The fastest song I wrote was a 4 verse, 4 lines a verse, 1 chorus of 4 lines, blues/rock song (so a total of 20 lines). Wrote it in 1 minute 11 seconds. It wasn't good but it did impress the woman I was with.
Music is the underlying code of being. It's the engaging envelope for messages between the lines. It gives me nothing but it lets me ride it - I even get to drive sometimes.
I'd like to perform live in front of 10 million paying Chinese.
The egg.
"John Henry" by Harry Belafonte was the most memorable song of my childhood. I was maybe 4 or 5 years old when my mother shared it with me, I wore out the grooves and her patience, listened like a kid: utterly rapt and endlessly repeating.
Each epoch of my life has had its favorite - usually a couple at a time. Recently that would be Turnpike Troubadors, trouble and all. Or Portishead. Glitch Mob.
For me words rise up out of a constantly churning source. It's like dipping my finger in a lake sometimes, orther times it's like being the brass nozzle on a firehose. I guess it comes down to wanting to be heard. Sometimes the driving mood is sadness, or love, joy... other times anger, desire, a feeling like I need to set something right. The hope that I will sound the depths and get back an echo from completely unknown people - who enjoy what I've created - drives me on as well.
'This is me, who are you?' or 'Are you going to eat that?' or 'It was like that when I found it.'
Nervous. Until I get into the groove and just lose it.
Musician's reality is easy access to professional caliber tools, training, recording... and a fragmented audience. It's a golden age for creativity but a bad time for music marketing. It's like that old parable about the man who sold his soul to be the greatest violinist in the world - but forgot the clause 'and would be recognized as such'. Still, it's great to just create wonderful things. Sometimes obscurity seems like the best outcome; you don't get the goodies but you get to keep creating whatever you want. Then someone gives you a nod and you want more of THAT.
I'm still getting a feel for this site, very new to this arena. Trying to find the bathroom and the juice bar, make sure I don't mix them up.
My limitations.
I recorded with local musicians a couple years back. Helped write a fanzine.
I think an artist in any medium has to enjoy the process of creating for its own sake or they won't stick to it long enough to be truly good. And a decent day job.
Teo Graca. Juana Molina. Nick Nesbit. Will Duvall. Natasha Cash.