Which led me to a curiosity: Is our culture's lack of true listening audiences due to some sort of mental numbness that our way of life imposes through saturated media and faster and faster technology, or has the ease of use and access of the internet and modern technology created a murky sea of "musicians" and pseudo-creatives that is just too bothersome to wade through in the search for new music or entertainment?
Long question. But I've noticed a marked decline in people who actually pay attention to things like music and art happening organically right in front of their faces. At many of my recent shows, people have been very supportive when I've played some song that resonated with them. But often the next move they make is not to settle in and listen, but to think of some song they can request. Then I get the inevitable Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews requests. And no, I won't play that song. Stop asking me.
But the irritating part is that I've spent the last couple decades writing hundreds of songs, recording and producing original albums, and traveling to promote and perform for people, and that's what I'm interested in...not being a living jukebox.
Granted, YouTube and soundcloud and all the musical web venues are full of covers that are well performed and that's cool (I've done them, too), but what happened to being open to original art? Why is it so hard for the masses to just listen to something that hasn't happened before? Why does everyone and their effing brother want so badly to hear stuff they know all the words to?
Ranting? Yeah, maybe. But it seems to me (after touring the US extensively and playing for crowds from all walks of life) that we've created a society that is so fast paced and flooded with media in all forms that it's just too much to ask for people to stop...breathe...and pay attention to something new for a minute. It's like herds of terrified cattle clinging to the familiarity of what they've always known, shielding themselves from even the possibility of new pastures.
Now, I'm not saying everyone would like my music. Not everyone likes anything. But it's so funny to me when I'm in a club or bar or whatever and the response from people is almost tangible and predictable based on their overt focus.
Example: last night at my show there were two guys that were friends and were very similar in appearance, manner, and musical appreciation (I heard them discussing it). However, the attention they seemed capable of paying to the show differed immensely. The one who seemed more interested in getting drunk and flirting came up and started asking if I knew any Dave Matthews or Goo Goo Dolls (both of which I like, but I don't know a whole song of either). The one who stopped and really listened to the music ended up buying a CD from me and expressing how much he liked the music. All it took for him to like it was actually listening to it.
So it's frustrating for indie musicians. And probably artists in general. We want to create and exhibit. We hope you like our creations, but we aren't necessarily doing it for you, we also do it for us...for our catharsis or excitement or passion. At the very least it doesn't seem too much to ask for people to take a minute and truly assess whether or not they like the art. Slow down. Put down your phone. Realize that what's happening is not just someone goofing around on an instrument and spouting blah blah blah. We've spent time and effort and emotion creating the show you're seeing. We do it for us and we hope you appreciate it. If not, that's okay, too, but I double dog dare you to give it a try.
Don't be afraid of original art. Don't be afraid to feel it and spend a minute with it. It's the originality and subtlety that make it powerful.
