Gaping Void writes…
...take two well-known airlines. They both perform a useful service. They both deliver value. They both cost about the same to fly to New York or Hong Kong. Both have nice Boeings and Airbuses. Both serve peanuts and drinks. Both serve “airline food”. Both use the same airports. But one airline has friendly people working for them, the other airline has surly people working for them. One airline has a sense of fun and adventure about it, one has a tired, jaded business-commuter vibe about it. Guess which one takes the human dimension of their business more seriously than the other? Guess which one still will be around in twenty years? Guess which one will lose billions of dollars worth of shareholder value over the next twenty years? What parallels do you see in your own industry? In your own company?
Why haven’t artists figured this out yet? Radio hits, big tours, record label publicists and good hair will only get you so far for so long. So here’s a radical idea: Get human.
Care about the people who buy your music and come to your shows and read your web site enough to:
Add content to your site: Update the thing and do it often.
Answer your own mail: Answer every question. Even if none is asked, hit “reply” and say “thank you.” Treat every fan the way you’d want to be treated if you wrote your favorite artist.
Hang out: Unless it’s absolutely logistically impossible, hang out after your show and - I know this sounds crazy - talk to the people who paid to see you. Sign stuff. Take pictures with them. Ask their names. Listen. Pray. Hang out. Be in the flesh what you are on silicon.
Ditch the set list: Respond like a person when a cell phone rings in your concert or someone shouts a question or comment or request. Engage. You don’t have to follow the plan you have written on that piece of paper by the monitor and bottles of water. You can laugh at your mistakes. You can play “Freebird” when they yell for it. You’re the boss. You’re in charge and you can’t be fired for not following your own rules. Lighten up.
Take off the sun glasses: Seriously. You’re not Bono. And even Bono looks pretty goofy walking around in shades all day. And while you’re at it, ditch the expensive jeans and shoes too. I know it’s marketing - the thought being that you should look like mortals can’t so that mortals will want to be you but settle instead for a piece of you in the form of a CD or t-shirt. That’s bull. What your “image” does is set you apart from the audience to the point that they can’t relate to you. They don’t wear eye liner to the office. They don’t spend $350 on jeans. So stop it. You look silly.
Work: Everyone else does. What makes you so special? Help stack chairs after the show. Carry your own guitar case and luggage and maybe even someone else’s too. Don’t be above the rest of us by being above labor.
Get human.
Ryan G said:
Good post.
euphrony said:
Shaun,
One of the reasons I started reading your blog, etc. was because of how human you are. You honestly interact with people and do so in a great way and do a great thing. Thanks for your accessibility.
Brody Harper said:
but.. but… i look ... cool in .. sunglasses.... don’t I?
Shaun Groves said:
Not without the leather pants. It’s an ensemble, Brody. One without the other is like Smitty without the lights.
said:
Shaun,
I was thinking MWS all through this blog. While I love his music (and his very blue eyes), he’s very expensive to see in concert and even when you get a “meet and greet,” it lasts about 2 minutes, tops. I’ve had many people tell me how nice and “down to earth” he is, but it’s a mystery to me how they’d know.
I was really struck by what happened at the church when you were here last time. When Scott and the kids showed up, Mackenzie walked down the aisle and said “Hi Shaun.” She was greeting a friend, not a “super star.” Dinner was not a catered, stuffy affair, but time spent with friends (and a lot of enchiladas!). Don’t ever change that aspect of what you do. The human aspect is priceless and will always be what continues to set you apart. I’m curious to see how the artists on the cruise react to fans and others. Will they hybernate? Hide? Stay among their peers the whole time? I hope not. I’m at least counting on meeting Becky and Kristen and hanging out to discuss some church history and other “light” stuff.
Beth
said:
This post is great! It brings back memories of when you came to NC and I had no idea how to act. Was dinner good enough? Should I talk to him? Should I eat with him? So many questions. I have read your blog long enough to know how hysterical those questions really are. Being “you” makes your teaching and music much more appealing.
Keep up the good work!!!
said:
Spot on, Shaun. Speaking as a fan, all of these things are extraordinarily important. You might be able to sum up that list with one word - humility.
shaunfan said:
Great post Shaun. I agree with the other comments that you personify this kind of artist which seems to be a rarity which is why I’m a “fan” of you, although I listen to and collect just about everyone (I’m a bit of a music junkie).
One of my favorite concerts ever was The Hooters at Chestnut Cabaret in Philadelphia where I stood next to Eric Bazilian (guy who wrote “One of Us” by Joan Osborne and “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper) during the opening act (some soloist) and then he stepped right on stage after standing next to me and rocked a 300 person venue for 2 hours interacting with us the whole time. That was in 1993 and it feels like yesterday. I’m still in their fan club as a result of that experience.
I also met David Uosikken (the drummer) in 1985 before I saw them the first time as a 14 year old and they had just released “And We Danced”.