Industry Insider: Lance Chalmers Discusses the Music Business, Artist Development & AI

Lance Chalmers understands the value of hard work. It’s what has guided him forward in a long, versatile, and successful career in music, television, and the arts. Chalmers is perhaps best known for his work as drummer of Trooper, one of the all-time great Canadian rock bands, for an eight-year period from 1995 through to the early 2000s. Last year, he was honoured as part of Trooper when they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The band was also inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame the same year. The accolades for Trooper have carried over into 2024, with an induction into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame. Outside of his work with Trooper, Chalmers has performed with Nick Gilder and Sweeney Todd and Tokyo Rose.

Chalmers knew he would be a musician early in life. Following his father’s lead, he developed a deep love for playing, most notably the drums. Over the years, he has become an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. Chalmers currently lives in British Columbia and outside of his work as a session musician, works as a guitar, bass, and drums instructor. He recently became an author as well. Earlier this year, he released Rocker from the Rez via BWL Publishing. The book is a suspense novel about music, touring, and a murder.

Chalmer joins us for our Industry Insider column to discuss his career, the music industry, artificial intelligence, and more.

Lance Chalmers, photo by Jesko Lindt Photography

Do you think traditional artist development is a dying art, with labels more interested in viral potential than fostering long-term careers?

Lance Chalmers: “I believe there is credit where credit is due for the pursuit of traction. Therein also lies the conundrum. Do I pursue a traditional approach with the intention of success? Or do I invest in new technology and upgrade my workflow to accommodate new product sales? Labels aren’t interested in developing new artists. It’s more immediate results they look for. Sales. Right off the bat. Labels are few these days. The only labels left are the very big ones or consolidated entities. In that perspective, traditional methods fall short.”

What’s the biggest mistake artists make when they first start building their team (managers, agents, publicists, etc.)?

“The biggest mistake is trying to emulate a fad or current direction in the field of music, or art to any degree. You have to believe in what you’re producing. At the end of the day, your music is all that matters. If a team takes you on and believes in your product, it will eat you alive if you put something out there just to follow a trend.”

How do you balance the commercial side of the industry with your passion for the music itself?

“Smarter artists will compromise in order to further the big picture. You have to fit into a certain criteria to market your product to create mutual benefit. Sign a solo deal when you have created enough of a fanbase to carry the original product. But never copy something that’s already out there with eyes on success. It’s fleeting at best.”

What’s the most valuable long-term professional relationship you’ve built over your career, and how did you maintain it? What advice would you give for cultivating lasting relationships in the industry?

“Diversity. I was told early on to cultivate a work ethic that included far more than my own abilities to just play a few instruments. Cultivate relationships with everyone attached to whatever you do. Be willing to do things in the industry that step away from your primary direction and learn from it. Success is fleeting. If you’ve diversified and put yourself in many positions, you can survive.”

What’s one technological advancement you think artists should embrace to stay ahead of the curve?

“Always embrace new technology. If you don’t? Someone will. Don’t be left in the dust with a stubborn attachment to past technology and methods. Learn to use the latest to keep viable communication open with other artists and opportunities. It’s of the utmost importance to learn about the business you take on in your artistic endeavours. Never stop learning.”

How has your definition of success changed over the years? Is it still about fame and financial rewards, or have other aspects become more important?

“It was never about fame and fortune for me. I live and breathe music. It’s been a blessing and a curse at the same time. Success when I was an aspiring teen was platinum albums and a home studio. These days? I have a home studio. I love it, I can go and create when I want. But things have changed so much, success to me now is different. To be still in the music business these days on any level is a success. I’ve got recognition for my pursuits in the industry, but my biggest success was going further in music than my dad ever did. I think I made my parents proud.”

Lance Chalmers, photo by Jesko Lindt Photography

In retrospect, how much of your success do you attribute to hard work, and how much to being in the right place at the right time? Can artists manufacture their own luck, or is it mostly out of their control?

