It's A New Day

There continues to be an on going debate about the fate of the music industry. It's all about the old way of business versus the new. We are now living in the digital age where people consume music and all products, for that matter, in a completely different way. The old music industry was a members only game that used money and influence to force the buying public into purchasing music. When I say force I mean if you wanted to buy a single you liked you had to wait until the full album came out and most times the single would be the only really great song on the album but it was the only way to get the song you wanted. Even radio airplay would force you, in a kind of subliminal way, to like music you really didn't care for. Well that has all changed. The Internet has leveled the playing field but it seems that most of us traditional musicians that make our living producing and playing music have not quite gotten the memo. We have to understand that it is a new day and this is really to our benefit. Most of us are still looking for record deals. The record deal is dead. We have to become Internet savvy by understanding how to market our music via social sites and other web marketing tools. Selling something is all about the distribution and in the past you had to make a deal with one of the big labels for use of their distribution network. Well now the Internet puts the world at our fingertips, but we have to be willing to do the work. I've been dealing with a lot of traditional music lately such as blues, jazz, rock & roll and Americana and most of these artists are great self promoters and make quite a great living playing shows but they are loosing their shirts trying to supply radio stations and reviewers with product. These stations and reviewers are STILL requesting hard copies which costs tons of money in shipping not to mention the money you loose by giving away a piece of product when you can just send them a digital file of your music and press kit at no cost. I mean most of these stations have to convert the music into mp3s anyway so why make us spend extra money shipping them product that they don't really need anyway. It is vital that these people join the digital age, if not, we will continue to see a decline in the traditional music markets because everyone else in pop, hip/hop, r&b etc... is using facebook, twitter, YouTube, sound cloud, reverbnation, instagram, LinkedIn and the list goes on and on. We have to use this technology to make things easier and less expensive for ALL of us, radio and other media people included. Now this brings me to CD sales. We keep hearing that the Cd is dead and downloads are the new king. Well not quite yet BUT, it's not far off. You can check the following link from the Huffington Post for the latest figures for 2012 sales at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/music-sales-2012-digital-physical_n_2440380.html. CD sales were still the largest percent of the market share but they were down substantially from the preceding year and digital sales where up quite a bit from the preceding year. The writing is clearly on the wall. The CD will eventually go the way of the 8track and cassettes tape formats. In life and art change is inevitable, those that can adapt will win and those that can't will just be left penniless lamenting the "good old days". It's a new day and the future is NOW! Do your research and most of all JUST MAKE GREAT MUSIC! With this great new technology has come even more distractions so if you are going to win fans, your music has to be great to hold their attention and make them want to share it with their friends. Welcome to the new music biz. It's what you choose to make of it. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Never Convenient

The cool thing about this business is it's endless possibilities. There are so many opportunities and careers to be had on and off stage. Most of us have grown up dreaming of becoming this or that and believe it or not, a lot of our dreams have come true but with a price. The truth about success or opportunity is that it's never convenient. I guess this happens in all situations though. Let me explain. Often times we work hard for an opportunity to advance our career only to realize that when it comes we usually have to make some very uncomfortable decisions in relationship to where we are at that particular time. It's never easy. Moving ahead always means you have to leave something behind and most of us are so emotionally attached to situations that when our dream comes knocking, we often won't answer. Success is always about starting over. Once you rise to the top of one level, you have to start over at the bottom of the next. This can be frightening for most of us so we just become complacent and let opportunities pass us by. We have to stay focused on what our BIG picture is. Yes we want everything to be convenient and we want our schedules to work out so that everyone is satisfied but the universe doesn't work like that. Whatever we ask and work for we will have, we just have to be willing to take it. Every call I've ever gotten for a great opportunity has always come when I was fully booked or otherwise obligated and I had to make some decisions. Do I let this opportunity that I have been working all my life for pass by or do I take it and risk hurting some feelings because I have to bow out of some other obligations? I have always taken the opportunity. And yes it's always hard but I've been lucky enough to work with people that support me and want to see me advance because they realize that my success not only benefits me but them as well. I have also had some not so cool situations when people were pretty pissed but I'm like dude it's a chance to be in X movie or do Y tour and I'm sorry I can't make the gig at X local club but I've got to take this chance. I'm finding that it doesn't get any easier. I just do my best to remain upfront and honest with people about my goals and aspirations. So just try to stay focused on your goals and be prepared to make the hard choices when they come and please don't allow emotion or manipulation by others to cause you to miss out on your dream. Always be fair, honest and professional.  Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Pay Attention

