One thing that I’ve noticed for a very long time among musicians is the broad gradient in personal motivation. People who make music do so for a million different reasons, but there’s one that I’ve found more often than any other: money. 

I suppose that, if this is the goal and you’re talented enough, you’ll do it. Now don’t get me wrong: I of all people understand that one needs to make a living, but a living is not what I’m talking about. What I’m talking about is greed – gluttony – money for money’s sake – “Getting huge”, “breaking out”, or “blowing up”. Anyone is entitled to their personal motivation, of course, as I’m not one to judge.

I suppose my only complaint is that I feel left out. Not because I’m not good enough to follow this train of thought, but because I don’t think I’m greedy enough (I’m at least a little bit greedy – I’m American, after all). More often than not, what excites me is the opportunity to create something. There’s nothing that makes me happier in this world and this life than sitting down and losing myself in my work. It almost always arrives to a point where I don’t feel like I’m doing anything, but that I’m stumbling on to good ideas in the perfect sequence. I don’t know that I really ask for any of it… “I’m a mere vessel”, as George Carlin once put it.

I have ideas every day, every hour, and every minute. I suppose my only complaint, at this point, is that I can’t always make them come to life. The best I can do is make note of them and remember for when I come home at night. My hope is that, some day soon, I’ll be able to make just enough of a living on music to not have to come home at night to do it, but to be home and doing it.

I just shake my head when I hear someone talk about “the industry” or their “demographics”. I can’t help it.

One thing that I’ve noticed for a very long time among musicians is the broad gradient for personal motivation, but they’re almost always worried about knowing how they’re going to “break out” or “get huge” or “blow up”.

There’s one thing I’m very fortunate for in my relationship with music and spending so much time and energy with it: knowing why.