message here...

Don't be an asshole.

And perhaps more important than that, be approachable.  You never know who is around you...especially when you're at an airport.

I get to LA at least every three months.  The last time I was there, I was behind a guy who was having problems with the check-in kiosk.  We started talking and it turned out he was in the music business.  But not just anybody in the music business...he was the manager of a top name rock band and, like me, travels between LA and Nashville on a regular basis.

These are good kinds of connections to have, right?  And they're all around you, every time you travel.

Actually, they're all around you every time you leave your house.

So be approachable...

Thoughts?  Good stories of how you've connected with others in the music business?  Post them here.

By the way, if you're like to "follow" me on my travels and day-to-day stuff, check out my Twitter page.  Not only will you be up-to-date on what I'm up to, you'll also get great examples of marketing that you can use in your music business.

Comments

[Jermaine]

Darn, that was you? So sorry. I thought you said something but I wasn't sure. Next time you come to LA and we meet in an airport, I'm going to say something. Darn. Darn. Darn.

JG :)

[Doak]

David,
Good points! When I moved to Nashville in 2002, there was a birthday party for Harlan Howard. After the event I was a woman trying to get a banner off the stage and the banner was screwed in pretty tight. I told her I would get a stage hand to get a tool to get the banner down for her. I got the stagehand and while waiting for him, The lady and I started talking, turned out that she worked for a publisher and asked me to come in and play some songs for her! Start of a great biz relationship with an open door to wherever she works in the biz as she has heard other songs since that first meeting!
BE NICE!
Doak

[John Essiam]

I once recorded at a studio and they had this receptionist. I was always polite to her but I remember quite a few people being quite rude.

Well , it happens she is now a star in certain countries around the world. She still remembers me and we are quite cool now.

I also know a few people who have really advanced in their careers on the business side. What's my point?

You never know who is going to be the next "big boss" and also;

"Those you meet on the way up,are the same ones you meet on the way down".

Good luck!

[Jagan Ramamoorthy]

I have been traveling quite a lot since the year 2002. That is when I first landed in the US, after the tragedies of 9/11. My life also changed dramatically after that event, as it did for many thousands I am sure.
But, anyway-- I have been traveling both inside US and back and forth between US and India, frequently to say the least. I have had many experiences in my trips, I am fortunate to have met several good to great people as Co-passengers or just idle passengers waiting for their delayed flights at the lounges, airports and Hotels. One particular experience is a very touching one. As I was going to Cincinnati, around 2004 December, I reached LAX and was immediately told there by a Co Passenger "Today there is an Amber terror alert, so beware ofyour surroundings" I was soon to be given a Boarding Pass with a "Very Discriminatory X Mark on it being an Asian, of Indian origin--no no, I am not a Muslim, I am Hindu" But anyway, to cut the cynicism, I passed through my special line, security checked and then was to pass through a Final screening, It was HEAVY that day, I must tell you. They were searching for everything, anything they could lay their hands upon. The TSA official at the other side, opened my Violin case and he then spotted a neatly pasted Picture of my Mentor/Guru and myself as a young boy. And all he did was this:
"Oh he is a Violin maestro, Let him go--there is nothing to check in his bags, I am sure" That showed me, even during such a time, when Terrorism was quite real, there were people like him, who knew whom to respect and allow through a security point w/o hassle at all. I still offered to him "You can do your duty by checking everything, please" He smiled at me, I remember him, he was tall and bespectacled and he said "No worries, Sir, you have a Nice flight"
I had a Terrible experience only in my Trip from Bucharest to LAX via PAris, Air France--That was my Worst Experience in my travels and I will not want to even dwell in those thoughts and energize such things.
Air France officials are terrible, from my experience. The sweetest crew and MOST efficient are (In this order)
1.Singapore Airlines
2. Swiss Airways
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Emirates
5. Malaysian Airlines
6 Air India
7. Air Canada
8. Lufthansa
9. North West
10. Delta (They always lost or misplaced my bags)
Have fun, Jagan Ramamoorthy, www.spundana.org

[Dana from Serious Vanity Music]

Back in the late 90's, I was in a group with the then-bassist for Duran Duran (John Taylor's replacement). I used to travel out to LA quite a bit from Kansas City, and I enjoyed the opportunity to get a glimpse of the occasional b-lister (don't think I ever spotted an a-lister*!) grabbing a coffee or passing by me at the airport. I can't say I ever had a bad experience with anyone, famous or not, that I came across in LA.

