I think you're pretty smart. I mean, you're here on my website right - and I think that says a lot. I reckon that I have the best friends anyone could ask for, and the best readers/listeners/viewers one could ever want. So that being the case, most of you may have figured out by now that music is my sandbox.

I don't think my brain is properly wired to view art as a means to financial ends. I've been online a long time you know, and I've taken my stab at "monetizing the traffic", selling my stuff on itunes and other various formats, etc., etc... but it's just not me. I closed my AdSense account long ago (YouTube/Google and I have never really been the best of friends) and am not currently "making money" for any of my personal music in any fashion - and it's been like this for years now.

I've recorded in studio and played in bands of course (drums mostly), and when I've been tossed a few bucks here and there after the shows I've usually taken it. Truth is, I'd play for free. You've probably noticed by now that I'm pretty open with my songwriting process, with my demos, and that I tend to opt to share rather than keep secret the things I'm working on (within reason). Usually I tell people who ask that I have a good job and am not looking to make money from my art. That is the truth, but a better way to put it is that music is my playground, my sandbox. Who wants to muck up their sandbox or their playground with toxic waste? Silly people, that's who. I value my personal [in]santiy, more than most people I've met. 

 

I'll concede that obviously music - like anything - has its business end to it. And what most don't realize is that every business has its nepotistic ways, understandably. Maybe I'm just not suit and tie enough to be that guy. Maybe if I chose the rappers path. Maybe I'm just not good enough to be business minded with my art.

Maybe I need a business manager.

I do actually run a few businesses myself, and I'm well aware of our overhead costs, staff costs, various monthly and yearly fees, etc.. Each business has it's own particulars, and similarities.

I know quite a few better musicians than myself, and I've observed how they handle the relationship between art and money, and suffice it to say that I've been giving my music away here for years and will continue to for the forseeable future.

As I said before, I do have a good job that I don't ever really plan on quitting (despite my occasional mood swings), but I have been able here and there to play various shows over the years, when the terms are right. Obviously you have to consider your personal costs when performing, and if it's worth it to you in the longrun to either break even or lose money playing music. Being 100% honest here, I've paid out of pocket almost 10 years now to have this website maintained and securely hosted. Not a fortune mind you, but still. I consider it a small cost for my peace of mind.

 

Wow, sorry for the rant.

Where was I?

Why didn't I just link to Steve Albini's The Problem With Music and save the last five minutes typing?

Moving along...

 

So I've been a little occupied lately with training to open a new fast food restaurant. Yes we're getting into another business. Tires, oil, roofing.... chicken? Sure why not.

Here's what I was able to squeeze out last night when I got back around 10pm. It's an old one but I had it on my mind to record. I've been so occupied lately that I haven't had time to properly thank the staff at LKCB for continually playing my songs on their station, so I included one of the latest clips with them talking about a few of my songs in the intro to this video. Here's another brog where I explain the story he's referencing. Yes, I will show up at your door, wherever you are, whenever I feel like it. I know where you live and I actually enjoy long plane/car rides. Is he really that creepy? Yes, yes I am.

 

 

Paint your mask and fake the day away
cry your eyes into a haze
you paint yourself in a corner
you paint yourself in a corner
the walls are gray
circular room

We walk around like paper cut-outs
with matches
yeah
our faces like flint and urine gasoline

Oh your poison lips
you vomit pulp
and fork our tongues
with lashing drips the honey
from the rafters

Darkness, abandoned factory
with wet feet
smoke and mirror glaze
yeah yeah yeah

I haven't slept since I woke up
I haven't felt alone since you left me

We walk around like paper cut-outs
with matches and urine gasoline

I taste the copper from the poison gun
you defecate your tender paper coin
(there's two sides to any coin)
into my halitosis stained-yellow hole
crap
all night
the salt that melts away my heart
that you said was washed white as snow
by your blood
it crashes into the planets with cars
and dumb faces looking up
as if they didn't ever see the sky before

We walk around like paper cut-outs
with matches and urine gasoline
We're walking around like paper cut-outs
with matches and urine gasoline

I haven't slept since I woke up
I haven't felt alone since you left me
yeah yeah yeah

We walk around like paper cut-outs
with matches and urine gasoline
We're walking around like paper cut-outs
with matches and urine gasoline

 

 

Thanks again to LKCB.