Truly interesting post on Lefsetz' Letter regarding a conversation he had with Seth Godin about music education. It's not about guys in wigs who created waltzes a half-gazillion years ago, it's about learning how to make music.
It reminded me about why I quit piano lessons - I was learning to make music, but not the music I wanted to learn to make. (Honestly? "Beth" by Kiss. It was on the radio, it had piano, and it wasn't so freakin' hard to learn, but it wasn't in Mrs. Huguley's radar, so I wound up losing interest.) I picked up the bass because I could play "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" without a lot of training, and it led me to learn much more complicated songs, play in bands, learn to play and sing at the same time, and eventually lead my own band (before the drummer moved and the subsequent tragic breakup).
Wanna pick something up? Start with something simple and get the excitement started. Seth's completely right, and Gladwell's 10,000 hours theory only indicates that the enthusiasm is harder to kill for the truly committed. (I loved the story about John Mayer. Yay teachers!)
Meanwhile, it's been a while since I had blisters on my fingers.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
OK, OK, already....
So I get a note from one of the 3 and 3/4 people who've actually read this blog asking if I am ever gonna blog again... and the answer is yes!
OK, enough already. I've been thru a lot of changes in the last 2 months. But I've not forgotten the blog. After things settle down a bit (probably mid-April), I'm launching my professional blog and weekly podcast.
Until then, I'm too busy looking for my next adventure. You'll just have to wait! Sorry!
OK, enough already. I've been thru a lot of changes in the last 2 months. But I've not forgotten the blog. After things settle down a bit (probably mid-April), I'm launching my professional blog and weekly podcast.
Until then, I'm too busy looking for my next adventure. You'll just have to wait! Sorry!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Springsteen’s mistake
A couple of friends have mentioned this to me, on Facebook and other areas, so I figured I should blog about my reaction to Springsteen’s mistake.
First, some history: I’ve been a Bruce fan since 1981.Senior year in high school, I was driving myself around… and I remember getting up at 3 or 4 AM to get dressed and go stand in line at the Carolina Colisseum for tickets to my very first rock concert – Bruce Springsteen’s tour for “The River.”
The concert was on a Sunday night. I had to sneak out of church to meet my friends and take my seat for the show. I did not stay in my seat once the show started, and I came home hoarse from singing along to ‘Hungry Heart,’ ‘Independence Day’ (which resonated thru my teenaged heart and my relationship with my father), and, of course, ‘Born To Run.’ Actually, hoarse is not quite right – I couldn’t talk for a couple of days afterwards, simply because I blew my voice out singing along with Broooooce!
Fast forward a few years – I take my best girl (whom I’m still friends with, I’m glad to say) to see Bruce’s ‘Born In the USA’ tour. We had nosebleed seats. It was awesome. My ears rang for days!
In the years since I last saw Bruce live, I’ve had about eight different jobs, most of which at the same company, moved to northwest Arkansas, gotten married to my best friend (and the most patient woman I know), had major open-heart surgery, gained fifty pounds, owned my first dog, got older, lost dogs and cats to illness and old age, listened to a lot of music, and continued to admire and support Mr. Springsteen thru his music.
Now, I don’t know how I compare to other fans; I love Bruce for all the music and I’ve read a lot about him, trying to understand the motivations, the mystery, and the man behind the music. I like to think I have somewhat of a grip on his background and his understandably liberal politics; his family life, his two marriages, etc. I’m not saying I’m any kind of expert, but I’d like to think I know a little of the man behind the guitar.
So when it was announced that Springsteen had a new greatest hits package that was going to be exclusively at Walmart, I was surprised. Didn’t think Bruce would be doing exclusive deals, but I guess I really didn’t know what to think. (Long time readers, i.e. my close friends, already know that WM saved my life, so I’m pretty biased about the company and the people in it. Just so ya know – full disclosure, eh?) I was not surprised that there was some fan backlash on that.
Now, I’ll be the first to tell you, there’s nothing special about the greatest hits package. In fact, it looks like a record company kinda thing - a quickie package (no unreleased tunes, no demos, nothing special about it at all) that’s for the folks who see Bruce on the Superbowl and want a single disc of his hits. (My inner Lewis Black is screaming at this – “WHAT!?!?!? YOU WANNA DISTILL BRUCE TO ONE DISC? YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO A READER’S DIGEST VERSION OF THE BIBLE! OR MAKE A RINGTONE OUT OF DVORAK’S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY! OR MAYBE BAKE A FOURTEEN COURSE MEAL INTO A HOT POCKET!”)
