Find what you love and let it kill you.

[OldSausage]

Here's an article by a concert pianist who thinks what we're doing is sticking it to the man. I'm not sure I wholeheartedly concur, but it's a great read:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musi...ove?CMP=twt_gu

[Nevin]

Thanks for the link. I agree, well worth the read.

[usqebach]

Well, there is a certain element of self-indulgence in the notion that we are not responsible to anyone else (e.g. his ex-wife, or the fact that he spent time in a mental hospital, presumably at taxpayer expense) in the pursuit of music and art. And there is the narcissism that goes along with putting forth music as a cry for attention from the world. The article that self-aggrandizes that behavior goes hand-in-hand with that thought process.

Don't get me wrong, I could easily be accused of both, albeit at a lower level. I get frustrated and angry that I can't seem to prioritize my life in such a way that the "rest of the world" can take a 1 hour hiatus every day so I can practice something. But invariably, dog needs feeding, kid needs parenting, wife needs ....object for conversation, work needs warm body at keyboard, Atlanta traffic needs another miserable participant to enhance the city's reputation as the worst out there. You get the picture.

So in the end, it's fair to say that I admire the dedication of the artist, and the ability they have to block out all the other distractions in order to pursue their art. It is a decision they have made, that I have not. I attempt to justify my own mediocrity as being "balanced," and "well-rounded" rather than specifically great at one thing and ineffectual at dealing with the rest of society. To each his own!

p.s. Hope to meet you at Marty's next Friday!

[DataNick]

Good read, Thanks OldSausage!

Sounds like the last couple of women I was involved with the last 12 months...fortunate to be alive...LOL

[Ken_P]

Here's an article by a concert pianist who thinks what we're doing is sticking it to the man. I'm not sure I wholeheartedly concur, but it's a great read:

That's not really what I got out of it - I took away an all consuming passion for music, which I think is something most of us share, at least to an extent. I don't have the talent or guts to take it as far as he has and basically drop out of life to pursue it, but I totally get where he's coming from. Wonderful article and playing! Take the time to watch the clips, especially the first if you're not familiar with the Beethoven piano sonatas (as I keep reminding myself, not many people on a mandolin message board would be

[jaycat]

He had no income for five years? What or whom was he living off of?

That's great advice for people to try writing, painting, etc. He doesn't say if he is writing music, or only playing what others have already written. It might make for a good discussion: which is the more "creative" endeavor, writing a brand new 3-chord song, or brilliantly playing a sonata that he had no hand in bringing into the world?

[OldSausage]

He had no income for five years? What or whom was he living off of?

He says that just before that he'd spent 10 years working in the City - no doubt he means a job in finance, so the implication is that he was living off his savings from that period.

[mandocrucian]

"Turn on, tune up, drop out"

[Denny Gies]

Nice fine, Old Sausage. Thanks for the tip.

[JH Murray]

It is a counter-cultural act to create art or music when we live in such a consumeristic society. I think this is why we are seeing such a resurgence in the mandolin and banjo. People want to create something real when everything around them is plastic & virtual.

[stevedenver]

i like the link and the article a lot

i take exception to the idea that somehow, because of this person's path, he is irresponsibe, per se, or somehow a leach on society, or narcissistic. Focus and commitment often results in unbalance in many of life's demands. He mentions his financial career as a contrast to his later choice.

Everyone of us makes choices, for which we are responsible. We currently live in a wolrd with extraordinarily high unemployment for even highly educated college graduates. I do not think of these persons as societal pariahs, because of thier lack of choice, or alternative choices they may make.

I am certain that an article about a highly successful executive or politician, similarly out of balance or self indulgent, and so often self centered, etc., would not bring the comments re the potentail neglect towards family or other responsibilities. There would be the presumption of legitimacy , i think, which artists and many others dont have.

what i did take away from the article, is DO something. Remember what it WAS that you loved at one time, and dont succumb the mainstream comfort of convenience or media marketed convention. More so, find some art to make.

