A while back I wrote a piece about
breaking the rules of “southern rock”.
Looking back, I used the word rules as method of definition. There are certain aspects of rock n roll that
might define a sound to this or that genre.
However, those rules are by no means confining. Where would Led Zeppelin be if they “followed”
the rules of traditional blues music?
They took a simple format, twisted it, and tortured it until what came
out, came out and is now legendary. Now
that I am entering the realm of writing for a profession, I too am faced with
the same rules or expectations for my art.
Here I stand at the same crossroads as my artistic predecessors. Do I conform to the rules of traditional
writing or journalistic law just to get paid?
Would I then be a sell out or would I be fulfilling my dream as a paid
writer? Which road is the wisest for my
career?
The other night as I was paying the
cover charge to see a few local Athens bands, the promoter caught me at the
door and said that if I was going to write about the show, I did not need to
pay. I insisted, ultimately, I was there
to support the bands. And I had not
decided at that point whether I was going to write about the evening or
not. Rarely, does that decision ever
occur before the music plays. It is never
a moment with much forethought. I either
write or I don’t. I never force it. I am neither a critic nor a journalist. I am a fan that chooses to write about music. Some music moves me and some doesn’t. Some live performances inspire me to write,
others do not. Neither are ever
representative of the quality of music or the performance given. More often than not, the music I choose to
write about is often just a catalyst for some other part of my emotional being
that needs to come out in this artistic form I have chosen. This is my own need for expression.
Over the last few months I have
sent some pieces I have written to several publications in the music
arena. Most of which I have not received
any response. The responses I have received
from submissions where all about the rules.
More details about the facts and less about my thoughts or emotion. And most of all stay away from writing in the
first person. Literally not twenty minutes
ago I was discussing this with two well known Athens musicians in my living room. I described trying to write about rock n roll
in the third person is like trying to describe what an LSD trip is like to someone
that has never experienced it. Often, my
rock n roll experiences are heavy and can be quite spiritual in a sense. Sure, I could write about these experiences
in the third person, but who wants to read that shit. I don’t. I write words that I like to read. I like to read about a true and honest firsthand
experience and I know I am not alone here.
Sure I could keep the emotion out of it and keep it just to the
facts. But who really gives a fuck about
just the facts?
A while back I caught Dave Grohl’s
key note speech from this year’s SXSW music festival. This was right around the time I started
writing about music. It was powerful,
moving, and inspiring. What I took away
from his speech was, do it your way.
Make the art you make your own. Never compromise it for anyone or
anything. So I am going to do what so
many others have done before me. I will
follow in the footsteps of the Iggy Pops, the Nirvanas and the Led Zeppelins of
the world. I am going to do it my way,
writing how I want to write, and fuck the rest.
And if I happen to get paid along the way, I will be the luckiest guy
alive. Until then, I am just a rock n
roll fan writing about what I love.
No comments:
Post a Comment