I guess it has been a while since Rockstar Mom has posted. There is so much to tell. The journey from knowing nothing to knowing a little bit has been fun. Some high level points:
Rock music is sort of a free form guild system, an association of craftspeople (ie, musicians), with apprentices (the least informed), craftsmen (skilled) and journeymen (the masters).
For young bands, it is GREAT to find a high-level journeyman to pass down the knowledge. It is hard to find this journeyman, but it can be done!
Most people find this way of learning the music trade very strange. They are used to going to classes, ie, conservatory classes, or drama classes, or some other sort of classes with a reputation and prestige. There are then set times to perform, ie, a fall musical or a concert. When this isn't readily available for rock musicians, involved parents founder. Or they look for some program that seems close, ie, Powerchord Academy.
For parents who think kids should learn everything on their own and they shouldn't be involved -- well, let's just say the amount of knowledge that a teenager has to consume and execute in order for a band to be successful, plus do their homework, go to school, etc., learn their instruments, and practice, is well nigh impossible. Think of school concerts or community plays -- the more conventional experiences of teens. These events are put on by a team of people who find the hall, do the publicity, create order, direct, do sound, etc. For a teen band, they have to do all these things plus write their own music, etc.
In future posts, I'll review PowerChord Academy from a parent perspective versus the guild or mentoring method. I'll talk about publicity. I'll talk about booking. And I'll ask for advice because no matter how many books you read, no matter how many people you talk to, you realize that you don't know anything about this industry.
