Andrew Solomon

Too many artists are great at creating music, but fall victim to the common pitfalls that relate to the business side of being in the music business. Andrew Solomon is a notable exception. Although he continues to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter, winning myriad awards for his craft over the past five years, he is also a smart, business savvy entrepreneur with a background in investment banking who is currently enrolled in the prestigious Harvard Business School.

So far, Solomon has been able to successfully balance these two endeavors. Solomon's love of music began early, and by age 10 he was already writing songs on the piano. When he was 21, he scored an Academy Award-winning animation short. During the past half-decade, Solomon has been a semi-finalist in the Musician Magazine/Atlantic Records Best Unsigned Artist Award, reached the Number One position on Billboard's TalentNet Top Ten list, and was tapped to be one of a handful of artists asked to participate in ASCAP's Advanced Songwriter's Workshop. Last year, Solomon won the Tonos Rock Songwriting Challenge, where he was selected by Grammy-winning producer Matt Serletic to come to Nashville to record a cut that appears on Solomon's newest CD, Two.

Just prior to a recent gig at Boston's House of Blues, Solomon spoke with StarPolish editorial director James K. Willcox about balancing his musical and business interests, what it was like to work with a Grammy-winning producer, and what winning the Tonos contest really meant to his career.

Download Andrew's latest single, "I Will" by clicking  this link.

STARPOLISH: When I first met you, you had quit your job in investment banking and were pursuing music full time. You received a lot of success -- including being selected for ASCAP's Advanced Songwriter's Workshop and winning Tonos' Rock Songwriting Challenge -- and really seemed poised to break through. Now you're in Harvard Business School, but still pursuing music. What happened?

SOLOMON: There were a few things. Prior to going back to work after taking a full year off, I got a very reputable lawyer, a very reputable manager... the lawyer was working with U2 at the time, and the manager managed Green Day. All the blocks were in place in terms of professional representation, and I was starting to build a very credible following to actually garner interest from the big guys. And that was my goal all along. I feel with my music, as much as I appreciate the grassroots following, I wanted to get the financial backing to blow it out in terms of mass-market radio, and the cost of getting it to radio that takes major-label backing.  So I think there were some real tangible wins, but I ran out of money, and there were pressures... I have this other side of me that loves business, and I am very interested in the world of business.

STARPOLISH: When we first met when I was at Riffage.com, it was obvious to me that you were very cognizant of the business side of the music business, and what it took to be successful. So I guess I was wondering if you pursue both things because you like both things, or with the business thing was there a fear that you needed something to fall back on in case the music part didn't pan out? Your decision about trying to balance these two things is interesting, because either alone is tough enough.

SOLOMON:  If you asked me five years ago when I was in college -- or when I was working100 hours a week in investment banking -- if I was looking at business as a back-up, it was absolutely a back-up and music was truly my love.  I think as I've grown older over the past five years and had more experiences, I can honestly say that it's equal. I mean, I'm real competitive and have a thirst for winning in a business sense, whether it's the company I work for, or managing people or making investments -- there's a real thrill to it, and a personal satisfaction. The other side of me, the love of music, will never go away. There's nothing I love more after a hard day of work than sitting down in my recording studio and trying to write, or playing live at a show -- that's the absolute thrill. So if you asked me a while I ago, I would have said [business] was a back-up, but going through the constant stepping-stones of trying to get the right job, trying to get into the right schools... I think I'm at a comfort level where I can do both. Yes, sometimes it's exhausting, to be preparing for the show at the House of Blues and getting my band together, and flying back and forth from San Francisco to meet with potential companies I can work for. Sometimes I'm going crazy -- I'm on a plane going over lyrics for a song I'm co-writing, and doing an investment analysis for a class discussion... But I don't think I'd want it another way. Where I'm at in terms of balancing these careers is that I'm in a position to take either one to the next level.

STARPOLISH: At some point, do you think there will have to be a decision where one ultimately takes precedence?

