Perspective

It's been about a year since I finished my first (and only) solo record, and I've experienced a lot since then. I've done a lot of things, been a lot of places, met a lot of people, heard a lot of music, seen a lot of movies, and breathed a lot of air. Now I'm starting to think about a second record, which to me means that I've started working on it.

I've got one new song that I wrote recently, and several little ideas for others, so I'm definitely at the beginning stages as far as writing is concerned. However, I'm finding myself contemplating a thought that I've experienced many times before, so in some ways I feel like it's not really a beginning stage, but rather a continuation of where I've been into where I am that happens... well, daily.

Instead of calling this thing a thought, it's probably more accurate to call it a perspective, and that perspective is this: when creating or writing music (or any art for that matter), you are a part of a very unique viewpoint in that you will never experience what you are creating from a first-time listener's standpoint. This, simply, is because you are the one who created it, and you experienced every step of the process, no matter how long or short, simple or complicated, exciting or dull. No listener can have that perspective, just as you can not have theirs.

This may seem rather obvious, and maybe even matter-of-fact, but here's what intrigues me about it: what does Paul McCartney think of "Blackbird?" What does Led Zeppelin think of "Stairway to Heaven?" What does Jimi Hendrix think of "Purple Haze?" What does Pink Floyd think of "Dark Side of the Moon?" Mozart? Elvis? James Brown? Louis Armstrong? Kurt Cobain? Miles Davis? John Mayer?

When you create something that influences, moves, and affects so many people (like everyone in the previous paragraph, and many others, have done), do you view it or experience it on anywhere near the level that others do, or is it just "a little song I wrote?" And did any of these influential artists have any clue while they were writing that their creation would have that kind of impact?

I've read a little and watched a little about this subject, and in fact David Gilmore of Pink Floyd addresses it directly in the Classic Albums DVD on "Dark Side of the Moon." In the film, there is of course discussion about how popular and influential the album became (hence being part of the Classic Albums series), and when talking about it, Gilmore admits that he didn't get to experience it fresh, for the first time, in one complete listen-through. He was involved in creating it, so he doesn't know what it's like to hear it for the first time, and it makes me wonder... can he understand fully how much it affects other people?

It's strange to think about and analyze the writing process, wondering if there is any common thread amongst all those who have created largely popular and influential works. I prefer to keep the writing process as natural and organic as possible, but it's one of those things that pops up regularly: "Is this song I'm writing going to move people like 'Blackbird' did/does?" And for that matter: "Is it important that this song moves people like 'Blackbird' did/does?" "Does anyone ever intend while writing to move people to the degree that the final creation does?" I think the answers to those questions are: it will do what it needs to do, not necessarily, and probably not (respectively).

I find quite a bit of solace in the idea that most influential music (or other art) does not start with that as its desired goal. You write because you're compelled to, not because you know you're going to affect the entire world. You might hope that people are into what you're doing, but there's never any way of knowing what will or will not move people, and trying to predict that is a game you can't win. I like the thought of Paul McCartney saying "Yeah, 'Blackbird' was fun to write. I'm glad lots of people like it, but I would've written it even if they didn't."

It can be challenging to write without thinking about whether what you're writing is good or not, but I guess the conclusion here is: #1 write what you feel and are happy with, not what you think others will be happy with -- it's the only way to call the music yours; and #2 stop thinking about what other think and get back to writing.

So I'm going to try and keep that perspective while I embark on writing a second album. I'm going to write whatever comes out, and see if I can't say some things creatively with songs. Maybe some people will like it... maybe not... but that's not the point.

I've Been Blogged

Yeah, I do blogs, but I recently got blogged myself (is blogged a verb?).

MicControlBlog.com is a cool music blog dedicated to "unheard and unsigned" artists and bands. There has been a strong movement on the web towards this specialization, and Mic Control is one of the better examples. It's nice to see real people with a real passion for real music, and the wonderfully world wide web makes it possible for these people to share their thoughts and connect with others who share that passion.

I am happy to say that I am now a part of this hip blog with a recent post called: "Gary Melvin: An Artist Who Deserves Your Spare Time." Click on over to miccontrolblog.com to check out the post, and be sure to check back often to hear/read about more new music/bands/artists.

Mute Math

I recently was out on the road playing with Frankie Valli and a new band member introduced me to some new music. The band is called "Mute Math" and the video clip he showed me (from a live DVD filmed at the El Rey in Los Angeles) was more than enough to spark my interest. Upon returning home I headed out to Amoeba to pick up the album (among others on my list), and after a few listens I must say I am definitely a fan.

The band is a foursome (vocals/keys, guitar, bass & drums) from New Orleans with an energetic sound and a reputation for even more energetic live performances (Alternative Press Magazine named Mute Math as the "#1 Band You Need to See Live Before You Die"). It's easy to hear several influences in their music, from The Police/Sting to The Sea and Cake to Bjork to The New Deal... but the resulting combination is truly beautiful and quite addictive. The songs are hooky, the beats are mesmerizing, and the musicianship is stellar. Several of the songs on the album (which was released in 2006 and gained so much momentum it was re-released in 2008 with a bonus live EP) are separated by ethereal interludes that lean towards drum and bass or electronica. This is not your typical band, and it's definitely the kind of music the world at large needs right now: real, honest, organic and incredible.

Word on the street (and by street, I mean their website) is that they are currently working on a new album that is scheduled to be released sometime during the summer of this year, which will be followed by a tour in the fall. I for one am adding Mute Math to my list of shows I gotta see.

Thumbs up, boys. Thanks for helping save the world with some great music.

It's been a while...

... since my last blog, and when I think about why that is, here's what I come up with:

There are times when it is good to share your ideas, beliefs, opinions etc. with others; times when sharing those things feels like it could be beneficial to some -- not just sharing for the sake of expressing yourself in order to extract high opinions from others, but sharing in order to help someone other than yourself.

Then there are times when it doesn't feel right. Maybe this happens because you don't feel people would benefit from hearing what you have to say, or maybe it's because you aren't confident it what you have to say and need time to marinate on your thoughts in order to present them properly. Or maybe it happens because you simply don't have anything to say and want/need to be silent.

I'm not sure why I've been silent on this blog for a while, but since I'm writing this today, it seems as though the silence is over... at least for now.

And with that I'll transition into a thought that is very exciting to me:

Last night I got together with a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a while, and she took me to a bookstore called the Bodhi Tree here in Los Angeles. In addition to being a store of spiritual and metaphysical books, they also hold lectures and talks (most of them free) on a variety of topics. Last night was my first time there, and we walked in on a talk already in progress. The man was speaking about oneness, and the pervasiveness of love, and the importance of Now, and the limitation of definition and division, and lots of other things that came to him. The wonderful thing about the evening was not just the things he spoke about, but also the fact that the room was filled with people. Mind you, it wasn't that large of a room, but there were probably 50-60 people there, many of them with smiles on their faces, or their eyes closed in deep attention, or with their palms together and against their chin, mouth, nose and forehead.

The ideas and concepts that this man spoke of are not new. They have been around for centuries, and I am sure that he would be the first to tell you that. So it is not fantastical newness that is so special, but rather the fact that places like the Bodhi Tree exist, and people, in large numbers, are open and ready to receive these ideas.

More and more people all over the world are coming to these ideas and concepts in what appears to be a massive shift (and many believe a heightening) of consciousness. I am seeing examples of this everywhere -- my experience last night is one example, and another big example is the phenonmenon that we all experienced this last Tuesday morning.

The inauguration of Barack Obama was unprecidented on so many levels that you can't help but recognize a change in our human perspective. The sheer number of people involved in the ceremony, both in Washington itself and around the world in front of televisions, is impressive by itself, but when you include the overwhelming sense of joy and love that these people projected, you discover just how truly special this event is (I mean to say "is" and not "was" for the moment will live through history and remain important always). President Obama was calm, patient, unafraid, humble and determined to make a difference when he took the podium, and when an incoming U.S. president speaks of love in his inaugural speech... well, you know things are changing.

I'm not sure how many other people agree with me and feel that we are living in exciting times right now, and I don't know how many people are on board with the concepts of oneness and the Power of Now, but I suppose I don't have to know these things in order to stay excited and in the Now. Everyone receives the ideas/concepts/beliefs that they need in the time and fashion that they need, and trying to force it any other way strips the meaning from the experience.

That is the beauty of what is happening right now in our world: this massive, sweeping shift in consciousness has been slowly building up steam for years and years now, and it's been happening without a central figure beating a drum and waving a flag pronouncing the supremeness of the cause from the top of a self-righteous mountain. There is no team to join, no side to choose, no jersey to wear expressing how right your organization is, because there is no organization. We're very used to dividing up into groups and arguing for centuries how we're right and you're wrong, so this new movement is quite unfamiliar and unique to us. Maybe that's why it's so powerful, and maybe that's why it's working...

thezeitgeistmovement.com

I believe it is highly important that everyone watches these two films. Awareness is our greatest tool for change. Watch and listen with an open mind.

Zeitgeist:



Zeitgeist: Addendum

Leaf Blowers Suck... I Mean Blow

I live in an apartment. My apartment building is small. My apartment building is also close to other residential buildings. The owners of these buildings employ gardeners to maintain the landscaping. These gardeners use leaf blowers. Leaf blowers are loud.

Normally I might just whine a bit and then try to go back to sleep after being woken up by one of these monstrously loud contraptions, but this morning after it happened again I remembered that I have a blog and now I can share my idea to start a petition to ban leaf blowers worldwide.

What the hell is the point of a leaf blower? It's supposed to move leaves, dirt and other debris out of certain areas and into others, but it really sucks (or blows, if you wanna throw in a pun) at doing so. How do I know?

1) Because the gardener spends about 20 minutes using the thing to clear less than 2,000 square feet of courtyard and walkway, and makes several passes in order to attempt to do so.
2) Because several times I have walked around the "grounds" of my small apartment building after the weekly assault on our eardrums and noticed *gasp* leaves, dirt and debris still intact in several places.

Here's how a leaf blower works: a very loud gas-powered motor strapped to your back propels a variable-speed fan (the faster the speed, the faster the motor, the louder it gets) through a plastic tube not unlike a vacuum cleaner that spits fast-moving air at stuff on the ground and sends it flying. The idea is that it's supposed to move it along the ground and out of the way, but what really happens is a large amount of it ends up in the air (which happens to really suck for allergy sufferers) and then back onto the ground about 20 seconds later. So you either double back and hit it again, or forget about it and chalk it up as collateral damage.

So if the damn thing don't work no good, why the hell are they being used?

Because people are lazy.

Ever heard of or seen one of these things? -------------------------------->







<--------- Or perhaps one of these?







Since when is it sooooo hard to use a damn broom? Seriously, let's get some scientists and physicists together, because I swear that a damn broom is a lot more efficient and effective than a leaf blower. Not only does it clean better, kick up less dirt and debris into the air, and work faster and more controlled, it doesn't run on gas and it's quiet!

You'd think that gardening companies would want to cut down on costs and not have to buy gas, but I guess they ran the numbers and figured that doing fast, sloppy work with the leaf blower makes it possible to take care of more clients in one day... or some crap like that... Nope, I'm sticking with complete laziness. Oh, and stupidity.

I don't even have to get into the whole "green" issue and environmental concerns -- I guess it's warranted in order to allow a lazy dude to stand there and point a hose while his job of cleaning up the ground is done poorly by a wasteful and obnoxious travesty of an invention.

So if you feel like signing my petition to ban leaf blowers, let me know. I think Obama will put it high on the priority list along with the economy and Iraq and stuff.

Next time I'll rant about the other gardener gem: watering the concrete ground.

Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace

This album has been out for a while, and I bought it a long time ago too, but it wasn't until recently that I started listening to it... and now I'm really into it.

I came across the Yahoo! Nissan Live Sets footage of the Foo Fighters, and after watching all the videos decided I needed to pull out, unwrap and actually listen to their newest album, which also happened to win the Grammy for Best Rock Album in '08 and Best Rock Performance for "The Pretender."

I've always dug the Foo, but I was a fan of songs more than albums. What I mean is I liked a handful of their songs, but wasn't on board with full album composition most of the time. You could say I'd be happier with a "best of" compilation than owning all their records. This changed with "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace."

The Grammy was well deserved. These guys are really tight -- evident both on the album and live in concert. I almost want to say they're approaching progressive rock, but they stay much closer to mainstream, which makes for just enough brainy or technical flare to set them apart from most other rock bands. There is a very solid level of musicianship and interactivity, and each player's parts compliment both the song and the hipness of the band. Songs like the single, "The Pretender," as well as my other rockin' favs, "Let It Die," "Long Road to Ruin" and "Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)," show their ability to shove you around with heavy guitars and screaming vocals. But they also show another side of the band, stepping away from their typical hard rock mainstay and into the realm of singer/songwriters with "Stranger Things Have Happened," "Statues," and especially "Home."

I think I might be a little late to the party about the Foo Fighters doing some lighter stuff, seeing as how they mention an acoustic tour they did during the Yahoo! performance, but I'm glad to see there is more than one side to these guys. They have certainly proved their muster on the hard rock front, and after watching/listening to acoustic versions of "Everlong," "My Hero," and their new album, it's obvious that they don't have to turn the gain up to 11 to make a song work.

Kudos to the Foo Fighters -- I am now a full-fledged fan.