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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | John L Micek <jlmicek@comcast.net> |
| Subject | Re: The Great Debate (No Answers Here) |
| Date | Wed, 16 May 2007 19:44:05 -0400 |
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Ditto for "Visa Cards and Antique Mirrors," and for the estimable Mr.
Lee "Portrait of Blue," and "Colorblind."
john
On May 16, 2007, at 5:19 PM, Michael Curry wrote:
> Not wanting to blow smoke where the sun don't shine, but if there
> was any justice in the world, "New Red Shoes" and "Girl From
> Washington" should have been enough to secure your financial future
> for the next 2.5 decades.
>
> Mike.
>
>
>
>> From: "Bobby Sutliff" <rsutliff@columbus.rr.com>
>> Reply-To: audities@smoe.org
>> To: <audities@smoe.org>
>> Subject: Re: The Great Debate (No Answers Here)
>> Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 14:19:34 -0400
>>
>> Well,
>>
>> I made a very conscious decision 2.5 decades ago that I was giving
>> up the idea of making my living via the music biz. I found that I
>> was making compromises for the sake of eating and paying the rent
>> that were at odds with how I wanted my music to sound. Also, it
>> dawned on me that perhaps I wasn't really good enough at what I
>> did to really support me.
>>
>> I have nothing but EXTREME respect for those like you, Michael and
>> the Bruce Brodeens of the world who are fighting the good fight. I
>> do know just how hard it really is.
>>
>> So my own "career" has been nothing more than a hobby underwritten
>> by my day job for a long time now. That works well for me but
>> there's still that part of me that wishes it was otherwise.
>>
>> Bobby Sutliff
>> ---
>>>
>>> Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 18:11:49 +1000
>>> From: "Michael Carpenter" <stagefright@msn.com.au>
>>> To: <audities@smoe.org>
>>> Subject: Re: The Great Debate (No Answers Here)
>>> Message-ID: <D2786B6FB2AC42A59B11B99616EE01B8@MikeyMikePC>
>>>
>>> Someone wrote..
>>>>
>>>>> No, you're not--of course it can--but very few have the luxury to
>>>> be able to devote enough time to the creation of said art without
>>>> having to worry about what they're going to live on.<
>>>
>>> Then Kerry replied...
>>>>
>>>> See, this is what I don't get. I work a 40-hour a week job. I
>>>> have a
>>>> live-in girlfriend. I have a house and a yard to maintain. I fly
>>>> fish my ASS off (trust me, it's a major time commitment). I have no
>>>> children, by choice.
>>>>
>>>> And, yet, here I have a 53-minute solo drum piece by fusion drummer
>>>> Marco Minneman that he sent me to compose music for, at my request.
>>>> I've written and fully demo'd almost thirteen minutes so far, all
>>>> instrumental and a LOT of guitar wanking, but who knows, I might
>>>> throw in some vocal sections of the urge hits me.
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>>> That's why I feel a little less like laughing when people tell me
>>>> this shit can't be done. I'm doing it, I always have, and I'm ABLE
>>>> to do this because I KNOW WHAT I LIKE DOESN'T SELL, so I have to
>>>> make my OWN MONEY via a job.
>>>>
>>>> It's not that hard. The bottom line, as always, is: it keeps me
>>>> amused.
>>>>
>>>> When guys like Will Owsley say they're done writing music, I always
>>>> wonder, how can you turn it off just like that? How can you just
>>>> STOP? Because I can't. The day I stop hearing music in my head is
>>>> the day I die. Hopefully not before I finish the 53 minutes!!!
>>>
>>> I've been staying out of this one, but Kerry, i'm afraid my
>>> tolerance for
>>> your line of thought just went over the edge..
>>>
>>> I've only met you a couple of times, but know people who know you
>>> and you
>>> seem like a nice enough guy. But your generalisations in this whole
>>> discussion have just been infuriating. I'm not sure where to
>>> start.. so much
>>> of what you've said has been unconsciously (i'm sure) hurtful to
>>> those of us
>>> trying to make a living out of this music business.. within this
>>> dubious
>>> realm that means so much to so many people.. guitar pop.. or
>>> power pop or
>>> whatever it's called.
>>>
>>> I love the Beatles. I'm derivative of them. Certainly my first
>>> few albums
>>> were a homage to many who've gone before. But i take my career,
>>> my writing,
>>> my voice, my productions and the like extremely seriously...
>>> constantly
>>> trying to get better at expressing who i am. Your opinion is your
>>> own, and
>>> that's fine, i guess. But with the things your saying so
>>> generally, you're
>>> essentially dismissing the careers of a lot of people, and that
>>> can be
>>> hurtful. I may be overly sensitive, but i was hurt by it.
>>>
>>> And then, your comment above, about how you make music.. man..
>>> i've spoken
>>> publicly about my struggles to keep alive my career and my studio
>>> enough,
>>> and then you come here and talk about how 'easy' it is. You just
>>> have all
>>> the answers don't you? I shouldn't be upset by it i guess..
>>> you're like an
>>> armchair critic.. it's easy i guess to scream at the game from
>>> the sideline,
>>> without ever really being in the game. And it's easy to hide
>>> behind "it's ok
>>> because what i do i do for fun and it doesn't sell anyway".. and
>>> i guess
>>> that's fine for you.. you've worked out how that fits in your
>>> life, and i'm
>>> genuinely happy that you're happy with that. But please don't
>>> compare what
>>> you're doing to Will Owsley, or me, or Bruce Brodeen, or David
>>> Grahame among
>>> others. We're literally staking our lives and those of our
>>> families and our
>>> financial futures on our belief in ourselves.. in our
>>> dreams...and we're
>>> failing!! I expect you can't imagine what that feels like. We
>>> don't talk
>>> about giving up because we want to... it's because we only know
>>> to give it
>>> everything. I've been a full time musician/producer now for ten
>>> years..
>>> every day the reality of giving up becomes more tangible. After
>>> putting so
>>> much into it.. giving everything i can to make this work, the
>>> idea of going
>>> to my little room in the back of my house to make a record after
>>> working 8
>>> hours a day at a job i believe isn't what i'm meant to be doing
>>> hardly seems
>>> appealing. And unlike you, i like making music that people might
>>> want to
>>> listen to.. maybe even buy. So please don't compare your music
>>> making
>>> situation to those who are trying to find an audience.
>>>
>>> So anyway.. i probably shouldn't reply in anger, or frustration.
>>> But i'm
>>> tired. My 3 year old daughter wants my attention. A record
>>> company hasn't
>>> paid me a huge bill for a record i produced, and it seems like
>>> they may be
>>> dodging it, in which case i'll be out of business next week.
>>> And.. i'm tired
>>> and bored with whining about money. So please indulge my lack of
>>> tact..
>>>
>>> MC
>>
>
>
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