Mission Statement

What`s your motivation?", an oft-heard phrase within the theatrical world, but one that can certainly be applied to ALL aspects of life. And my point IS? Actually, I don`t have one, but I thought it was as good a way as any to kick things off here! So if you want specifics relative to this section of my website, here goes: MY motivation for playing guitar [though sometimes I think IT plays ME] and for posting those MP3 riffs and videos is due to the fact that I love of music, so much so that it is my intention to make something of a career out of it. Foolish, some would say, while "suicidal" would most likely be the response from the majority. Both points well taken. However, the interest, the desire, to make a living doing something one loves, to be able to go to interesting places and share it with others, remains undiminished. Now don`t expect to hear any stirring, New Age-y cliches such as "We can have whatever we want, if we really, REALLY want it" or similar sappiness! I`m a little too old and jaded to indulge in that sort of doe-eyed naivety. I am a firm believer in attitude being everything, as long as you`re honest with yourself regarding your goals. What can I say? I`m a realist, and I try to temper my lofty ambitions with a more realistic outlook instead of forcing oneself to view everything through rose-colored glasses. Given my experiences of the last several years regarding various travels and such [things that I would NEVER have dreamed possible for me to do 10 years ago], I have a nasty habit of achieving "impossible" things, so maybe I`m well-equipped for the task....

Now, obviously I would need to be in a band situation, right? So, what would MY ideal band situation be? Well, I have soooooo many influences that I would have to add another dozen megs to my account to list `em, though if you`ve checked out my website as well as my My Space page, you get a fairly clear picture. For instance, everyone knows I`m a HUGE fan of the Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath; great songwriting, great playing, Sabbath at it`s most mystical! Another big influence is Magnum, one of THE great British Rock bands of all time, as is Phantom`s Operas` "Act IV", for the same reason as above. Kansas is certainly a pivitol influence, and laugh if you will, but I loved the "Grand Illusion" and "Pieces Of Eight"-era Styx, who were still kinda Proggy but threw accessable tunes AND crunching guitars into the mix. UFO is another one, in terms of song-structure, etc, as well as Uli Jon Roth-era Scorpions [another BIG influence!]. Toss in all the Euro Power Metal bands that I worship, as well as some of the early/mid Seventies Heavy Rockers [Uriah Heep, Lucifers` Friend, Dio-era Rainbow], and you have, well..... SOMETHING, anyway! I would have to say that, as far as musicians go, the lineup would be vocals, guitar [guess who?], bass, drums, keyboards and possible violin. [There`s the Kansas influence again!] All the above would allow for multi-colored shades from the musical spectrum to be present, but the songs would have enough "space" and breathing room to where it would be uncluttered. No Prog Metal noodlings, please; that`s musicians music; I prefer playing to people.

Yet ANOTHER famous phrase is "Be the change you wish to see in others". How does this apply to what I`m scribbling here? Music is a precious commodity, as far as how it affects people,the world, etc. Yet nowadays it seems that music is JUST a commodity. Certainly, I`m not naive enough to believe that the music business was EVER "pure"; it IS a business and a rather cut-throat one at that. But, at least until about 10 years ago, there were still some people at the major labels who actually understood, and CARED about, music. Music business legends like Ahmet Ertegun, Bill Graham, Don Kirshner and John Kalodner come to mind. NOW, things have been taken over by a bunch of Harvard Business school graduates who could be selling laundry detergent or soft drinks for all they care! Corporate responsibility and "The Bottom Line" are the main priorities, which is why you ended up with dreck like the Simpson sisters, the Hillary/Brittney/Lindseys, ad nauseum. Elton John once described these types of recording start as "packets of cereal", meaning they and their sorry attempts at "music" are nothing more than soundtracks for whatever product, television show or movie they`re trying to market. Hell, the majors don`t even refer to artists AS "artists" now, but instead are referred to as "content providers", for cryin` out loud! In another era, such "acts" as the Simpson sisters, etc. would have ended up in the One Hot Wonder bin almost immediately, as always happened to the less-than-talented unfortunates that came before them. NOW, armed with their advanced marketing skills, such acts can go on for YEARS, long after they`ve worn out their welcome. The Nu Metal phenomenon doesn`t hold up much better. These bands were, for the most part, assembled in some corporate boardroom. Each song is basically the same, all anger and groove, no heart or passion or emotion. Most of `em even play to click-tracks live! And seriously, how can you be angry and depressed and full of rage when you`ve sold 8 million albums? Not that I`m knocking them, actually; hey, they`re keeping the business going, at least!

Music should be full of fire and passion, should spark the imagination, stir the heart and soul, free the imagination. Which brings me back to the original question, "What`s your motivation?" Quite simply, I would like to help bring music back to what it USED to be, or rather what it truly IS, despite the current corporate sheen smothering it. I want people to get EXCITED about music again, about new artists as well as older favorites. I`d like people to to get pumped about buying a new CD [or vinyl LP, as they seem to be making a bit of a return] and cranking it up LOUD! That`s another point; people need to get loud again. Not overbearing, but loud. Nobody cranks up their speakers much these days; they`re all insulated/isolated in their tightly controlled iPOD/Napster/MP3 world, where everything is safe and easily controlled, all squared off and perfectly balanced. But the world is NOT like this. The world is LOUD, chaotic, as is everyday life. Music, not matter WHAT style, should reflect that, and not just be some faceless bit of information on your harddrive! I`ve heard people say something to the effect that "It`s time for a musical revolution". Sounds good, but as someone once said [ANOTHER quote!] "There is no REVOLUTION, only EVOLUTION".

Sooooo, that`s my mission statement in a nutshell. And just HOW do I plan to accomplish the above? Let`s find out!

WSD

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