He made me feel inadequate.
You think you want to go down one path, then you find out you’re unsuited for it. Even worse, you age and discover that your heart’s desire is not. I remember wanting to be an agent, at this late date the idea of negotiating for a living is anathema to me, but what did I know then?
Bupkes.
Anyway, Guerinot grows up in Rochester and moves to Orange County, the home of his beloved Lakers, and finds his way in the music business because he’s a self-starter. He books gigs at school, then takes over a club, then works for a promoter and goes on to an even bigger one. There’s a great story of sitting on Brian Murphy’s couch while the promoter calls Cynthia Fox, the legendary KMET deejay, about upcoming Springsteen shows at the Coliseum. What we want is access and to feel like an insider. Guerinot achieves both.
But when he feels he’s getting a raw deal at Avalon he moves on to Universal and doesn’t like it there and ends up at A&M. Geiger hips him to gigs, it’s all about your network, but it’s also about being hungry and taking advantage of opportunities.
Which Guerinot does.
Which makes me feel inadequate. I’m more cerebral, I’m more reticent, I’m so busy weighing the options that I don’t take advantage.
And for those out of the loop, Jim ends up managing not only Social Distortion, but the Offspring and Nine Inch Nails and No Doubt and he even has a record label with total control under Clive Davis!
And now he’s excited about teaching.
You’ll get it all here.
Listen for the story.
But also ask yourself if you can be Jim. If you could make the same choices and create the same opportunities.
If not, maybe you should forge your own path.