SOLOMON: No, I don't think so. Because I think I'm accomplishing what I want to in each area. Nothing could be worse in terms of actual time than when I was working 100 hours a week in investment banking and coming out with my first album late at night in the studio. I don't think I could ever do that again -- I didn't sleep. If I did that, and then took the next step of getting a publishing deal or a record label deal and I have to tour, then yes, something would have to give. But if I want to stay on the songwriting side and place songs with other artists, then that's the free time I've always been spending anyway after a day's work, sitting in my studio, just the way someone spends an hour working out or doing one of their hobbies. This is my hobby -- but it's a serious hobby; it's a dual career.

STARPOLISH: One of the things that might have changed since we first met is that it seemed back then that you were looking to be a performer, and now there seems to be a greater emphasis on being the guy who writes the songs and not necessarily being the guy who goes on the road and performs them. Is that accurate?

SOLOMON:  I would still welcome -- and am still pursuing -- the opportunity to be an artists. I think you control more of your destiny. The other side of that as I pursue these two careers is that there's something very attractive about being a songwriter, being able to work and get the songs placed with someone else that's going to spend the time traveling to promote it. And you can continue to generate songs and place them with other artists.

STARPOLISH: So if you had a career along the lines of Diane Warren's, would you continue to do investment banking?

SOLOMON: I think if I reached the level of success in either -- let's take the songwriting part -- if I reached a level of success where I could sustain myself...

STARPOLISH: Financially?

SOLOMON: Both financially and in the ability to place songs and be busy with it. Because it's very hard... I can't spend my entire day writing. I've read stories about Diane Warren and I have complete respect that she treats it like a nine-to-five job. It's very hard to sit for ...

STARPOLISH: But doesn't that almost seem like factory work?

SOLOMON: Yeah, I couldn't sit in front of my keyboard for eight hours if I'm not getting anywhere in writing a song. But if I were to get into a position where I had generated a substantial library of songs that are being placed and it becomes sort of a business of managing my music with a publishing company, yeah, I think I could do it. But right now I'm at a place where I've pressed my second CD on my own, I'm playing a show every two to three weeks, and it's not possible to drop everything on my business side -- it wouldn't be sustainable, both financially and in just the way I am.  I'd have almost too much free time.

STARPOLISH: As you learn more about business in general in business school, does the music business just make less and less sense as a business to you? Does it seem like a really bad way to try and earn a living?

SOLOMON:  Under the current model? Absolutely.

STARPOLISH: The labels admit that 90% to 95% of the people they sign will never make money beyond their advance. It's sort of weird to know that only 5% of the people will have the kind of financial success you associate with successful, established artists.

SOLOMON: And I stress under the current model There is absolutely a model that can make sense in leveraging the Internet, being able to strike record deals and publishing deals that make sense to all parties. And you start to get revenue streams from areas other than CD sales. Because it's going to take some time to figure out how to put a close to piracy. So it's going to be the touring aspects, the fan clubs that are generated online. I was looking at the work of a friend of mine, who is developing fan sites for some of the major artists out there. To have a site that offers exclusive information -- either advance ticket sales, signed pieces... I mean those are very interesting revenue streams. Success from an artist's standpoint, financially, isn't just predicated on record sales. And it's revamping the model so that it makes sense for all the parties.

STARPOLISH: Recently we've seen EMI  -- and also BMG, I believe -- make overtures about sharing in various artist revenue streams, and a lot of the artists have responded by saying, "Leave our touring money alone, it's the only thing we can actually control, make money from and audit." But EMI seemed to be saying that the future calls for broader partnerships between artists and labels where everyone participates in every revenue stream. It will be interesting to see if that happens.

