Loedi van Renen and Louis Nel from the band Taxi Violence have been in the local music industry for more than 10 years. Here are their brutally honest answers to questions about whether you should encourage your children to pursue a career in music.
Why is music a great career choice?
Loedi: Music is a terrible career choice, but life without music would be rather empty. To answer the question, I am not a full-time muso.
Louis: I wouldn’t say that music is a ‘great career choice’. But if music is your passion, it can definitely be a fulfilling path to follow.
What is the best part about being a professional musician?
Loedi: Being a part-time musician is great. You get VIP access at all the music festivals.
Louis: The best part about being a professional musician is that you were fortunate enough to become one!
How can parents guide their child who wants to become a professional musician?
Loedi: Motivate them to get a great job with flexible hours, or one that earns you enough to retire young. Now rock out without financial pressure.
Louis: Don’t force music onto a young child. If and when your child shows interest in music, support them 100%.
What are the pitfalls that parents can warn their child about?
Loedi: If you stop working at trying to keep people’s attention, they will forget about you in a heartbeat.
Louis: Always know your rights as a musician. If you don’t, get legal advice from a music lawyer.
Should the child have a plan B, for instance a university degree or diploma, in case their music career doesn’t work out as planned?
Loedi: That should be plan A.
Louis: I think that should be plan A!
What can parents do to help their child succeed?
Loedi: Turn off passive entertainment in favour of active entertainment. As in less TV and more music, sports and games – something they participate in.
Louis: Just provide unconditional support.
Should parents raise concerns if they don’t think it’s a good idea for their child to pursue a career in music?
Loedi: They would be stupid not to. If my parents didn’t warn me and I crashed and burned, I’d think they were terrible parents!
Louis: I suppose so. But there’s probably a right way and a wrong way to raise concerns. It’s more important for a child to make their own mistakes and learn from them. As long as you’re always there to offer guidance, not control.
What would you say are the chances of making it big in SA as a musician?
Loedi: It depends on supply and demand. If people want what you have and you’re able to provide it in a better way than other artists can, you’ll do well financially.
Louis: If you pursue a career in Afrikaans pop music you’ll have the best chance of success!
Do you have any advice for young musicians?
Loedi: Have fun making music. Everything else is secondary.
What was your big break, and do you have any advice for young musicians?
Louis: I think we were lucky enough to start at a time when the music scene (especially alternative rock) was ready to explode in South Africa. It was about a year after Fokofpolisiekar came onto the scene. There were amazing platforms for musicians like the MK TV channel, awesome events and so on. We were in the right place at the right time.
Join Good Housekeeping and Taxi Violence at the Backsberg Sunday Picnic Concerts this weekend
See Taxi Violence performing live at the Backsberg Sunday Picnic Concerts at Backsberg Estate Cellars on Sunday 19 March 2017 at 3pm. Good Housekeeping is the media partner of these fun-filled family outings, so be sure to come and enjoy a relaxing afternoon of music, good food and wine, and more.
Get your tickets here
Also read:
- Where to start if your child wants to play an alternative instrument
- How to pick the perfect instrument for your child
- How to get your child interested in music
- Join us at the Backsberg Sunday Picnic Concerts
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