Martin Atkins, We Salute You

By Justin Boland on February 03, 2008

10 comments

Six months ago, I bought the 6th edition of Donald Passman’s classic book Everything You Need to Know About the Music Business. I wound up re-reading as soon as I finished it, because I couldn’t believe how useless it was. I figured I must have missed something...but the second reading didn’t change my mind.

I don’t want to demean Passman, since he definitely delivered on the title. His book contains a very detailed look at “the music business” which is a total failure built upon exploiting and ripping off musicians. It’s a lot like a textbook on dinosaur anatomy, really...or maybe a repair manual for the Titanic. Passman also offers valuable advice on how to reduce rectal tearing and treat the bleeding afterwards.

However, I don’t recommend working with the “music business.” I recommend taking total control over your own career, and I found a pretty damn invaluable tool for exactly that.

Thirtyseven recommends Tour:Smart by: Martin Atkins

Martin Atkins calls it “the first real book on touring.” I agree 100%. I’ve never seen a single book so full of immediately useful, honest and practical advice—all of it won through first-hand experience and battle scars. Best of all, Atkins draws upon dozens of his friends and co-conspirators, too. What you wind up getting is an absurdly complete guide to every single aspect of making money off live music.

The book is a massive object—oversized and 551 pages long. It’s also very readable—Atkins is not a fan of bullshit, and he’s got a very clear style.

Tour:Smart addresses about 1000 topics I never even thought about before: international shows, merch booth design, selling ad space on your own promo material to other artists, settling up after shows, logical accounting for musicians, recruiting a road crew, working with street teams, planning and routing your tour, transportation checklists, DIY merchandise options, and over a dozen ESSENTIAL little blurbs for any performance contract...this is merely a fraction of what gets covered. Martin Atkins has been on the road for decades in every possibly capacity, and he’s also a real-deal college professor at Columbia College Chicago. This means he not only knows every possible trap and unforeseen disaster, but he’s also dealt with every conceivable obvious and obnoxious question from too-smart students and wiseass kids.

Of course, it’s 2008 and there are new traps being built every day. We’re all going to earn a lot of bruises and scars, courtesy of mistakes that weren’t possible even 2 years ago...but that’s part of the fun, right?

Right?

Is It Perfect?

Honestly, it could have been about 100 pages shorter. There was a surprising amount of firsthand stories that were entertaining but not especially educational—especially since the relevant meat is quoted in other chapters. However, that’s my sole complaint—assuming “I got more than I paid for” qualifies as a complaint.

Seriously, that’s it. Buy this book and arm yourself.

10 responses to "Martin Atkins, We Salute You"

Feb 03, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Dragonfish Killswitch

I will be buying this book before I go on tour this summer.

I peeped it last time but couldnt find it at an actual bookstore

Waddup with the PDF tho?
Feb 03, 2008 at 8:45 PM
Justin Boland

You couldn’t pay me enough to scan and organize a full-size, 550 page book. Plus, as you might have heard, the BIPT Library is getting shut down, tomorrow.
Feb 03, 2008 at 8:51 PM
jp

thanks Justin, I will take a look.

question: In his gigantic book, does Marty address the issues of the environmental aspect of touring? Does he address Peak Oil? Does he say anything about the carbon footprint of the transportation modes and facilities used for live appearances, ranging from flying to giving a talk at some college (when maybe a video feed would have sufficed) to the big ass multi truck/bus/air plane spectacle of waste that’s the moderne’ tour? Because Justin, the fact is that all show biddness will be severely affected by two things very shortly (actually they already are..)1) Global Warming 2) Peak Oil. Which are not mutually exclusive of course.

Any musician/hypothetic/author/lawyer/etc who weighs in with advice and counsel that does not include the impact of these two very real situations (and besides Thom Yorke, I haven’t heard all that much..)is presenting a fairy tale situation which makes a Passman book look like some good practical advice (good review on that btw)

Keep up the good work here; I enjoy your site and appreciate your fight.
jp
Feb 04, 2008 at 12:37 AM
Justin Boland

He does discuss fuel costs—making sure you’ve got a sense of what they are EVERYWHERE YOU TRAVEL. However, he’s not discussing the fact that oil, food, and gold are all getting increasingly expensive while the US Dollar bears an increasing resemblance to dogshit.

I will be addressing that, in the next few days, because I’m working on an article about wether or not touring is really nescessary today. I’m hoping it’s not. I’m currently in Las Vegas, 4 digits into debt, thanks to a poorly planned and executed tour. I’m still glad I did it—this has been a very valuable and enjoyable experience—but I’m keen on figuring out how to build a model for musicians to get successful without bleeding money all across the continent.

And I don’t think Atkins not mentioning this is a fatal flaw—it’s still a truly amazing book.
Feb 04, 2008 at 2:07 AM
jp

If he doesn’t discuss the environmental impact, as well as the ramifications of Peak Oil, specifically as to how it is and will be affecting musicians whose lives depend on getting from place to place..physically, not through the digital pipeline..then he is missing the boat..and those are two big flaws.

