8 Things Young Musicians Should Learn* from David Bowie
* besides how to make awesome music, of course

At the beginning of July, 40 years ago, after a sold-out concert, David Bowie was killing off Ziggy Stardust, the alter-ego that defined his career, a blueprint for dozens of artists, the character that changed the face of music forever. Some called his gesture madness, others called it integrity, we don’t know exactly what Bowie called it, but in an interview he once said “I think he was a very successful character and I think I played him well, but I’m glad I’m me again”.

And Bowie’s life is full of examples like the above-mentioned one, outlining the career of a musician fearlessly chasing his own artistic endeavors. He’s seen good, and he’s seen bad and he has been constantly faced with challenges that can become any young musician’s challenges irrespective of time and place. His career is a sturdy template. You can find out how he dodged delicate issues, how he got stuck and how he managed to keep his artistic integrity.

The following rant is a fan’s investigation into the hours of reading biographies, watching interviews and listening to Ziggy’s father, brother and executioner.

1. Kill them creations when time comes

So, Bowie ‘killed’ Ziggy after one year. You’re probably still a long way till that time will come, but the truth is that what’s good for your manager, colleagues and fans is not necessarily good for you. As creator of your own work, you know better than anyone else when the time to pull the plug and start anew has come. Call it instinct. It’s a fluid, but handy tool. And by all means, wear a dress if you have to.

2. Perseverance

His debut album launched in 1967. In 1969 he hit it pretty big with “Space Oddity”, but it was only two more amazing albums later, in 1972, that he got as big as you could get at the time, with “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. So, never take your toys and leave when something doesn’t work the way you want and when you want it. Bowie tried various styles until he finally got to the place he wanted.Complete dedication to the project can work miracles too. CONTINUE READING

Nashville based rock act The Poor Boys started work on what would become their first EP in the winter of 2011.  The band made a name for themselves for their intense live show in the Nashville rock music scene opening for acts such as Foxy Shazam and Buckcherry. The new album is produced by Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Will Hoge) and frequently perform at Exit/In and 12th and Porter.
Contact: thepoorboys@thepoorboysmusic.com, Nick Ferrara

1) Tree Side – Already Free
2) Darling Parade – Ghost
3) Maddie Jane – A YouTube Sensation
4) Stephanie Skye – Crash & Burn
5) Ashley Allen – Let’s Go
6) Mary Has A Gun – Hypnotized
7) Goodnight Fellows – Hopeless Romance
8) Colour of London – Shine Out

Buzz Track: Hypnotized

Mary Has A Gun who we featured in March has just released a video for the track Hypnotized. There has been a considerable buzz around them over the Internet as they landed in the French Rock magazine “Rock One”. Considered one of the foremost rock bands in France, they were signed on Universal Music France. The band flew to Montreal to record their new full-length album with Canadian producer Luc Tellier. Check out the latest track ‘Hypnotized’ as the band is available for a distribution as well as a promo deal.
Contact: ltellier@gmail.com

Buzz Track: Life Vest

South California-based rockers, The Material have released their brand new video for “Life Vest”. The band owned a spot in Purevolume’s Top 20 Unsigned Bands, headlined the Picture Healing Winter Tour,  performed on Vans Warped Tour and was featured in Alternative Press and Substream Music Press. They racked up over 300,000 purchased downloads and have an extensive catalog of song placements. To date The Material have been heard on everything from the Rock Band video game to television features on WB’s Sorority Forever and MTV’s The Hills, along with the theme song for MTV Australia’s Freshwater Blue.
Contact: thematerialmusic@gmail.com