Once members of a group decide that they can’t stand to be in the same room as each other, the magic stops and the money dries up. Yet the music machine ultimately depends on a small group of talented individuals working closely together to create something magical. Bands such as Coldplay or Kings of Leon operate sophisticated corporate machines that are responsible for multiple revenue streams at a recent conference, Metallica’s drummer spoke about the importance of using the right customer-engagement software. Rock groups are mini-corporations (some of them not so mini). The notion that bands should make music for the love of it was always romantic and now seems positively quaint. (Imagine being the HR director for the Stones – the paperwork!) But the dynamics of an incident like this are familiar to anyone who has ever felt compelled to request that their boss get over themselves. Of course, there aren’t many offices in which the principals take industrial quantities of artificial stimulants and launch themselves into fistfights. But by calling Watts my drummer, Jagger had upset the delicate balance of deference and respect that sustains the relationships between co-workers in any workplace. It was Jagger who commanded stages around the world and took responsibility for the band’s major business decisions. Watts was the drummer, and Jagger was the leader, or co-leader, of the band. It is easy to forget that they, too, are subject to office politics. Rock stars sometimes seem to exist in a completely different world to our own. He seizes Jagger and shouts “Never call me your drummer again,” and delivers a sharp right hook to the singer’s chin. It is Watts, dressed in one of his Savile Row suits, freshly shaved and cologned. Twenty minutes later, there’s a knock at the door. Jagger and Richards have a few more drinks. He picks up the phone, calls Watts’s room and says, “Where’s my drummer?” There is no response from the other end of the line. Jagger decides that he wants to see Charlie Watts, who has already gone to bed.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |