Interview: Rodney Orpheus

Today’s post is a short interview with Rodney Orpheus on the topic of the music industry and his own experience and lessons as a musician. Rodney is a friend and one whom I respect because of his passion for not only music, but also the technology that is a part of the way we create today.

Daniel: Give a short introduction and bio.

Rodney Orpheus: Born in Northern Ireland, first record released in 1985 with The Cassandra Complex, have sold about quarter of a million more since then and worked with acts such as The Sisters of Mercy, Future Sound of London, etc. have also worked for Music Tech companies such as Steinberg, DTS, and PreSonus, as well as teaching Music Technology at college level.

Daniel: What steps in your career do you feel made you successful?

Rodney: That's hard to say. First it's hard to define what "success" is, and secondly, so much of it is sheer luck and/or a long process of continual hard work. So to point out a clear "step" is difficult.

Daniel: While each person has his or her own interpretation of success, and luck is an uncontrollable factor, what has been your strategy in terms of “hard work” as you put it?

Rodney: I guess the first thing is to learn as much as possible. I devoured every piece of reliable info on music making that I could find. Luckily it's a lot easier to get that info these days than it used to be. Not just reading, but talking to professionals, watching videos on YouTube, whatever. That's the first hard work you need to do - learning stuff. After that, it's putting it into practice as often as you possibly can.

And I don't think "luck" is an uncontrollable factor. You need to put yourself into a position where opportunities present themselves, and be ready to grab those opportunities. That's what "luck" often is.

Daniel: Surviving in the industry for so long you have also been witness to many changes. There are some good conceptual models for the industry in relation to the new digital model of revenue for the artist. What is you interpretation of where the industry is going and how an artist can position for the future?

Rodney: I honestly do not know - I wish I did. That's why I haven't released a record in a decade. I genuinely no longer know what it means to "release a record" or even what a "record" actually is. I am beginning to think that the age when music as a normal business is over, and we'll go back to musicians being a community resource - effectively busking on a grander scale.

Daniel: In business developing a profession network is crucial. What steps did you take on early in your career to develop you own professional network?

Rodney: I wrote to people I liked and told them who I was and what I wanted to do. A surprising number contacted me back and gave me good advice. I'll be forever grateful to Green Gartside from Scritti Politti who spent a whole evening on the telephone with me explaining all the details of how to release an independent record for example, even though he had no clue who I was. There are some good people in the music business, buried among the assholes. You just have to find them

Daniel: Cassandra Complex has had a long run since 1980 and has continued to be your central focus. What is in store for your fans on with the upcoming CC2012 tour?

Rodney: Lots of greatest hits songs of course, since we don't play that often. Hopefully a few songs that we rarely play, and also we're planning to play some new material (which we are still writing!)

Daniel: Do you manage all aspects of the project or are you working with a label or manager? Have you been able to manage at least a break-even with festival bookings and tours?

Rodney: We currently manage everything ourselves, and have done through most of our career. It's not an option that I would recommend for most people though. We do have an agency booking tours for us. Hopefully we can make money on this tour - that's the plan anyway.

Daniel: You have gone through different roles in the industry from writing reviews, working for Steinberg and now a resident with PreSonus. Tell us a little bit about your role with PreSonus and what excites you about working for them?

Rodney: I am the European Product Marketing Manager, which is a nice vague title that means I do presentations to musicians and at trade shows, make training videos, help back up our European support staff etc. I love PreSonus because it is a company that is first and foremost run by musicians for musicians, it's not just another faceless corporation.

Daniel: PreSonus acquired Nimbit in April of this year. What are some of the key benefits for the user of Studio One and other PreSonus products?

Rodney: Integration. We want someone to be able to load up our Studio One software and do *the entire process* of writing, recording, editing, mixing, mastering AND releasing without needing any other tool, or having to leave that environment. When you open that software, anything you need to do that involves your music should be right there seamlessly, no matter what that is.

Daniel: What closing advise do you have for those musicians that desire to find ways to reach their fans and reach financial sustainability in their careers?

Rodney: Learn everything you can. It's called the *music business* for a reason - it's about music AND business. If you think you can make a living just by playing the guitar and singing about how your girlfriend left you, you're an idiot.

Daniel: Thank you, Rodney for the insight and opportunity for this interview. To view his work please visit: http://cassandracomplex.co.uk