I've been in the music business for a long time and I've noticed that it's always about the details. No matter what facet whether it's performing, producing, managing . . . etc, the most successful people pay attention to detail. Now this may sound like a contradiction for musicians because people think that we just live wild lives partying and doing drugs and yes that does happen sometimes, LOL, but it's still amazing that even through some of that, artists are still about the detail. I get a lot of calls to play with people I've never met or I'll have to learn a show and play it with no rehearsal so for me it's all about listening AND watching. YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION. There is nothing more irritating than trying to communicate with someone on stage and you can't because they are not paying attention. I mean it's cool to be in a zone but remember we are all playing together and we have to be in that zone as a unit. As cool as it may be for you to close your eyes, YOU CAN'T! You have to watch every move that is being made by the front person as well as make eye contact and vibe with your fellow musicians. Music is all about communication and to do it well you have to stay focused and tuned in to what's going on. Look at it this way, music is truly another language and every time we perform we speaking to people as a UNIT. Each of us has a role to play in this conversation and when it is done well, people really get it. Have you ever played a show and had someone come up to afterwards and express to you how the music affected them and made them laugh, cry, dance or whatever? This only happens when we are open minded and tuned in to our fellow musicians on stage AND the audience. You will also be surprised at how much can be communicated by just watching each other on stage. Every artist I play with has some kind of body gesture they do to indicate one thing or another so I have to pay strict attention their EVERY move. Just remember music is both audio and visual and we have to always pay attention. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Keep Searching

Being a musician or artist is one of the best gifts ever but it can sometimes seem like a curse. As creative people we are all striving to find our voice or purpose, not unlike most of the world. Everyone wants to know why they are here and what are they supposed to be doing. This is extra hard for us because we are often faced with the fact that financial reward and pursuing your passion don't always line up, or so it seems. Life is truly a journey that we will travel until we expire so it's never over until it's over. We have to keep searching and learning to find our place. The cool thing about this search is that it is never ending because there is always something new to learn and experience. For example, for those of us that spend the bulk of our time gigging or creating, it's now time for us to search out ways to increase the value of our years of experience. This process requires study and a willingness to do something different. You see the misconception that artists have to be broke or have a "day job" to support themselves is just that . . . a misconception. We have to buckle down and spend our time finding ways to exploit the various skill sets we have acquired while doing what we do as well as staying open to learning even more. We must also understand that no matter how much money or success we attain, we have to always keep searching and learning. Once you stop wanting to grow, you die. None of us know everything nor should we want to. Living as an artist is a beautiful thing and we have a daily opportunity to walk a path that is full of wisdom and freedom. This also applies to all facets of our lives. Let's stop complaining about what we don't have and focus on what we DO have and what we WILL have. We just have to stay focused and keep a fresh outlook on life because this journey is much shorter than any of us realize. There is no time to waste on nonsense. so let's live, love, create and keep searching. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth 

