Artistry

I was reading an article yesterday on the latest corporate version of the record deal called the 360 deal. This deal has very little to do with making music or really promoting records. In this deal the company gets a piece of everything the artist does from live shows to merchandising. The most glaring thing to me is that none of these deals are really focused on perpetuating great artistry. People making records today seem to be more concerned with marketing and branding than they are with being a great artist. This is the very reason record sales are at an all time low. The industry would have us believe that the Internet and downloads are to blame but that's not true. The Internet has only equipped people with the freedom to sample and choose what they think is quality. The artistic bar in this industry has been dropped so low that I don't think artists really give much thought to really expressing their souls anymore. It's now all about money. Don't be fooled. Quality is always noticed and rewarded. As artists, we can't be influenced by this non artistic approach to making music. When we sit to right music, we must make the music we hear from within ourselves. We can't listen to the radio and try to make what we think is going to be a so called hit. Hits are manufactured, great songs a written by great artists expressing a life experience. Don't ever forget that there is a difference. Just because a company spends a lot of money to promote a record and you hear all day everyday, doesn't make it a great song. It just means that the money was spent to make it a hit. There is no real musical artistry in so called HIT making. It is vital that we keep our eyes on the REAL prize and that prize is not money but pure artistry. When we are true to the craft, the money and all the other trappings will come just on our on terms not because of some marketing gimmick. So don't be afraid to make the music you hear. If it doesn't sound like the music on the radio, GREAT, it is our duty as artists to push the creative envelop and challenge the musical intellect of the public. You would be surprised how many people will like what you do but you've got to create it first. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Never Forget

Today we celebrate Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We all know how great this man was and what he did for ALL of us. It does seem that time has a way of making us forget certain things though. This current generation, as is my generation and even the generation that lived through the civil rights movement, is totally disconnected from the true meaning of Dr. King's legacy. A lot of the opportunity that we have ALL been afforded came as a result of Dr. King and tireless others who lived and died for freedom and equality, things we now take for granted. We must NEVER FORGET the struggle that existed during his life because it is still with us just in different forms and in some cases it's exactly the same. Now when I say never forget, I'm not saying that we have to try to live in the past and cast blame on this group or that group but we must face, embrace and never forget the ugliness that is racism. We must keep the lessons taught to us by our forefathers in front of us at ALL times or we will be doomed to repeat those lessons. We live in a time where education has lost it's zeal. We are all chasing money and status. We want to be famous at any cost while taking for granted that people died for us to have the right to get a good education because knowledge is the one thing that no one can take from you. Dr. King's work can still be felt even in the entertainment business but the work is not done. This business is still largely segregated and equal access is still an issue as it is in Hollywood. It is important that we understand that we are all one people but in order to move forward to a better place, let's never forget the struggle we've come through led by Dr. King and others like him. Take time today to reflect and refocus on what's really important and share that reflection with a young person. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Staying Humble

The music industry is full of contradictions. It appears, on the surface, that you have to be outspoken and arrogant to be a success but it's really all about staying humble. There is a difference between being confident and being arrogant. This business is very humbling. I mean think about all of the things we have to endure just to make it like having people always think you are worthless or treating you like you don't matter because you chose to pursue your passion. We've all had those "You need to make more money conversations" even from people who say they understand and believe in us. Having people treat you like a child is a VERY humbling experience. The funny thing is that most of us don't hold on to this feeling though. Once we make it to a certain level and start to make money and achieve notoriety or success we sometimes forget about humility and the people that helped us get there. I do understand that some of us react to having been treated like a second class citizen so we feel like success gives us freedom to strike back at those people. It is important to remember that success only makes you the person that you really are. A lot of times we are only humble because we have to be. It can be a very thin line to walk though with every one always telling you how great you are at your shows and how you are a star but as I said in the beginning this industry is full of contradictions. The same people that praise you when you are on stage are the same people that complain that you are worthless when you are off stage. Living through this should be enough to keep any of us humble. Humility is the true key to longevity and true success. It's OK to be happy about an accomplishment but never forget how you got there and no one ever

STAYS on top so it's best to always be humble and maintain great relationships at every level of your career. Also by being humble it will ensure that people will always WANT to help you because it is amazing to see someone with super human talent or ability be humble. It is endearing and impressive. Stay humble and enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

