Which has led me to some reflection on the music business. The reason I can make this CD is because of a technological revolution, which is nurturing a shift away from the big record companies and toward the grass roots producer. It goes without saying that I would never get this record made by conventional means; in other words: by scoring the big record contract. The old system favors talent, to be sure, but also youth and conformity. (In my friend Ty’s words: “They don’t let anyone over 20 on the radio”) At most I have one of those requisites.
Record companies have to be selective, but they are also randomizers. Think of all the artists who just never got that “big break”. Luck was at the core of that system–still is. Fortunately, there is a system growing up alongside the monolith of commercial radio and record production. Do-it-yourself-ers are becoming a force. A perfect example is Ani DeFranco, and her “Righteous Babe Records”. She has made a name for herself while eschewing the traditional record business.
I’m not expecting to make a splash like Ani DeFranco. The motivation behind this project is, first of all, to share my songs, and to do so with a larger audience than just my family–or the occasional friend whom I corner with my guitar. The fact that I have been able to get 50 donors to this project shows there are many of you who have resonated with my music and would like to hear more. (Some of you donated without even hearing my songs, which was an act of love I won’t forget.)
Secondly, I love playing! These recordings are one way of getting gigs and getting connected to an ever-expanding pool of musical cohorts.
Thirdly, I want to hear other people perform and/or record my songs. It’s a huge kick for me. The biggest kick would be to earn some money writing, and I still dream of that happening. Songwriting is the one thing I am confident enough to say I do well. It’s a way for me to express my deepest thoughts and feelings, and to convey those thoughts and feelings to others–or sometimes just to make people laugh.