My opinion, let me show you it...
May. 9th, 2009 03:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tytaniastrangeIn response to this bit of chicken soup for the musician's soul:
Yes, music is about as close as we can get to real magic. It has power that is hard to explain, but it's there nonetheless.
The power of music does not, however, put food on the table. Hence, I'll add:
As your children are sitting on the street corner, playing for tips because they are so far above mere entertainers who get paid, they can take comfort in their higher purpose. When they go home to their tiny studio apartments, which they share with roommates, and ponder whether cockroaches can be used as a source of low-cost protein, they will be filled with the inner joy that comes of knowing that they are better than everyone else in the whole world... even if no one else in the whole world is inclined to agree. So, don't think for one minute that the armloads of cash you will be forking over to us for the next four or more years will be a waste. Always remember that delusional is special because they both end in "al." Thank you.
I'm an entertainer. Entertainment is a glorious thing. Entertainment is the thing that takes us to another, better place for a few seconds or a few minutes or a few hours. Entertainment is such a powerful force that people are practically willing to worship those who provide it and that's why everyone and their siblings is trying to squeeze into the field.
But I don't believe for one second that I'm special or magical or higher than thou because mine is the butt in front of the audience. Entertainment is all about the communion between the performer(s) and the people out there experiencing the performance. The magic only happens when we reach out to them and connect with them. The magic only happens when we're willing to strip our souls bare so that the world can see what we're made of and can experience what we're creating. Anything less and we're a bunch of assholes making a spectacle of ourselves, no matter how much we're getting paid to do it. Know what's even worse? No one is fooled by our bullshit, not for one single second. It's everyone's worst nightmare, standing buck naked in front of a jeering crowd... a jeering crowd armed with iphones so they can share photos and comments in real time. Welcome to the internet age.
So, if you are driven to give of yourself for the sake of bringing a little brightness into people's lives for a second or a moment or an hour, then you're one of the blessed. You will come away feeling full every time you share your talent.
Professional music, it's like joining the Peace Corps only there's no health plan and you don't get nearly as much credit.
Yes, music is about as close as we can get to real magic. It has power that is hard to explain, but it's there nonetheless.
The power of music does not, however, put food on the table. Hence, I'll add:
As your children are sitting on the street corner, playing for tips because they are so far above mere entertainers who get paid, they can take comfort in their higher purpose. When they go home to their tiny studio apartments, which they share with roommates, and ponder whether cockroaches can be used as a source of low-cost protein, they will be filled with the inner joy that comes of knowing that they are better than everyone else in the whole world... even if no one else in the whole world is inclined to agree. So, don't think for one minute that the armloads of cash you will be forking over to us for the next four or more years will be a waste. Always remember that delusional is special because they both end in "al." Thank you.
I'm an entertainer. Entertainment is a glorious thing. Entertainment is the thing that takes us to another, better place for a few seconds or a few minutes or a few hours. Entertainment is such a powerful force that people are practically willing to worship those who provide it and that's why everyone and their siblings is trying to squeeze into the field.
But I don't believe for one second that I'm special or magical or higher than thou because mine is the butt in front of the audience. Entertainment is all about the communion between the performer(s) and the people out there experiencing the performance. The magic only happens when we reach out to them and connect with them. The magic only happens when we're willing to strip our souls bare so that the world can see what we're made of and can experience what we're creating. Anything less and we're a bunch of assholes making a spectacle of ourselves, no matter how much we're getting paid to do it. Know what's even worse? No one is fooled by our bullshit, not for one single second. It's everyone's worst nightmare, standing buck naked in front of a jeering crowd... a jeering crowd armed with iphones so they can share photos and comments in real time. Welcome to the internet age.
So, if you are driven to give of yourself for the sake of bringing a little brightness into people's lives for a second or a moment or an hour, then you're one of the blessed. You will come away feeling full every time you share your talent.
Professional music, it's like joining the Peace Corps only there's no health plan and you don't get nearly as much credit.