Today, I was talking with my friend Craig Carrick (musician, festival volunteer, Guitars for Kids benefit creator), and I mentioned, “I think about the business of music too much; it’s exhausting.”
He chuckled while replying, “Me too!”
I realized when I hung up the phone how important my other passion (mainly writing) is with keeping me excited, and sane.
I enjoy writing poems, almost as much as I enjoy playing guitar and writing songs; however, I have no larger ambition with my poems than to write them, post them, and maybe self-publish a little chapbook; and to keep writing. I feel no pressure–illusion–to make money from it, which might be why I love it so much!
And writing poems doesn’t cost me anything, except the time spent doing it. (OK, and the coffee I drink at Moon Winks Cafe, my office away from my office.)
I think it’s valuable for creatives to have a second passion they can dabble with doing, for fun, free from the stress of trying to “make it” with that medium.
Art begs art. Go make some art today.
Hidden costs: they can be the cause of a delay in a creator’s Kickstarter campaign, the reason for loss for the touring musician, the end to a great project. I
It’s human nature to focus on the big expenses, but the little costs add up. (When I budgeted my first tour, I forgot to consider tolls! let alone oil changes!)
It’s easy to let money and fear get in the way of working on one’s work; however, there is hidden cost to waiting too ship, the most obvious being we might lose excitement for the project.
Budget for those hidden costs, but don’t budget until the excitement is gone.
Give Peace a Chance, Embrace a Daring Message
This week, the Ark theater and Chris Buhalis hosted the 8th annual John Lennon Birthday show. All proceeds were donated to the Vets for Peace scholarship fund, and what a great night it was.
I sang, “In My Life” accompanied by my Michigan-made Heritage 555: “There are places I remember…though some have changed.”
One of the volunteers from Vets for Peace read a quote from Billy Corgan reflecting about John Lennon’s legacy, how he was one of the first pop stars to focus on a message of peace, how that might be his surviving legacy.
(I couldn’t find the exact quote, but check out this intense reflection about Lennon via Musicradar.)
It’s easy to think of a discussion of peace as flowery, naive, and unrealistic; but examining Lennon’s complex arc of his career, his challenge for us to imagine a different world was daring.
Everyone is going to leave a legacy, small or large, lasting for one generation or many. The people we meet, the communities we engage, the families we have–all of us leave footprint on this earth. We must accept the fact that there will be an arc to our lives, too.
During your arc, will you embrace a daring message? What will your message be?
American Songwriter Magazine – “Daily Discovery”
Big thanks to American Songwriter Magazine for featuring my song “Burning Bright”, a song inspired by David Plawecki; and the interview where I ramble about ridiculous dream gigs, Frances Luke Accord’s songs, Guy Clark’s kitchen table, and the time Alan Black and I met John Mayer at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor.
Read the write-up and listen to the song here:
http://www.americansongwriter.com/2015/10/daily-discovery-mike-vial-burning-bright/
Artwork for “Burning Bright” by Caitlin Kronk
Mentioned in the American Songwriter feature, “Burning Bright” was written as a dedication to David Plawecki. Here’s David speaking a the Lansing Capital:
Senator David Plawecki speaking on the Michigan Senate floor.
A lot has changed in five years, let alone 10.
When I decided to leave Holly High School to hit the road, the school was in it’s first year of using Macbooks as their main computers and Gmail as their email client. Justin Timberlake was trying to resurrect Myspace. Spotify had just arrived to the States, yet still wasn’t available in Canada. Gas prices were reaching $4 to $5 a gallon. (Terrible years to start touring!)
Years later, and everything looks different, again! Gas prices have lowered, but streaming payout rates might have too. Organic reach on Facebook is zero, are boasting posts worth it? Is anyone actually using Twitter anymore? Do I really need to start using Periscope? Should I order CDs for the next release? Blah, blah, blah…I know I’m not alone in saying it’s difficult to keep up with everything that’s changing, so let’s take comfort in fact that we are not alone in feeling overwhelmed.
However, while let’s also take comfort in the fact that the tools change, but the mistakes remain the same, don’t they?
Here’s a list of success killers we see everywhere, from a classroom, office, or backseat of the tour van:
A bad attitude, procrastination, disorganization, hesitation, poor financial management; losing sight of what makes you happy, chasing trends, changing yourself to fit into a crowd; being dishonest, taking people for granted; doing the same thing over-and-over again, yet expecting different results…
It’s easy to focus on the new tools; but nothing beats a positive mental attitude, a work-ethic, and an ability to make decisions that fit your vision. And contrary to popular belief, these abilities are learned, not genetically programed into our DNA.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by everything that’s changing, take comfort in the fact that the most important things that never change.
Ontario’s 402 in the heart of weather, a great metaphor for the road to success in music!