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

In Spite Of

Following your passion takes a lot of courage, especially when your passion is music. There are tons of examples and cliches about the musician or artist. We are often referred to as starving artists. It is really a metaphor for dedication because following your passion means risking it all and before you can walk you have to crawl. The hardest part is that following this passion is never enough to guarantee success. Along the way we find that we have to master our business skills in order to make our passion worth something to others. This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. You see, we can see the vision because it's ours but to the rest of the world and even those closet to us, we are just dreamers. Well my advice is that you keep moving in spite of. Being an artist is a thankless endeavor and we have to have unshakable faith and a thick skin. What most people don't get is that we have to spend thousands of hours developing who we are and what we do before it ever really pays off. The problem is that most of us give up or allow others to make us give up before we reap the reward. Trust me, the only way you loose is to stop playing the game. I've seen people with very little natural talent become very successful because they simply didn't quit. I've also seen people get one or two steps away from making it only to give up, never realizing that if they had only kept going, their payoff was right around the corner. This can be much harder as we get older, especially if you have a family, but I say even then you can not give up. To do so will only make you bitter, full of regret and make you resent those closet to you. It's also important that we keep our minds open to expanding our visions so that we can see all of the opportunities that lie before us that can be a part of our passion. Stay encouraged and focused in spite of everything else and remember to enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Life Is Short

I've had a few close friends and associates pass away within the last year. The shocking thing is that all of these people where young and in, what seemed to be, great shape. In every case I found myself shocked thinking of how I had just seen or spoke to them not realizing that would be the last time I would share time and space with them. Of course when people pass away, we all have brief moments of reflection and an acceptance of our own mortality but these thoughts soon disappear and we return to our lives as usual. The thing we have to remember is that life is short and we don't have time to waste. This point is driven home more and more as we get older because death is something we will ALL experience so why not live our BEST life all the time. We never know if this moment will be our last or someone else's. This is also applicable to our craft. We never know how our music and performance can affect some one's life so it is paramount that we live and perform FULL OUT all the time. We are not promised tomorrow so we should learn to focus our words, thoughts and actions toward living the best life we can because it can all be over in an instant. The key to living life is to be HAPPY. Yes we all strive for success but if the stress of achieving a certain success shortens your life, it's not worth it. Some say that stress is just a by product of winning. Well not if you truly love what you do and your goal is to live a happy life. As musicians it is important for us to remember that stress kills just like cancer. So as we continue on our paths, let's be sure to take time to enjoy every beautiful moment we can and not stress over ANYTHING. Trust me it's not worth it. God bless those we've lost and may he continue to bless us as we continue ahead. Be well and enjoy the journey.

The Truth 

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

The Little Things

In every aspect of this business it is the attention to quality that wins every time. Even though some of us may feel as though the bar has dropped a bit, the winners all have a certain level of quality in common. This also goes for musicians. I play with a lot of different guys in a bunch of situations and it's always amazing how a group of people who have never played together can sound as if they have been together for years. This only happens when you have like minded people that share the same belief in quality and mastering the little things. The misconception about being a success is that it all depends on the big break. Well there is no BIG break. Success is a learned behavior. By focusing on mastering the little everyday things, we learn how to practice success. We soon realize that success is only about excellence and quality. It's about always being at our best in practice, performance and business. Once we master the little things, then the big things happen. Success is just like anything else, you have to practice it everyday in every part of your life. We have to not only master out musical talents but our communication skills, time management, planning and follow through. We have an opportunity everyday to practice these skills. These are some of the little things that serve as the building blocks for our larger success. Remember to always strive for quality and excellence in all you do and enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Stay Tuned In

The coolest thing about music and any other craft is that you never really learn it all. Being great is a lifelong pursuit. Success is all about consistent growth and change. Learning only occurs from listening, watching and experiencing the moments that happen all around us everyday. Most of us as musicians miss this. We become jaded and our egos lead us to believe that we've been there and done that. Well I beg to differ. The key to growth in music and business is to stay tuned in. We have to pay attention ALL the time. Music is a living, breathing thing that can produce amazing experiencing when we are tuned in. Every musician or creative person has had times when the universe gives us the most beautiful  grooves, melodies and words. This beauty exists in every creative and business situation but the key to connecting with it is being tuned in and approaching every situation being open to explore and create something new and beautiful. It doesn't matter how many times you've done something, each time gives you a new chance to explore the music, the opportunity and yourself. Our performance is only an extension of who we really are. This concept also applies to our business and personal lives. We have to stay tuned in and listen to the people and world around us. All of the answers and success we seek are right in front of us daily but if we are not tuned in, we will miss it all and opportunities will just pass us by. You see success is about relationships and all the experts have always said that the key to having a successful relationship is listening. Let's stay tuned in and better our relationship with the universe. Our success, business and art will be the all the better for. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Have A Strategy

