OK, you’re hanging out in your room trying to study for that big history test and finish your math homework. But, what you’re mostly doing is listening to the latest downloads on your iPod, thinking, “Man, this band ROCKS.” Suddenly, you can’t help it – you’re playing air guitar in front of the mirror and imagining what it would be like to perform in front of a huge, screaming crowd. When you finish your “performance,” you know you’ve got to find a way to get the new Rock Band video game for your PS3 as soon as it hits the streets. You’ve already lined up your “band”… But, what if, instead of just playing at having a rock band, you wanted to have a real band? What would you need to do to put one together and actually get some paying gigs? Conal Byrne knows the answer to these and many other key questions any aspiring rock musician might be pondering.
Former lead singer and keyboardist for the indie-rock band, Adom (a hybrid of atom and Adam – to point to a place where science and religion meet), Byrne knew from a young age that music was to be part of his destiny. “My father was a great piano player, so music was a big part of my upbringing. Listening to Dave Brubeck as a kid had a big effect on me – watching my father enjoy Brubeck’s records, watching the effect music could have on someone that I admired – that was when I decided I wanted to play music myself. “
Besides singing and knowing his way around a keyboard, Byrne also plays guitar and reads music. With just a little coaxing, he agreed to share his experience in the music industry with us. Read on as we “take five” with Conal Byrne.
Express: What kind of formal training does being a singer require, if any?
Conal Byrne:A rock singer? Absolutely none. That’s the beauty of it: It’s more about how you connect with the song, not how you sing it.
Express: What sort of training/experience do you have?
Conal Byrne:I was in a chorus for several years as a kid – used to sing with the San Francisco Opera Company. It was a blast. I also took piano lessons for 13 years.
Express: Do you write music? What's your process of writing a song?
Conal Byrne:I’ll write a chord progression on the guitar or piano – something I like, something that has some sort of emotional impact, however small. Then I’ll write a melody on top of that. Then I’ll put lyrics on the melody. It’s a simple, easy process, writing songs. The hard part is writing a good song. There’s no method there – it’s just being open when inspiration hits.
Express: Who wrote the songs for Adom’s album Idiot Savant?
Conal Byrne:We all wrote the music – totally collaborative. I wrote the melodies and lyrics.
Express: How did you get hooked up with the band Adom?
Conal Byrne:I did what anybody does who wants to start a band: Put up fliers, put ads in the paper, asked around. Before I knew it, we were up and running.
Express: Did Adom have a manager? Or did the band handle its own gigs?
Conal Byrne:No manager. I booked almost all of the gigs. [You have to] be persistent. Pick a few clubs you want to play at, and then harass them until you get a gig. That’s the easy part, really. The hard part is getting a gig on a good night, opening for a good act. To do that, you’ve got to know someone – either at the club, or in the band for which you want to open. It all goes back to networking: Talk to people, be proud of what you do, stick to it.
Express: How often should a band practice?
Conal Byrne:Twice a week, four hours each time. We tried more, then less – this was the perfect balance: kept it fun, but without forgetting everything from the previous rehearsal.
Express: How do you come up with the money for instruments, equipment and travel expenses?
Conal Byrne:Beg, borrow and get an extra job. If you love it, then it’s your hobby. It just happens to be a slightly expensive hobby.
Express: Is Adom the first band you were in?
Conal Byrne:No. I was in a band in college called Trace. We played small clubs.
Express: How did you decide which label to sign with? What are the pros and cons of different record labels?
Conal Byrne:Storm Records was just getting started in Manchester, England. Through a friend of a friend, the label got its hands on an Adom demo, liked it, flew to Atlanta, saw two gigs and signed us.
The key to a good record label goes back to – again – networking. If the people running the label have good contacts in the record industry, then they can get you good recording studios, good engineers, good producers and well-known bands to play with. If they don’t, you’ll play pubs for the rest of your life.
Express: What difference to the life of a band does signing to a label make?
Conal Byrne:The label will pay for your gear, recording, touring and marketing. The rest is still up to you. Oh – and the label with take a chunk of everything you make. That’s how it goes.
Express: What are the differences between playing a small club or a stadium? Which do you prefer?
Conal Byrne:I prefer a small, packed club. There’s nothing like the intensity of that room.
Express: How are supporting acts treated? What other bands did you share the bill with?
Conal Byrne:Badly, frankly – but that’s how it goes: You’ve got to earn your way up.
I haven’t played with anyone super-famous, to be honest. Bands like Porcupine Tree, Jimmy Gnecco, Ours, The French Kicks – no U2 or R.E.M.. But, even playing with lesser-known bands, I’ve nonetheless had the experience of playing to some 2,000 people, which is quite a rush.
Express: What difficulties do you have to overcome while trying to make it?
Conal Byrne:Getting along with other creatives and clashing egos. Typical stuff. But it can become very, very real and difficult when you’re on the road for a year.
Express: Did you have a rider? What was on it?
Conal Byrne:Orange juice, granola bars and fruit. Just kidding. Riders are hit-and-miss. Sometimes a club will give you dinner and drinks – sometimes a bottle of water. And, the fact is, until you’ve sold a few thousand records, no one’s really going to ask you what you want on your rider. They pick it for you – if you’re lucky.
Express: Who are your musical influences?
Conal Byrne:U2, R.E.M. – those are the big ones.
Express: What were your goals as a band? What were your goals as a singer?
Conal Byrne:For a while, I wanted to be famous. Then I wanted to just make good music. The latter goal is a good one. The former goal is silly.
Express: What made you decide to do something different?
Conal Byrne:The music industry is brutal. It’s easy to get into a spin-cycle where you’re not progressing: endless tours, recording, tours, recording. If you’re not making progress, it’s time to move on.
Express: Do you ever want to return to a career in music?
Conal Byrne:Not sure yet. I’d love to soundtrack a few movies – and maybe record a lo-fi, solo record on a laptop. But no plans.
Express: What do you think of shows like “American Idol”? Are they valid vehicles for getting into the music industry?
Conal Byrne: “American Idol” has basically found a way to make money off the Research and Development stage of the recording process. Back in the day, labels would pay to put artists in the studio – just to see if there was any potential there. These days, they put those artists up on stage on a TV show and sell ads around it, then have the entire nation decide who they like, then release those artists’ records in a foolproof fashion. It’s brilliant, sure, but it also takes a lot of the mystique out of the creative process.
Express: How else do you break into the industry?
Conal Byrne:Record an album on your laptop, build a good MySpace page and put your stuff on it. If you build it – and it’s good – they will come.
Getting Started
Want to read more about breaking into the music biz? Check out these books at your local library or bookstore:
- This Business of Music, 10th Edition by M. William Krasilovsky, Sidney Shemel, John M Gross and Jonathan Feinstein
- Creative Careers in Music by Josquin des Pres, Mark Landsman
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Band by Mark Bliesener, Steve Knopper
- So, You Wanna Be a Rock Star?: How to Create Music, Get Gigs, and Maybe Even Make It Big! by Stephen Anderson
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