Big Atlantic

Talking Heads front man David Byrne once said, "The rock star is some kind of primitive, an idiot savant who can't really function in the world and would rather get onstage and do something wonderful and entertain people." Byrne is as erroneous and outdated as his oversized suit. A rock star must be a brilliant startup entrepreneur, a communications expert, and a passionate musician. That's just for starters.

Long ago and on a stage far, far away, the music business was simple. The traditional narrative of "making it" involved duplicating what other artists were doing, crossing your fingers, and waiting to be discovered. Now the path to success is way more difficult. Unless your social media skills are top notch and you have a solid fan base, unless you have an agent and live in a city where you can play lots of shows, and unless you are able to leave behind a steady job, go on tour, and gain the attention of the bigger players in the industry, an independent artist won't go far.

Then there is the matter of timing. No matter how much talent and charisma you may have, timing is the one component that trumps everything. Market niche dictates how much attention people give to the music being made. No one knows this better than Lee Caruso, lead singer and guitarist for Big Atlantic, an alternative band out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Caruso is a cool reminder of the importance of desire and persistence. The young man has zig-zagged his way through music's uncharted waters since his early teens. He's not looking for the Hail Mary pass.

According to Caruso, a band with talent can find success, but obstacles are everywhere. If you're all about the Benjamin, you probably won't survive. If you require quick satisfaction, music might not be your bag. Lots of patience is what you need. As Lee was growing up, he realized there are trials in life and one must learn from them. "I never got upset if I didn't get something right at first," he said. "I just made a list of things I wanted to accomplish and kept trying."

Talent is a broad description mostly pigeon-holed into an artist's voice or musical ability. Yet it also encompasses things like stage presence, audience connection, and songwriting abilities. That's what makes Big Atlantic one of my favorite bands.

"Half of the time our song writing comes from improvisation that we come up with as a band," said Caruso. "The other half is born from all of us collaborating or individually writing something and bringing it to rehearsal. From there, we put all the elements together and create the song."

Caruso explained that Big Atlantic is committed to a disciplined routine of practice. Their professionalism shows in everything they say and do. People around them know that these guys are not dabbling or kidding around when it comes to music. Lee has learned that fastest way to hone your craft is to please your fan base. Some artists are mired in the artistic and creative world. They become too stubborn to listen to fans and establish a tighter connection. But record sales and radio play depends on your fans. It takes radio play to sell records. It takes records to get on the radio. It takes both to attract fans who will buy the music. This drives SoundScan (an online service that tracks the sale of music and video releases), which sends a signal to agents and larger market radio stations to take your music serious.

"We are fans of music like our fans," said Caruso. "We care more about developing a direct relationship with them and including them in the movement. Thus, fans can move a mountain. It's not bad to have a label and it's not bad not to."

Are you on the radio and selling records? That's the litmus test for the movers and shakers in the industry. It determines whether or not they should consider mass marketing your music. Emerging bands like Big Atlantic are well aware of this. They're also aware that radio play doesn't always equate to record sales or visa-versa. It's a complicated business, despite what David Byrne says.

Lee Caruso knows that musical success is not a right but a gift. He has something of value to give to the world and is aching to share it. It may take time, but he and his band Big Atlantic intend to keep trying until the fat lady herself has not only sung but croaked.

Interested in more information about Big Atlantic? Visit their website at www.bigatlantic.com. - Times-Standard