Dear Musical Peeps,

On various forums in the past few months (including the one about Sonar dying) I have seen various people comment something to the effect: “Well, a lot of people who are upset are just old people, we all have to learn to recognize the changing times, people aren’t really playing guitar and keyboards anymore, we are just a dying breed of dinosaurs, music is evolving,” etc. etc.

Well, I really think that sometimes it does not hurt to sit back and look the music industry squarely in the eye so you don’t go insane. If you are writing anything even vaguely musical you should be proud of yourself and it doesn’t matter if you are 80 years old. Or 110.

I am not saying anything here to be negative towards the music industry in any way, as odd at that might seem—I am only trying to shine the light of realism in the hall of smoke and mirrors. And I am only saying what I am saying to songwriters as a way of encouraging everyone, no matter how young or old, to “stick to your guns.”

We should always try and learn from others, but generally speaking, I have found most criticism or evaluation of music that comes from those in it for the money (i.e. the “professionals”) to be a complete and utter waste of time. If you have written a great song you will know it. It is that simple.

I have a very specific example to describe the total state of chaos in the commercial music industry, as I have seen it, as an example of why you should be profoundly careful about the kind of advice you take, as an artist, and what you take to heart, as a creator.

Not too many years ago, I helped a much younger friend with a music project in Nashville by co-writing a lot of the songs. My young friend is 100 times better than me, and I have often compared him to Mozart. He can write six part harmonies in his head and sing them perfectly on the first take, part by part, with no practice beforehand. Some of his stuff, to me, is on the same level as Paul McCartney and Paul McCartney is one of my all-time heroes.

So, we go to Nashville and record an album with one of the top Christian rock producers, who is very well connected. I got a chance to play with some of Nashville’s top session musicians. What I heard at the end of the sessions was jaw dropping—I thought what my friend had created was as good as a modern day Abbey Road. The music was simply stunning. One of the musicians on the project had played with Tom Petty. He said: “Man, this is some of the best stuff I have ever heard.”

Then the band did a showcase for some major labels. I thought for sure my friend was going to get signed to a five album deal, and so did the producer, who has discovered numerous famous people I won’t mention.

But what the label reps said to the producer afterwards was this (basically), and I am not joking:

“They’re too old and they’re too fat.”

No one in the group was “fat” and the oldest member was 25. Most were between 19 and 22.

I stuck around to hear the next group that came in. I could not tell if they were boys or girls. They must have weighed about 110 pounds max. I was told they were boys but they were wearing what appeared to be a woman’s size 1. The music was horrible. My daughter played better than the keyboard player when she was three years old. But they had nice shiny flat bangs. Great hair. And pointy shoes. The labels were ecstatic.

I will never forget that as long as I live. The same night we went to the Dove Awards. I thought I was going to get sick. I am a church going man myself, but I swear I would rather have spent the night with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, or maybe Iggy Pop back in the day.

So my personal take is that there is no such thing as “too old.” If you are 101 years old and you are writing great music I personally am begging to hear it. Dying to hear it as a matter of fact.

Also, if you ever have the thought “Gee, maybe my stuff isn’t good enough for commercial music” then you should be elated.

Being “not good enough for commercial” doesn’t mean you don’t have what it takes. More than likely, it probably just means you are great. Keep going!!! The world needs you!!!

Those are a few thoughts and observations for my peeps as we move into a New Year of hit writing here on the Forum.

David Snyder
Songwriter/Renaissance Man
Studio + Fingers

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