Chapter 1 – The beginning

Hello, and welcome aboard. This blog – How not to be a rock star is the story of how I came to leave my rat-infested student house, and sign with a major record label. It’s a humorous and humbling tale – from awkward showcases in New York, video shoots in the bath to songwriting with the big leagues in LA.

Just to clarify, this is not a bitter tale, it is not an attack on the world of major labels, and nor am I suggesting it’s not a good route for some people. I decided to write about my particular journey ultimately because I think it’s an entertaining story worth telling, and it may prove quite insightful in the hands of serious musicians starting out in the business – had I read it before I started out, perhaps things would have turned out differently, perhaps not. Either way I wouldn’t change a thing. It was an epic adventure, and I met some wonderful souls along the way. The experience also shaped me musically; the writers and producers I was lucky enough to worked alongside taught me how to hone my craft, and for that I’m eternally grateful.

As the story progresses I’ll be sharing some of the music I created along the way – it’s not representative of the music I make today, but you will hear the various stages of ‘artistic development’ for yourself.

So fill your glass, and thanks for reading.

JM x