The music industry is an ever changing landscape and now more than ever it requires an entrepreneurial  spirit to win. Gone are the days of becoming a rich rock star funded by a record company. The industry now belongs to tech savvy kids with more creative abandon than talent. These kids fully understand how to navigate the Internet and reach their demographic or even create it. Without even realizing it, they are following basic business practices. As musicians we have spent thousands of hours honing our craft but most of us haven't put in the time learning the business of how to market, promote and sell who we are and what we do in this new digital age. We must all have a strategy. First of all, decide what you want and design a business plan that deals with time lines, strategy and numbers to help you begin to truly see the path. Once this is done, let the plan guide your decisions in all aspects of your career. Most of us waste a ton of time by associating with people that we know don't contribute to our plan. This doesn't mean that these are bad people, just that they will not help us realize our larger goal. It is also important to do a time spent assessment. No matter what you think you are doing, the truth lies in where you invest the bulk of your time. If all of your time is spent playing $100 club gigs then that is about the extent of what you will achieve. The way to make it all make sense is to only take gigs that will add to your plan. It's really not even about the immediate money. You should mind every association and person you work with to be sure that they are a part of YOUR plan. Success is a house built day by day and we must be careful not to waste time on things that don't contribute to the building of this house. Take some time today and evaluate your goals. Design a schedule that will allow you to spend time on the business side of getting your career to the next level. Remember time is money and if you want to make some REAL money you have to invest some REAL time into the business of YOU. There are no days off. You are a walking, talking billboard for your business. Every show you play, every conversation you have and every social network post you make must all speak to who YOU are and be in line with your larger plan for success. Now go make your plan and above all. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Just Change It

As musicians and creative people we often fly by the seat of our pants. I mean we live mostly for the moment and we most times make decisions the same way. Living in the moment works great for creating art but it doesn't always fair as well when it comes to making business and life decisions. Yet it's never to late to improve or do something different. Many of us have made and continue to make decisions that don't contribute to our advancement and we constantly complain or blame others for our condition. Well the easiest thing to do is often the hardest thing to do . . . just live stress free and BE HAPPY. If you don't like something in your life or business, then just change it. Yes, it's that simple. We are always complaining about the the guy that doesn't pay us enough or doesn't handle business the way we would like. Well, instead of continually involving ourselves in those situations and increasing our level of stress, just say no or change the way you deal with it. If you accept a job with someone that you know is not on the up and up then you have NOTHING to complain about because YOU took the job. Stress is one of the biggest killers in the world, especially in our industry but we won't face it. By the time we realize that the stress of misinformation, long hours on the road for little money, disorganized management, blatant brow beating and disrespect have severely effected our health and quality of life, it's too late. Every decision we make must serve our well being. If something in your life is making you unhappy or causing you stress, just change it. Negative thoughts and energy can be toxic to your soul and physical being. We have to practice making better decisions and not beating ourselves up over mistakes. If you realize that something is not working then change it and move on. The truth is that not many of us really want to be happy. We are so  used to being toxic that we don't truly want to rid ourselves of the condition because once you do that, you then have all of this time to focus and work toward REALLY being successful and happy. As crazy as it may sound, not many of us really want to be happy and free. That's why we keep making the same wrong choices. I challenge you to be free. Simply change anything in your life and business that isn't contributing to your advancement and enjoy the journey. 