So I’m not surprised that Bruce distanced himself from the package in a recent interview. He’s been a friend of the unions and working people for a long time, and he’s got a rep to protect. That, and WM’s rep in that area could use some improvement, which I know they’re working on. (I’m not saying that they don’t do most of their people a solid, but the rest of the world doesn’t realize it. Then again, there are some folks who have a vested interest in stirring up trouble, but theirs is a different agenda, and that would be a whole ‘nother discussion.)
Basically, Bruce said he made a mistake with the exclusive package. He implied that the mistake was with the venue, not the product (though, truth be told, it could be both). I can understand that, given what I know of the man.
So, what does this come down to? I think that Bruce signed off on something he really didn’t understand – and find me a rock star that hasn’t done that. (Again, I'm willing to bet it was some half-assed idea that the record company came up with rather than Bruce.) A certain group of fans took him to task for that, but the majority of America could care less. Bruce realized his mistake, too late to do anything about it. Instead of denouncing it or getting up in the record company’s face (or WM’s face) about it, he answered as honestly as he knew how when the question was put to him. No love lost, but nothing said that he’d regret in the morning.
Some have asked me how I felt about all this, since they know about my longtime fandom of both Bruce and Walmart. Well, the product disappoints me – the greatest hits package, as I’ve said, is nothing to write home about. I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong with the venue; I suspect most of Bruce’s problem with Walmart comes from what he’s been told about the company (most likely by folks who are biased against Walmart). Then again, Bruce isn’t pulling any of his music out of Walmart, so I don’t think he’s hatin’ the place. The rest of it is kinda like ‘inside baseball’ – only of a concern to a handful of the truly obsessed (fans of Bruce or otherwise).
Meanwhile, tickets for the Bruce’s Tulsa visit go on sale February 7th, and I’m taking my Sweetie to her first Springsteen concert. I can’t wait! And if you’ve never seen Bruce in concert, put it on your to-do list this year; it’s the complete spirit of rock and roll, a revival of optimism and positivism, and one of the most joyous events you’ll ever experience.
And the new record is really quite wonderful. It’s a product of the road, a more unfocused work than the previous “Magic,” full of energy and life and a bit more wildness and unpredictability, and not without some blemishes and flaws. It's real and it breathes. Also, Bruce has taken to doing some crooning (that’s what I’m callin’ it – I know, some folks don’t like his voice, big deal) and here he’s singing more fully than just yellin’ and hollerin’ (as my dad would say). You really oughta check it out.
And that's all I've got to say 'bout that.
First, some history: I’ve been a Bruce fan since 1981.Senior year in high school, I was driving myself around… and I remember getting up at 3 or 4 AM to get dressed and go stand in line at the Carolina Colisseum for tickets to my very first rock concert – Bruce Springsteen’s tour for “The River.”
The concert was on a Sunday night. I had to sneak out of church to meet my friends and take my seat for the show. I did not stay in my seat once the show started, and I came home hoarse from singing along to ‘Hungry Heart,’ ‘Independence Day’ (which resonated thru my teenaged heart and my relationship with my father), and, of course, ‘Born To Run.’ Actually, hoarse is not quite right – I couldn’t talk for a couple of days afterwards, simply because I blew my voice out singing along with Broooooce!
Fast forward a few years – I take my best girl (whom I’m still friends with, I’m glad to say) to see Bruce’s ‘Born In the USA’ tour. We had nosebleed seats. It was awesome. My ears rang for days!
In the years since I last saw Bruce live, I’ve had about eight different jobs, most of which at the same company, moved to northwest Arkansas, gotten married to my best friend (and the most patient woman I know), had major open-heart surgery, gained fifty pounds, owned my first dog, got older, lost dogs and cats to illness and old age, listened to a lot of music, and continued to admire and support Mr. Springsteen thru his music.
Now, I don’t know how I compare to other fans; I love Bruce for all the music and I’ve read a lot about him, trying to understand the motivations, the mystery, and the man behind the music. I like to think I have somewhat of a grip on his background and his understandably liberal politics; his family life, his two marriages, etc. I’m not saying I’m any kind of expert, but I’d like to think I know a little of the man behind the guitar.
So when it was announced that Springsteen had a new greatest hits package that was going to be exclusively at Walmart, I was surprised. Didn’t think Bruce would be doing exclusive deals, but I guess I really didn’t know what to think. (Long time readers, i.e. my close friends, already know that WM saved my life, so I’m pretty biased about the company and the people in it. Just so ya know – full disclosure, eh?) I was not surprised that there was some fan backlash on that.
