How to Fail as a Popstar by Vivek Shraya

Author:Vivek Shraya
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
Published: 2021-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

THE SISTERS

Edmonton never brought in any big concerts, but now that I was living in Toronto, I could finally see all of my favourite artists. I also secretly hoped that these shows would be opportunities to be seen as a peer, or at the very least, an up-and-comer. Before every show I attended in 2003, I would tuck a copy of my CD into a manila envelope. Not Throat but my acoustic album, Samsara: The Sketches. I would scribble my email address and phone number on the back of the envelope and take it with me. During the show, I would wait for when everything would cut to black, and then I would hurl my CD onstage. For the rest of the show, I would watch only the lead singer’s feet, hoping that they wouldn’t accidentally or, perhaps deliberately, crush the CD. The next day, I would sit by my phone waiting for Jack White or Macy Gray or Sheryl Crow to call me. No one ever called.

Towards the end of the year, Sabrina sent me a show recommendation. Her new favourite band—a sibling duo from Alberta— was playing at Lee’s Palace in November. She didn’t have to sell me on it because I’d fallen in love with Tegan and Sara’s latest album, If It Was You.

On the night of the show, I crank the album. I notice my CD on the dresser. I debate whether or not to bring it with me. It was the final show I was going to that year, and this was the last copy of my album. What did I have to lose? I grab my CD and head to Lee’s Palace.

Halfway through the show, I boomerang my CD onstage. It almost hits Tegan’s head. And yet, as Tegan walks offstage at the end of the show, she picks up my weapon of mass destruction and takes it with her.

A month goes by. I receive an email from Tegan. I nervously click on it. In the message, she tells me that she loves the album. She tells me that she would be happy to do anything she can to support me. The next day, she posts about me on the front page of the Tegan and Sara website. And a year later, they invite me to open for them on their US tour without ever seeing me perform live.

Holy shit! It worked! Sometimes you just have to throw your CD on the stage.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.