Endgame

[l1]T[/l1]oday is the 16th anniversary of this blog, the first online writing I did.

I’m an early adopter. I worked with computers in the days of the earliest programmable calculators. I built my first website in about 1994. I launched my web business in 1999.

And in 2002 I started this blog after I built my own blogging tool from scratch because I couldn’t find one that did everything I wanted. (Nowadays self-hosted WordPress, launched in 2003, is the obvious choice. Avoid Wix and Weebly. End of rant.)

An overview of my relationship with music has seen few edits since I first wrote it 16 years ago. I grew up with music the way most people grew up with television.

Over the past decade I’ve spent more time writing music than writing about it. I perform in our living room. I used to have a cover band and we performed in bars. I’ve played my music in coffee shops. Dragging all my equipment out somewhere to play for the same people who’d come to my living room quickly seemed a waste of time.

Though I don’t write about music as much as I once did I am primarily a writer. Novels, a children’s book, a bunch of business books in the past, and a dozen blog posts a month in various places.

My first post, on March 12th of 2002, was about the Irish band Hothouse Flowers. I was hearing all kinds of new music as my kids got older (16 years ago their ages ranged from 12 to 22.) All these new sounds flooding my life, and the joy of sharing them with my kids, made me want to talk about it all. But not just “I like this, that, and the other band.” Details. What made the music or lyrics special. What the bands seemed to be trying to do. What made the performers interesting.

I’ve written about famous people, household names. I’ve written about folks who have a strong cult following. I’ve written about musicians who’ve never published a single tune publicly. And I’ve shared my own music extensively.

But I don’t know what to do with this site anymore. Before writing this I reviewed the last few posts I wrote—in the fall of 2016, nearly a year and a half ago.

This site has seen long dry spells, sometimes lasting years.

I’m not sure this is that.

I’m wondering, in this and in many things, if it’s time to start thinking about an endgame, closure, wrapping things up and putting them in the closet, leaving room for the few things that really matter to me anymore.

Why does Dylan’s commercial affect my car-buying beliefs?

[l1]A[/l1] testament to the power of musical connections indeed.

I’m a die-hard Nissan fan, and fairly dismissive of American cars (too many Pintos and Vegas in my past.)

And yet, after watching Dylan’s Chrysler commercial last night, I feel an overwhelming desire to buy a Chrysler product.

My Little One, who’s not yet 10, watched the whole thing, and at the end when the snippet of lyrics comes in, she squealed “I KNEW it was that song” and made that the first song on her bedtime playlist.

The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine is toying with my head, and it’s all because of music.

This machine kills anything you want killed. Use your power for good instead of evil.

Business Lessons from Rock: Guest Post by John O’Leary

[l1]T[/l1]his here O’Leary chap is a character, with a capital K. He can tell you about his bid for President of these here United States, or share his rock and roll stories from the road. For now, here’s one of his insightful, inevitable-but-not-obvious business lessons from rock: Continue reading “Business Lessons from Rock: Guest Post by John O’Leary”

Love Music: Guest Post by Terry Wilson

[l1]M[/l1]y musical history with Terry “Pegleg” Wilson goes back years. We finally started writing music together a few years ago. He and his wife are like family. Terry’s intense love of music is one obvious reason we’re great friends.

Music is a beautiful thing! Right now my wife is in the kitchen making dinner. She grabs something or other and starts clapping two things together, pounding out a beat. Music is such a part of us that I really don’t know a single person that does not like music on some level. From the brilliant musician right down to the guy listening to the radio in the car, we all enjoy music.

Let me take you on a journey though. What if there was no music? No CDs, no tapes, no musical instruments. Nothing at all. What if no one had ever put 2 notes together?

Continue reading “Love Music: Guest Post by Terry Wilson”

An Eclectic Texan Without Salamander Pie: Guest Post by Ron Luther

[l1]M[/l1]embers of evolt.org meet geeks of all shapes from all over the world. One of them has a famous ability to turn any conversation into a chat about music within seconds. And it’s not even me.

Pretty easy to see why Ron Luther and I became friends.

I saw your other note a while back on guest writing about music … and I thought about it for a bit. My first inclination was to try to write something up about a hidden gem like Jay Leonhart’s “Salamander Pie” album. If you don’t have it – go order it on Amazon, now!

Then, naturally, I started to over think things. Continue reading “An Eclectic Texan Without Salamander Pie: Guest Post by Ron Luther”

300 in 10

[l1]X[/l1] is one of the few letters which has never started one of these posts—until now.

X always stands for mystery; the unknown. On pirate maps, X marks the spot not because it’s so obvious, but because it is a mystery, an unknown, a private stash you weren’t supposed to find.

So, for this 300th post on the 10th anniversary, instead of writing about what I’ve done, I’m going to write about what I haven’t. Continue reading “300 in 10”

Never Mind the Groceries, Leonard: Guest Post by Caitlyn James

[l1]Y[/l1]ou might assume things upon hearing that Caitlyn James is a teacher. Most of them would be way wrong. For instance, I was prompted to ask her to write a little something because of her latest exercise regimen: burlesque dancing.

Everything else she does is mad, too. Continue reading “Never Mind the Groceries, Leonard: Guest Post by Caitlyn James”

What Count Basie Taught Me About Intolerance: Guest Post by Rick Wilson

[l1]A[/l1]nother lifelong friendship sprouted in Seth Godin’s online network—who could resist a guy with a medical degree who loves WWII aircraft despite his abhorrence of war, and who writes like this about music and musicians? Meet Rick Wilson:

When I was 13 years old, Count Basie chatted with me during an entire break between sets at one of his gigs. Me, just a kid at the time, when he could have spent that time in any way he wanted to! And as if that wasn’t enough, his 2nd alto sax man at the time, Curt Pegler, talked shop with me (an alto player myself) all during the next break!

Continue reading “What Count Basie Taught Me About Intolerance: Guest Post by Rick Wilson”

Marty’s Violin: Guest Post by Tom Bentley

[l1]I[/l1]n the years since we met in Seth Godin’s online network, I’ve met Tom Bentley in that ethereal thing called real life more than once—too few times and each too short. Twice I’ve managed to whine him into writing song lyrics for me, despite his persistent insistence that he’s not a songwriter. We’ll address that later. For now, feel free to form an opinion on whether or not he’s a storyteller: Continue reading “Marty’s Violin: Guest Post by Tom Bentley”

Music at the Point of Inception: Guest Post by Charlie Cheney

[l1]S[/l1]ongwriter comes first in Charlie Cheney‘s bio (the one in my head,) though I know he’s a devoted husband and loving father, a software geek, and an adventurer extraordinaire. I decided to share his abortive attempt just as he sent it to me, because Charlie appreciates my sense of humour. Most of the time. Continue reading “Music at the Point of Inception: Guest Post by Charlie Cheney”