Now, I’ll be the first to tell you, there’s nothing special about the greatest hits package. In fact, it looks like a record company kinda thing - a quickie package (no unreleased tunes, no demos, nothing special about it at all) that’s for the folks who see Bruce on the Superbowl and want a single disc of his hits. (My inner Lewis Black is screaming at this – “WHAT!?!?!? YOU WANNA DISTILL BRUCE TO ONE DISC? YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO A READER’S DIGEST VERSION OF THE BIBLE! OR MAKE A RINGTONE OUT OF DVORAK’S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY! OR MAYBE BAKE A FOURTEEN COURSE MEAL INTO A HOT POCKET!”)
So I’m not surprised that Bruce distanced himself from the package in a recent interview. He’s been a friend of the unions and working people for a long time, and he’s got a rep to protect. That, and WM’s rep in that area could use some improvement, which I know they’re working on. (I’m not saying that they don’t do most of their people a solid, but the rest of the world doesn’t realize it. Then again, there are some folks who have a vested interest in stirring up trouble, but theirs is a different agenda, and that would be a whole ‘nother discussion.)
Basically, Bruce said he made a mistake with the exclusive package. He implied that the mistake was with the venue, not the product (though, truth be told, it could be both). I can understand that, given what I know of the man.
So, what does this come down to? I think that Bruce signed off on something he really didn’t understand – and find me a rock star that hasn’t done that. (Again, I'm willing to bet it was some half-assed idea that the record company came up with rather than Bruce.) A certain group of fans took him to task for that, but the majority of America could care less. Bruce realized his mistake, too late to do anything about it. Instead of denouncing it or getting up in the record company’s face (or WM’s face) about it, he answered as honestly as he knew how when the question was put to him. No love lost, but nothing said that he’d regret in the morning.
Some have asked me how I felt about all this, since they know about my longtime fandom of both Bruce and Walmart. Well, the product disappoints me – the greatest hits package, as I’ve said, is nothing to write home about. I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong with the venue; I suspect most of Bruce’s problem with Walmart comes from what he’s been told about the company (most likely by folks who are biased against Walmart). Then again, Bruce isn’t pulling any of his music out of Walmart, so I don’t think he’s hatin’ the place. The rest of it is kinda like ‘inside baseball’ – only of a concern to a handful of the truly obsessed (fans of Bruce or otherwise).
Meanwhile, tickets for the Bruce’s Tulsa visit go on sale February 7th, and I’m taking my Sweetie to her first Springsteen concert. I can’t wait! And if you’ve never seen Bruce in concert, put it on your to-do list this year; it’s the complete spirit of rock and roll, a revival of optimism and positivism, and one of the most joyous events you’ll ever experience.
And the new record is really quite wonderful. It’s a product of the road, a more unfocused work than the previous “Magic,” full of energy and life and a bit more wildness and unpredictability, and not without some blemishes and flaws. It's real and it breathes. Also, Bruce has taken to doing some crooning (that’s what I’m callin’ it – I know, some folks don’t like his voice, big deal) and here he’s singing more fully than just yellin’ and hollerin’ (as my dad would say). You really oughta check it out.
And that's all I've got to say 'bout that.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
You've Got To Be Taught
Our new president was sworn in Tuesday, and again Wednesday night.
Because of an "abundance of caution," the Chief Justice administered the oath of office again to Barack Obama just a little while after I began working on this blogpost.
We're gonna see a bit more of that "abundance of caution" for the next four years, because Mr. Obama is a pioneer. Just like Jackie Robinson and Arthur Ashe. Just like many before him, of all creeds and colors, who happened to be the "first" in a job or elected office, there will be those critics that will find fault with the least inadvertant look, any unmeasured gesture, or an unguarded reaction. Of course, there will be enough out there that will freak out at the measured gestures, guarded reactions, etc.
I don't believe it will be any more of an issue with President Obama than it was with the others I've mentioned, because I believe he (like Jackie and Arthur) has the quality of character to serve under such duress and scrutiny and exceed our expectations. That said, I don't expect it is going to be a cakewalk for him or his family.
As I was growing up in SC, I was taught that there were people who were different than me. There were people who were not of "my caliber," folks whom I shouldn't associate with because of some fault found in their background or their lineage. Some of those folks were of a different race. Some were from a different economic background. Some were just folks who had an accent, or weren't part of my family's religious beliefs, or were different in so many, many other ways.
I was a pretty hard-headed kid and really didn't listen to my parents (and, in quite a few cases, I probably should've). I made friends with, dated, kissed, hugged, played with, hung out with, got drunk with, partied with, jammed with, and lived with more than a few of the people that might not have passed my parents' inspection. (I wouldn't be surprised if some of my best friends now wouldn't pass inspection.) Back then, I used to worry about things like that; now that I'm older and more aware of who I am, I know that I'm the one at the wheel of my own ship.
When I do look back, I do have some regrets about opportunities that I missed in regards to not getting to know someone, but never because I got to know someone.