SOLOMON: There's no doubt in my mind that piracy isn't here to stay with these peer-to-peer swapping programs, but it will take time [before it ends]. So it may be several years. Their sales will stop eroding eventually when you can distribute stuff online and actually make money. I think you're seeing the first sort of scare this week with the Verizon case, where they're saying they might be compelled to reveal the name of the person [using the service to download copyrighted songs]. When [fans] read articles like that, I think they're reaction is, "Hey, I don't want to get caught stealing." So you are going to have to re-educate a lot of the youth that makes up a majority of the purchasers, who have grown up in a computer-based society who think, "Oh, I'm going to get that CD for free tonight." They don't know that it's stealing, so they're going to have to be re-educated that Yes it is stealing.  But until that time, I absolutely agree with you -- it's dividing the pie up into more unique ways, finding different streams.

STARPOLISH: There are so many ideas about what's causing the downslide in CD sales. Some people argue it's the artificially high price points of CDs, while others say its because the labels haven't provided their customers music in the form and at the price their customers want. Others maintain that file sharing is to blame, because why are people going to pay for things they can get free. Still others say that there are too many artists and not enough good music. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

SOLOMON: I think it's a combination of a lot of things.  We've always gone though ebbs and flows in the past without piracy -- for a while it was "the boy bands are going away," then it was the advent of grunge... I see us today heading toward a rediscovery of singer-songwriters, with Five for Fighting and Vanessa Carlton...

STARPOLISH: And John Mayer...

SOLOMON: And John Mayer -- which is very exciting to me, because that's the vein that I fall into, and that lends itself to the songs I write potentially for these artists and other artists coming out. And that's encouraging to me -- this isn't the same environment as when I was looking to get signed in 1998 and '99. A lot of A&R people were paying attention to me, but much of their emphasis was on finding the absolute blow-away boy band or teen band.

STARPOLISH: That relates to something else I was going to ask you about -- the general climate and genres that the music industry goes through. Having seen you perform and heard your albums, this seems like a particularly fertile climate for what you do. Are you seeing that in terms of how people are approaching you and the interest that you're generating?

SOLOMON:  I think it's absolutely a fertile time. In terms of actual interest, it's funny -- over the past several years I have continued to get approached by different record companies, managers and publishers, who continue to sniff around, who have read about me or who have listened to something and expressed an interest. But what I've learned is that you either create an undying buzz that becomes a bidding war, or you need to find a believer, someone who has the clout or power to make a decision and drive it through the chain.  Although it's a fertile industry right now for singer-songwriters, for me it's a matter of finding that believer -- either a publisher that can sign me or finding the right A&R person. So to answer your question, there are still people who continue to approach me, but it hasn't gotten to that level where a deal's on the table.

STARPOLISH: In the position that you were in -- all the elements were in place except for the deal being offered -- how do you deal with that as an artist? You had come so far, but then ran out of money and had to go back to work. What kind of psychological impact does it have to be that close and not reach the ultimate goal?

SOLOMON: You know, I should talk about Matt Serletic for a second -- that was after I had run out of money.  I decided this was a great experience, but I decided I also wanted to continue my development in business, and I put the music aside to go to work at Emusic and then in venture capital. And I was working in venture capital when I won the Tonos songwriting contest, and that's where Matt Serletic chose me and flew me to Nashville to record for the weekend. And he brought in incredible artists.

STARPOLISH: Maybe you should let our audience know who Matt Serletic is...

