1. TALENT
"Up to a certain point every man is what he thinks he is."
F.H.Bradly - Aphorisms

Do you think you have something unique/superlative/exceptional/extra-ordinary ? Be honest. What sets you apart from the 20,000 other 'Wannabes' on your street ? Are you particularly attractive, or phenomenally ugly in a kind of commercial way ? Are you a stunning dancer ? Are your songs brilliant ? Is your voice identifiable ? Do you have an innovative concept ? If the answers to these questions are not positive, don't give up your day job. I had the good fortune to study and work with Jazz phenomenon Pat Metheny, and I remember him saying that you should look at what everyone else is doing and run the other way. Find the element of your talent that is unique and work on it. Or as Johnny Mercer said: "Accentuate the Positive, eliminate the Negative, and don't mess with Mister In-Between".

2. DRIVE
"Great stars have great Pride"
Gloria Swanson in the movie Sunset Boulevard

Do you have an ego the size of a planet ? This may seem like one of my little witticisms but every Artiste I've ever met was self-obsessed. Perhaps they have to be that way in order to do the job of being a Star. Their whole lives are spent in preparation for that moment when the tape rolls and the camera points their way, and 60,000 people scream their name. This is the moment they are most alive. Some degree of ruthlessness doesn't hurt. I don't mean to suggest you have to trample over the bodies of your entire family to claw your way to the top. (Your best friends, however...) If this doesn't sound like you, consider being a songwriter, or a backing vocalist, or doing an honest job like being a waiter. (You'll never starve !)

3. MUSIC
"In every work of genius we recognise our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty."
Emerson - 'Self Reliance' Essays - 1841

Have you got the songs ? If not, write them, or get them from established or at least great songwriters! I suggest 30 songs of which 10 will be presentable and 3 will be considered by Mr. A&R to be SINGLES. Without this, forget it. Look at the Marketplace. Where does your style fit in ? Are you in the 'easy' categories of Dance, Rap, Hip Hop, Pop, or Rock, or in the more difficult AOR, MOR, R&B, or (heaven forbid) JAZZ ? Co-writing is a great thing, especially with someone more experienced than you, or with a different way of working. Remember, even Bob Dylan co-writes occasionally so unless your lyrics are better than his, and your melodies more memorable than Mr. McCartney (another great co-writer) don't be ego-centric about it, just write some great songs and stop whining !

4. DEMOS
"What music they make!"
Bela Lugosi in the movie Dracula

I don't care if they are 2, 4, or 48-track, have you got great demos ? 'Great' means 'effective' focusing on the song and your performance. Quality is important, after all, you're competing against all those other 'Wannabes'. I know you'll be surprised to hear this , but A&R men ("with some notable exceptions", he said quickly to retain some hope of ever working in this town again) do not own the most receptive or trained ears in the World. Their ears are bludgeoned to a slimy pulp every day and night by obnoxious ego-maniacs like you, and when they receive a demo, and they don't exactly do the hully-gully on their desk screaming "Hooray and hallalulia, someone has sent me a demonstration cassette, oh joy of joys !!" So it had better be stunning. If you're as inexperienced as I think you are, get someone experienced to help you produce it. Find a guy like me with a home studio (that's NOT an offer, folks) or at worst get a 4-track, a reverb unit, and a programmable keyboard and GET TO WORK. When you've done your 30th demo, and you still love every one of them, you're ready for the next step.

5. PHOTOGRAPHS
"We lack the sense of our own visibility..."
Marcel Proust - Remembrance of Things Past - 1921

They need to know what you look like, and more importantly to see a concept of IMAGE. Remember, these days most A&R men are NOT musicians, so a picture can be worth a thousand notes to these guys. Find as professional a photographer as you can afford/do a deal with/sleep with. A friend of a friend, I don't know, someone who'll do you a favour. If you're a girl this seems to be easier to achieve. (I can't imagine why). As a last resort, pay the guy ! This is important! Black & white prints roughly A4 size. Decide on which market you fit into, and ask yourself if you look as good or better than other artistes in that genre. AVOID anything even slightly Cabaret, unless you're a Dance/Pop Artiste in which case it doesn't seem to matter HOW tacky you look! Try to match image with music, unless you want to play against it, for instance you sound like Barry White but you wear Wellington boots, a sailor cap and a pink tutu. (Don't mess with mine !)