Now, I'm not putting all this out there 'cause my parents were bad racists or something. That's not the case. Their biases were usually more subtle than that. And I know that what they taught me was meant to protect me, but I now know that kind of protection leads to a very narrow kind of thinking. The kind of thinking that says a young man of mixed race could never be elected to the highest office in our country. The kind of thinking that says anyone with an Arabic middle name could not be elected to the highest office in our country.
As big of a fan as I am of theater, one of my favorite characters I've ever played was in South Pacific: the French plantation owner, Emile de Becque, who falls for the Army nurse from Arkansas, but is rejected by her when she finds he's fathered two children by a previous wife of a different race (Polynesian). My own struggles overcoming my biases and prejudices gave me a bit more understanding of the depth of this show, and hopefully informed my interpretation of the character.
I'm not saying that I've overcome all my biases, either. Though I look past skin color and family background and accent and sexual orientation and mannerisms and all, there is still a part of me that holds one thing a bit higher than others, and I'm sure you can figure it out by my closing comment: I love that the SMART guy won!
Because of an "abundance of caution," the Chief Justice administered the oath of office again to Barack Obama just a little while after I began working on this blogpost.
We're gonna see a bit more of that "abundance of caution" for the next four years, because Mr. Obama is a pioneer. Just like Jackie Robinson and Arthur Ashe. Just like many before him, of all creeds and colors, who happened to be the "first" in a job or elected office, there will be those critics that will find fault with the least inadvertant look, any unmeasured gesture, or an unguarded reaction. Of course, there will be enough out there that will freak out at the measured gestures, guarded reactions, etc.
I don't believe it will be any more of an issue with President Obama than it was with the others I've mentioned, because I believe he (like Jackie and Arthur) has the quality of character to serve under such duress and scrutiny and exceed our expectations. That said, I don't expect it is going to be a cakewalk for him or his family.
As I was growing up in SC, I was taught that there were people who were different than me. There were people who were not of "my caliber," folks whom I shouldn't associate with because of some fault found in their background or their lineage. Some of those folks were of a different race. Some were from a different economic background. Some were just folks who had an accent, or weren't part of my family's religious beliefs, or were different in so many, many other ways.
I was a pretty hard-headed kid and really didn't listen to my parents (and, in quite a few cases, I probably should've). I made friends with, dated, kissed, hugged, played with, hung out with, got drunk with, partied with, jammed with, and lived with more than a few of the people that might not have passed my parents' inspection. (I wouldn't be surprised if some of my best friends now wouldn't pass inspection.) Back then, I used to worry about things like that; now that I'm older and more aware of who I am, I know that I'm the one at the wheel of my own ship.
When I do look back, I do have some regrets about opportunities that I missed in regards to not getting to know someone, but never because I got to know someone.
Now, I'm not putting all this out there 'cause my parents were bad racists or something. That's not the case. Their biases were usually more subtle than that. And I know that what they taught me was meant to protect me, but I now know that kind of protection leads to a very narrow kind of thinking. The kind of thinking that says a young man of mixed race could never be elected to the highest office in our country. The kind of thinking that says anyone with an Arabic middle name could not be elected to the highest office in our country.
As big of a fan as I am of theater, one of my favorite characters I've ever played was in South Pacific: the French plantation owner, Emile de Becque, who falls for the Army nurse from Arkansas, but is rejected by her when she finds he's fathered two children by a previous wife of a different race (Polynesian). My own struggles overcoming my biases and prejudices gave me a bit more understanding of the depth of this show, and hopefully informed my interpretation of the character.
I'm not saying that I've overcome all my biases, either. Though I look past skin color and family background and accent and sexual orientation and mannerisms and all, there is still a part of me that holds one thing a bit higher than others, and I'm sure you can figure it out by my closing comment: I love that the SMART guy won!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
New Year's Resolution
Ya gotta love xkcd, who provides links for all this lovely wonderfulness!
If you aren't already enjoying webcomics, here are a few of my favorites (in no particular order, I promise!!):
... and I would be cast into a lake of furious anger if I didn't mention the Lord/God/King of all webcomics: Dilbert!
To the Batmobile!
Just back from a long trip over the holidaze, and I stumbled across an article on real-life superheroes.
Whoa - people really do this? Kewl!
If you ever fastened a towel around your neck with a clothespin [as a kid, eh?], you'll get a charge outta this. And don't miss the additional info that Joshuah didn't have room for in his original article.
Whoa - people really do this? Kewl!
If you ever fastened a towel around your neck with a clothespin [as a kid, eh?], you'll get a charge outta this. And don't miss the additional info that Joshuah didn't have room for in his original article.
from the blog of Joshuah Bearman
Just in case you were looking for the Batmobile, based on my title, I hates to disappoint. Enjoy!
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