SOLOMON: Sure. Matt Serletic is the Grammy-award-winning producer for Matchbox Twenty, and prior to that he produced Collective Soul, Aerosmith -- he's at the top of the producers world, and he's now, I believe, the CEO of Virgin Records in North America. So he flew mw down for the weekend to Nashville, and it was an amazing experience. And it was interesting, because this was after I sort of put things away. And the lesson I can impart to people who are aspiring to be songwriters or performers is that you can never give up -- you keep going after it. I mean, I was at a phase where I sort of failed -- I had run out of money and it was time to go back to the work world, and I was resigned to that, although I'd keep sending things out in my free time -- and then I won an amazing weekend where I got recognized by Matt. I recorded at the finest studio in Nashville, called Ocean Way Recording, and it was an incredible experience. But even with that amazing credit, and now having a demo that I can freely shop around that Matt Serletic produced, it's not the end-all game. You have to continue to press along and make the most of it. It's certainly easier to open doors leading with that -- "Would you like to hear my latest album, which includes a song produced by Matt Serletic?" But it's not the end-all, and the lesson I learned is that it's a slow [process]. I was unreasonable in 1998/99 to say that in one year I'm going to come out with a CD and get signed and make a 10-year career out of it.  It's a career that goes on forever, and it takes patience to continue to plug along. But you have victories... and the victories [for me] were coming out with my CD in the first place in '98, or getting Matt to produce a song. The building blocks keep building, and it would be a mistake today if I were to just drop everything. And in some ways you could say, "Where I am I? I'm nowhere still. I still have my self-released CD, and I don't have any backing from a major publisher or record company." But if you look at where I am now versus where I was when I started, there are some pretty substantial building blocks in place to keep climbing this ladder.

STARPOLISH: I guess what we're saying is that there are various levels of success. For example, I remember doing an interview with another up-and-coming singer-songwriter who was also in the ASCAP songwriter's program, and I asked her if there were any people in her group who really stood out. And she said, "Andrew Solomon," and I laughed and said I had your album and had interviewed you. So I guess my point is that there are plateaus, and you can reach the top of one plateau, but that also means you're on the bottom of another.

SOLOMON: We've talked a lot about the business side, and why backing is important... but there are some tremendously successful artists that have done it on their own, and that have done a grassroots build-up. But what they never lost sight of was building up their fan base and focusing on their music. That's what I continue to force myself to look at. I've played a lot of the business game, trying to get interest, but it's most important that I continue honing my craft of performing and songwriting and making sure that I'm cognizant of what's going on out there and getting the stuff out there. It doesn't help me if I continue to write and don't think about the marketing aspects. So it's trying to keep a healthy balance of writing, performance and marketing. As long as I continue to do that, I'm hopeful that things will continue to climb up slowly and I'll reach a point where I'm happy with what I've accomplished.

STARPOLISH: You've obviously been part of a variety of songwriter retreats and contests -- could you talk a bit about the value of those types of things? I see contests all the time -- what do they really mean to an emerging artist?

SOLOMON: It never is the thing, but...let me talk about the ASCAP songwriting program, because it was easily the most influential group in my career. Basically, it's a 12-week program at ASCAP where I think at that time 12 songwriters were selected, and you get to meet with managers, lawyers, and songwriters. And you actually co-write a song with someone in the group and perform it at a showcase.  It was incredible for me. Did I come out of it with a record deal or publishing deal? No, but it's an opportunity to work with other people that share this thirst for having a successful career in the music business. And it's bonding with them, and opening up your network with other songwriters, or other people in the business that we were able to meet almost every night. And I'm still in touch with most people I met there, and still co-write with some of them.

STARPOLISH: Did that help launch you into co-writing?

SOLOMON: Yes. I never co-wrote until that experience, and now I'm co-writing a couple of songs.

STARPOLISH: Do you also get feedback from more established artists, or is it more collaborative?

SOLOMON: At that program it was more collaborative, but at the showcases we'd perform and people would definitely get approached by other artists or people in the business. I didn't think going into it that it would elevate me in terms of getting something tangible -- such as a contract -- out of it, but the relationships I made, and being able to share that with other people and bounce ideas off them and get feedback, is invaluable.

STARPOLISH: I'd guess that it's also beneficial to know there are other talented people in the same situation -- that it isn't only related to talent.

SOLOMON: Sure. But actually, it's very humbling, because you're there confident in your craft, and there are people sitting across the table who are just as -- or even more -- talented. And it makes you realize that it's competitive out there. And at the same time, there are tremendous resources out there for people, and you get to work with other people, either with co-writing with them or bouncing ideas around about how to market your music with someone else that's in the same game. And these are people who are incredibly talented, who are amazing resources you can use to help you write better, or get your CD out there more effectively.

