Bill Nelson wrote:
I've often been advised not to interact with my fans so much. Apparently, keeping a good distance from them adds an air of mystery to an artist's image. Well, all I can say to that is, what utter 'tosh.' If an artist feels he has to manufacture some kind of artificial, 'holier than thou' image, you know, the old-school, sacred cow on a pedestal sales-pitch of the pop industry, then, in my opinion, there's something sadly missing in their lives. I detest that show-biz, carefully calculated 'don't touch me, I'm a god' approach. What a load of utter bollocks. It's intended to perpetuate some boring, pop-star myth and not rooted in reality. These people are not serving you music, they're just serving their ego. If an artist is any good, there's no need for that kind of artificial, fake flim-flam. Unfortunately, many fans of those artists still fall for it...
A little vitriolic, perhaps?
In some cases, I think it's better for all concerned to have a little distance between artist and audience, but it depends on the circumstances. I feel sorry for those artists who attract stalkers and deluded individuals who can make their lives hell. Equally, it can be rather a disappointment to meet an artist who you've always admired only to find that they are an egotistical bore. Fortunately, and no doubt through careful cultivation, the relationship you have with your audience is a model of how things
should work.