Has your art suffered in the last decade? Mine has.

It’s my own fault, I know. I could be better. I could know more about music. I could write better songs. I could be a much better producer.

I guess my biggest fault is spending hours and hours trying to reach people, whether it’s designing webpages, sending out emails, creating press releases, or booking shows. I’ve definitely put the time in. I can book the hell out of a tour. I can design some pretty nice websites, and my emails are the bomb. But on the cusp of the big 3-0, I ask myself, what about the music?

I think I’m one of the lucky ones. I was an early starter. I was banging things in a musical way thanks to my parents at age 2. Be it the piano or the violin. Eventually, I holed up in a practice room for the majority of my high school years, up until 1999. The year I recorded my first project that was to be offered to the masses. That’s when it all began. It started with designing the album. Then it came to selling the album. Getting the reviews. The mailings, the press releases. Then came the tour. Once it was made, the music was at the bottom of the list.

If you’re an artist, be it any type of art, does this not sound familiar?

I think further in the music realm, at the “Do It Yourself” type mentality that arose in the last decade. People complain about record sales. People complain because there’s no live music. My favorite complaint is the people that whine about places to play, and clubs not paying. To be frank, it’s because if you’re a DIY musician, you’re probably not that great. The public has spoken, and would rather watch a TV in a bar instead of seeing a mediocre musician sing mediocre material, and put on a mediocre show. It’s not your fault. We get caught up in HOW we’re going to get a piece of the ever shrinking public eye. We worry about email blasts, tweeting, status updates, video blogs, and of course…draw.

It’s true, people don’t go out to shows. I generally have to force myself on many occasions, and I make music for a living. It seems to get anyone out to a show these days, they need to be family, friends, or other musicians that YOU went out and supported, and they feel OBLIGATED to come see you. There are some people that get folks out because the music moves them to a point where they sign up on a mailing list. They keep up to date on when you’re playing next, etc. It’s not about how great a poster looked, how great your email blast was written, it was about the music.

I’m sick of vying for attention. I’m sick or reading these marketing people’s thoughts on how to get yourself out there. ESPECIALLY sick of watching them profit on all these DIY musicians that just want to make this their living.

We are all human. If you can reach someone’s soul, it doesn’t matter what your website looks like, how incredible your flyer looks, or how witty your tweets are.

Here’s hoping every artists remembers their art is what matters in the decade to come. I can’t wait to hear and see what we all come up with.

No Comments | In: Words | | #

I’m very excited to be back playing out with an amazing band I joined here in Nashville when I first came to town. It’s made up of some of the best musicians in town, and some of my most favorite people in town. We’re debuting at a club I’ve been excited to play in since I moved here – 3rd and Lindsley.

We’ve been hard at work on our first album, and hope to release it in 2010.

For more info on the gig, check out the Facebook Evite

For more info on the band, check out PacAKracRs.com

No Comments | In: PacAKracRs, Show Announcements | tags: 3rd and Lindsley, Dave Northrup, Kevin Adams, Kevin Ray, PacAKracRs, Randy Smith. | #

Money. It shapes a life. It shapes creativity. It shapes society, and it shapes relationships. Just ask Tiger Woods.

I agree that hard work should directly correspond with money. I agree that success should directly reflect hard work.

Does money equal power, and how much is enough?

Money runs my life, whether I like it or not. I wake up each day and worry about the same things everyone worries about. Electricity, gas. Heat, Water. I don’t want a Lexus, and I don’t want a big house. I want happiness.

When do we put the value on happiness?

I find it so interesting that the world revolves around people that are after the dream of riches before the dream of happiness. How many times have I looked at a frowning face when they come up to me after a show and say they “used” to play music. Then they had children. Their parents disapproved. Then they got married. Their wife disapproved. They had to get a “real” job.

The “American” dream is flawed. In no way does that reflect America. I love America, and have lived here for 11 years. It reflects the need to prosper. How much do we NEED to prosper? How much are we TOLD we need to prosper?

I’ve been mingling with a lot with rich people lately. Whether it’s playing private parties, or flying first class, it’s obvious that these people think in ways I never could. Waited on hand and foot. First on, first off. It’s a world that lacks an understanding and gage of reality.

Money does not equal happiness. You may KNOW that, but do you really BELIEVE that.

What makes you happy? When do you stop dreaming about big houses and fancy cars, and start dreaming about YOUR life?

1 Comment | In: Words | tags: Creativity, Happiness, Money, Power, Tiger Woods. | #

Why do you practice and who do you practice for?

Does it annoy you when people with “half the talent” succeed over you? Why do they succeed? Is it because they have more money? Is it because they worked harder? Were they born into career royalty?

Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers” is a great book. We all should read it. The thing about it though, is that it talks about people history will remember. Gates…Jobs…The Beatles. People that have had incredible success along with timing and opportunity. What about those people that are successful in the moment. The one’s we forget about that planted the seed, and forgot to water the tree. The one’s that haven’t put in their 10,000 hours (Seth Godin’s Take on Gladwell).

Why do you practice and who do you practice for?

Is it because you love it, and you do it for yourself? Love it enough to do it for 600,000 minutes?

No Comments | In: Words | tags: 10000 hours, Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers, Practice, Seth Godin. | #

It’s been a great week musically, and a crappy week for a few other reasons.

Had my good buddy Matt Wigton in town, and we put on a show at 12th and Porter. What started out as an awesome night ended up taking a turn for the worse, when my saxophone in sound check decided it felt like bouncing on the ground, after hitting the piano AND an amplifier. Needless to say, it was heart breaking…

However, we had a great time on Thursday, and the band sounded great. Derek Stroker and Melany Watson were also fantastic. It’s funny, when you leave Nashville, and tell people you live here, they all think it’s a country town. I equate it with those people that think Canadians live in igloos (YAHOO) and Chinese people eat dog (YAHOO). However, there’s not only a great country scene, but there’s some incredible musicians/non pop folks as well. Derek and Melany are two of those types. You definitely need to check them out.

Played a solo saxophone show last night at an incredible house built on a large hill. It was so high in fact, a shuttle needed to be utilized to achieve the height necessary to party.

Had an interesting conversation tonight about the music industry. Money Vs. Talent. More to come later…

Have a great week everyone!

1 Comment | In: Blog | tags: 12th and Porter, Derek Stroker, Matt Wigton, Melany Watson. | #