STARPOLISH: You moved from San Francisco to Boston -- is there anything you can say as a singer-songwriter about the difference in the towns?

SOLOMON:  Well, at school it's very business-oriented and it's about career advancement in the business world, and I don't think there's really a place to explore my songwriting side there, so it's outside of it.  But there's a very vibrant community in Boston, and I'm excited to see how the show at the House of Blues here goes, and what kind of following will come of it...

STARPOLISH: Was that a tough show to get?

SOLOMON:  Very tough. It's a really reputable place, with an amazing stage, and I'm psyched for the sound system, and I'm hoping that we'll be able to get it recorded and maybe even videotaped.

STARPOLISH: You're doing a full-band show?

SOLOMON: Yes, I have a whole bunch of guys that I hired from the Berklee School of Music playing behind me, and I'm excited to see what it's like. So I think it's a really vibrant community, but I can't really compare it yet to New York City.

STARPOLISH: What about San Francisco?

SOLOMON:  That's a tough comparison, because I wasn't really playing live in San Francisco, I was just working on recording.

STARPOLISH: In terms of where you are right now, you just finished your second album?

SOLOMON: Yes, it's entitled Two, and I'm really proud of it. I wasn't really worried about what people are going to think about each song -- it was more "This is who I am," and it's really written for me, and as a listener, I hope everyone enjoys it. For my first album, I was very much...  even though I was writing from the heart, I was thinking about, "What is commercially viable?"  and whether the listener or the music industry was going to like it. This one was written more smoothly, because I wasn't working 100 hours a week and coming in at 4:00 in the morning and trying to record.  I'm really proud of some of the highlights, like working with Matt on "I Will." For me, at least from a production standpoint, that's the absolute pinnacle of my career so far.

STARPOLISH: Is there song or two you feel is a single? It seemed like "Leap of Faith" off your first album leapt off the album as a clear single. Is there something similar on "Two?"

SOLOMON: All the songs resonated with me in different ways, but in terms of what can commercially get out there, and really get people excited, .I was thinking it was probably "I Will." The song has a strong hook, so that by the time you're into the third verse you're singing along. Sometimes I will think about that as I'm writing, not just what's true to me but also what people can enjoy.

STARPOLISH: And you're still trying to get out and perform regularly?

SOLOMON:  I'm trying to play, between New York City and the Boston/New England area, about once every two weeks, a combination of both solo shows and full-band shows. Some venues are more appropriate for solo shows, but the shows at the House of Blues and Coda in New York are full-band shows, and I actually like them a lot more -- they're a lot more fun and it's always great to get the crowd really involved.

STARPOLISH: So where do you stand with career right now -- are you actively shopping the new CD?

SOLOMON: Yes, that's my focus now. I have this new CD that came out a couple of months ago and so now it's leveraging the network I've built up, and meeting new people who are interested in passing my music along, or actually doing something with it.  So that's the focus -- playing live, continuing to build my following and hopefully getting new fans and people who really appreciate the music. And at the same time, make the music industry aware that I would love to work with someone in getting this music out to a bigger audience. That's my goal. I'm looking to set up a whole new team -- lawyer, manager, etc. -- but this time a team that makes sense. Not that the previous team didn't believe in me, because they did and they were very interested in the music, but making sure that each step makes sense, and not just getting a manager because I need a manager. In fact, I firmly believe in doing most of it on your own. If a manager -- or a lawyer -- can come in and open doors you can't, then I'd absolutely work with them, with the assumption that they really believe in me and are willing to make a commitment. Right now I'm doing everything on my own, from booking to arranging the bands to marketing. Each person that can come along and add value -- I'll definitely see if I can work with them.

More info can be found at andrew's website -www.andrewsolomon.com