If you want a good book on this theme, check out “Portrait of an Artist as an Old Man” by Joseph Heller. The protagonist is a guy who got famous by writing one book but everything else was ignored (like Heller himself with Catch-22). The connective tissue is an examination of all the Author’s peers being drunks, drug addicts, and depressed messes all in the name of the Artist must Suffer.
It asks the question you wrote about…why is art only “good” if you are in a dark place
In the same stage of making peace with having a young family, a teaching job, and well wherever music can fit in now.
It reminds me of a book I read in my earlier twenties, about the rise and fall of VeggieTales of all things... but the creator Phil Vischer was brutally self honest about reading a buisness book that encouraged having a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) and it led him to lots of bad decision making, overhiring, a lack of contentment with moderate success in pursuing the big dream to be the next Disney.
In the western world (and maybe eastern too) the religious and nonreligious both worship at the alter of "The Dream". The thing David Foster Wallace tried to warn us about that eats us alive. "The Dream" robs the joy of "a dream": a simpler desire to work hard at something you love.
It's something I've always been aware of yet it sneaks in the backdoor of not bad in itself desires if wanting to be heard, wanting to make music full time, wanting to work with Rick Rubin someday and have him lie on the floor with his eyes closed listening intently to my masterpiece. And the romantic quickly steals the joy of the things we have, the people we have around us, the music we do find time somehow after staying up all night with vommiting toddlers to create.
So I thank you for this reminder. Because like Woody from toy story, when we think we've missed the truck, we need a Buzz by our side to say "We're not aiming for the truck".
This hit Mike. I've seen the industry for what it is. If it's too good to be true, it is. Thank you for speaking on such an important and necessary topic. Cassie and all the others are very strong people. Lets not let the exposer go in vain.
If you want a good book on this theme, check out “Portrait of an Artist as an Old Man” by Joseph Heller. The protagonist is a guy who got famous by writing one book but everything else was ignored (like Heller himself with Catch-22). The connective tissue is an examination of all the Author’s peers being drunks, drug addicts, and depressed messes all in the name of the Artist must Suffer.
It asks the question you wrote about…why is art only “good” if you are in a dark place
And also... where can I hear your indie music?
A reminder I need.
In the same stage of making peace with having a young family, a teaching job, and well wherever music can fit in now.
It reminds me of a book I read in my earlier twenties, about the rise and fall of VeggieTales of all things... but the creator Phil Vischer was brutally self honest about reading a buisness book that encouraged having a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) and it led him to lots of bad decision making, overhiring, a lack of contentment with moderate success in pursuing the big dream to be the next Disney.
In the western world (and maybe eastern too) the religious and nonreligious both worship at the alter of "The Dream". The thing David Foster Wallace tried to warn us about that eats us alive. "The Dream" robs the joy of "a dream": a simpler desire to work hard at something you love.
It's something I've always been aware of yet it sneaks in the backdoor of not bad in itself desires if wanting to be heard, wanting to make music full time, wanting to work with Rick Rubin someday and have him lie on the floor with his eyes closed listening intently to my masterpiece. And the romantic quickly steals the joy of the things we have, the people we have around us, the music we do find time somehow after staying up all night with vommiting toddlers to create.
So I thank you for this reminder. Because like Woody from toy story, when we think we've missed the truck, we need a Buzz by our side to say "We're not aiming for the truck".
This hit Mike. I've seen the industry for what it is. If it's too good to be true, it is. Thank you for speaking on such an important and necessary topic. Cassie and all the others are very strong people. Lets not let the exposer go in vain.
Excellent stuff sir.