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Business Acumen

The one thing that seems to be true about the music business, and any other business, is that when it comes to success, there really is no mystery. I mean there are many different routes to success but the principles are always the same. I've noticed that your level of success is directly related to your level of business acumen. I work with a lot of really talented people and I sometimes find myself asking why these people aren't household names but after working with them, I get it. You see talent is just not enough. Just being great at something doesn't guarantee success. Success is gained by mastering business and organizational skills and you have to ALWAYS be on every aspect of your game ALL the time. For example, I've seen artists get a lot of work but hit a wall when it comes to moving to the next level because, as good as they may be, they are inconsistent. Some nights they are great and others they are just ok. They dress sometimes and sometimes they don't. They like to drink and party sometimes in excess in full view of the decision makers. Now most of you may say hey man loosen up there's nothing wrong with a good time. Well I beg to differ, especially if that good time paints the wrong picture of who you are and what your larger goals are. Remember that people are ALWAYS watching us, on and off stage and it is OUR BUSINESS to always be aware of the type of image we are putting forth. If your goal is to grow your career into a multi million dollar business, your business and presence must say this in every way. So no, there are no surprises. There are tons of talented people that will wallow in mediocrity because of there lack of business acumen. Trust me, this is a business like any other and there are no days off. Every performance is not only an audition but an opportunity and as much as it is about art, it is about business and pushing your career to the next level. This is a highly competitive game but there is room for anyone who's not afraid to work. So decide what you want and start walking down the path toward that success NOW. Remember to always be sincere and passionate. Stay focused on YOUR goals and learn from the mistakes and missteps of others. Success is yours, you have but to reach out and grab it. Enjoy The Journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

The Music Business Intellectual Deficit

Over the last couple of months I've been really busy, as usual, dealing with my duties in this industry. I operate on two tiers, one as musician and the other as administrator. Not many people know much about the latter as it relates to my experience and I find it makes it easier for me to fly under the radar and get to the truth because people don't see me coming. I've also been advising an up and coming pop group. I've had a few conversations with some so called managers and taste makers and let me tell you the fix is in people. We all know that the industry has changed but do we REALLY know HOW it's changed? The powers that be would have us believe that since sales are down and the Internet provides so many, sometimes too many, options that we should resort to giving our music away for free. In my conversations with these management types they are in the game of selling success. It's now a pay to play game all the way around. I had one guy tell me that kid acts have to pay to get on these so called educational tours to gain "EXPOSURE". Keep in mind that not only do they have to pay the organizers to be on the tour but they also have to pay their way there and their hotel costs all while the organizers are getting paid to provide talent but not paying these young artists a dime. This is happening through out this "NEW" music industry. Managers are asking for money up front before they agree to represent an artists. We are suffering from an music business intellectual deficit. By participating in these types of arrangements we are teaching the next generation of artists to value fame more than finance and we are not educating them on how to make others place value on their talent. The truth is that the only people that have a problem with things changing are the old label types who were use to making ninety percent profit on a project and not paying the artist. Now with the Internet giving more distribution access to us all, these people have to be fair in their dealings with us but they know that ninety percent of us are still not willing to do the work or learn this business for ourselves so they have just flipped the script. Instead of raping you from record contracts and sales, they are now charging for admission. I remember when a manager was a person that believed in an artist and  invested time and money into growing that artist's career all the while knowing that he/she would only make money if he made the artist money. Now it's being sold in quite a different way and a lot of us, young and old, are falling for it hook, line and sinker. WE DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE OUR MUSIC AWAY FOR FREE!!!!! No one else in this industry is being asked to work for free so why are we told that we should. The studio time still costs, publicists still want to be paid, manufactures and designers don't work for free, SO WHY SHOULD WE!? It's time that we stopped drinking the cool-aid and make these people place a value on who we are and what we do. We have to build our music business intellect. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Glass Half Full