BTW i do work long hours and own my own business, and i get this article.

[JeffD]

His intended audience does not include us.

We have made the step, away from the television, and away from the programmed recorded corporatized music that so many passively absorb. We have taken on the audacious task of entertaining ourselves and each other with home made music.

[JEStanek]

I think this applies to a great many creative outlets and not only music. I think in many ways being creative is very self indulgent. I think it is important. Not all of us will be high level concert pianists/mandolinists or whatever your passion may be.

I'm coming up on one year of doing a photo a day challenge (make a photo based on a theme provided). I didn't think at the onset I would still be at it but, it has changed how I look at the world. I'm not merely looking to fulfill the daily task but seeing the beauty all around me more. I suspect for players who put in the time and work to improve hear the world differently. They hear natural rythms and can more easily read the music that is presented to them. Therin lies the utility of following your passion.

I don't think it's fair to second guess his motives or his path, or his mental illness of which we were presented zero facts in this piece. Nor do we know anything about his finances.

I know my creative outlet is improving and I still fritter away too much time on the PC/Phone/TV. It's a choice and I understand the costs each way. My playing is at a certain level and I can either accept that and my investment in it or I must choose to cut other things to make realistic improvements. I remain happy in my life and mostly content with enough of that creative itch to keep me wanting to make improvements.

I don't know if it's counter culture per the previous meaning of the word to make our own music, take photos, garden, or write but I think for some of us it is a vey real need as opposed to a bandwagon to hop on (which it also can be). Mandolins, cameras, pens, gouges are all tools than can fall into being accoutrements. It's a choice.

Jamie

[jaycat]

. . . Nor do we know anything about his finances. . . .

No, we don't, and it's none of our business, except that he brings it up. I do think many of us must fantasize about how much playing music, writing music, painting, writing prose and poetry, photography, gardening, etc., we could accomplish given a five-year period in which we didn't have to work for a living.

The Photo A Day is a cool exercise, I know that PBase used to have something similar when I was a member. A few years back I undertook the exercise of writing a Story A Day, which I kept going for a few months. That was also revelatory in that the events of the day took on renewed meaning when they became the jumping-off point for a piece of short fiction.

[SternART]

I'm with Bukowski on this one..........and I wouldn't have it any other way. Besides too late for a mid-life crisis now. Nobody said being an artist would be easy, and it isn't........I might not be at the exact destination I imagined but I really do enjoy the path! I'm 37 years into my life as an artist & have never had a day job.

We're having Open Studios in Benicia, CA this weekend........come check out my scene if you're nearby.

[OldSausage]

Well, also consider that for many people, what they love is taking care for their family, doing their job and watching TV. I think the weak link in the article is that such a lifestyle is presented as if there's something wrong with it - there might be, but not if that is what you love. People often sacrifice the enjoyment of creative pursuits for it. I couldn't say which is the bigger or more meaningful sacrifice.

[OldSausage]

p.s. Hope to meet you at Marty's next Friday!

I'm planning to be there - look forward to seeing you.

[usqebach]

I didn't mean to imply there is anything wrong with the obsessive pursuit of any endeavor, be it music, art, sports or business. So long as one is self-sufficient in that pursuit at whatever lifestyle it affords them, I'm all for it.

My only comment is that after one takes on responsibilities such as a wife or kids, or loses the financial wherewithal to be self-supporting, then that pursuit should be subservient to the commitments made previously. And a family torn asunder by a corporate exec climbing the ladder is no less wronged than by an artist pursuing his passion.

We don't know the entire circumstances surrounding this article, but the obvious implication was that this man wrecked his life to play music. If it's just his life, have at it! But if it destroyed his marriage or put him "on the dole," then it's not something I think merits praise in a featured article.

[Pete Summers]

That's great advice for people to try writing, painting, etc. He doesn't say if he is writing music, or only playing what others have already written. It might make for a good discussion: which is the more "creative" endeavor, writing a brand new 3-chord song, or brilliantly playing a sonata that he had no hand in bringing into the world?