“All hard work. If you keep at anything you choose in life? You will be successful. Depending on what you gauge as success. I always took this approach. shoot high, aim low. Some artists were in the right place at the right time. There will never be The Beatles again. Taylor Swift has come close. But it’s different.”

What’s the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned in your career?

“I used to hate following a metronome. I was an arrogant young teenager. My dad’s keyboard player set me straight in a few ways. He told me to love the things you hate. Learn to love the ‘click.’ You will be using it for your whole career if you go that route.

“He also told me? I’ll never be a good drummer until I hit my 40s. Took offense to it. I was in a Genesis tribute band at 20 years old. How dare he! Lo and behold, he was 100 percent correct.”

Do you think streaming algorithms have helped or harmed the discoverability of new music?

“Ironically? Streaming helps people discover new artists. At the same time, streaming pays peanuts for the amount of time, effort, and cost to create said new music.”

What do you think will be the most significant shift in music consumption over the next decade?

“All trends change in a certain time frame. I am hoping live music has a rebirth. And I know, it will never be the same as when I was witness to those days of yore. I know it will be different. It has to be, to be new again. The industry begs for new things to exploit. It’s how you can handle the changes that will breed success.”

Do you think the traditional idea of an ‘album cycle’ is still relevant, or has the way artists release music completely changed?

“The trend these days has veered far away from the album cycle. No one has the patience to listen to a whole new album of material from an artist anymore. A physical product is a thing of the past. It was a glorious medium when it existed, but it has changed to suit the climate now. Artists release singles, or EPs with three to six songs at most now.”

Have you seen any changes in how artists approach building their fanbase, given the rise of niche communities online?

“It’s gone back to smaller business. Cottage industry approaches now. Back to the land of gypsies with horse and carriage. Trucks and planes. You have to tour more than ever now to make a living. There is no physical product to sell anymore. You have to build your own fanbase and work very diligently at it to hold the attention of a fast-paced world these days.”

How do you feel about the growing trend of artists using crowdfunding platforms to finance albums or tours?

“It’s the only way to fund any thought of a bigger picture in the music business these days. There are no labels that will provide tour support, media, or studio time. Which ironically can work in your favour, with full artistic licence to do whatever you decide to do. It can also be the very end of your endeavours. Like any small business out there. You better love what you do.”

How has the role of radio in breaking new artists changed over the years, and is it still relevant?

“Radio unfortunately has far less impact than it ever did. Too much time is wasted on advertising and payola. I haven’t listened to radio in years. I prefer to look up new artists and bands on the internet. Visit artist websites and listen, without the noise.”

How do you feel about the rise of virtual artists (like AI avatars) who don’t exist in the physical world? Could they disrupt the industry?

“Plagiarism always existed as far as I can remember. The Beatles covered old standards before Led Zeppelin did it without credit to the original artists. AI is just another entity. Like digital modellers or computerized auto-tune, or drum programming, it has its place to use as a tool. Or destroy traditional means to create. Like any new technologies, you either embrace it or get left behind.”

What do you believe is the next big disruption waiting to hit the music industry?

“Change is life. Life is change. Whether a disruption or breakthrough, music has to evolve or it gets predictable and stale. Just because I may not favour something new, doesn’t mean it lacks significance. I believe the next big change will be avatar concerts with artists that have passed on. Streaming will not go away anytime soon. I think the distance will get wider between real and fake. Both will profit somehow.”

What’s your view on how artificial intelligence is shaping music production, creation, and marketing?

“I believe in using AI as a tool in my workflow. Applying certain AI elements to mixing and mastering will further my goal of producing any new music. When creating tracks for clients and friends, I can improve my worth flow with AI. But I do have a standard I want to keep away from AI. I’ll maintain the human element of writing music. AI can implement new connections good or bad with marketing opportunities. Just like hiring a crooked manager, AI can either lead to profitable connections, or destructive ones as well. That’s where human discretion will always be the intellectual influence on final decisions.”