As a newbie to the music business, I am drinking from a fire hose of new knowledge most of the time. However, I have learned a couple of key points in my first year of business, six months of publishing a music magazine, and working with the industry and artists. First, I have learned that the “music business” is often nothing more than the “business of music.” Greed is a powerful motivator and it will often destroy the art that should be foremost in the “music business.” Second, I have learned that there are those in the “industry” who claim to be experts that have no idea what the hell they are talking about most of the time because greed has taken over their decision-making. They have become irrelevant to the music but very important to the machine of the “business of music.” I try to avoid those types. However, I have learned a great deal from all of the “industry” professionals I have met. Some good things and some terrible things but learned from them all and will continue to do so.

There is no other place that involves more industry networking and mingling than the “Showcase.” I bring that up here because I think the music showcase concept is the industry standard for highlighting talent, networking, and learning about the music and the industry. The “big daddy” of Texas showcases is South by Southwest or SXSW that is held in Austin each March. SXSW may have once been a great independent forum for Texas music where industry types got together with the yet undiscovered. However, currently it is more of a corporate gig where the world comes to Texas and for the most part has nothing to do with bringing Texasmusic to the world. With the exception of a few names like Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sunny Sweeny, Charlie Sexton, Charlie Robison, Kelly Willis, and a cool set of pure Texas talent represented by the Nancy Fly agency (Momo’s, March 16th) the SXSW festival is not really about Texas music. One of the names attending SXSW this year is a band named “Holy Fuck.” I am sure they will represent the Texas lifestyle very well…Not.

SXSW does not claim to be a “Texas Music” Showcase but it would seem that the biggest showcase in Texas could pay more homage to our own homegrown talent. If SXSW is not specifically about Texas, it is most certainly about money. Industry types can play in a $1000 per sponsor golf event, pay $10,000 magazine ads in the event programs, and register for the music event passes for a cost of $400 to $700. However, they give students a break at $250. It also brings huge money to the city of Austin at 7000 attendees spending about $250 per day each. Not that I am against making money but a Texas event should have a better representation of Texas and in the music department SXSW is lacking. It is, in my view, a general reflection of the Austin music scene with respect to “Texas Music.” Many artists will privately say they hate playing the town as they are not paid very well and they are taken for granted. There are much better cities in the state for Texas music. Obviously, the money made at SXSW does not make its way to the Artists who live there.

In contrast to SXSW, there is Rick Star’s KFAN radio, “Windows on Texas” showcase held in January every year in Fredricksburg. If SXSW is fine champagne then “Windows on Texas” is a big can of Lonestar Light. I love those big cans. Rick truly brings Texas and the Texas style of Americana, country, blues, and rock to the world, or at least the rest of the country. Many travelers from the music centers in the country attend including Nashville. The artists represented at the “Windows on Texas” showcase are truly those who could use a break and some backing. Many of them are gigging bands that play the Texas and Oklahoma bar circuit for $300 to $500 a night. Some better-financed names do play the showcase as well, but most of that financing is from private investors or personal fortunes. Major labels and billboard types are not as well represented but the talent is superb and Rick puts on a great show of support for the music he loves. “Windows on Texas” is what a Texas showcase should be. The town of Fredricksburg and the businesses help Rick pull it off and it is a great representation of Texas music. Somehow, I don’t see Rick (a Vietnam era cool guy hippie radio type) turning his event into an over-commercialized greed fest, but I am sure he needs help to pay the bills and improve the financing of the event.

Rick and “Windows on Texas” are what radio and showcases should be about. They are about the art and the money is something needed to bring the art to the people. Yes, there are always business realities and I fully understand them, but just because you can make tremendous money from an event and charge crazy prices for the goods and services does not mean you should. Many artists have understood this for years. Most of them keep their merchandise reasonable, they like lower ticket prices if they can do it, and they realize that fans don’t like feeling gouged. Tom Petty once refused to record a CD because he felt the label was going to price it too high. You go, Tom, you are my hero. Most industry professionals, venue owners, record labels and others could learn from the artists that have kept it real over the years. It is about the MUSIC with business realities, but when it becomes the “business of music” the art suffers and becomes just another big mac with fries super-sized. Texas is better than that and so is our music. Good job, Rick. I will be back next year for sure.

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