I think it has to do with mindset, too, though. I was so incredibly positive and happy to be there, I doubt I could even SEE people who weren't resonating that same vibe!

*(And, just to add to the first story, I DID eventually get to meet the a-list then-members of Duran Duran but it wasn't in LA. John Taylor later added to a project I produced, so, having produced a Duran Duran tribute CD, I got to go full circle in my fandom. I wish everyone the same opportunity to have a great experience with their idols!).

[Doris Hays]

Ah yes, I am acqainted with the species- I recently wrote 4 gospel songs and took them around the corner from where I live to a minister to get his take on the songs. I thought he might be impressed with my work since he is a minister and these songs are about the lord. I went to church the next sunday thinking he might give me a clue as to what he thought of them, he said they were still on his desk that he didn't have time- so my point you never know where you might find an a-------.

[Johnny O. Nelson]

This is along story but I’ll try to hit the highlights so you get the point.
Just before 9-11, I noticed that Solomon Burke was playing at The Waterfront Blues Festival (Portland, OR) and, since I had never seen the “King of Rock & Soul’ perform, told my girlfriend, Brooks, that we needed to go! We stayed at a hotel right next to the festival sight. We were so impressed at the Saturday evening show by the ‘royal’ way Solomon commanded the stage and the dignity he bestowed on his band members, we agreed that should we ever decide to get married, he would be the one to find to perform the ceremony! ( He is a Bishop of a large non-denominational church group). On the following day, Sunday, we were leaving our hotel room to go to Solomon’s special Gospel show at the festival stage. We happened to walk up to an open elevator and there was Solomon Burke, in all his splendor, waiting in the open elevator. We tried to give him his privacy but he asked us to join him for the ride down to the lobby. After some very brief introductions, he shocked me by asking me to join him on-stage to sing with him. I had never mentioned that I was a musician!!
We proceeded to the show and, to our surprise, Solomon called for me to come up onto the stage after about 20 minutes.
We sang a gospel song together and as I was gracefully exiting he asked me to stay up there with him for the rest of the set. Part of his show was to celebrate the re-affirmation of wedding vows for any couples in the audience that wished to do so......and hundreds took part! As the segment was winding down, he happened to ask me “How long have you and you wife been married?” I replied, “We’ve been together for five years but we’re not married.” Solomon immediately scouted the audience, found Brooks and told her to come up on stage....there was going to be a wedding!!
Talk about sychronicity!!!!.....Brooks and I were suddenly on the fast track to having Solomon Burke as the preacher at our wedding. The ceremony was witnessed by thousands at the show, heard by thousands more as it was broadcast over Portland radio and documented for all time by
photographers and videographers!!
We’ve all gone on to be fast friends, I performed as a singer in Solomon’s band at some wonderful shows ( including as opener for the Rolling Stones at the Wiltern Theatre in L.A.) And, he started to produce an album for me as an artist but his own Grammy winning album that next year and newly revived career took his attentions back to where they really belonged, as one of the greatest and most soulful singers of all time!!
Next time you get in an elevator with somebody....smile and be gracious!!

[Nomocarr]

We appreciate you taking the time out of your bizzy schedule to inform us on how to take our careers farther and to basically not make a fool of ourselves in the industry or in life, period! thanks a milli;;; p.s. My Otha Brothaz ENT.

[Happy Ron Hill]

I heard Jerry Heller, former manager of NWA, use the expression NAA (No Assholes Allowed)and it's amazing how consistent this philosophy has been given out to me by people in the know. An extension of that is to treat everyone around you with respect, cause you never know who might be able to help you.
One of my goals has always been to appear on South Park in Cartoon form and sing one of my songs. I say that frequently during my sets cause it fits my comedy style. A few weeks back I was playing the back room of a bar in front of 15 people most of whom have seen play dozens of times and most knew that I wanted to be on South Park. I mentioned that and some good friends of mine, who apparently had never heard me say that before, said "well you know we know one of the co-producers of south park" and they are going to get my Cd to that person.
I used to think that it was impossible to make an important biz connection in San Diego at midnight at the back of a bar, not anymore.
Every show matters. Every person matters