If you like that, you might want to check out "How to Get Rich" by Felix Dennis, another entertaining half-howto, half-confession by a british "hungry young hustler on the make".

If you like listening to music, it's well worth the read. You'll start noticing quite how many popular songs stick to the rules they outline in the Manual.

It's also a really interesting historical document of how the industry operated at the time, with a few nice tape-reels-and-fun-old-tech thrown in.

In fact I used to deliberately play off contrasting formulas just to challenge peoples perceptions of what music they like or should expect from a specific genre. I'll be honest, sometimes with little success. But enough times I'd create something unique and engaging enough to make the failed attempts worthwhile.

I wish I still had the time for all this, but it's really an all or nothing passion; you really need to dedicate your life to it otherwise you're never going to be happy with your output (particularly if you're hypercritical of your own work, like I am). Sadly my wife doesn't share the same passion, so it's hard to justify spending weeks locked in my modest home studio. So these days I just produce the odd novelty record for NYE house parties, friends weddings and such like.

Heh, I think there are few people out there who think differently :)

For me, I'd love to have a couple of hours every day that I could dedicate to getting my piano playing back to the level I was 15 years ago. C'mon passive income!