Many of you have heard me mention that I am a musical zero—a level completely immune to any of my attempts at self-betterment. Thus I am sure that you will be surprised to learn that after college and before I joined the military to take up flying, I spent two years in what might loosely be described as the music business.

I definitely was not generating, producing, or arranging music, but rather I was working as an assistant to a talent scout. As a sub-scout, my task was to go to the lesser clubs (and I do stress lesser here) in the Los Angeles area and listen to any number of artists and ensembles.

An older friend of mine from school who was working on IT projects for one of the music companies heard about a few openings and recommended that, just for fun, I apply. Why not? What was there to lose? Normally these sub-scouts were entry-level positions for those who wished to get in the management side of the business. The companies liked to mix and match their “listening corps” however, and so I threw my name in the hat knowing that I had not a single musical bone in my body, nor even a knowledge of the lingo.

An interview ensued and apparently my opinion impressed the interviewer that the blow-dried look of the early 1980s bands that was in full swing (think of the Flock of Seagulls and the various “Hair” bands) would much sooner than later be forced out by groups that would never been seen dead with a synthesizer and who preferred the music served up in a less adorned style—Nirvana and the like come to mind.

Once hired I found the hours to be perfect: I could sleep all day, go for a swim, and then tour the music spots in the late evening. Meals were included and the club managers were quick to comp libations should I ever have found myself parched and thirsty.

I quickly learned that in the music business the cream really does rise to the top and thus the real talent scouts were at the bigger and hotter clubs listening to the better musicians who had the better backing ensembles and even the better writers should they not be able to pen the tunes themselves. My sub-scout colleagues and I were instead at the lesser clubs, concerts, and festivals to listen to, and then report on, any musician/singer who might be just starting to get some buzz. If we heard of one, we immediately passed the baton up our chain of command and an experienced hand would be, in these pre YouTube days, dispatched to go have a listen. We novices watched and learned and what an education it was—if nothing else than for the lingo of the business!

Lipps Inc – Funky Town

Not bad work at all although every job has its downside and listening night after night to B and C list musicians covering the range from the Beatles and Stones to Neil Diamond and everything in between could be painful. Remember Funkytown by Lipps Inc.? I assure you that after hearing it for the 100th time one is scratching at the walls. Plus, since the cream does rise and while there are indeed great cover bands, the cover scene was usually not where one was going to find the next big thing.

Nevertheless the record companies knew it was cost effective to have “listeners” out sampling all the clubs not just in LA but in most big cities just in case that there was that hidden but legitimate talent out there—after all, there are real reasons why a yet unnoticed talent might be playing the lesser clubs.

I recently looked back at those LA experiences when friends of mine (and also of my age) formed a band called the Chin Ho Betasans. They wanted to work on a play on the  phrase feng shui according to which they had properly arranged the layout of their little recording studio but a number of bands had already claimed the variations on this, excuse the pun, theme. With a percussion underlay styled after that of the jazz/rock/fusion drummer Ginger Baker, they are trying to wed Western melodic and harmonic structures with an atonal Asian foundation to yield a danceable pop fusion. While it is ambitious, their Funktown-Wa and Hick-hack redux singles are showing some real promise.

One thing I did learn during my Southern California time is that while there are those in the B and C ranks who wish nothing more to be on the A list, that musical and dramatic artists often perform out of the love of the art itself and not what might be over the horizon. I learned to appreciate that someone playing an out of the view club was a true practitioner of his or her craft and that a record or concert gig was the last thing on their mind—a life lesson in humility and appreciation of the moment to be sure…

An early 2000s Die Welt (The World) article by the German journalist Marco Dalan explained why BMW is consistently one of the most successful companies in Europe.

First is that the top executives keep very low profiles. This is easy to say but, knowing human egos, harder to do. The execs know that the narrative is not about them but rather the product. If a top manager is seeking the limelight, to sell his or her books or log time on the financial chit-chat shows, then he best ply his trade elsewhere.

Second is the emphasis on mixing the development of home-grown talent with the occasional look outside the firm for fresh blood and new ideas. This sets a balance for both creativity and a deep knowledge of the institution.

Third, similar to the development in the military special forces or the Ajax Amsterdam football club, managers are skilled in performing more than one role. Should a manager at any level leave the firm, then another can step into his place and production continues uninterrupted.
Last, decision making within BMW is swift, but informed. Even meetings in which major course changes are considered are often concluded with a “thumbs up or thumbs down?” Action this very day!

Herr Dalan contends that BMW is the most Japanese of all German companies. Knowing the success of the auto producers in Nippon, this is taken as high praise indeed.

As an average gent and at my age I will never be an executive at either BMW or in the music business. Yet both undertakings impart good lessons. The music business teaches us that talent, under the right conditions and the proper nurturing does rise to the top while BMW teaches us to constantly examine our achievements. Keep what is good and fold new things in as needed to keep the ideas fresh. Make decisions and don’t wallow in the process. Seize the day!

Oh, by the way… was I ever really in LA? Well, perhaps in my dreams… but is not fiction always more interesting than reality?

What ho!