Tom O'Brien
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4/30/2021 4:28:30 AM
At first, it was the chicks.
Seriously, I thought that girls would like me if I played and wrote music. I think this is still in the back of my mind. But now I'm happily married and my wife loves me wether or not I write music. So sometimes I wonder why writing music is such an active part of my life? Today it occurred to me that every song I write cancels out a really bad song that somehow became a hit. I'm combatting bad songs by hopefully adding good ones to the world. And I'm archiving a piece of me for the future. I feel like it is up to all of us writers to keep the quality of music high in a market that doesn't seem to care. I make art for art's sake. I gave up on making money with it long ago. I just have that human need to express myself, so songwriting is also kind of therapeutic - my collected songs are like a journal of my life.
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Richard Scotti
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4/30/2021 10:29:53 AM
---- Updated 4/30/2021 11:04:15 AM
I went into music for the pure love of it and the fact that it symbolized individual freedom and rebellion against the status quo. Becoming a musician also firmly established my identity and drew me closer to other kindred spirits and yes many of them were women but that was an unexpected benefit and a pleasant surprise. I think today the sexual allure of being a musician has pretty much run it’s course but
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy that bygone era.
When I was first dating the woman who is now my wife I wrote a song about her. In my efforts to further our relationship I said: “I bet I’m the only guy who ever wrote a song about you”. She said “You’re right. I love the song and I love you!” We’ve been happily married a long time. Never underestimate the power of a great song!
Continuing the thread of motivations for becoming an artist I try to avoid the grandiosity of thinking my work influences the world of art in any way. I’ll never be rich or famous from doing what I do and that’s fine with me. Like Tom, I make art for art’s sake. Creating something from nothing is a magical skill and to answer the Lovin’ Spoonful’s question: yes, I do believe in magic! (Their song stole my heart and never let go)
And finally I’d have to say that I write songs to leave the best part of myself behind when I leave this world and to enjoy the appreciation of listeners while I’m still here. I make music, therefore I am.
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Mike Lance
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5/3/2021 12:41:16 PM
I actually didn't get into music into early highschool, even as a listener. However, ever since I was a child, I always wanted to participate and create things I enjoyed. I remember myself as a 6 year old nintendo obsessed kid wanting to make video games when I grew, and imaged what they would be like. Later, I drew crappy comic books on pieces of lined paper I had stapled together. I invented my own superheroes, as well as a garfield inspired funnies type I called The MacKenzies. I planned a fantasy novel series when I was in my early teens, because that was what I liked to read at the time.
When music became my passion, this desire naturally carried over, although it probably took me about 3 years to finally pick up a guitar. I was 16 at the time and spent hours looking up tablature to mostly Motorhead songs, but with some punk, and of course classic riffs everyone knows like Back in Black etc. It was probably another 4 or 5 years before I wrote my first song.
So I feel I've done it for all the right reasons, much like all of you seem to. And what Tom sais about archiving a piece of himself for the future is very well said, and is one of many things that go through my head in the creative process. I also feel like my best material is still ahead of me.
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Stoneman
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5/6/2021 1:28:05 AM
If not for music, I would be dead.......from boredom! Music is like the flavor in my food. Without it, why bother eating? At this age I only have my wife and my music to love. My friends are my instruments and studio. I only hangout with them. Yeah, I know their just objects and tools. I'm not crazy. I'm just saying that music has been more than just my art. It is so much deeper than that. Yeah, when I first started it was about the chicks also. But along the way I started to feel something. An untapped passion that rose up out of me and became a beautiful monster. It haunts me when I sleep and tortures me when I am awake. I cannot get away from it so I decided to kill it the only way I know how. By playing and singing it to death! Or maybe I should say until death. Whichever comes first.
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