Good Luck in the City of the Dead (did you know LV is the American novelists’ metaphor for Death? I bet you do now..)..get back safely.
Feb 04, 2008 at 4:46 AM
Charles Choiniere

If he doesn’t discuss the environmental impact, as well as the ramifications of Peak Oil, specifically as to how it is and will be affecting musicians whose lives depend on getting from place to place..physically, not through the digital pipeline…

Just in case you didn’t know, the internet also leaves a huge carbon footprint on the environment. So what happens when all these bands stop touring and suddenly start beaming concerts all over the planet? And not to mention all the digital music that’s already being downloaded. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few green hosting solutions available (carbon credits don’t count), but certainly not enough.

I’m not saying that both peak oil and the environmental impact of commuting aren’t both valid concerns, but you could easily devote a whole book to the environment and still not give it the attention that it really deserves.
Feb 04, 2008 at 11:06 PM
Dragonfish Killswitch

Very sad about the bipt library bro!!

Is that a legal issue or a time/energy issue?

“peak oil!!”, “blah blah blah!!”

If these guys know so much about it, why dont they go write a book about it?

My plan is to consruct an amphibious horse drawn cart and attach the neccesary hardware to the axle to give me enough power to run my turntables.

Talk about a fuckin road show eh?
Feb 07, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Big Elk

Peak Oil has nothing to do with anything!
Apr 17, 2008 at 4:54 PM
buy cialis

Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
—Pablo Picasso
buy cialis online Others are able to wait up to 36 hours after <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis Promise Program. Cialis testimonials</a> taking cialis medication tadalafil <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis online</a> a sex counselor, and links to sexual health organizations by CIALIS® (tadalafil) ... More ED Info and Support. <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy order cialis</a> buy cialis online
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis fast shipping</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> buy cialis tadalafil</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> Cialis or Tadalafil Citrate is used as a sexual aid in men</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis, approved health professionals. Cialis</a> buy cialis order cialis
buy cialis online Cialis - Warnings & Precautions. Cialis - Clinical Pharmacology. Cialis - <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis order cialis online fast shipping</a> Overdosage & Contraindications. Cialis - Indications & Dosage. Cialis <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>order cialis online now</a> The top generic cialis the far East. Cialis info cialis news release Sept <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> buy cialis tadalafil</a> buy cialis
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis order cialis</a> Cialis ® is a prescription medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. ... Cialis Info- Cialis News, information and articles. Cialis official
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis information</a> Deciphers the medication tadalafil (Cialis), a drug used for the treatment of impotence. ... buy cialis Cialis Eases Erectile Dysfunction After Spinal Cord Injury <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> Cialis or Tadalafil Citrate is used as a sexual aid in men</a>
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis info</a> Get all the latest news about Cialis. Latest FDA news and Information. ... the company responsible for developing Cialis, made no bones about sharing this . <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis fast</a>
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis buy cialis</a>
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> buy cheap cialis</a>
Get all the latest news about Cialis

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> cheap cialis buy cialis </a> Cialis or Tadalafil Citrate is used as a sexual aid in men

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> cheap cialis online</a>

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis, approved health professionals. Cialis</a>

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis Promise Program. Cialis testimonials.s</a>

http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net/

buy cialis online buy cheap cialis buy cialis order cialis CIALIS, and therefore until further information is available, CIALIS is not recommended for the following groups of patients: ...
Apr 17, 2008 at 8:05 PM
buy cialis

Gary Hart: living proof that you *can* screw your brains out.
buy cialis online Others are able to wait up to 36 hours after <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis Promise Program. Cialis testimonials</a> taking cialis medication tadalafil <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis online</a> a sex counselor, and links to sexual health organizations by CIALIS® (tadalafil) ... More ED Info and Support. <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy order cialis</a> buy cialis online
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis fast shipping</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> buy cialis tadalafil</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> Cialis or Tadalafil Citrate is used as a sexual aid in men</a> <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis, approved health professionals. Cialis</a> buy cialis order cialis
buy cialis online Cialis - Warnings & Precautions. Cialis - Clinical Pharmacology. Cialis - <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis order cialis online fast shipping</a> Overdosage & Contraindications. Cialis - Indications & Dosage. Cialis <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>order cialis online now</a> The top generic cialis the far East. Cialis info cialis news release Sept <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> buy cialis tadalafil</a> buy cialis
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis order cialis</a> Cialis ® is a prescription medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. ... Cialis Info- Cialis News, information and articles. Cialis official
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis information</a> Deciphers the medication tadalafil (Cialis), a drug used for the treatment of impotence. ... buy cialis Cialis Eases Erectile Dysfunction After Spinal Cord Injury <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> Cialis or Tadalafil Citrate is used as a sexual aid in men</a>
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis info</a> Get all the latest news about Cialis. Latest FDA news and Information. ... the company responsible for developing Cialis, made no bones about sharing this . <a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis fast</a>
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>buy cialis buy cialis</a>
<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> buy cheap cialis</a>
Get all the latest news about Cialis

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> cheap cialis buy cialis </a> Cialis or Tadalafil Citrate is used as a sexual aid in men

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net> cheap cialis online</a>

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis, approved health professionals. Cialis</a>

<a href=http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net>Cialis Promise Program. Cialis testimonials.s</a>

http://buycialis.bigheadhosting.net/

buy cialis online buy cheap cialis buy cialis order cialis CIALIS, and therefore until further information is available, CIALIS is not recommended for the following groups of patients: ...