Fourplay’s Bob James – HuffPost 10.26.12

Mike Ragogna: Nice. So, what is your advice for new artists, sir?

Bob James: I’ve got to say the old cliché–practice, practice, practice. That’s the best advice I think I can give. Sometimes, I’m inclined to say to whoever it is, “Don’t even think about it. Don’t even go into this field. It’s much too hard, do something else. It’s a terrible idea.” The reason why I say it, I’m not being facetious, is I think that there are two answers or two responses to me telling people that. The people that tend to be tough enough and talented enough and have a strong enough ego are going to tell me to get lost, they’re not going to pay attention to me anyway, so my advice just stimulates them to prove me wrong, and the people that are a little bit weaker and possibly a little bit less talented should heed my advice and not go into the very risky, demoralizing a lot of times, and tough music business. It’s unpredictable. Sometimes, you’ll see people on TV that become big superstars before they even are teenagers and other people that we know who are geniuses and spend their whole lives and never find commercial acceptance. I can only say for myself that I have no regrets and I derive most of my best pleasure from the process. I just enjoy making music on whatever level. I enjoy trying to do my best shot whether I’m playing for one person or a thousand or whatever.