I had a wonderful breakfast at Wimpy on the beach this morning, after walking along the beach. Wow. I really miss this, staying in an inland city. I can see why the Beach Boys were inspired to write music about the sea - well, it's not deep art, but it's catchy floss-pop that defined a generation. They were before my time but I love their music. Maybe I was a surfer in California or Durban in a previous lifetime.
Butt yeah - ha ha - plenty of talent on the beach today, since it's such a hot, sticky, sweaty day. How this relates to my music career is beyond me, other than just the fact that I needed a weekend away. And what a great way to spend the last day of February, as summer slowly begins to wane and give way to autumn. I hate winter, so might as well make the best of the glorious weather while we still can...
Days to go: 325
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Day 39: On The Beach
This is also a song by Chris Rea, and though this is a music blog, well, hey, all music and no play makes Rob a very dull boy. Even Madonna takes holidays...
So I finally arrived in Durbs this morning after my 17-hour train ride. Third class is safe (police & security) but noisy. I am so glad to finally be at the beach, even though I'm exhausted after my train trip. I will either be going home by bus or plane tomorrow. No more third class trains for me. It was fun, it was an experience, but it's over now!
Durban is wonderful. The sea is catharsis for the soul - I have written some of my best songs at the coast, on the beach. One day in the not-too-distant future I will buy a place down here. But I could never live here permanently - Johannesburg, for all its ills, is such a powerful music city magnet that my career is far healthier up there than it is down here. No, if I want to combine music and the beach it would have to be Los Angeles.
Days to go: 326
So I finally arrived in Durbs this morning after my 17-hour train ride. Third class is safe (police & security) but noisy. I am so glad to finally be at the beach, even though I'm exhausted after my train trip. I will either be going home by bus or plane tomorrow. No more third class trains for me. It was fun, it was an experience, but it's over now!
Durban is wonderful. The sea is catharsis for the soul - I have written some of my best songs at the coast, on the beach. One day in the not-too-distant future I will buy a place down here. But I could never live here permanently - Johannesburg, for all its ills, is such a powerful music city magnet that my career is far healthier up there than it is down here. No, if I want to combine music and the beach it would have to be Los Angeles.
Days to go: 326
Friday, February 26, 2010
Day 38: Durbs Surf 'n Sun
I'm taking a train to Durban tonight. Since the first class train only goes once a week, I'm going (gulp) third class. Hope I survive. I could of course just jump on a plane and fly, so why would I subject myself to a 17-hour train ride instead of a 1-hour flight?
Well, it's cheaper, although I can afford to fly - but I just wanted to experience a train trip again. I haven't travelled by train in about 30 years.
Well, when I bought the ticket, the lady looked at me with these big eyes like I was nuts. White people DO NOT travel by third class train in South Africa, unless they're really poor - it's an historical thing.
Well, I hope I live!
Days to go: 327
Well, it's cheaper, although I can afford to fly - but I just wanted to experience a train trip again. I haven't travelled by train in about 30 years.
Well, when I bought the ticket, the lady looked at me with these big eyes like I was nuts. White people DO NOT travel by third class train in South Africa, unless they're really poor - it's an historical thing.
Well, I hope I live!
Days to go: 327
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Day 37: Social Networking Blows
YouTube, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Blogger....
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When do people find the time to do all this stuff? And does it actually REALLY help your music career? I mean, is some schlub in North Korea gonna read my tweet and think, "This guy is the modern day music messiah. Let's rush to his website and download his latest track!" I don't think so. Not that I'm indulging the negative, but aren't we all just overloaded by the Net????
I hardly have time to brush my teeth (even though I still do - well, most days.... EEEWWWW!).
Days to go: 328
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When do people find the time to do all this stuff? And does it actually REALLY help your music career? I mean, is some schlub in North Korea gonna read my tweet and think, "This guy is the modern day music messiah. Let's rush to his website and download his latest track!" I don't think so. Not that I'm indulging the negative, but aren't we all just overloaded by the Net????
I hardly have time to brush my teeth (even though I still do - well, most days.... EEEWWWW!).
Days to go: 328
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Day 36: Prodigal Brat: This One's For God
This post is gonna seem totally irreverent. I was a member of the International Churches of Christ for about 12 years, and I was heavily involved in the music ministry. I eventually left because the music ministry frustrated me and because I couldn't get a handle on my "sin."
Truth is, I don't know that I will ever understand this sick social experiment that God calls Christianity. Not to take anything away from Jesus - he's a cool guy, as is God (or being, if you will) - but I just find it so hard to live by the constraints that God has put in place - if that really is the truth and the reality, and not just a Roman Catholic myth. It always feels to me like God is saying we should run the 100 metre sprint in under 10 seconds, but first he cuts our hamstrings and then tells us to do it. If we are living in a fallen world, it's too hard to not be fallen.
That having been said, I always knew I had one "gospel" album in me, which is my flawed act of worship. It is what it is, filled with strange songs in different genres, and the only thing tying them all together is this one thing: God.
Well, if there is a hell maybe I'll be burning in it, but I really don't understand why an omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent God would create a world that is not as it should be. No sorry, free will is not an answer, and neither is faith (since mine is broken). No, if God is the God of the Bible, then he'll have to perform a miracle to get me back on track. I like to think he's much broader-minded than that, and a really good guy after all.
Prodigal Brat is one of my album projects this year, a mix of covers and originals.
