As this is the first post on my brand new chunk of internet, I should probably introduce myself. But I'm not going to do that as you, the reader probably doesn’t want to read about it. With that all being done and said, I thought it would be an awesome idea to really get down to the basics. The basics being creativity.
Well first of all, why the hell am I spending my oh-so-little free time writing on internet? Well the answer lies here. MacLoed's article is fantastic and I recommend everyone and their mother to read it, and then read it again. For me, it really helped to unveil some of the mysteries behind most of my thought processes surrounding the creation of my art.
But how does that article link to this here blog? Well, I want this blog to document my thoughts, ideas and processes in traversing through the inherently evil and murky music industry. These thoughts have been spinning and screeching through my mind for the last half decade, much like a small child falling down a very, very long staircase. Although this metaphorical falling has produced bright wails of creativity and has kept me relatively content, I've made the decision to get it fucking organised before I go completely insane. As the picture of my bedroom below suggests, I fail at organisation on pretty much all fronts.
I will always remember what my father said to me last year; “Anything you do to forward your life will make you happy.” Although pretty obvious, it had never really hit me until then. FUCK, what was I doing with my life? I needed to get creative, to focus my energy and really push my self. As Macloed rightly says, we are all given crayons at a young age, and now is my time to reclaim them. And hopefully use them to write a giant “fuck you” on the foreheads on the many apathetic or kitsch wraiths that dominate the music scene today.
In this context of creativity, organization is proactiveness. Talent wasn’t going to help me here; it was all about the hours, the dedication. See, I’m not the best guitar player in the world. I am certainly not the best vocalist. But the energy and effort I put into my craft makes me and the other Vagabonds noteworthy. But what is effort if it’s not focused on being proactive and useful? About as useful as a dyslexic accountant. For example, I used to be a very casual listener of music. I wouldn’t really take it in; I would simply just let it flow over me. This was the same with other forms of art, be it film or literature. As a result, not only was I becoming incredibly shallow, but I was not benefiting my own creativity in shape or form. Instead of learning from my heroes, I was downright ripping them off. But as I learned to listen to music in a deeper sense, I began not to take carbon copies, but an overall sense and feeling for what made them great in the first place.
So, successfully expressing creativity for me really comes down to the following:
- Be proactive and organized.
- Be prepared to work really damn hard, even in the face of failure.
- Try to look deeper into the art you consume, especially art that really clicks with you or those which offend you.
EDIT – I have recently come into the possession of a pretty damn good camera. Expect much more in the way of photos and videos in the future.
EDIT 2 – Also expect stories about partying and drinking, as I am a university student. It also happens to be the only thing I’m good at.
