psychoanalysis and artistic license

More than ever, bands must be able to manage themselves. The age of lavish label advances and indulgent A&R handholding is over. Upheaval and stress in the industry means diminished tolerance for chaotic behaviour among band members. There is less money available to clean up the messes created by out-of-control artists.

So says my colleague Mike Jolkovski. in a fascinating article he’s written for Music Connection Magazine. Mike is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, musician and organisational consultant working with music groups (of all genres). In this article he’s taking on the heady issues of artistic license and what it allows and doesn’t; the music group as an organisational unit; working with feelings and psychology as well as technique and politics; dealing with problems as soon as they arise (instead of trashing the hotel room as a minor diversion) and the tricky issue of dividing the spoils. It’s a great piece and his blog is full of more fascinating insights into how psychoanalysis can be applied in a practical way to the world of work in the music field.