I wrote:

>>But I'll say it again: music can most definitely be written at a
level which is considered high art, even if I'm the only one who
feels that way.<<

Benjamin Lukoff responded:
 
>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.<

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.

On weeknights, after my girlfriend crashes or settles into some 
television or browsing, I go into my music room, fire up the 
recorders, strap on a guitar or a bass or turn on a keyboard, and I 
start writing. And recording. And embellishing. And overdubbing. 
Then I move on to the next section of naked drums and do it over 
again, except completely different (hopefully).

When I am done, I will have 53 minutes of original music over some 
absolutely jaw-dropping drumming. Will the music be occasionally 
pitchy or sloppy? Yes. Will there be bad engineering? Yes. Will some 
musical ideas be sketchy? No doubt. Will it be high art? It will for 
me because I've never attempted something this ambitious before.

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!!!

kErrY
www.myspace.com/kompost