As a 'live' musician committed to authentic expression using music as both a tool for communion in oneness with the universe and with community I've encountered many challenges integrating my expression within a society that says, Music Industry = Music.
This presupposes the idea that one must perform and market recorded material repeatedly in order to gain recognition and accumulate a footing in the tower of the big 'who ha' - then repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat - and - you guessed it - repeat.
In my travels and life as a musician, this approach has never resonated with my creative process and as I've discovered - it doesn't resonate with many others either.
I've spoken with fellow musicians who have their own unique systems of creativity ranging from methodical creation to intuitive expression. Often these amazing musicians have not placed their incentive on 'making it'.
There have been countless times that people have approached me playing on the street whether it be in Belfast, Berlin or Fremantle asking me things like, "You should audition for 'The Voice'/'Idol' etc". I'm not pumping up my ego with this statement, it really happens and I even have a stock standard response for it - "Thank you so much, that's a wonderful compliment - I'm grateful you appreciate the music." Sometimes they insist and I simply say, 'Thank you' and smile.
It is a limited appreciation of music that puts it on the hierarchy of industry and does not respect its integrity as a life long spiritual path and nor does it respect the very sacred moment. You know that space your existing in right now.
A slightly swarmy response that I may have given in the past to such a suggestion could be,
"Can you appreciate the moment without having a need to capitalize on it and highlight it to repeat it?"
However, this is not within most's capacity to understand as I have discovered. I'm not being elitist - it's really the way it is.
Other musicians who 'work the industry' also approach me, wondering why I persist with street music - or assume I am amateur for doing so (yes, this perspective does exist) and encourage me to increase my reach by 'increasing professionalism'. However, they do not acknowledge the spiritual nourishment I receive from playing street music - I play for all people on an equal level and I relate to everyone. I get to play for kids and kindred and acquaintances wanted or unwanted. I feel the energy of the street and I express the soul of the people.
I played a gig at a restaurant recently. It wasn't a well advertised gig specifically about me and people didn't come to see me - they came for a good time. I was the atmosphere. Afterwards, feeling like a failure I was told it was 'really good' by the manager and a patron went out of her way to tell me how amazing she thought I was and how grateful she was for the music this evening. I was paid decently. Everyone was so absorbed in themselves and their activities - there was minimal response to the music - I felt dead inside.
I played for a dedicated audience with the storytelling show in Witchy last August - it was a decent turnout both nights it ran. The gig went well and people enjoyed themselves. There were lots of heart felt connections - but with myself at the head - the attention still didn't feel right. It didn't feel like this is where the attention should be to access my full potential. I feel the most potential was harnessed through making it a community event with three other collaborators - it opened a door for me to see how a good event needs to be run - that the energy needs to be decentralized for it to access that great reservoir of energy reserved for expansion of awareness.
To continue with another example - I play at the markets almost every week - I earn a pittance. The response from the community is tremendous - people smiling and kids laughing and dancing - people sitting around me having a good time and living their lives while I participate as an equal. I am nourished.
And... 'Professional musicians' wonder why I persist with street music. They may sit and listen to one song or thing, make a few judgements about my expression and then promptly leave - sometimes considering that I am still trying to 'work the industry' in an alternative way. But don't consider that, they only think that about me because they can't see music outside of the limited framework of industry.
The prevailing industry model emphasizes accumulating and repeating products to establish familiarity and gain recognition. Building a reputation in the system requires repetition and frequency. You are conditioning the group mind with a habit to include you in their thoughts the same way you have been conditioned into any habit in your individual life - repetition - frequency. Repetition is the mother of all learning - such an important maxim to study in the school of life.
While this method of building a public perception within the public and the industry may work for some as an appropriate incentive - it doesn't align with me - it doesn't align with what I have discovered in my experience and travels as a sensitive empath of what is real music and what is its purpose. In times in my life when I have questioned my intuition and tried to take on this industry perspective as my own - I end up feeling disconnected from myself and dead inside. I feel the competitive edge building within like a snake. I lose the source. The reason I play music and learn music evaporates.
I acknowledge this is not everyone's experience and I admit I am giving quite a scathing report - I do indeed have the ability to see my own subjectivity - however if you take one thing home from this article I encourage you to consider that if you learn how your mind is conditioned to like and enjoy things and then learn the same patterns within the group mind - your ability to appreciate the moment will increase and your incentives will change. And maybe, just maybe, your appreciation of the moment will refine your sense of 'authentic'... allowing a shift in the way you process energy.
I work very hard for the right incentive. When my compass is set to a place that I see assists myself and others as myself in a spiritually nourishing way - I have access to a large reservoir of energy which is designated for this purpose - the purpose of expansion of awareness and the unconditional service of life.
My focus and discipline is in being a 'Creator' and not a 'Repeator'. It can be argued that there is never anything new under the sun - but in every moment we take as new - it is always new. We have the ability that when we 'repeat' something - we can play it as new. We live it as though it was the first time. Some performers can do this very well while still conforming to industry standards of what music is and therefore find a balance between creativity and industry.
I am not averse to participating in the industry - Sometimes I do indeed record things and over the years I have got better at recording, mixing and mastering and even video editing. I have had a few very generous professionals around the world who have assisted me with my passion to create little pieces of joy - which are like pictures I can put on the wall of life - precious memories in the great endless unfolding lesson of this universe.
In my expression, nothing detests me more than the idea that I will record one three minute capture of a single moment and go and repeat that moment exactly as it was recorded over and over again for the remainder of my existence.
For my energy source to be maintained I need fluidity in music as it is an interpretation of the energy around me and within me, within the universe and tapped from within a self-less intention.
The ability to channel this energy and the honing of this sense is a spiritual path of the highest order and provides an important avenue to express the sensitivity of a delicate soul.
As a community of sovereigns - the ability to open these untapped stores of energy and be able to release them from the bonds of 'what is familiar' allows us to expand into worlds and universes yet unknown - decentralizing our energy to create a greater cohesive whole that supports all life.
I hope this post offers perspective and permission to those too that struggle balancing their creativity with industry.
Whatever we do - we must remember - we live this life once - I encourage you to remain authentic and take joy now. It is when we covet what we don't have that we become miserable.
In love,
Monty
This article has been mirrored from https://peakd.com/@montycashmusic
Dear @dreamstoreality, your content was selected manually by curators @nalexadre, @ten-years-before to receive a curation from BeBlurt 🎉
Thanks very much! I am honoured to be included on your trail. All the best, Monty