Perception is truly reality. Most of us don't truly understand the power we possess when it comes to controlling or influencing our success and what happens in our lives and careers. Success is all about your outlook. Life is really simple but as people and artists, we tend to complicate the issue. Being a musician/artist is a life long process and change is promised. No matter what level we achieve, there is always more to learn and room for improvement so our attitude is most important as it relates to our experiences. It's always better to see the glass half full. People often ask me why I smile so much or why I always seem to be so happy, especially when I play. Well . . . I figured out a long time ago that you get what you give. If you approach every situation with a positive attitude, professionalism and a commitment to excellence, then you will always get great results. Now I know that some experiences are better than others but every experience we have to play, record, perform, write or create on ANY level is a blessing. I simply go into EVERY situation expecting great things and that is what I get. Discernment and good judgement are also a result of good energy. We've all been through enough to know when a situation is not the best fit for us. Instead of taking a gig just to say we have a job is not worth it if we know that the environment is not one that contributes to our happiness. Life is far to short to spend it being unhappy and complaining. Every day above ground is a good day and a chance to enjoy life and create something beautiful. Relax!!!!!!! Don't put too much pressure on yourself trying to be rich. LOL Just focus on having a positive, professional and productive outlook and not only will you have the success you want but great things that you never expected will happen. I'm a living witness to this. Remember, it is truly better to see the glass as half full. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Leave Your Comfort Zone

A lot of us have the wrong idea about how to achieve success in this business. You can't make it by JUST focusing on money or a rich lifestyle. As a matter of fact seeking these comforts are the enemy of success. The bottom line is that the only way to achieve ANYTHING is by hard, smart work. You can't be afraid to get into the trenches. Most of us say that we want a certain thing but we are not willing to make the sacrifice of working relentlessly to get it. As I've said before, the only way you lose the race is if you stop running. Most of us become to comfortable and are no longer willing to make those sacrifices. We make every decision based on what it pays instead of looking at the bigger picture. In order keep growing and achieving, we have to be willing to leave our comfort zone. You can't make money or find success by focusing on it. True success is about access. Take any really successful artist. The reason they made it was because they were willing to sacrifice all to achieve there goal and just because they make it to one level doesn't mean they stop. Remember, success is about the journey and we have to be willing to keep pushing ourselves to higher levels. I've experienced this time and time again. I will set out to do something, achieve it and all the trappings that come with it only to soon have my inner voice say, "Now it's time to move ahead. You can do more." I become discontent with standing still so I have to continue to move. Trust me, it kind of sucks most of the time because, in most cases, in order to move to something bigger, you have to give up something you already have. This is the biggest reason most of us won't ever go past where we are. Life is all about growth, give and take. You can never hold on to EVERYTHING. We have certain experiences that are only there to prepare us for what's to come but as we get older this process becomes harder to believe in. We seem to get more fearful and more willing to settle. We begin to focus on money and having things instead of continuing to grow our passion. Don't get me wrong, I know it takes money to live and support yourself, but if you are true to your passion and work hard, the money and continued opportunity WILL come. Take a look at where you are. Are you standing still? Can you do more? Are you afraid to give up something to gain a greater reward? These are just some of the questions that we as motivated and driven creative people have to answer daily. Don't be afraid to be uncomfortable. It's ALL about growth. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

The Dilemma

We are living in interesting times in the music business. The industry is in flux and is really no longer about creating music. Even though the business side of this industry has always been a bit seedy, there has always been a certain standard of quality at all levels. Well that has changed. It used to be that some of the smartest and brightest creative people could always find opportunity in the music industry, but no more. In the last ten years or so, the smartest people are going into tech and banking careers. It seems that our industry is no longer as profitable. Here in lies the dilemma for those of us still in this game. We now have to face the fact that the days of becoming a millionaire rock star are pretty much over. This is not pessimism, it is fact. Let me explain. Back when people where actually buying Cd's, there was a lot of money to be generated because there was an almost five hundred percent mark up, if not more, on Cd's. So as long as people where buying millions of Cd's, there was the potential to make billions on sales of, not only Cd's, but concert tickets and merchandise as well. MTV, BET and VH1 used to be music video channels that helped market and keep certain music and artists in our faces 24/7. Now that we have itunes and so many other download sites, Cd's have gone the way on the vinyl record and people no longer buy full length records. It's more about the single download so the industry can't really mark up the price the way they used to so the entire profit structure has changed from the top to the bottom. I'm not saying that we should give up. I'm just saying that as we move forward, we need to do so being well informed about where we and this industry stand. We have to think like business people. We have to find inventive ways to get our music and performances in front of people. This is even harder now because with the Internet people's attention spans are even shorter and they are just bombarded every second with CRAP. The first step is quality. Be sure to create quality art and it may take time but when people find quality, they share it. The public can no longer be bought. They have too many choices. My advice is that we rethink the way we approach doing business in this game. The old models are no longer applicable. It's a new landscape with no creative limits. There is still art to be shared and money to be made. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

