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What have we learned from Wolfmother?The dissolution of one of Australia’s most successful bands has come as a shock to some and as inevitable to some others. While only those within and close to the (former) band know the whole story, what we have witnessed from the outside can give us pause to observe and maybe glean some wisdom as we trudge on our own journeys to rock success (and perhaps rock oblivion, but let’s hope the success comes first, if at all!). Wolfmother’s ascension to international fame was relatively quick compared to the years of slogging out the majority of bands encounter before even gaining a sliver of recognition. Was it being in the right place at the right time, knowing the right people, having a product that stood above the rest? Maybe a mix of all? The rapid journey was clearly not without its price and strain. Stating plainly that “in spite of their best efforts over a long period of time, they just could not find a harmonious way to work together”, one has to wonder if things were harmonious at one point and the pressure of success cracked it, or were frictions always part of the band chemistry and success exacerbated the rifts? It’s not a new story and Wolfmother is not the first (nor will be the last) band to implode in the limelight. The press loves a good catfight, but what I find more intriguing are the bands that do endure, successfully, peacefully, and continue to make relevant amazing music. Bands like U2 and Rush are anomalies in the rock music industry, have been together for decades, with no line up changes since early days, no break-ups and comebacks, and having remained productive in touring and recording since their formations. What these two bands in particular have in common is first and foremost the members of the bands are friends. Not just band friends, but life friends. Being in a band is a marriage. Look at your band mates. Are they people you are prepare to commit the rest of your life to? Do you all have common goals? Who is in the band as a hobby and who is in it become a touring/recording musician professional? How much success is enough? Do you just want to clear a livable wage from your music or do you want to be on the cover of Rolling Stone (in Australia, the UK, AND the US)? Success in a band is no accident - it is the result having your shit together, which means you have common goals and a plan, and in time, bringing the right people into your team to support you in those goals and plans. Failure is also not an accident - when band mates make assumptions about each other or situations, don’t communicate, or “put up” with contentious matters hoping they will go away or change for the better. Guess what, they don’t. When is the last time you sat down with your band mates and really got on the level about what you are doing and reflected on how you communicate with each other? Does someone dominate the group? Does everyone air their opinions, or do some bottle them up? If someone is difficult to work with now, do you really think they will be easier to work with if you some how do manage to attract success? Finding that musical chemistry with others can be elusive enough, but without the personal chemistry, at best expect a short, bumpy ride that may be over before it really starts.
Tags: success band partnerships wolfmother longevity
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