On the Road Again: Martin Atkins' 'Tour:Smart'

SINCE LINKING UP with Public Image Ltd. in London in 1979, drummer Martin Atkins has made his living making music. Today, the British-born punk rock legend lives in Chicago, where he runs a recording studio and record label (Mattress Factory Studios and Invisible Records, respectively) and teaches a class on the fine art of touring at Columbia College.

Atkins' experience as a professional musician (see also: Killing Joke, Ministry and Pigface) and small-business savant informs his college course and lies at the heart of his new book and lecture tour: "Tour:Smart." (Atkins will give a seminar at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the downtown dance club Five and then spin a DJ set.)

The book — a guide for greenhorns on how to chart a reasonable, responsible music-career course — features myriad life-lessons from its author and relevant contributions from other equally well-traveled notables such as Henry Rollins, Steve Albini and former Marilyn Manson guitarist Zim Zum.

"There are countless strategies in the book," Atkins said. "It doesn't guarantee success but it can help ensure bands' sustainability."

Like most musicians whose artistic talents are intuitive, Atkins acquired music business smarts over time and through trial and error. With "Tour:Smart," Atkins hopes to save future generations of aspiring musicians the trouble of repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

"I don't think I've given any secrets away," Atkins said. "But, I think the information is liberating. The book needed to be written ... to counteract disinformation."

In any case, Atkins may have ignored his own best advice in 2006 when he traveled to China on a whim. "I was looking for some excitement without a safety net," Atkins said. He made his way to Beijing, fell in with the city's music scene and stuck around to document as much of it as he could.

"I ended up extending my stay twice," Atkins said. "I re-learned just how amazingly powerful music is and ... [the experience] helped refuel my own sense of 'selfish philanthropy.'"

Upon returning to the states, Atkins promptly mixed everything down in his studio and compiled the sounds into two full-length releases: "China Dub Soundsystem — Made in China," an electronic-rock fusion record made in collaboration with various Beijing musicians, and, "Look Directly Into the Sun," a musical diary of sorts compiling the best of the Beijing rock bands Atkins encountered. (Both came out on Invisible China.)

"There's a tremendous lack of real-world education on so many levels," Atkins said. "I really enjoy teaching and I'm having a great time promoting the book. The book might actually frighten some people; because some are wont to blame 15 other people for why their band didn't make it."

» Five, 1214 B 18th Street, NW; Thu., 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., free; 202 331-7123. (Dupont Circle)

Written by Express contributor Johnathan Rickman

Images courtesy Invisible Records