The Journey Is More Important

Life can be an interesting mystery. We are basically taught from an early age to pursue are goals and dreams as if achieving them will make us happy and end the journey. We are taught to focus so hard on reaching something that we forget to truly live and enjoy life. The journey is truly what life and success are all about. The journey is far more important than the destination. It is the journey that molds and teaches us who we are and what we REALLY want. How many times have you worked so hard to achieve something only to feel a little empty when you do? That empty feeling is the "What Now?" feeling. Once you reach the goal, you realize that you have to continue moving to be happy. You see, we are taught to see life in a very superficial way. It's all about what you have and achieve and not what you experience but it is the living that fulfills us and gives us wisdom. I think no one understands this better than the artist because we all realize at some point that it is our living that drives our creativity and not the other way around. It is paramount that we learn to enjoy the journey by finding beauty and success in the simplest things. It's very ironic because it takes the same sensibility to truly be a great artist. I mean putting on a great performance or writing a great song is ALL about interpreting life in a moment and that can only happen through a simplistic attention to your surroundings. Simply put, we must live our lives out loud every moment. Our goals are only markers along the way of a much larger journey that only ends when we stop breathing so stay motivated and enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Find YOUR Thing

The coolest thing about being an artist is that there is only one you. There really are no rules. Yes we have to practice and continue to strive to get better technically and intellectually, but your heart, soul and passion for what you do and how you do it are all unique to YOU. Everyone of us has the chance to write our own story. Just because someone else did it one way doesn't mean that we have to do it the same way. Truth be told, it wouldn't work for us anyway because, as I say at the end of every post, it's all about the journey and none of us share the same ride. The goal is to find YOUR thing. Each of us has something that makes us special. Most of us spend so much time trying to be like someone else that we never find out who WE are. This is largely the reason that a lot of us become jaded and give up. Instead of believing enough in who we are and what we have to offer, we use others as a measuring stick and figure we will never be like them so what's the use. Well that is right . . . we won't be like them, we will be something better . . . OURSELF! Take a look at history. People don't really remember the cat that could play the fastest or could sing the most notes. They remember unique artists that were not afraid to be themselves. Let me give you a bit of psychology. Everyone admires us for having the courage to get in front of people and do what we do and they REALLY admire it when we are just honest and show that we may not be perfect but we still put it all on the line. People identify with this because it gives them the courage to be who they are as well. They see that it is OK to be beautifully flawed and free. And yes, finding your thing means that you will have to endure a lot of criticism but don't fret. It is true that people fear what they don't understand and that is why they won't to put things down. But when we keep moving in spite of the criticism, they soon see that their opinion of us doesn't define us. It's cool to admire and even borrow from others but the main key to success and peace in life is finding YOUR thing. Remember you are the only you ever made so just be YOU! Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Progress?

