Backstage - Behind the scenes of the music industry

"Cause we all just wanna be big rock stars, livin' in tour buses driving fifteen cars..."

It's the Nickelback song that has been clogging our airwaves for months now, but how true are the words they sing?

The legends of drink, drugs and general debauchery are well known in the music business, and are (unfortunately) the motivation for many a young musician's foray into 'the big time'.

The reality, however, couldn't really be further from the truth.

Jack Godfrey is lead guitarist of The Frantic, a breakthrough group currently enjoying rave reviews from periodicals such as The Independent and Music Week, and he certainly knows how harsh life behind the scenes of the music business can be.

"It's tough...as a band you will argue, disagree, get stressed," he says.

"Fifteen hours a day in the studio is tiring."

Unfortunately, many new acts fail to realise this, believing that 'doing a Lily Allen' by setting up a MySpace and waiting for the offers to roll in from big labels is the way forward.

"It's just not that simple," says Ed Russel, Ochestral Contractor and Composer.

Cause we all just wanna be big rock stars, livin' in tour buses driving fifteen cars...

Nickelback

"Too many young artists think that their raw talent is enough - they could be fantastic, but at the end of the day, skills need to be honed or it will show through in their performance."

Jack agrees; "There are so many decent acts around that the market is completely saturated, making new music hard to get heard: you really need to stand out.

Plus, with the boost in MySpace and Facebook, the amount of money and time you need to positively promote a band is mental."

It's not all doom and gloom, however.

The 'sex, drugs, and rock n roll' legend had to come from somewhere, and with enough work, new acts can get in on it, too.

"Playing at O2 Wireless and with major bands such as Scouting For Girls and The Wombats have been the high points so far, so it's all good," laughs Jack.

So what are the essential tips for any promising new artists out there? "Our booking agent and management are quality, for a start, and networking is crucial.

It's not as easy as just being "on the scene" which is a load of bollocks to be fair.

Work hard, don't piss anyone off, and good things will happen".