BS: TV star or popular musician???

Subject: TV star or popular musician???
From: GUEST,xaliasslayer
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 04:45 PM

This may be obvious on this board, but I like to hear people's reasonings...

If you had to choose between being a popular musician or being in a popular TV show, which would you pick? Why?

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 05:37 PM

Let's see, I thoroughly, absolutely, completely despise television and think the whole institution should be abolished and all of the machines thrown in a large pit somewhere and buried.

On the other hand, making music is one of the true joys of my life.

Errrr.....what was the question again?

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 05:40 PM

It depends. So many popular 'musicians' these days can't actually play. If it was choice between being famous and being able to play an instrument, I'd take the instrument any time. Besides, I've already been on Radio 4, what more fame do I need?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 06:04 PM

The most popular TV shows these days seem to consist of people being ritually humiliated in the hope of getting money and some kind of fame.

And the most popular musicians seem to go in for ritually humiliating themselves the hope of getting money and some kind of fame.

Not much of a choice. The best thing to be would be an unpopular musician, but one who was admired by people whose opinion was worth having.

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 07:20 PM

All you'll get with television is a bunch of suits telling how to do your act. The only rewards are financial and that will only carry you so far.

Make mine music!!!

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 07:34 PM

Having been on T V in a Jug Band nearly forty years ago- Good money but boring,and having done two radio shows in the Middle East,and then been a full pro Folkie muso,I think I would stick with the music.At the moment its Semi Pro,but has got me an Equity card and pays serious bread every now and then,which means I can do local Clubs and sessions for serious FUN,without any pressure.

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Don Firth
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 08:16 PM

What McGrath said.

Unless it were possible to be a popular musician (i.e., be liked by a large number of people) while playing the kind of music you want to play, and still be admired by people whose opinion was worth having.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 08:21 PM

Hmmm. I like McGrath's aim of being an popular musician, but admired by the people who matter. I've managed the first part, it was a piece of piss. I'm working on the second.

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: michaelr
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 08:58 PM

As Steve Van Zandt proves, you can be in the country's biggest rock band (sorry, REM) AND biggest TV show at the same time!

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: hesperis
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:08 PM

Um... ask this question on a music forum, what kind of answers do you expect? *Shrugs*

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:19 PM

er, that should have been "unpopular musician". Now, if we could only edit our own letters, Mudcat would be perfect.

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Firecat
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 04:51 PM

This is gonna sound really controversial, but I'd rather go for the TV job. I'd like to be a TV presenter anyway!!

I love music as well though! My ideal presenting job would be a music show for kids.

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 04:54 PM

"As Steve Van Zandt proves, you can be in the country's biggest rock band (sorry, REM) AND biggest TV show at the same time!"

Never heard of him. And isn't REM something to do with computers?

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 05:44 PM

Greg, if you want to be admired you should stop working with fiddle players who are prettier than you are.

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Benjamin
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 06:06 PM

I suppose you could always go for the Lawerence Welk thing. Would you call the guys from "American Idol" popular musicians or TV stars? Or maybe get a gig like Paul Shaffer's. What would you consider him to be?

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 09:15 PM

Ratheer be writing. I love music so that would win over TV stardom but if I had my druthers, let someone else be in front of the camera. I'll write and play my guitar, Thanks just the same. Neil

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: michaelr
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 09:21 PM

Oh McGrath, is that irony again?

In case you really don't know: Steve Van Zandt plays guitar in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, and also plays a featured character on "The Sopranos". REM are the US equivalent (sort of) of U2.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: GUEST,xaliasslayer
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 09:51 PM

Well, I think I would have to go with music. I mean, there is an image thing with musicians, but actors are seen as the characters they play. And I love the idea of standing in front of thousands of people in amazing theatres who are singing along to songs I wrote. And then of course there is the travel. Anyone else?

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 10:56 PM

I'd rather be known as:

1] The man Johnny "Wad" Holmes was most envious of.
2] The guy who blasted a fart powerful enough to knock the smirk off Dubya's face.
3] Virtually anyone but the two suggestions made at the top of this thread.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: GUEST,fred miller
Date: 18 Sep 02 - 10:35 AM

t.v. star, I'm lazy, and it seems like an easier way to make a living. I learn lines easy, can't act very well, but, it's t.v. You don't necesarily have to be able to act, can blame the suits and the writers when things suck. On the other hand, being a popular musician could spoil the fun of being a musician--it would be hard not to get caught up in the marketing/popularity thing, even just as a game, but it would start to make you think about choices that way, even just ironically, still, there it is.

T.v. isn't all so bad, it's young yet. people used to think literature was junk, evil, a waste of time, and they were probably mostly right. I used to like nypd blue, and it won all these awards, but I've never met anyone who's ever seen it.

So here's the tv career I want. I want to host live shows like when Geraldo Rivera opened Capone's secret vault, (empty) or the live National Geographic show I saw the other day when a robot drilled through a stone wall in a pyramid to find... another stone door. Highly suspenseful hyped-up moments leading to nothing--call it EmpTv.

Subject: RE: BS: TV star or popular musician???
From: GUEST,xaliasslayer
Date: 20 Sep 02 - 11:28 AM

I expected most answers to be music here, but I was interested in why.

as an extension of my previous comment... I think I'd like to be a musician too because then I could create music with other artists. I mean, I love what Michelle did with justincase. I think it is so awesome. You've probably heard of them by now, but here is a link if you haven't: http://www.justincasefans.com. And I loved the song Mariah did with Boyz to Men. I can't say I like them individually, but I did like the combined work. And Marmalade. That was awesome!