You Am ITim Rogers – of You Am I fame – has opened up about the realities of the music industry in a recent interview, admitting that musicians today are “completely broke.”
Catching up with Zan Rowe for her regular podcast, Take 5, he delved into what it truly means to “live” and discussed the “irony” of being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame last year.
“I guess the irony of the Hall of Fame stuff last year is that we are completely broke,” he told Rowe.
Adding that he and Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson recently had a conversation about “financial stuff,” Rogers shared that when it comes to getting by, “everyone’s got this kind of dog barking, you know, you need to pay the rent and the electricity bill.” Meanwhile, advertisements for real estate are constant, and just trying to get a loan isn’t so easy for artists.
“The question will come up, ‘What do you do?’ And you say, ‘Well, we’re artists,’ and you just get laughed out of the building,” Rogers continued. “Which is the way it is. And so you, we all do, performances that we wouldn’t necessarily want to be doing.”
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
In a follow-up comment, Rogers shared that he was having a “bad day” when discussing the financial difficulties of the music business. But, he added that he’s “very fortunate” to have a roof over his head and receive a “free sandwich” at gigs—plus drinks.
“As a touring tryhard, I hear stories from all strolls of life and I am in NO way doing it tough. Comparably,” he wrote on Instagram. “Some months n years are tough, others not.
“My dear friend Zan and I talk very openly and it was just one of those weeks where bills and rent and a decent cup of coffee on the road couldn’t be covered. They will next month. I just have to work harder. Write better. Again, i play in four ALMIGHTY pop groups, I’m the luckiest gal around. No more whining. Onward.”
You can listen to the snippet of the interview below and check out the chat in its entirety on ABC Listen.
With undeniable songs and swagger, You Am I are one of Australia’s most loved rock and roll bands, with Daniel Johns – who had the honour of inducting the band into the ARIA Hall of Fame last November – admitting that without You Am I, there would be no Silverchair.
While Rogers reminisced about the band’s many highlights from across their storied career, upon being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, he took the opportunity to highlight regional venues struggling against major acts performing in stadiums.
“There have been a lot of very, very big festivals, big shows, some overseas bands touring and getting your photo taken amongst 80,000 people is very exciting,” he said. “I understand that the spectacle of that, but there are so many great venues, Link & Pin in Woy Woy, Trash Cult in Eaglehawk, Bendigo, that put on shows whenever they can, whenever they can afford it.”
Rogers continued, “And by buying a ticket, going to those shows and taking a punt on something, something you’ve never heard of, you may have been a crowd of 12 people, but by doing that, you’re part of this great art experiment.
“You’re not necessarily a fan, but you are a fan, which I think is the most noble thing of all, to be passionate about, something I know because we’re just fans who dress considerably better.”
You can revisit the band’s ARIA Hall of Fame acceptance speeches on The Music.