To be in this industry requires a very thick skin, a lot of patience and discernment. The latter being the most important in today's game. The music industry, like other fields, exists at many different levels simultaneously. I mean you can be a gigging musician playing hundred dollar gigs, a touring musician making a thousand dollars a show, a producer, writer or arranger making tens of thousands of dollars and the list goes on and on, but we are all in the same industry. One would think that for as long as the industry has been around that there would be progress at ALL levels. PROGRESS!? The hard thing to stomach is that the gigging musician is basically at the bottom of this food chain and progress is not a part of this level. Musicians in 2012 are still making the same money, and in some cases less, as we were in 1970. The value of music as a commodity has progressed but not the value of the musicians that make it. It's been this system that for years has forced the greatest musicians to seek jobs in other fields. The more I do it I'm only inspired to use my skills of discernment to develop other ways of progressing my career in this industry. The reality is right in front of us and we can see it and make plans to change it or keep doing the same thing and expecting different results and you know that is the very definition of insanity. We have to be very shrewd about our decisions. We HAVE progressed in terms of knowledge so we must use this information to help guide our decisions. We can't take every hundred dollar gig that comes down the pipe. If we do, we leave no time to progress because all of our time is consumed with making these gigs. Don't get me wrong, playing clubs is cool and I understand that club owners pay this way most times as a result of just trying to stay in business. I'm just saying that we have to be able to spread our talents around this industry by wearing a few more hats and being able to separate business decisions from emotional ones. So we have made progress, you just have to have the proper perspective. Knowledge is key. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

There Is Room For Us All

I've been in this industry for over twenty years and I've seen and learned so much. I have a rather unique perspective being that I've spent time working as a musician, administrator and producer in hip/hop, pop, r&b, funk, gospel, country, rock and blues. Yes I've done a bit of almost everything. I've even done jingles and the one thing that is the same no matter what is that most people are always thinking that some one is out to get them or take something from them. We often set out to try and have it all but what I've learned is that there is room for us all. Monopoly in any business is never good because it stifles the industry and it cheats the public. There is always room for great ideas. The problem we have is that when it comes to radio, booking, promotions . . .etc, there are a hand full of people that control what the masses get to see and unfortunately these people are mostly insecure and only let a certain type of talent through. Mostly the ones that will never become larger than the system. This is why the quality of acts at concerts and festivals worldwide has been in decline in recent years. Don't get me wrong, there are some great acts out here but for the most part mediocrity rules the day. What has to happen is a change in mindset. No one man/woman can make ALL of the money or have ALL of the power. There is enough to go around and now that the industry is moving largely to being controlled by independents, it's time that we learn to work together and share the work and opportunities. This will only make things better for ALL of us. The audience will get a better more diverse product and more of us will get a chance to participate and reap the benefits of success. I know some may say that this is naive thinking but now is the time for change in this industry and that change has to start with US as artists, musicians and business people because we all have the power to do what we want IF we can work together toward a common goal. The goal is simply inclusion and a balanced playing field. It's really all about karma. Be the change you want to see and it will happen. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

WE Have To Let Them Know

In learning to master this new landscape, a lot of working musicians get left by the wayside. We spend all of our time writing, producing and creating thinking that our credits will be known and help us get more work. Well . . . guess what? It seems that people don't read credits anymore since they really don't buy Cd's. When you download a song, that's all you get . . . the song. There is rarely any info on the writer, producer and definitely not the musicians. I continue to work with some of the greatest musicians around but no one seems to be aware of who they are or at least how diverse their histories are. We have to take matters into our own hands and instead of waiting for people to find us, WE have to let them know. It's up to us to use this new landscape to keep the public, agents and promoters aware of who we are and what we've done and are doing. This information can directly impact our financial bottom line. It's not like it used to be when a promoter would do research on the musicians and be in the loop of who the REAL guys were. It's now all about who is selling themselves the most and this is time consuming but if we don't invest the time in having an updated website with our credits, a presence on YouTube and other social media outlets, we are just wasting time. The business will never go back to what it was and for the most part that's not all a bad thing. We just have to be very aware of the business involved in building and promoting our image and music. Remember it's ALL up to US to let them know who we are and what we've done. We can no longer allow others to define us and set our value as a result of their limited definition and knowledge. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012