Los Angeles

[Shawn40]

Do it Andreas, if you feel it do it !!!
No need to wait when you will be older...
Do it and you will be fixed by yourself with your own experience when you will live in LA or in NYC.

Peace.

[Andreas_Brobjer]

Hi y'all!

Thanks for all your advice. I've been out of town for a few days, so that's why I haven't been able to answer your posts until now.

I read all your posts and have a couple of Q's:

So, what you're all saying is that if I'm trying to get a gig with a major artist, LA's the place and if I wanna go clubbing and play a lot more with smaller groups and get better odds of a good start - then NY's the spot, right?

So, let's say I'm a good drummer that would move to L.A. In order to get work as a drummer fast, I'd probably have to get to an audition for a major artist fast and do well.
- Hard to find the audition, but maybe a chance of getting work fast.

Let's say that I go to NY. Then I will probably have to play a lot of gigs in order to live off it.
- Might find work a little easier than in L.A, but play more gigs (work harder) in order to get money to live off?

I don't know, but it feels like - for me - it won't really matter if I go to LA or NY. I will have to work hard as hell to get to the right places and meet the right people anyway. No matter what I do, I will be a total rookie at both these places in the beginning.

If LA is where all the auditions for the major artists are held, then what I should put my emphasis on is where to find them and just get my ass over there and play! [img]smile.gif[/img] The audition sites are certainly not advertised on the net, so where does anyone get information about when/where they are? I believe that it's better for me to face these questions now, rather than when I'm alone in L.A. The same goes for NY.

As soon as I know EXACTLY where I should go for best possible marketing, then I'm not very worried. I believe that if I just get a chance to play for the right people - then I can make it.

My biggest problem, although, is that this must happen pretty fast in order for me to stay alive. So this is why I'm seeking advice on what kind of possible work there could be for a Swedish drummer considered a huge drum talent in Sweden - alone moving over to the States - and by his fellow musicians in Sweden considered capable of any gig if I just got the right attention and were placed at the right spot, in other words USA and in patricular L.A.

Best regards,

Andreas
www.andreasbrobjer.com
[email protected]

Th

[Paraflam]

No not exactly. You can get the profile tours in New York City as well. Home of Omar Hakim(madonna), Shawn Pelton(sheryl crow), Steve Hass(thalia), Van Romaine(enriqie iglesias), etc...and more.

New York is the place for anything musically. You can't go wrong. And you don't need a car. In LA you can't do anything without wheels. A decent used ride will cost you about 10grand with insurance, and gas prices are insane.
And I agree, LA rents are not that much cheaper anymore. Get ready to pay 1500 per month for an "OK" place. LA can end up being more expensive.
Move to NYC, it's just better. I live in LA trust me.
Nothing happens fast. Plan on giving yourself about 2 years before anything happens. Plan on it, because if it happens earlier, fine, but if it doesn't you'll be prepared. I know amazing drummers who took about 4 years to get the gigs that make them a nice salary. Politics are involved. There are killer players who have been in these places for years that are in line for gigs, even if there is an audition. Don't plan on going to your first 10 auditions, here or NY, and actually getting called back. People like to know who you are, and the chances of a complete unkown getting those gigs are one in a million. You have to work up the ladder like everyone else. Little club gigs, weddings, sessions etc. Have a large savings account!
You need to go out and make the local music hangs, and in LA there aren't that many. You need to know people in LA. In NY you just need to get there.
Don't lose your fire, that's just the way it is. The best musicians on the planet live in these places, and they want the same gigs you do.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 27, 2005 12:59 PM: Message edited by: Paraflam ]</font>

[troutbrooke]

Originally posted by Andreas Brobjer:
If LA is where all the auditions for the major artists are held, then what I should put my emphasis on is where to find them and just get my ass over there and play!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I don't think there are many 'cattle-call' auditions anymore like there used to be. Most drummers get hired via word of mouth, and when there ARE auditions for a touring act, they usually have it narrowed down enough that they only check out 2 or 3 guys.

That's not to say that it can't happen, but my advice would be to come here with enough resources to 'stay alive' for at least a year while you try to get things happening. You're obviously super talented, and it's only a matter of time. The trick is getting people to find out about you and hear you.

[Andreas_Brobjer]

Hi guys!

Thank you so much for your advice!

I have e-mailed Mr. Hass, so it will be nice to hear what he has to say about it.

Klemme,
Thanks a lot for your post. It's very motivating and inspiring. However, I'm absolutely certain about moving and have always been, even if I might seem a little different.
I guess I'm a little too anxious about things that I eventually will naturally face when I have made the move. I guess I should focus more on just getting my ass over there, regardless - just as you say.

