No drug, drinking or mental problems?

Hi everyone!

So I've been wondering for some time how various artists signs major deals when they're at the same time, publicly speaking about their drug or drinking problems?

I've once heard that in order to better your position when dealing with labels etc. you should come off as low a risk to them as possible.

I see the logic in nobody wanting to work with a musician totally dependent/hooked on different substances because they come off as unreliable... but then again there's a lot of musicians out there who's actually using their substance abuse as a brand for themselves, and they got a successful career, signed to a major label etc....
The musicians I'm talking about do release a lot of music, tour and build their fanbase, but what I'm wondering is this:

How did they ever convince labels, bookers etc. that they we're the ones to work with?

also, if you walk into the office of a label CEO and present yourself as a person who doesn't drink, do drugs or have any mental issues to struggle with, aren't you going to seem a bit uninteresting? Ain't it sort of easier to promote/sell a mess than a complete saint?
I mean, don't we take an interest to different musicians because they are in some way NOT saints, but got so much "screwed-up-ness" surrounding them? smile.gif


thank you so much for any responses and for taking the time

have a great day!


Regards,

Mark Harboe

Can you give a case in point of an artist actively marketing himself on the basis of his addictions? I can think of many who had addiction issues, some of which might have appealed to a certain limited demographic, but none that I can recall off hand making an active platform of addiction as a selling point.

I can't see a business investor considering an addict a good risk. They might manage to capitalize on it for a while (turn the PR slant to that demographic and all), but they'd surely be hedging against the day the addict either OD'd or Epiphonied.

So, are you trying to decide if you should go in wearing a tie, or totally fu'd? :D

Originally Posted by: RazboCan you give a case in point of an artist actively marketing himself on the basis of his addictions? I can think of many who had addiction issues, some of which might have appealed to a certain limited demographic, but none that I can recall off hand making an active platform of addiction as a selling point.

I can't see a business investor considering an addict a good risk. They might manage to capitalize on it for a while (turn the PR slant to that demographic and all), but they'd surely be hedging against the day the addict either OD'd or Epiphonied.

So, are you trying to decide if you should go in wearing a tie, or totally fu'd? :D

Yeah the only one I can think of right now (also the clearest example) is a rapper named Wiz Khalifa. He's known for smoking tons of weed and mentions it in almost every song. I've seen him at business meetings actually lighting up one right on the spot... and I'm just wondering how a guy like that lands a deal with Atlantic Records?

haha yeah I was kinda wondering how I should approach a potential meeting.. as a total saint or as a junkie with a bad ass career :P

Originally Posted by: Mark HarboeI mean, don't we take an interest to different musicians because they are in some way NOT saints, but got so much "screwed-up-ness" surrounding them? smile.gif

hell, if that were true I'd be freakin' rich :p

j/k ;)

but I think it goes with the job description 'booze/drugs are an interesting topic for a musician's image', but it's certainly never the main item of interest, I for instance wouldn't find a rock-musician quite as interesting when he's a total saint but then again it has to fit with the image

guess it's all about branding

Originally Posted by: Mark HarboeYeah the only one I can think of right now (also the clearest example) is a rapper named Wiz Khalifa. He's known for smoking tons of weed and mentions it in almost every song. I've seen him at business meetings actually lighting up one right on the spot... and I'm just wondering how a guy like that lands a deal with Atlantic Records?

haha yeah I was kinda wondering how I should approach a potential meeting.. as a total saint or as a junkie with a bad ass career :P

Never heard of him. But then I think it is a stretch to call a rapper a musician anyway. :D

I was thinking more along the lines of manufactured and truly addictive drugs, like meth, heroin, etc.. I would not personally consider someone smoking weed to be doing something particularly life-altering. That's pretty low on the Drug Monster scale. IMO, anyway.

Boy would I like to look like Keith Richards and be rich...
jk...Gordon

The rich part maybe. I think Keith & Ozzy made pacts with the devil. :eek: