Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Handling Disappointment

OK guys let's have a real heart to heart about something that is a little taboo... failure. Our success is largely driven by our belief in our self. When no one else believes we have to be strong enough to persevere but this can be hard because none of us want to fail. Failing or falling is all a part of being successful. Handling disappointment is a skill that we all need to learn to master if we are really serious about making it in this game. I say it's taboo because no one ever wants to talk about their mistakes or failures. We all believe in the power of positive thinking and communication so we think that if we don't address these failures then they won't exist. Well addressing or facing your failures is a part of positive self motivation. Disappointments simply serve to make us better. Every set back or failure gives us a chance to grow. What we have to do is be strong enough to handle these moments and not let them handle us. If you fail at one approach at least you know what doesn't work so you are still a winner. People only become jaded and bitter because they have not learned how to handle disappointment. They beat themselves up so bad that they are defeated even before they start again. Let's learn to see every failed experience as a teachable moment. I can't tell you how many things I've learned from falling short of the mark. I've recovered from every one of those experiences with more knowledge and wisdom. Yes wisdom. Wisdom only comes from living your life full out and understanding how to deal with and recover from failures. Life is beautiful everyday and your goals ARE attainable. Just keep getting up and you will WIN. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Set Boundaries

Have you ever felt as if you are always making sacrifices to help everyone else and not getting the same in return? It seems that this is a common occurrence in this business. No one ever makes it on their own. We all need help from someone. In realizing this, we also know that we have to help others in order to get help. The problem comes in because most of us never learn how to set boundaries. It is important to know what YOU want. The thing that happens is that we make so many sacrifices trying to help others or just be compassionate until you wake up one day years later only to realize that you have lost sight of your goals and your existence has become one of servitude. What I mean by servitude is that you have become afraid to just be you and state how you feel creatively or otherwise. You become a servant to those in your life because all you want to do is make them happy even when it doesn't please you. If you establish strong boundaries upfront with people, you never have to worry about people crossing a line into your space and you are also guaranteed that they will respect you. We don't always have to be so agreeable. No one becomes successful by just playing along by someone Else's rules. As visionaries we have to be strong enough to stay true to our visions no matter what and no matter who likes or dislikes it. It's OK to to give and be helpful, just don't allow people to take advantage of you and pull you away from your purpose. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011

Space

One of the most misunderstood things in music is simplicity. I am a drummer and I love what I do. I know a lot of drummers that have chops for days but when it come to playing music they kind of miss the mark. I tend to get labelled as an entertainer of even showboat to some but I'm always focused on the most important thing and that is making the music groove by playing as little as possible. The most beautiful music is made in the spaces between the notes. It's more about what you DON'T play or say. I get a lot of calls because people seem to like the way I can make a song feel. Most drummers have seen me play and said that what I was doing was simple and anybody could do it. At least that's what they said until they had to try to duplicate what I was doing. My approach to playing drums is very simple. It's all about being open to the musical conversation that occurs on stage. It's also about being able to lead or guide the band with confidence but without being a musical bully. Any band is only as good as the drummer and we are responsible for setting the tone, vibe and energy. I've found that it is more fun and musically satisfying to try to get the most out of playing only a few notes. I like to make the groove and pocket a priority. It's all about the song first. It is vitally important to know the melody and/or lyrics to any tune you play so that you know how to perform the tune. The lyric tells us all we need to know about how to express on our instruments. It is really harder to play simple and also play space. Yes, space is also music. Use space to create or resolve tension. The use of space demands that your audience pays attention to each and every note because people are intrigued by space. Especially in popular music or any music that people are going to dance too, the groove has to be simple and solid. Most of us find this hard to do because we would rather stroke our egos and play all these feels and chops that really don't add to the music at all. It is important to develop a large vocabulary but it's even more important to know what to say and when to say it. Always play for the music and not your ego. Space is our friend. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Monday, November 21, 2011

Loyalty

In this business people tend to take concepts and pervert the true meanings to serve their own agendas. Most of us fall for it hook, line and sinker because it's often done by using cliches' to appeal to our since of compassion and duty. One of the most often misunderstood of these is loyalty. People say that being loyal is important and it is but you have to see the BIG picture. It's interesting that as long as you are doing what other people want you to do you are considered loyal but if you have to make a decision that best serves you and not them, they consider you disloyal. I submit that the only loyalty you have to show is to yourself. I don't mean we should be selfish or heartless but everybody enters into a partnership with an agenda. If every one is loyal to their on agenda first then that loyalty to self with in turn make the group, business or partnership better because each of us has a motivation that will make us be our best at all times. We all join organizations fully willing to be loyal to the mission but our main motivation to even join is because it serves some personal agenda for us. It's OK to admit this and it's OK to let anyone you work with know that you are there to serve not only them but yourself and the moment it ceases to be productive for you then they have to understand that you will have to bow out. As we have all heard before, "To thine own self be true." Don't allow people to twist the meaning of loyalty or to guilt you into doing something that doesn't serve your personal goals. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Thursday, November 17, 2011

YES! We Do Work

It seems that those of us that are full time musicians/artists/entrepreneurs get a bad rap. It seems that people think that we don't really work for a living. YES! We do work. We are a brand and a business and we have to spend time developing or creating things that will increase our worth. I get up everyday and work on music production, writing, consulting, marketing...etc, but I guess because I work for myself and I'm not punching a clock there are those that think that I'm just not working. It's really harder to do what we do because we are not motivated by the punch the clock attitude. Yes making a regular check is nice but as musicians/artists we have to plan at least a year ahead most of the time. We are always working and networking now for what is to come. This is the only way we get on tours, CD projects, T.V. shows and the like. We have to work ALL the time. We never really have any time off because we have to always keep our eyes and ears open to opportunity. It is also a must that we are creating all time because when opportunity comes we will be ready and not have to get ready. I guess you can say that our work is based on faith. We have faith that the opportunities are coming so we have to do the work to be ready. I've written hundreds of songs and I'm still writing. This intellectual property belongs to me and is worth something. As I place material and get calls from companies or artists that are looking for material, I have to have something to let them hear or something to show what I can do. I can't just wait until an opportunity arises and then decide to work. I work ALL the time. My son says that I get to have fun for a living so it can't be a real job. LOL. And to a degree he's right. As artists we are not driven by what others see as real because we do what we love so we don't really see it as a burden or something hard to do. This is our career not just a job. And yes we have to pay dues. We can go long stretches without making much money but when the money hits, it hits hard and heavy. I guess the reason people don't think we are doing anything is because we enjoy it and I guess work is not suppose to be fun. Well YES! We do work and we LOVE what we do. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Conflict

If you are going to achieve anything in life there are certain skills you just have to possess. Chief among those skills is knowing how to deal with conflict. Nothing worth having is ever easy and or without some level of conflict. The closer you get to achieving success the more you are going to have to be able to use the word NO and this is most cases can cause conflict. You can never ignore or shy away from it because it will only serve to undermine your mission. None of us like to be the bad guy but we have to be strong enough to understand that we have to make the best decisions for our careers and agendas. We will go through all kinds of relationships in this business and it is best to always be honest and upfront. Don't just communicate when things are good and run when they are not. The best business man is an honest one. People may not always like what you have to say but they will always respect you for saying it with an honest heart. If you have an issue with something or someone, never belabor it or hide from it. It is important to always tackle conflict head on. If you want to dissolve a relationship do it face to face like a man or a woman. Don't send impersonal messages such as texts, emails and voice mails. You should always end a business relationship the same way you started it, face to face with honesty and integrity. Let's face it, this is a tough game and not all things fit all the time. To truly be successful you have to be willing to face conflict but remember to do so with honesty and compassion. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Haters?

I often hear a lot of musicians and artists complaining about people holding them back or being against them. I even admit that there have been times when I've also subscribed to this to behavior. Most of us term these people as haters. Haters? The truth I've uncovered is that there are really very few haters. None of us make it anywhere without some one's help. Sometimes it's important to take a step back and realize just ho many people are really in your corner. I think you will find that there are far more people that want to see you succeed than you think. Hate is a concept of perception and it only exists in your mind. Of course there are times when people may be envious or jealous but all that means is that they are inspired by you and your ability or accomplishments. It's all in how you look at it. People are inspired by results and if you are the type of person that always gets results then people are watching and copying you. This puts you in a position to be a trendsetter and trendsetters are not concerned about the so called haters because they understand that some get it and some don't and those that don't, will. It's all about changing your mind set. You will always find what you go looking for. If hate and dislike is what you seek then that is what you will receive but if you are truly focused on achieving and leading by example then success is what you will receive. You have to understand that success of any type comes with responsibility and you have to be bigger than the situation. Also understand that there is more love than hate and there are more people that want to see you make than you would ever know. Just believe. There are NO haters just a few unenlightened people, so just enlighten them by living YOUR best life. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Monday, November 14, 2011

Follow Through

Let's talk about the single most important factor of being successful in this business. It's called follow through. It is one thing to start something and yet another to see it all the way to the end. This business is about work and the only way you loose is if you don't stay persistent and consistent. I can't tell you the number of cards I've gotten from people that I intended to contact but never got around to it. What I've discovered is that I was making a grave mistake in not following through and following up on every single lead and contact because you never know who someone REALLY is or even who they may know. I've made it a practice to always follow up at least within a day or so while the meeting is still fresh on people's mind and I try to drop them a line at least every other week or so to just stay on their radar. Since doing this, I've seen a lot of wonderful things transpire and it just served to remind me that I have to stay committed to handling business at ALL times. Yes, it is time consuming because the more people you meet the more time you will have to spend to keep your network going and growing but it is worth it. This also applies to dealing with agents and promoters. We have to follow through on every contact and booking opportunity. These people get bombarded weekly with hundreds of requests and they are constantly meeting new people so if you are going to stay on their mind you have to follow through with building and maintaining a relationship. Who you know is as important as what you know but who you know won't matter if you are not willing to follow through on reaching out to them. Don't procrastinate on ANYTHING as it relates to this game. Think it, Do it! It's that simple. See every project completely to the end. This is what success is all about. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Splitting Your Time

As we all know there are two sides to this game. The creative and the business. To be successful we can't spend ALL of our time on either. As independent label owners and producers we have to learn to split our time wisely. This can be very hard for those of us with the gift of being prolifically creative but we have to learn to step out of the studio and into the office if any of our creations are to ever get any real attention. It is also vital that we find help. No one can do all the work but even in having a good team you still end up having to do the follow up work. I've written a lot of songs and produced a lot of records but I'm just now getting to the point of being disciplined enough to spend more time in the office. Here's my solution. Take the first four hours of the business day from 8am to 12pm on Monday through Wednesday to do radio calls, grant calls, setting up interviews and Internet promo work. Take a lunch and go into the studio after lunch for writing, production or mixing and you have your evenings for gigs or night sessions. You should also design specific plans and goals for each project you embark on. I've found myself being in the midst of working on a bunch of great music with no specific direction. I mean the music may be great but the artist may not be ready financially or otherwise to truly sell the product. So I have to decide what projects are truly worth my time and focus on a full plan to see them all the way to success. That includes publicity, marketing, video shoot, radio placement, magazine reviews & interviews as well as putting together a killer live presentation to tour with. This is a lot but if you are not willing to due ALL of this for each project then you are wasting your time. We can't become successful by just playing gigs or staying in the studio. Someone has to handle the business and if you allow others to tell you that they can handle it for you . . . well we have years of horror stories from artists that got ripped off because they had no knowledge of their own business. So let's start learning to split our time so that we can not only create great art but see that art realize it's full potential. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Intellect, Ability & Entertainment

Success in the music industry can seem very elusive. For the most part in requires a whole lot of luck but you can create your own luck. There are always opposing forcing working in the industry. Those that know verses those that think they know. Let me explain. Everybody's a critic of what we do. We get heavily scrutinized mostly by our peers and most of the time it's out of ignorance and jealousy. In order to be a success in this game it takes intellect, ability and entertainment skills. It's not by mistake that this is called SHOW business. If you don't have something REAL to show then you are just one of hundreds of thousands of artists or musicians trying to make it. The thing that irritates me is to hear artists down play someone Else's success in order to make themselves look better. I mean you may not like Brittany Spears, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Usher or whoever but I guarantee you that you wouldn't want to try to compete against any of them in the studio or on the stage. There is an art to delivering a great studio performance and it most times has very little to do with how well you sing or play. It's about being able to communicate a distinct thing. What we get confused with as musicians is thinking that just because you know all the scales and chords that this gives you the right to judge some one else. Just because you have a lot of information in your head doesn't make you smart. The key to success is being able to make art that reaches people and that takes heart and true intellect. I say intellect because you have to be smart enough to know your strengths and weakness and to understand that they both contribute to making you unique. People that buy concert tickets want to be entertained, for the most part so the best artists have to find a way to present their music in a passionate and entertaining way and that takes ability and a lot of intellect. It seems that if something has too much entertainment value that critics and mostly other musicians or artists will mark them off as fluff but don't fool yourself. Being able to put on an entertaining show will keep you working and getting paid much more than you bragging about how many notes you can play or how pure your music is. Dizzy Gillespie was one of the fathers of Bebop and he was a world class entertainer which contributed largely to his world wide appeal and success. His ability to entertain made his music accessible to EVERYONE. You didn't have to be a Jazz snob to like his music because his personality on stage made everyone feel invited to the party. So let's be careful when we judge entertainers. If you are not a great entertainer then work on it but don't chastise someone who is because when it's all said and done a good entertainer will trump your complaining and criticism every time. People just want to have fun. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

I'm Still Confused

I am a bit irritated by by an ever pervasive attitude among musicians that continues to allow us to be pimped and exploited at every turn. Everyone from club owners to managers has us jumping through hoops for them but none of them are really showing us any level of respect. I agree that money should not be our main focus but we have to modify our understanding of that concept. When we as artists say this we don't mean that we don't want to make money. What we mean is that we have faith that if we stay focused on creating great art then the money will come but most people take our artistic dedication as a weakness and use against us. I'm still confused as to how club owners, so called managers and promoters can come to us to play shows without offering an acceptable wage. I can't tell you how many calls I get from guys about playing a club but they will say that we have to start out for three or four hundred dollars and we can use this to build ourselves up. Now let's keep in mind that most of these guys have toured around the world with some of the biggest artists of our time and they actually entertain this mess. I even had one guy give me the don't focus on the money speech. Man I told him that in this situation that was BS. We have spent our lives perfecting our craft and honing our skills. If we are good enough to make thousands of dollars touring with these great artists and producing records, why should we have to allow some second rate club owner or so called manager to insult us. It seems that these people place no value on experience and ability. That doesn't happen in any other profession. In any other field, you are rewarded and respected for your experience and expertise. It's time that we stop allowing ourselves to be exploited by these people. I can't tell you how many times a club owner has come up to me and said that he had never seen anything like my show our how happy he was to have us there and he wants us back but when you start talking about the money he begins to make excuses and say just work with me. Well I did work with him. I came to his place and put on a great show that in turn allowed him to make more money. He was satisfied enough to ask us back with the promise of more money but the money never really increases. I know this is nothing new in the music industry. The point I'm trying to make is that we as musicians have to change our thought process. We are not beholding to these people. They need us more than we need them. We have to be willing to work smart enough to develop our own brand and fan base. Once we do that, we can create our own value and if they don't want to pay us then we will play somewhere else. Even if it means sponsoring our own shows. We deserve to be wealthy and live comfortably too. No more starving artist BS. Now let's go about changing this perception. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Monday, November 7, 2011

Diversify Your Listening

I recently had a conversation with a friend about the kinds of music we listen to and how it can affect our outlook and decision making. It is vitally important to diversify your listening. It has long been said that if you want to have a view into the psyche of a society just look at the music they listen too. Music is like food and we all know that we can't survive on just one kind of food. We have to have a balanced diet. Well your musical diet should be the same way. We have to include music from several genres and on several different subject matters. You would be surprised how much music effects our everyday life, goals, what we wear, who we vote for. . .etc. This is especially important for developing children. From birth a child should be given exposure to several forms of music to help stimulate his/her brain. Music, like anything else, has different purposes. There are some forms of music that require a bit more intellect than others. Listening to hip/hop, rock or R&B is cool but if that's all you listen to today then I fear that the scope of your thinking will only be confined to sex, money, drugs, clothes and more sex. You are what you listen too. You should regularly search out music and cultures that you know nothing about and you should choose music that has varied subject matters. It is also important to listen to the classics whether it's Beethoven, Mozart, Motown, Stax, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, James Brown and the list goes on. This is more important now than ever before as we stand at the dawn of a new music industry. As leaders of this new industry we need to be better educated on how musical diversity can not only change us but the world. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Are You Afraid Of Success

