Crimean Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Hi everybody! My wife and I are in a position where we may be moving overseas for awhile so that she can pursue a doctorate (In connection with an American University). Right now, it looks like Paris, France would be the most probable of locations... I read the boards frequently and I know that there are many American (And other) musicians here that travel/live abroad, so I guess I'm just wondering how you approached it ahead of time. How difficult is it to get gigs? What about production/engineering work? If anyone has any advise/resources worth looking at, it would be a great help. I've found that France has a status known as "intermittence du spectacle" which seems to be for those in a live gigging situation that do at least 43 gigs a year, but I'm not sure if that's just for natives, or foreign nationals as well... Anyway, any horror stories, caveats, words of encouragement? Thanks! ~Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Crimean, A good place to start learning about France and opportunity, legal, community, and other formalities would be to consult with the Consulat General Du France located at http://www.consulfrance-newyork.org/ Within their site, you will find media/radio/entertainment located under the topic of French Community on the main page. Browse through the site, as you will find tons of information as to customs, formalities, passports, and etc. You should be able to phone their U.S. located in New York to ask more specific questions about the Arts and Entertainment Industries in France. If you are a qualified engineer, you might wish to check with FLAM to see if they have any openings or suggestions as to where to seek. http://www.flammusic.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Walsh Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Hey there. I'm actually doing the exact same thing: moving to Paris in the fall to live with my girlfriend. I hope to have an EP/LP to promote (self-produced, currently recording it) and hope to gig as well... ultimately looking to do more with the music. I'm curious to see what kind of responses you get to this question! Support bacteria: they're the only culture some people have. - Steven Wright visit my website at patrickwalsh.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimean Posted June 21, 2004 Author Share Posted June 21, 2004 Thanks Ani for the information, I'll definitely do some research through those sites in the next few days... peugotpigeon, Wow... That's eerily similar. Oddly enough, Boston/Cambridge was one of the places we might have been moving for the Harvard MBE program, but it didn't come through. I also am rounding out an EP/LP; same thing. What instrument do you play? Have you thought about what arrondisment you would like to live in? From what I've seen so far, close to the Eiffel Tower is the American University in Paris (www.aup.fr), as well as the American Library, and NYU extension campus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Walsh Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 That is eerily similar! I play guitar, bass, a bit of piano/MIDI stuff and then sing. I'm trying to make it sound non-singer/songwriter-ish, yet at the same time I'm a singer/songwriter and have only so many tools with which to work. I'm not quite sure where I want to live. Unfortunately I don't think we're going to have much of a choice in the matter: I don't yet know what I'll be doing for work and my girlfriend's salary will be only enough to insure that we have a roof over our heads (and my gear's widgets) somewhere. We'll be poor, but happy. I'm a bit nervous about finding a way to supplement her income, but after 3 1/2 years apart no amount of nerves will keep us from finally being together. That being said, I often fantasize about having a little house on the slope rising up to Sacre Coeur with a balcony that overlooks the city... what a great place to sit and write songs. Or I'd love to live around the Jardin de Luxembourg, another pretty inspirational place. Ultimately I think we'll end up on the Left Bank somewhere hopefully not too far out. Her brother, who works for Peugeot, has a place in the South of Paris (forget where)... it's small but off from the street so it's quiet and has a balcony overlooking a tiny courtyard. There are so many neat neighborhoods to explore in Paris. My fingers are crossed, both for me and for you! What kind of music do you make? Are you planning on playing a lot of shows there? Support bacteria: they're the only culture some people have. - Steven Wright visit my website at patrickwalsh.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimean Posted June 22, 2004 Author Share Posted June 22, 2004 My writing is in the vein of Floyd/Flaming Lips/Beck(Sea Change era)/Radiohead(Without the Jangle). I'm currently playing guitar in a band with *killer* musicians that is a sort of funk/rock band with soul vocals (www.distortedsoul.com); even though the songwriting is great, it's not exactly the artistic direction I want to go in, and moving away from Detroit would make it impossible anyway... I would like to go full-bore after we 'land', and gig/producer, etc... as much as possible. We'll sort of in the same boat, not knowing exactly how the work/income will work out. One of the thoughts I had was combining forces with someone with the equipment/gadgets I have, and starting a production house, or something... Again I'm not sure how this would all work... Living by Sacre Coeur would be great. I agree about Jadrin de Luxembourg as well. The last time we were in Paris, we walked around the Latin Quarter after dark, with all the neon and activity, it was a surreal experience, especially since there was a street musician playing Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" and singing it with a french accent... très amusant. Has anyone else had any interesting experiences playing in Europe? Especially Paris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 "I'm a singer/songwriter and have only so many tools with which to work." Yeah, I've found that most people are tools to work with, too. Not eerily, but similar: My wife and I have been discussing moving overseas, too. Although we'd be settling in Italy, more than likely, seeing as how she lived there for 10 or so years. (The exception would be a gorgeous chateau we found in France, but that's a lottery winning away.) Like the others, I'd be interested in hearing the info/experiences/suggestions, et al. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimean Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 Offramp, Any particular area of Italy that you are thinking about? We had found an interesting website that listed French Chateaus as well, I can't imagine the upkeep though, we can barely keep up on a normal American house... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Well, we have our regions; she's fond of Florence, since she lived there, but there are issues of modern hipness and access to what's "happening". I don't recall the chateau's location. All I know is, if I were able to afford it, I'd be able to afford a maintenance staff. It has a moat...heh. I tell you, the hardest thing for me to get used to, I think, would be the humidity. Even though I'm an Indiana native, Colorado's lack of humidity suits me extremely well, thanks. Plus, the stars at night. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimean Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 I hear you about the humidity... Michigan is notoriously bad for it as well. I won't miss the days where you walk outside and it just hurts to exist because the cold hurts your skin... Florence looks very nice, have you done any gigging in Italy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Or Indiana, where the wind gets tired of moving across the plains states and decides to just sit for a while, and walking out of your front door feels like walking into a bowl of pea soup. I have never been to Italy. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimean Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 So... That's a no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 yes. I mean, no. The way I figure it, if my wife can go over there at 18 with no skill in the language, and make a decade-long career of being a top fashion model, I can make some adaptations myself, at 41. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimean Posted June 26, 2004 Author Share Posted June 26, 2004 Originally posted by offramp: yes. I mean, no. The way I figure it, if my wife can go over there at 18 with no skill in the language, and make a decade-long career of being a top fashion model, I can make some adaptations myself, at 41.Oh I'm sure you could... From what I've read, anyone who has done a similar thing, has run into a lot of challenges, but good challenges... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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