I saw the band Elbow play in Nottingham last week. I love their music, their lyrics and the voice of Guy Garvey, the band’s singer and leader. During the gig, which featured majestic performances of Grounds For Divorce, Lippy Kids and, of course, One Day Like This, Garvey announced that 2011 was Elbow’s twentieth anniversary.
Twenty years! Which bands, other than those who have had raging success, stay together for twenty years?
For the first fifteen years or so the group received critical acclaim but little commercial success. It is only since Elbow won the Mercury Music Prize in 2008, for their album The Seldom Seen Kid, that they have gained a large and presumably profitable following.
Not many bands stick together for so long. In fact not many organisations keep going without first starting to build some tangible momentum.
So when should you give up? The members of Elbow have shown that if you believe in your goals and your ability you should keep going until the success follows.
© Stuart Cross 2011. All rights reserved.