Monday, December 15, 2014

Donny Brown Interview

This blog is a little bit different from most of my posts because I wanted to share how the professional musician lifestyle is different than the normal desk job and post an interview with Donny Brown (the drummer of The Verve Pipe. The Verve Pipe has the 90's radio hit single "The Freshmen."

Why did you choose this career?
I wasn't qualified to do anything else. It fell into my lap, and I became decent enough that people were willing to pay.

What personality traits are important for this career?
You have to be able to go with the flow, because things don't go as planned and you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Things like sickness, and weather conditions.

How many hours do you work in a typical week?
A good 50 to 60 hours. During a project, there is more work to be done and there is usually a resting period after a project is over.

Are certain times of the year busier than others?
Absolutely. Summer is touring season with outdoor gigs. Recording usually happens in the winter.

What do you like best about your job?
I like creating something and giving it's own life.

What don't you like about your job?
When I was in a band in the 80s, the money I made then is the same amount now. The pay for musicians has stayed the same.

What advice would you give to someone pursuing this career?
Um, I would just tell them to learn. Take it as it comes. Roll with the punches. More than anything - concentrate on being good - writing good music.

How does you job affect your time away from work?
What you are a full time musician, you job becomes you identity.

What changes do you see in this area within the next 10 years?
I would hope there would be, uh... that there might be better pay. Pay for original music has dwindled.

See "The Freshmen" Music Video:


No comments:

Post a Comment