This is the final editorial in relation to;- “The attractions of Reality TV Versus the real music business” and “Reality TV the full package plus versus the real business of music making”.

So far the the above articles have defensively argued the positive nature of what reality TV can achieve for those contestants who are willing to enter. The said articles have also questioned human nature and looked at a few of the criticism’s levied at reality TV somewhat unfairly, in addition they have even touched upon the social arena.

Many fears and misunderstandings are born through a lack of knowledge, awareness or ones birthright.

Making music has existed for thousands of years all the ancient civilisations valued musicians, singers, dancers and actors. It could be said that it is the oldest of all art forms and evidence of its existence has been found by many historians theologians and archaeologists. Apologies for such generalisations, but I have no desire as yet to write a historical text.Even though as a Historian, singer, thespian… I could.

It is said that the gift of music comes from the gods, and that it is available to all not just a select few. The practice or performance of music however is another matter all together, in days of yore if you did not appeal, you might well have been fed to the Lions, forced into the ring with a Gladiator, or tied to a post flogged and ridiculed. If you were favoured or well liked than you literally would be rewarded with food, clothes and somewhere to shelter as a valued member of someones household. If you were a traveller a Minstrell, a Troubadour or Trouvere, than the rewards you gained you took with you on your musical travels to the next town or village.The gift of the arts was thus regarded as natural. A talent, someone with the X factor of there day.

The act of making music can be very fulfilling and in certain regions of the world it is cultural and found to have healing properties, in other words it is not just entertainment. Music speaks all languages and knows no barrier it can not cross.

If I said to you that the real business of making music for the street or the common people’s of the world has not changed since the beginning of history. That is exactly what I mean, it hasn’t changed. I know you are going to say we have rap, we have had punk, we have had Garage music or House Music. The real reality is it hasn’t changed. This is merely the next stage in the evolutionary development of people’s tastes and the instruments that have come along with that progress. It is still very much the music of the street.

The private nature of the music business.

So much for history. Everything has a history. The private nature of the music business lies in the development of communications, Telephone, Telegraph, Reel to Reel, The phonograph, The Cassette player oh so many technological advances coupled with its sister the Media. Printed media, and commercial media radio, television. The men who developed such were not only entrepreneurs, inventors of intelligence. Intelliegent objects for private use and ownership.
They were inspritational motivators for the artist.

As such in our more modern times the cost of technology starts high and drops the more readily available it becomes.

The musician, singer and songwriter however still feel that inner drive for finding the entreprenuer, sometimes he or she will feel they cannot succeed without finding one. Not all singers or musicians have enough knowledge to handle the technical side of recording or mixing. Therefore the technological entrepreneur has the power to make or break the budding artist.Entrepreneur in this scenario is the owner of the means of production the record company, who will no doubt employ other entreprenuers whose skills are different and useful to him. The larger record companies of today offer what should I call it a “Whole service”.Because of what specialities they can offer. In the past the recording companies which were all smaller concerns would be forced to using outside business services to promote or manage an artist. These smaller companies are the nearest equivalent to todays independent companies as such they are “Private”. I should correct this and say they are all “Private”.Inclusive of management and promotion concerns.

Private in this scenario means they have to be paid for and like any other business they produce accounts of there profits and their losses. The way this is done is unique to the industry as it involves setting a floor a minimum spend on any recording and a maximum spend. Within the two figures comes the artist record company advances which are predicted values according to expected sales of CD’s. Any artist whose sales fail to reach target will first have there advances cut back and if they still fail or go on a downward spiral the label will drop them. In a few incidences over the last few decades artists can end up owing the record company.

Today’s musicians and singers to survive must come in from off the street, the end goal post and the most lucrative goal post is the illusive recording contract. But all is never what it seems in the glossy commercial media. Musicians singers and songwriters who succeed may or may not end up extremely wealthy, some will end there days poverty stricken and in receipt of benefits.Some do before retirement age, and in actual fact it is well known that a good third of ones working life can be spent unemployed.

So what of this private music business and what connection can this possibly have to making music? If you want to make music go ahead, their is nothing to stop you from this..provided it is your own and you are not entering the cover song quagmire of licenses and royalties.Not breaking any bylaws when you go busking.

Ok so lets say you have spent 4 years training to be a nurse, maybe you’ve spent 4 years doing a degree and another 2 years on PGCE to be a teacher. You’ve qualified. You look for work and you find it. Hallelujah, your needs to put a roof over your head, feed your family and keep warm plus a few luxuries etc have all been taken care of. A singer, musician songwriter may well have spent the same length of time studying or longer, the only difference is that they have had to have a level of ability to pass the audition or interview for the years of study ahead in the first place. Most music students must be above average, in other words they aren’t taken on to put bums on seats to guarantee maintaining teaching staff levels. Year on year passes and numerous bits of paper are gathered. Qualifications grades. All of this can be a far cry from the music of the street. The music student graduates and struggles to find work, gigs and contacts.

After several months the music student finally realises how very private the music business is, and reality dawns that the music studios at regional level charge per hour. Music equipment firms have to charge for the hire of PA, The music student who is wise begins to cost up the price of doing gigs, paying roadies, the cost of the van, and living costs against earnings. These musicians (modern minstrells, trouveres and troubadours) one could say live hand to mouth and if they remain without contacts for to long will give up or find “REAL JOBS” as an addition, to financing your musical interests further.

So where does reality TV fit in?

Reality TV comes along and changes your very personal life history. It gives you a new reality a reality that is removed from the street. Sets you apart. You no longer have to hunt for the entrepreneur or worry about affording the gig, affording the studio,affording the dvd or video take…ooh all of those things connected to what some would consider the business machine. The business machine that gets you moving far quicker and better than you could ever achieve on your own.

The winner in all three battles is therefore REALITY tv, Reality TV with all faults does have some merits and maybe just maybe, we have found a modern way to go full circle back to the days of the medieval market place, accept this time it is a technological three dimensional game. Vote for this one, text that, and someones dream has just returned to another reality. The life of the street with the mentalities of your social group.

This article has been written by Maureen, one of our contributors on Unreality TV. Thanks Maureen!