I've spent years in this business and I continue to see and learn so many things from so many people. I remember every story told and lesson taught from years ago. I've worked with so many talented people that will never have a hit record or even gig outside of their hometown. The main reason they won't advance is that they are afraid of success. I know you've heard this before but do you really know what it means? Most of us have fallen so in love with pursuing the dream that we've never really focused on making it a reality. We subconsciously sabotage every opportunity and later blame some one or some thing for it not happening. We end up settling for being a big fish in a little pond because most of us are afraid that if we venture out into larger waters we may just find out that we are not good enough to be there. Facing this truth takes a lot of courage and honesty. Most people will never admit to feeling this way. I've always had it in reverse. When I get an opportunity, I don't belabor it at all, I just take it. I understand that no one is going to know what I can do unless I show them and if that means that I have to go to Paris or where ever to show them then that's what I have to do. Yes it can be scary. Trust me, I have a healthy fear in every new situation. I say healthy because it is not the fear that will make me not move ahead but it is the fear that motivates me to be prepared to give my best in EVERY situation so that people will want to work with me again. I realized a long time ago that I can truly have ANYTHING I want and so can you. Don't waste your life chasing a dream that you are afraid to see come true. If you want something, start making it happen TODAY. No more waiting or making excuses. Are you afraid of success? Only you truly know the answer. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Stop Complaining

OK guys, enough is enough. It is important to remember that we are masters of our fate. We have free will to make whatever choices we want. We have ALL made some choices that we were not happy with. I appeal to you today to stop complaining. Understand that ALL of life is a learning experience. If you went to school and didn't learn or you feel as if you were short changed at some point in your life, well you have no one to blame but yourself. Every one of us is responsible for the decisions we make and we all make mistakes. We just have to be honest enough to admit it and turn those mistakes into teachable moments. The music industry is not a place for complainers or people that are not self motivated. The reason that so many people have gotten taken advantage of in this business is because they allowed it. Most of us don't want to work too hard or invest too much of ourselves into anything so we let others foot the bill and direct us only to find that those people have only used us to further their own agenda. This is when we become jaded and blame the world for our short comings or perceived failures. Well the only time you truly fail is when you choose to spend more time complaining than you do learning and improving your situation. Each of us can accomplish ANYTHING we want. You just have to commit to it daily and focus all of your thoughts, energy and conversation on moving forward. Leave no room for negative thoughts or complaining. Remember, you can blame who ever you want but the truth is it's all on YOU. Stop complaining and start moving. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Maintaining Your Vision

The longer I do this the clearer certain things become to me. It seems that the easiest things become the hardest things and vice versa. As artists and musicians we always start out with a very concise vision and plan but we end up feeling like we have to compromise that vision only to come full circle to realize that maintaining your vision is the true key to being successful. I work with a lot of people and what I've found is that even though I've gotten a lot of great experience, some of the experiences where really just distractions from MY vision. You know how it is. We will figure if we do some of this and some of that then we can cover all the bases and have a better chance of making it happen. Well what I've discovered is that is better to just stay focused on YOUR vision. Dedicate all your time to developing YOUR thing because all of the people that are distracting you will all fall by the way side leaving you to return to what you should have been doing in the first place and that's focusing on YOU. How many situations have you been in where people depend so heavily on what you bring to the table but they don't compensate you or even try to invest in YOUR career advancement. Man I've lived through that so many times it's ridiculous. What I realized was I didn't necessarily need them as much as they needed me. That was when I decided to focus on branding myself at all times. I'm still in the process of really defining myself as an artist but I'm doing so on my own terms because I now see what audiences want to buy from me and I've discovered that it doesn't matter who I'm working with. By the grace of GOD, they still see who I am. All of my touring and working with people has only served to show me that I have all I need to do and be whatever I want and the same goes for you. Don't always think that you need someone else to do something for you. Very few people posses vision. Those of us that have it must move on it. Don't wait or discuss it, just move! It never ceases to amaze me how many people just don't have a clue about this business and what it really takes to make it. I'm done trying to convince them. Let's just lead by example and realize our own visions. Let's just let our success do the talking for us. Watch ME! Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2011