Re: [Harp-L] The struggles with innovation

[Jesse <jvboden@xxxxxxxxx>]

Although your situation is unique, lots of professional musicians who would
like to think of themselves as artists know the pain of being asked to play
some really lame song that they consider to be unadulterated dog poo. The
first time you do it, you die a little. Then, after a while, maybe you see
that it is making people happy and they like to dance to it, so what’s the
harm? And so it goes. The lucky ones are those whose original songs are well
received, but then you hear famous musicians crying because no one wants to
hear their new material, just the “hits”, the ones they are so sick of
playing they have to take drugs to get through the night. It is always more
rewarding to have people respond enthusiastically to your art, and with
music, that response feeds the artist and the music takes on a higher
energy. Without that feedback, we have to just be our own audience sometimes
– be happy with what we can do, whether gigs are raining on us or the phone
hasn’t rung in five years. To spontaneously create songs without repeating
them is unusual, it is akin to performance art created by painters – not
many people can appreciate a flow of creativity that is unbridled. They
would rather have something that matches the couch. That is the way of the
world and the way of the artist. Many an artist suffers, has moments of
triumph and lives a solitary existence, even when surrounded by people. I
will tell you one thing, and have said it before, your rack harmonica
playing is among the best I have ever heard, including all the classic old
blues players and young Turks who try it today. And, you do rock, no
question. Good luck to you, Walter. In the day of Youtube, at least there is
a way to get your music out there, and you won’t need to repeat it. I hope
you get lucky, somebody digs what you are putting down and you find yourself
in front of a festival crowd or TV audience one of these days soon.