Days to go: 329
Truth is, I don't know that I will ever understand this sick social experiment that God calls Christianity. Not to take anything away from Jesus - he's a cool guy, as is God (or being, if you will) - but I just find it so hard to live by the constraints that God has put in place - if that really is the truth and the reality, and not just a Roman Catholic myth. It always feels to me like God is saying we should run the 100 metre sprint in under 10 seconds, but first he cuts our hamstrings and then tells us to do it. If we are living in a fallen world, it's too hard to not be fallen.
That having been said, I always knew I had one "gospel" album in me, which is my flawed act of worship. It is what it is, filled with strange songs in different genres, and the only thing tying them all together is this one thing: God.
Well, if there is a hell maybe I'll be burning in it, but I really don't understand why an omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent God would create a world that is not as it should be. No sorry, free will is not an answer, and neither is faith (since mine is broken). No, if God is the God of the Bible, then he'll have to perform a miracle to get me back on track. I like to think he's much broader-minded than that, and a really good guy after all.
Prodigal Brat is one of my album projects this year, a mix of covers and originals.
Days to go: 329
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Day 35: Music is serious business
I remember having a chat with someone about why so few of the American Idols go on to sustain a great music career. Certainly, in South Africa, entering Idols can actually end up being BAD for your career...
She made a great point: there's no character that comes with such an easy win, and even though it's hard to make the top 10, in the grander scheme of things, winning a talent show is just the first step. ABBA will tell you that.
Days to go: 330
She made a great point: there's no character that comes with such an easy win, and even though it's hard to make the top 10, in the grander scheme of things, winning a talent show is just the first step. ABBA will tell you that.
Days to go: 330
Monday, February 22, 2010
Day 34: Gratitude
It's such a trashy subject that's been done to death, but all the gurus I respect keep harping on its importance, from John Demartini and Rhonda Byrne to Robert Kiyosaki. So let me regale you with a story from today:
I teach music business courses at Soul Candi, a record label/music school for DJs and producers. I guess part of me feels that it's not the pinnacle of a music career. I mean, where are the gigs and the radio songs and the fans and the Grammys? Some people say I should give up on those. Never. Some say I just need to give it time. Okay, I can live with that...
But back to my story: So one of the students came to me in class today and was telling me how difficult his life is, which it probably is. He's from Swaziland, his parents have passed on, he doesn't have great living arrangements and he doesn't have much money. But here's the thing: he was given a bursary to study at the school, valued at almost $4000 for the year. One of the well-known DJs gave him a CDJ thingy (I'm not a DJ) for gigs, plus the school gave him a free set of Sennheiser earphones. Total price tag is probably almost $5000. And he was moaning about his lot in life. I reminded him how lucky he was, and although he wasn't convinced, I hope he at least went to think about it.
But it reminded me of my own ingratitude: I'm doing a BMus degree, which I feel overloaded by. I have already released two albums, which I feel haven't gone anywhere. I have had the privilege of a university education, with 3 degrees, that I feel are meaningless and won't help me with my music career. I have this musical, which I feel won't make me rich or famous. I have a voice that took me 10 years of blood, sweat and tears to get, which I feel is too classical for a pop market. I am able to stay in the music industry through teaching music business and vocals, but I still feel unsatisfied that my music career is going nowhere slowly.
I ask myself: WHAT THE HELL IS MY PROBLEM??????
This just smacks of ingratitude, and that just pisses me off: I hate ungrateful people, and yet I'm the most ungrateful person I know. Shame on me.
Now is this an excuse to become lazy and accept my lot in life? Hell no! I will fight for what I want in my music career, but maybe it's time to take some advice from a different mentor: I need to live in the now, as Eckhart Tolle preaches. As John Lennon said: life is what happens while we're busy making other plans...
Days to go: 331
I teach music business courses at Soul Candi, a record label/music school for DJs and producers. I guess part of me feels that it's not the pinnacle of a music career. I mean, where are the gigs and the radio songs and the fans and the Grammys? Some people say I should give up on those. Never. Some say I just need to give it time. Okay, I can live with that...
But back to my story: So one of the students came to me in class today and was telling me how difficult his life is, which it probably is. He's from Swaziland, his parents have passed on, he doesn't have great living arrangements and he doesn't have much money. But here's the thing: he was given a bursary to study at the school, valued at almost $4000 for the year. One of the well-known DJs gave him a CDJ thingy (I'm not a DJ) for gigs, plus the school gave him a free set of Sennheiser earphones. Total price tag is probably almost $5000. And he was moaning about his lot in life. I reminded him how lucky he was, and although he wasn't convinced, I hope he at least went to think about it.
But it reminded me of my own ingratitude: I'm doing a BMus degree, which I feel overloaded by. I have already released two albums, which I feel haven't gone anywhere. I have had the privilege of a university education, with 3 degrees, that I feel are meaningless and won't help me with my music career. I have this musical, which I feel won't make me rich or famous. I have a voice that took me 10 years of blood, sweat and tears to get, which I feel is too classical for a pop market. I am able to stay in the music industry through teaching music business and vocals, but I still feel unsatisfied that my music career is going nowhere slowly.
I ask myself: WHAT THE HELL IS MY PROBLEM??????
This just smacks of ingratitude, and that just pisses me off: I hate ungrateful people, and yet I'm the most ungrateful person I know. Shame on me.
Now is this an excuse to become lazy and accept my lot in life? Hell no! I will fight for what I want in my music career, but maybe it's time to take some advice from a different mentor: I need to live in the now, as Eckhart Tolle preaches. As John Lennon said: life is what happens while we're busy making other plans...
Days to go: 331
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