It's 12:09am and I'm sitting here, on a Sunday morning, trying to finish an assignment for my BMus.
Again, I have to ask myself: what the hell was I thinking, studying at two universities at once (which is not actually allowed)? And then I wonder why my music career has stalled... I'm an idiot. My mom always says, "My son, too many irons in the fire." Well hey, I can't quit, so what the hell am I gonna do?
I think my biggest fear sometimes is that I'll become this music academic instead of being a true performer, and that music will then just be a head exercise for me. I can't help thinking about Goldfish: in 2006 Flo and I beat them to win the Top Billing Music Award, but they have since seriously kicked our asses, winning SAMAs and signing with Sony. They do like 7 gigs a week, I battle to do 1 a month! This worries me: am I a true musician then? Doubt fills my heart in the wee hours of the morning.
Elvis Costello, who I share a birthday with, once said, "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. It's a really stupid thing to want to do." I'm not sure what he meant, but again, it scares me. Does it mean that studying music is a waste of time, because you never get out there and take action - it just becomes an exercise in theory? Or should I follow the Rudy Principle, when his boss says to him something along the lines of, "Oh you're so full of crap! You hung out with the best college football team in the land, and you just got one year of top quality education from one of the best universities. In this lifetime you've got nothing to prove to anyone except yourself." I love that movie - still my favourite of all time.
In the final analysis: I don't know... Maybe it's time to go to bed.
Days to go: 339
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Day 25: A manic day in the life of Rob.
Not that I'm complaining, but this is what I did today, a Saturday:
- Went to Soul Candi to teach fresh new blood about the music industry.
- Helped Priya, a vocal student of mine, prep a song for her brother's wedding next weekend.
- Saw Ken, another vocal student, to help him prepare for his audition at UJ for The Purr Factory.
- Came home to work on my first ever BMus assignment.
- Took a short break for dinner and watched an episode of Law & Order before returning to hit the books.
I'm determined to put a musical business system in place so that I can create my won wealth, as suggested by Robert Kiyosaki. This "struggling poor artist" crap doesn't work for me. I know I'm better than that.
Days to go: 340
Friday, February 12, 2010
Day 24: Free Nelson Mandela Part 2
So these are some of the quotes of Nelson Mandela that I saw at the Apartheid Museum yesterday, that help me and inspire me with my music career:
"Running through the struggle like a golden thread was the indomitable human spirit and a capacity for self-sacrifice and discipline."
"Deep down in every human heart, there is mercy and generosity."
"None of us can be described as having virtues or qualities that raise him or her above others."
"There are few misfortunes in the world that you cannot turn into a personal triumph if you have the iron will and necessary skill."
Need more be said? I have never had to sacrifice 27 years of my life to my music dream, but I know I would be willing to - just as Madiba's sacrifice to the world saw his dream for a better South Africa come true. Hey, I live here, and no, it's far from a perfect country - but I couldn't help crying today as I saw the miracle of what has been achieved. In fact, the last time I cried like that at a museum was in New York in November 2007, at the 9/11 Memorial.
Days to go: 341
"Running through the struggle like a golden thread was the indomitable human spirit and a capacity for self-sacrifice and discipline."
"Deep down in every human heart, there is mercy and generosity."
"None of us can be described as having virtues or qualities that raise him or her above others."
"There are few misfortunes in the world that you cannot turn into a personal triumph if you have the iron will and necessary skill."
Need more be said? I have never had to sacrifice 27 years of my life to my music dream, but I know I would be willing to - just as Madiba's sacrifice to the world saw his dream for a better South Africa come true. Hey, I live here, and no, it's far from a perfect country - but I couldn't help crying today as I saw the miracle of what has been achieved. In fact, the last time I cried like that at a museum was in New York in November 2007, at the 9/11 Memorial.
Days to go: 341
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Day 23: Free Nelson Mandela
I went to the Apartheid Museum today, to look up info on Ladysmith Black Mambazo for the second assignment for my BMus degree. There wasn't much there about them, but I inadvertently stumbled across a exhibition about Nelson Mandela, because he was released from prison today 20 years - I forgot!
Mind you, not that I should have forgotten - it was this time 20 years ago that I started studying at the then Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg). It's quite a milestone for me, because 20 years on, I am now doing my D Litt et Phil degree AND I've just started my BMus - so 2010 is a very significant year for me, just as 1990 was. I still remember the rector at the time delivering a Harold McMillan-type speech about the winds of change blowing through Africa again, 30 years after that first speech in 1960.
