As I have related in past blogs (on other sites) I never got into music with the idea of getting rich or famous. Like anyone, that has crossed my mind at one time or other (I AM human), but it has never been a serious motivation. Elsewhere I have described it more like being handed stone tablets with instructions to "get this stuff out there!".
I have been attracted to musical instruments ever since I could stand, began writing melodies since I was 7 or 8, and as a teenager my "lyrical" ability seemed to kick in. But it never was a choice. Sure my early work was a bit silly and contrived, but they still seemed to arise from a deep unstoppable force from my unconscious self...and after awhile even beyond (more on that later).
When "my" ideas began to come as full-blown inspirations, the experiences were some of the most profound and exciting ever to happen to me. It is both a sense of cherishing of the songs that came out of this, and a deep gratitude that they came "thru" me that provides the motivation that I must share them with whoever else I can find that may value them as well.
Having made a long-time study of what makes music popular, I realize that I am at odds with popular culture, therefore making the songs success something of a long shot. But I have also made a study of human nature, so that I realize that as unique as I think I am, that there are probably more people out there who will understand what my body of work seems to be getting at.
To explain further, I must explain my own background a little. I wasn't exposed much to contemporary music in early life...the Beatles being the only exception at about 6 years old. Other than that I mainly heard a lot of music from the 20's & 30's or even earlier. And also thrived on stories about classical composers taught at my local school system. Bach & Beethoven, etc. were my early heroes: here were people that were as absorbed with music as I was, and that was all they did.
As a result, I have always harbored the attitude that any music that is purely inspired & artfully rendered is to be admired regardless of the era in which it was produced or the culture that surrounded it.
So this is where I am. Some of my music was contemporary to the styles that existed when it was written. But so much time had passed before the technology developed that opened the door to making their production feasible, that they are by their necessity "retro". Other arrangements are that way just because of my fondness for older forms & styles, and also because I long since abandoned the notion of being modern just to keep up with being modern.
Lastly, I would like to say that some years ago I came up with an idea for a new more "formless" type of music, but have been so bogged down in trying to get what I had already written done, that in the meantime people such as Paul Winter & Will Ackerman have been delving into that territory without me, which would make me something of a "late-comer" if I ever got there. There are advantages to becoming popular, where you can have many others help you get your work done, instead of relying only on yourself (detect only a little envy here...in the process you give up a certain amount of control over your art!).
This is where I am...not mainstream (anymore) not ground-breaking...I always liked the idea of taking what has gone before and building on it, adding a new twist. Or else, trying to expose the freedom of human experience within a constrained form (something like ballet, or a hollywood musical does).
As a result, I may never be popular, but am content to remain true to my nature.....
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