It's just that I'm a person that always have had total control of everything I do (drumming, business etc), and when a lot of these things are a little beyond my own control, it gets a little frustrating - which makes me want to regain control of the situation. I guess that it all will solve itself when I'm over there. I get a little paranoid, so to say. [img]smile.gif[/img] I guess I just have to have someone telling me the same thing I have planned - that I will do it regardless - to maintain my confidence at 120% all the way through.

I didn't really grasp what you meant about staying at the Manhattan School Of Music?

Paraflam,
I don't think we are talking about the same living standards and conditions here! :-) I will probably have to sleep in my car, which will be a 400 US$ crap car, during the first time period - until I get any kind of income (part time job working at Walmart or whatever). The gas prices in the States are 1/4 of the price in Sweden. Our rates are approximately 1.5 US$/litre (the same amount as as a carton of juice). Anyway, when I move my budget will look kind of like this (I'll try to bring some things from Sweden too).

One-time expences:
Plane ticket - 700$
Used car - 400$
Used drumkit - 1000$ (Half the price of Swedish kits)

Monthly expenses:
Gas money - ? $/mnt (Not sure how much I'll drive, so it's hard to make a budget)
Pocket money - 200-250 $/mth (Well, you get the point.. I'll use it for the necessary social activities).
Car insurance - 100$/mth (appr.) Anyone know the insurance rate for an 18 year old with a shitty car?
Food - 150$/mth
Phone - 100$/mth (I guess I'll be calling a lot).

If lucky:
Sharing the rent for a small place to sleep - 350-400$/mth. (If so, I'll have to share a studio with 3 others or so).

This is what I will have a budget for, when I leave Sweden. When money comes in - in one way or another - then I'll update into better standards, but this is what I have in mind for starters.

Best regards,
Andreas

[email protected]
www.andreasbrobjer.com

<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ July 28, 2005 11:30 AM: Message edited by: Andreas Brobjer ]</font></font>

<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ July 28, 2005 11:31 AM: Message edited by: Andreas Brobjer ]</font></font>

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 28, 2005 11:34 AM: Message edited by: Andreas Brobjer ]</font>

[spaceotter]

Seems like you've made up your mind. There is a qoute about commitment and boldness having a "genius power and magic" (attributed to Goethe, even if this is a loose translation from German). [img]cool.gif[/img] Just keep cool, stay connected, and know your limits. And keep us all informed how it goes!

Best of luck. When is the big day?

[Andreas_Brobjer]

Yes, there's no doubt about moving - but it also feels very good for me to hear other opinions about it. It sort of gives me a perspective on things.

I'm the kind of guy that, if I face something that is very hard to accomplish, then I only get more motivated to make it happen. An obsticle on the way to perfection becomes a kick in the butt for me.

It's great to hear your opinions on it and I'll keep posting about this. I have no set date when I leave. It will be sometime shortly after I have taken my drivers license.

Here's a little something I recorded today:

http://www.andreasbrobjer.com/audio/brobjer_jazz.mp3

Best regards,
Andreas

[email protected]
www.andreasbrobjer.com

[troutbrooke]

Your monthly expenses are a little low. Car insurance will be closer to $200 a month and I'm not sure about living on $5 of food a day - I would double that at least. Gas for your car will probably average about $100 a month and a 'shitty' car will likely require unexpected servicing averaging $50 a month.

Regardless, just try to scrape as much money as you can and get by for as long as possible. If things don't pan out the first time, you can always try again. You're quite young and time is on your side.

I'm sure you'll find a few friends on here that will help out any way we can.

[Andreas_Brobjer]

@ drumming sort of person,

Yeah, I know.. But all of these numbers are just approximately calculated.. =) 5 bucks a day isn't very much to feed on, hehe. I see that now, but I'm not kidding when I say I'll be living on an extremely tight budget! =)

The insurance rate is that high? Those kind of rates are just completely ridiculous! [img]smile.gif[/img] Any good insurance companies I should get in touch with?


Andreas.

[troutbrooke]

Originally posted by Andreas Brobjer:
The insurance rate is that high? Those kind of rates are just completely ridiculous! [img]smile.gif[/img] Any good insurance companies I should get in touch with?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I wish I knew of a good one. They're all crooks. The rates are high here because EVERYONE is always SUING EVERYONE ELSE. Plus, there is so much traffic that there are accidents happening all the time. On top of this, MANY people here drive WITHOUT insurance (which is supposed to be illegal) so those of us with insurance end up paying higher premiums as a result.

You can probably find a used car for around $3,000 but because of your age and limited driving experience, insurance is going to be very high for you I'm thinking. It actually varies a LOT depending on where you live too.

Check out

http://www.progressive.com/ for rates. I don't use them, but that should give you an idea. Use my zip code for comparison (91604). I live in the San Fernando Valley.