Month: February 2019

What Do You Do?

You know the dreaded question at parties, “so what do you do?”

Worse, if you’re a photographer or musician or writer, you don’t want people on the internet to wonder the same thing.

If someone looked at your social media profiles today, or god forbid your website, would they know what you do. Like, really, do you spell it out?

It took me awhile to get this, too, so I’m finally getting around to taking my own advice here, but honestly… take a step back and think about it.

I bring this up because I’ve had these talks lately with friends, about what we want to do, yet we don’t really put it out there. We talk about it, sure, but we have a hard time asking for it, much less displaying what it is we want.

Find Your Dreamers

Be around the people who are on the same “dream wave length.”

There are probably plenty of people in your life that probably don’t want to hear your dream talk. They don’t want to hear about your art, or how you want to tour, or make photographs. That’s okay, they’re not dreamers.

Save your dream talk for fellow dreamers, the folks who dare have lofty goals and ambitions. Those need to be your people, your tribe.

You find them by putting your dreams out into the universe.

You publish that poem, post that song, upload that art, start that podcast… you shoot them into the sky like a rocket, over and over again, waiting for other dreamers to find you. Friendships are built, bonds are made.

That dream DNA seeks out that dream DNA. That’s where I believe that yearning comes from. The feeling that something isn’t quite right. You’re unsettled.

You need to dream, and put those dreams out there.

That may not mean “making it” in the short term, but surrounding yourself with dreamers, people who want your dreams just as bad as you do, you’ll make it in your own way.

Positivity is a Strategy

I’ve played the victim, and throw some serious pity parties over the last decade, but things changed in 2016 when I started running.

“I really really really think positivity is a strategy.”

Gary Vaynerchuk from his podcast

Gary Vee goes on to illustrate the opposite of this, about “keeping it real.” To me, that’s the doom and gloom. That’s having your eyes glued to the 24/7 click bait news cycle. That’s just not for me anymore.

Stay informed, but don’t stay drowning.

Today I got some good work done. I was in the flow, where time just sort of whizzes by and before you know it two hours have passed.

After that adrenaline high went away, I could feel the stress in my shoulders. Like, stress is REAL, folks.

So I went to the gym. For me, gym is a strategy, as it gets me towards posisitivity. Yes, snacks and a beer are nice, too, but I knew that after this work day I needed to go towards something positive, and tonight that was 40 minutes on the bike (I ran 7.8 miles yesterday, so running wasn’t an option).

Positivity is a strategy. Period.

MUSIC MONDAYS: Benny Sings, ‘Not Enough’

I am such a sucker for surreal visuals mixed with dreamy melodies, so this gem from Benny Sings has stuck with me.

New album ‘City Pop’ due out (Feb. 22), seventh (?) since 2003, and if this song is any indicator it seems like it’ll be a chill, laid back dreamscape, the perfect soundtrack to usher in the end of Winter, eh?

The song is available on Bandcamp, along with the album for pre-order.

Happy 15th Birthday to Probot!

Today is the 15th birthday of Probot’s lone album, released way back in 2004 on Southern Lord. A fantastic album made by (mostly) Dave Grohl with an even more fantastic line up of guests ranging from Max Cavalera of Sepultura / Soulfly, Lemmy of Motörhead, King Diamond and so many more.

My three favorite songs are (of course) ‘Shake Your Blood,’ which features the mighty Lemmy on vocals and bass, and my goodness the video with those sexy… WHITE BOOTS.

Grohl tells the story of Lemmy coming to the studio to record the song:

“Lemmy walked in, said hello. He said, who wants a drink? And we went upstairs, and mixed a few Jack and Cokes. It was noon, 12:30pm. By 3 o’clock I was fucking shit-faced, and he was ready to record.”

Dave Grohl talking about recording the song with Lemmy (YouTube).

Next I’d have to say “My Tortured Soul,” featuring Eric Wagner of Trouble on vocals. This was the first song to ever be performed live on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball, which seems so crazy given all the artists that stopped by the studio over all those years.

Dave Grohl said he was asked to write some music for Ozzy, and this was one of the two songs he sent over. He never heard back, so it ended up here on the album. Turns out Zakk Wylde (Ozzy’s guitarist at the time) wasn’t too pleased.

“If I ever run into Dave Grohl, I’m gonna kick his fuckin’ ass, because I think he sucks, and he wrote this cheese-dick song for OZZY that I have to fuckin’ play on, and I’ll never forgive him for that.”

Zakk Wylde to Guitar World in 2001 (Blabbermouth)

Finally, my favorite track is the hidden track, featuring Jack Black on vocals. Maybe the least-metal vocalist on this album, but he did win a Grammy for “Best Metal Performance” back in 2015 with Tenacious D, and their cover of Dio’s ‘The Last in Line.’

Either way, I love it this album, even as it turns 15 years old – practically old enough to drive!