Having worked on a music video some years ago I realized in reading this that the entire video could been created in a studio rather than filming on a levee in Dallas in the evening. I ended up being responsible for making sure all trademarked items weren't being filmed during the 6 hours. But the camaraderie between all of us will never occur in a studio. And what stories do the musicians have to remind each other of in the future if they have spent it buried in a phone or laptop during a tour?
Thanks for these vivid reminders of “showbiz” before smartphones. The humor was clever and off-color, but almost always lighthearted, and the debates over minuscule details, trivia you couldn’t look up in an instant, were hearty, like the laughter.
As a young woman in that world, I had my fair share of questionable interactions, the likes of which I’m glad our compulsive connectedness and recording have shone a light on. But you’re right: something has irrevocably changed that makes backstage and travel days feel a little colder.
I do see many of the young adults coming up behind me eschewing the most addictive parts of technology to be present with one another in person, so maybe that pendulum will find a more moderate swing in time.
Wow, the part about time being a zero-sum game really stood out to me, making me think of your earlier peice on technology's impact on our 'free' time, though I'm still weighing up if the quiet productivity of today's backstage is truly a loss compared to the old days, for all its social banter.
My copy arrived this morning. Looking forward to it.
Having worked on a music video some years ago I realized in reading this that the entire video could been created in a studio rather than filming on a levee in Dallas in the evening. I ended up being responsible for making sure all trademarked items weren't being filmed during the 6 hours. But the camaraderie between all of us will never occur in a studio. And what stories do the musicians have to remind each other of in the future if they have spent it buried in a phone or laptop during a tour?
Thanks for these vivid reminders of “showbiz” before smartphones. The humor was clever and off-color, but almost always lighthearted, and the debates over minuscule details, trivia you couldn’t look up in an instant, were hearty, like the laughter.
As a young woman in that world, I had my fair share of questionable interactions, the likes of which I’m glad our compulsive connectedness and recording have shone a light on. But you’re right: something has irrevocably changed that makes backstage and travel days feel a little colder.
I do see many of the young adults coming up behind me eschewing the most addictive parts of technology to be present with one another in person, so maybe that pendulum will find a more moderate swing in time.
Wow, the part about time being a zero-sum game really stood out to me, making me think of your earlier peice on technology's impact on our 'free' time, though I'm still weighing up if the quiet productivity of today's backstage is truly a loss compared to the old days, for all its social banter.
D. Boon would agree, I suspect, being the corn dog tour van romantic that he was.