Originally Posted By: eddie1261
Originally Posted By: Lawrie
My counter argument would be that if you are NOT performing what you have written then you are not really an artist either, you're just a writer...


I am not an artist and admit that freely. I only WISH people would say I'm just a writer. I am a writer wannabe. Until someone major performs one of my songs and it gets heavy rotation airplay, I will remain a wannabe. Until I have one of those statues in my house for writing a huge hit, I will remain a wannabe. Until I have one of those platinum plaques hanging on my wall, I will remain a wannabe.

Would you believe: Crap!

In the interests of being fair I just had a quick listen to some of your work on soundcloud and while you sing about as well as I do (there's a reason I'm a trombone player) the underlying ART is solid. The melodic lines, while perhaps predictable, are nevetheless sound, as are the accompanying chord progressions. I assume the recordings have been created by yourself in PGMusic tools - and that is an art in itself - one I also don't have. Don't sell yourself short.

Many great artists of the past were never recognised in their lifetime.

Originally Posted By: eddie1261

A non-playing wannabe.

Fine, there's no rule that says you have to play and I'm happy to accept "wannabe" provided you will accept that what you do is art - whether anyone thinks it's good or not.

FWIW I consider myself a "talented hack" rather than a great tromboneist...

Originally Posted By: eddie1261

Remember, I don't even listen to music anymore. I sometimes hear it in the background, like when shopping, etc... but to go out and buy a CD, or turn on the radio, or go see bands play.... rarely if ever. I just don't care anymore.

I can understand that, in fact I'm much the same - there is a LOT of stuff being released that is purely about the money machine and not about art.

Originally Posted By: eddie1261

And you know what is funny to me, is that many people I know who DO play don't really care anymore either. They are plastic with the audience on stage and bad mouth them afterward, and play music they hate because "that's what they want to hear". Well, as long as I am part of "they", you are wrong.

Actually, I don't think that's funny - I think it's sad and highly disrespectful to the audience.

When I perform, I KNOW my job is to entertain, not judge those I'm entertaining because of their, to me, poor or limited or (insert preferred adjective here) taste in music.

Thus, if my audience is having fun, then so am I! And that too is an art...

--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!