Musing No. 18 - Not Quite There Yet

"Every hour of every day, there’s a talented musician somewhere on the planet who makes the decision to put their artistic side on the back burner in favor of a more stable career. Although they vow they will pursue music in their spare time, just this simple mindset shift could mean that writing songs and playing gigs will always take a back seat to almost everything else in life."

   I read this buzzkill of an article the other day. This was the highlight of the article, and unfortunately the words that bounced around my head for a day. So in other words, in order to pursue any future in music I have to abandon any remnant of responsibility? Fuck that.

   Music 'geniuses' may be quick to call my future hopes of a music career DOA, but I thought the whole point of music - specifically rock, was to buck the system. To not give a shit what others think of you. Sounds like someone is afraid of competition and wants to thin the herd. The fact that you are working full-time on music and I've never heard of you before you wrote your little article says very little for your music cred there, Mr. Author.

   This actually brings me to another little peeve of mine. Music snobs. If your music is technically good but doesn't SOUND good, then it's NOT good. Get it? Music is supposed to sound good. I cannot stand the 'music elite' that pat themselves on the back for the 'Amazing' string of notes, harmonies, and syncopated rhythms they can put together - with little regard to the fact that it sounds like complete shit. I've taken a few music classes, and one of the reasons I stopped is because I frankly couldn't stand music students. Every time I watch the movie 'Good Will Hunting' I gaze into the heavens and dream of watching someone putting a music student in his place like Matt Damon put that haughty Yale student out of commission.

"You dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a fuckin' education you coulda got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library..."

   Music should be fun. Music should inspire. Music should be the direct assembly of the musician's dream. Music should not be a contest. I think hanging out with some people who view music as a step in their ladder of success, rather than as something that is amazing and fun, is what has held me back for awhile. Do you know how amazing it is to play on stage in front of hundreds of people? I hope I always keep the wide-eyed wonderment that I remember having the first time I accomplished that goal.

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley


End of Musing No. 18