"Only" playing what others have written? No hand in bringing the sonata into the world?

I disagree. Classical music is unique in that it actually requires two creators - the guy who conceived the music and wrote down the dots, and the person who spends their life learning to make the dots into music and bringing that music to the world. There is no Beethoven making music, only the musicians who dedicate their lives to performing Beethoven. They are just as much creators of the music as he was, equal partners, IMO.

All art requires two people, of course: the painter/composer/sculptor/dancer, etc., and the viewer/listener, etc. But a painting or statue still exists whether anyone sees it or not. A Beethoven sonata only exists as music when someone plays it. The performer is the co-creator.

[Randi Gormley]

A passion for anything, including politics and office work, when taken to extreme can leave you without the accoutrements of a so-called normal life -- although happily without. He seems not to miss what he's lost -- whether it's his wife, his old life or pieces of his mind -- because of the satisfaction of his current life. It was a price he was willing to pay. I didn't get the idea that he was suggesting everybody do the same; it seemed to me that he was saying that fearing loss (of income, family or bedrock) shouldn't hold you back from taking the first step if you really are passionate about something. I'm curious how he knew that his passion would sustain through all the sacrifices, though, and whether he had that kind of energy, drive and passion for anything else in his life -- marriage, work whatever.

[tmsweeney]

I understand where he is coming from - if you love art or music ( or tennis or biking) or whatever you should give as much of yourself to it as you possibly can
But as a Parent , husband, mortgage holder, and professional I understand that for me this is not practical.

I sometimes day dream about having an endless supply of resources and all the time in the world to devote to mando playing
and I realize it is a foolish pursuit

I would probably become bored with it and might not play at all
so I don't agree that great art is being wasted because not everyone throws themselves completely into it.

can a non-pro athlete do amazing things on the field and astonish his or her local audience - absolutely
can a couple of folks with some string instruments get together on a back porch somewhere and make great music- happens all the time.

[shortymack]

You can spend 8 hours a day chasing someone elses dream or creating yours. As difficult as the life of an artist is, imagine not having a passion for anything but mere existence and survival. Not being able to escape the daily rigors that consume everything except for that brief moment in time where there is no time. I thank God that I have been given the blessing of passion and artistry wrapped together in a gift package with my name on it and I would tend to venture many here do as well.

[mandolinlee]

Jamie - If that photo-a-day project includes images of mandolins there are lots and lots of people right here who would like to see them.
Lee

[JeffD]

Well, also consider that for many people, what they love is taking care for their family, doing their job and watching TV. I think the weak link in the article is that such a lifestyle is presented as if there's something wrong with it - there might be, but not if that is what you love. People often sacrifice the enjoyment of creative pursuits for it. I couldn't say which is the bigger or more meaningful sacrifice.

I think this is an often overlooked point. (I might disagree about television, but that's my personal axe.) But to create a life dominated by family and meaningful work is a gigantic thing.

The attraction of the passionate hobby, creative or not, art or craft or sport, over family and work is that we can put it aside when we don't feel like it, while family and work represent responsibilities that cannot be put aside.

When we fantasize about having the resources to be able to indulge our passions full time, the fantasy is really to clear the deck of responsibility. That we can play mandolin whenever we want - is really saying that we can play mandolin only when we want. We can put it down whenever we don't feel like it.

That ain't real life.

[catmandu2]

... I'm curious how he knew that his passion would sustain through all the sacrifices, though, and whether he had that kind of energy, drive and passion for anything else in his life -- marriage, work whatever.

I think this is salient, in that--the rational calculation is increasingly left aside, when committing to such a life. Of course all of human life is really "absurd"--but to engage life in this manner is typically seen as more "irrational"--from the usual (Western) cultural perspectives--but in actuality is probably the least absurd approach to take

All life is "gamble"--although we try to minimize risk and insecurity (indeed, trying to frame it all in rational terms characterizes much and probably sometimes all of our experience), which is why such risky business as a life committed to the "irrational," creative process is typically viewed as such