Bassist Brian Wheat of Tesla was recently interviewed by Amy Harris of The Travel Addict. Wheat shared some valuable advice for young musicians trying to make it in the music industry.
In the interview, he said, “My advice is that you create a brand, that your band or solo project is a brand and you’ve got to go out and you’ve got to play to the people. I try to keep everybody grounded in reality about what the music business has evolved into. I mean, today I’m in the t-shirt and ticket business. ”
Wheat acknowledged the changing landscape of the music industry and advised that aspiring musicians should not rely solely on music sales. “There’s not a lot of young artists making money off selling music because with these streaming platforms, they’re not getting paid like I did.”
He also emphasized the importance of building a loyal fan base by connecting with the audience and staying true to the music. “If you connect and you’re true to what you do, because people have very good bullsh*t detectors, those fans will stick with you.”
In addition, Wheat cautioned against getting married too young and starting a family before establishing a stable income in the music industry. “Life’s going to kick in and you’re going to have to support that kid and that wife or you’re going to have to make so much money to pay a mortgage or whatever the case is.”
Overall, Wheat’s advice for young musicians is to focus on building a brand and connecting with the audience, while being aware of the challenges of making a living in the music industry. “You gotta pay your dues if you want to sing the blues and you know it don’t come easy.”