This is why music artists were different in the analog days 

Thanks, Tony. I'm going to risk going off on my own tirade here, but at least part of what I perceive you as saying seems to relate to something that drives me crazy and I think is especially rampant in our current social and cultural realm, and that is a failure to acknowledge, understand, appreciate, and respect expertise. For a variety of causes, there seems to be a particularly widespread and rampant disbelief in the value or even the existence of deep expertise. Social media likely has fueled this fire of ignorance and disrespect about human knowledge. Combine this with the increasing accessibility of tools for making music, and you get an exponential decrease in the QSR of music that is being created (the quality-to-sh!t ratio). This is why all the young bedroom artists call themselves producers now; they want the clout of the title "music producer" without doing any of the work required, and they don't care if they're misusing a term that has meant something else for a hundred years. "I'm a music producer because I make music." It's a farce, and they're only fooling themselves. In my field, human brain function, the internet likewise thinks I have no advantage in talking about how brains work over someone using search engines and lacking my 30 years making my living in research. I'm just an elitist. Well, experts physically landed us on the moon in the 60s and gave us Dark Side of the Moon and continue to be humanity's best hope. Cheers.

Hey Tony is that a real Grammy behind you? That’s awesome!

Some of the best information out there, thank you!

True facts right here! Thanks again, Tony. Love this content.

These are amazing points as always. Also IMO, most of the artists that broke through in a major way had or have “that thing” that they did/do. They have exceptional song writing and arranging skills and a subtle or not but somehow clear meaningful message on top of a mastery of their instrument AND a strong delivery that was infectious. Musicians are entertainers. Grunge and coffee house just made it a bit more acceptable to stop behaving like one but all in all those are secondary genres on the scale if you want to really talk about “making it” to the level of the artists you mentioned. At the end of the day the most important thing is your ability to deliver your message effortlessly no matter what else is happening inside you or around you. Having great songs and owning it. Making everything your own. Most of the ones that didn’t have all of these qualities were one hit wonders. If you master the same things that mattered most, even now, to the degree where it truly sets you apart (no hard feelings to your buddies cos you’re gonna be a star), you’ll have producers asking you if they can work on your music.

Another jewel of knowledge, thanks Tony! 💎💎

Tony, intriguing topic. I'm guessing that specialization in the music industry, as with so many other industries, is no longer as financially viable as in the past? If so, it's our loss. What are the chances of another Steely Dan making a masterpiece like "Aja" in this brave new world? Impossible. Instead, I sense that it's cheaper to create music, and artists, as if they are being turned out of a cookie cutter...and, of course, the music has to reflect this.

it's about the cash that could be made off of the production..As soon as the MP3 was prevalent it pretty much eliminated profit margins for record companies and watered down content imho

This is interesting to me as someone who experienced being in a major label band in the 90s. Now, you're absolutely right, I'm wearing all of those hats for the music I make. I don't often think about that so this video really held up a mirror for some perspective. Luckily for me, I don't engage with the music business anymore. I am strictly out for my own fulfillment.

How do you think this blend's with today landscape? As young artists, these experiences aren't even accessible because of the singular nature of studios now (i live in Mississippi as well where the only thing around in Nashville country). Just curious what you might suggest someone could do to find some compromise between today's world and the old one. Thanks for the vid, appreciate the insight!

I went to Battery Studios in Manhattan back in 1992 to meet with Vincent Herbert. He was like, "So you made that tape on a 4 track in your bedroom? Here we do thangs differently. Everyone has a job to do." Then a guy with dreads walks in with 1 inch reel tape. VINCENT directs the ENGINEER mute that delete this segment, lower this, boost that, etc. The mix gets ran, the man with dreads splices out the rejected segment with a razor. The ENGINEER plays it back, VINCENT loves it, the man with dreads packs up the tape Then hands it off to another person who came in . That's crazy 😮 I do all this myself... Oh I almost forgot: There's even the wires guy who connects wires and another guy who removes wires.

Salute!! 🫡🙏🏽

💎🔥

Hi Tony, great video. I totally relate with your intro and I’m going nuts 😂. Do you think moving to LA is still worth it if you are into rock music?

I am Walker, Texas arranger