Of course, what the hell this has to do my music journey is a mystery. I guess music has just always been an integral part of the world's liberation, and it was interesting seeing Amy Winehouse singing "Free Nelson Mandela" at Madiba's 46664 concert in London's Hyde Park, with a full gospel choir backing her, and Josh Groban FAR in the background.
Madiba, if you're reading this, I wanna perform at the 46664 concert this year! More tomorrow.
Days to go: 342
Mind you, not that I should have forgotten - it was this time 20 years ago that I started studying at the then Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg). It's quite a milestone for me, because 20 years on, I am now doing my D Litt et Phil degree AND I've just started my BMus - so 2010 is a very significant year for me, just as 1990 was. I still remember the rector at the time delivering a Harold McMillan-type speech about the winds of change blowing through Africa again, 30 years after that first speech in 1960.
Of course, what the hell this has to do my music journey is a mystery. I guess music has just always been an integral part of the world's liberation, and it was interesting seeing Amy Winehouse singing "Free Nelson Mandela" at Madiba's 46664 concert in London's Hyde Park, with a full gospel choir backing her, and Josh Groban FAR in the background.
Madiba, if you're reading this, I wanna perform at the 46664 concert this year! More tomorrow.
Days to go: 342
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Day 22: Durban is calling...
Damn it's been hot lately! I didn't get to the coast this Christmas, so my body is longing for the beach. Durban, here I come!
My uncle's second wife, a very cool Hawaiian American by the name of Linnea, tells me that Durban is a combination of Miami and Honolulu. That's why I love it so much - and that's why, on my next trip to the States I want to go to Miami (for the sun, sea, sand and surf), to Memphis (for Elvis - weird, I know!), to Nashville (the only US music city I haven't yet been to - I've seen both NY and LA), and to Cleveland (the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - what else??).
Days to go: 343
My uncle's second wife, a very cool Hawaiian American by the name of Linnea, tells me that Durban is a combination of Miami and Honolulu. That's why I love it so much - and that's why, on my next trip to the States I want to go to Miami (for the sun, sea, sand and surf), to Memphis (for Elvis - weird, I know!), to Nashville (the only US music city I haven't yet been to - I've seen both NY and LA), and to Cleveland (the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - what else??).
Days to go: 343
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Day 21: Airbus A380
I'm devoid of creative inspiration today, so let me write about something non-musical.
The Airbus A380 makes its commercial debut in Johannesburg this month, courtesy of Air France. How cool is that! So I must get myself off to OR Tambo Airport for a look-see. I think it's a cool plane, and while my step brother in England would make fun of me for being a plane watcher, I love that kind of thing.
I loo forward to flying one next time I jet off on a gig. One of these days, it needs to be in first class though...
Days to go: 344
The Airbus A380 makes its commercial debut in Johannesburg this month, courtesy of Air France. How cool is that! So I must get myself off to OR Tambo Airport for a look-see. I think it's a cool plane, and while my step brother in England would make fun of me for being a plane watcher, I love that kind of thing.
I loo forward to flying one next time I jet off on a gig. One of these days, it needs to be in first class though...
Days to go: 344
Monday, February 8, 2010
Day 20: The cobbler and his children
Have you ever heard the expression, "Physician, heal thyself" or, "The cobbler's children always run around with bare feet"? When it comes to marketing, that's me...
I have a masters degree in marketing communications, and yet I feel like such a lousy marketer - especially when it comes to my own brand! I've probably mentioned this before, but I remember speaking to Liesl of B# Beetles, a kiddie music & movement programme. She and I studied at the same university, same course. She always says, "Yeah Rob, but that's just book theory. It's not gonna get you out there..." Not that I'm dissing my degree, which took a whole helluva lotta work - but the danger is that it stays intellectual instead of becoming actionable. Something to fight against... As Donald Trump says, when you find yourself off course, get back on course very quickly.
Days to go: 345
I have a masters degree in marketing communications, and yet I feel like such a lousy marketer - especially when it comes to my own brand! I've probably mentioned this before, but I remember speaking to Liesl of B# Beetles, a kiddie music & movement programme. She and I studied at the same university, same course. She always says, "Yeah Rob, but that's just book theory. It's not gonna get you out there..." Not that I'm dissing my degree, which took a whole helluva lotta work - but the danger is that it stays intellectual instead of becoming actionable. Something to fight against... As Donald Trump says, when you find yourself off course, get back on course very quickly.
Days to go: 345
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