You Decide

The bottom line about life and your career is that they will be whatever YOU decide they will be. The hardest thing to do is really the easiest thing to do and that is to live YOUR life. In the music industry we are always making decisions to please other people. It is seldom that we really follow our hearts but the true road to success is only paved by following the truth. We are all guilty of letting people and things in our life influence the music and decisions we make. The funny thing about that is that those same people don't allow us to have that much influence in their lives. As creative people we have to not allow others to continue to make us slave to money or their perception of who we are or should be. We have to decide to just do what we want to do. This is a very slippery slope because we do need support but sometimes people will patronize us and call it support which is just disrespect. We live with our hearts on our sleeves. We are always exposed and trying to please. I say that it's time to try pleasing ourselves first. Yes we can have responsibilities but if we don't take care of ourselves, how can we be responsible to anyone else? The truth is that most people are not comfortable unless they can control you and we sometimes are so insecure that we feel as if we need those people. Well we don't need them. From this day forward don't make another decision based on just pleasing someone else because in the end you will have to live with whatever decision YOU make. Just be wise and honest with yourself. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Chops

I am a huge advocate of music education and I'm really concerned about the current state of musical development when it comes to our children. Don't get me wrong, these children are super talented and they are playing things that I've never seen before but the problem is their lack of substance and true foundation. All they seemed to be focused on is having chops. Who can play the most notes and who can play the fastest? There are websites dedicated to nothing but showcasing your CHOPS. Well what about groove and musical interpretation? Young musicians are not learning the history. I've been playing drums over half my life and there are still certain fundamentals that have not changed but a lot of these younger guys see no reason to learn the basics such as the James Brown, Motown, Stax, Philly, Shuffles, Second Line, One Drop, Swing & the list goes on and on. They feel as if they can create something brand new without ever learning and respecting what came before them. Before we can create, we must imitate. If you are going to be a working musician, writer or producer, it is important to understand the history and develop a musical vocabulary. Music is not about stroking your own ego with how fast you can play. Music is about having the discipline to only give the music what it needs to groove and grow. If that means four on the floor with very few fills, then so be it. I've never seen anybody get hired based on chops but I have seen guys get fired because they overplayed. We are all lifetime students and it is vital that we embrace the music that came before us so that as we create, we can do so in a contributory fashion. Focus on building a musical vocabulary and writing great songs with distinct melodies, not just on chops for the sack of chops. That kind of playing is soulless and self serving. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Turning The Page

The hard truth about achieving success is that most of us never really do and never will. Not because we are not capable but because we refuse to be successful. Life is like a book and achieving success is all about turning the page. None of us can stay the same or stay in the same place. Our lives, like a book, are full of chapters and we have to be willing to continue writing the story. The problem most of us have is that we romanticize a particular chapter in our lives too long instead of just turning the page and moving on. The only way to know what's next is to go after it but you can't do so being afraid or by holding on to what you've already done. Life is all about the NOW and NEXT. What you did yesterday is gone never to return and it doesn't matter if it was a great day or a bad day, you can't get either one back. You have to move forward to have more great days and new chapters of success. The music industry especially is about constantly writing new chapters. Art changes by the minute because it is a living breathing thing and when you allow yourself to stand still too long, life begins to pass you by. Turning the page is also about change and change is inevitable and good. We have to understand that we do not know it all that's why we have to keep living. As I always say, it's more about the journey than the destination. You may think you know what you want or where you want to be but along the way you may modify or even change what you want based on the journey. So let's not be so attached to any particular chapter in our life story. Let' live, learn, keep writing and turning the pages of our success story. Above all please enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Deal Only With What You Want

As we embark on a new year, let's get it started on the right foot. We can't build on memories or mistakes. What I mean is what has past has past and we can't go back nor can we allow others to pull us back. From this day forward, deal only with what you want. Success is about moving ahead not sideways or backwards. A lot of us have been in situations that we've had to let go of in order to move to a better place. The key for the new year is staying focused on the things that will contribute to your success. We can't allow ourselves to be pulled into ANY kind of negative relationships or conversations. The best response to ignorance is not to respond at all. No need to waste any time on drama. Any time spent on drama is time away from achieving your success. There are those that just live to keep up trouble. These are people that don't know what they want and this can be the most dangerous type of person to someone who is focused because dealing with someone who is indecisive, negative and unfocused can only poison your situation. 2012 is going to be a great year. We just have to commit ALL of our words, time and actions toward making it so. Happy New Year and enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Right Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012