My new credo...

I've been reading a lot of Henry Rollins recently. If you haven't read him, i suggest you do so. Anyways, with that preface, i give you my new credo in terms of music. i guess its more bullet points, but you'll get the idea. I can't vouch for the other guys in the band, but something tells me they will agree with it. well, most of it anyways... I'm not being negative, cynical, or trying to pull punches. These are things that i've either 1.) come to peace with, 2.) recently adopted, 3.) or witnessed in others that i whole heatedly disagree with.

-music to me is like pouring gas on a lit match...and there's never enough gas.
-if you don't like it, i don't care. but i hope that you do. reassurance is always nice. if a musician tells you differently, prepare yourself to be lied to.
-i am relentless. not because i have something to prove to anyone or any band, but i have something to prove to myself. I've been told for 15 years that its not good enough, its not heavy enough, or its not something that can be digested by the masses. well, allow me to be the source of indigestion moving forward. sorry, but X-lax is probably pretty cheap. it can't be worse than taco bell. come on.
-shit talkers are just that. shit that talks. an anonymity is just funny to me. run to the message boards.
-(insert Rollins quote here) 'art is supposed to wreck you. if it doesn't, you're cheating your work' (that's from Rollins's Broken Summers, check it if you like, but I'll make you read the whole thing to find it). nothing needs to be explained here. if you don't feel something with a song, then don't let anyone hear it. that's when it becomes superficial. some applies to visual art. and you KNOW when they feel it, and you know when they don't. i've felt cheated by a lot of music recently.
-all musicians have a muse. never ever ask about it. they won't tell you. if they do, then its not the real muse. its the most personal thing an artist has. its part of their soul. without it, they don't have much. its a part that you probably shouldn't want to know about anyways. just let it be. that acceptance is part of being with an artist.
-never apologize for anything you do artistically. ever. and i won't.

so, just to recap..

-keep me away from matches...
-i hope you like our music, but if you don't, that's cool. it won't hurt our feelings.
-i've been doing this too long to listen to other people. you are getting the 'straight from the heart' stuff here. no bullshit. i think in the past i was aways wanting to 'please people' and i kind of overlooked myself.
-shit talkers mean nothing to me. if you have a comment about how much we sound like someone else or how much you don't like it, just say it. you won't hurt our feelings. i promise. Sack up man.
-Rollins is the shit, and every musician should read him. it will put a lot in perspective. if you don't, then, well, i guess you are doing yourself a disservice.
-don't ask about the muse. don't ask what is a song about. if you date a musician, or are married to one, i'm sorry. just let things be. its better that way. everyone has their 'personal' demons. there's no sense in letting it consume you as well.
-and finally, you'll never get an apology out of me. for anything related to music.

and there you have it. my new credo. or credos. or philosophy. or whatever you want to call it. these aren't a dig on anyone or any band, just things that have marinated in my head. i guess the moral of the story is this: if a musician feels something, then so will you. when they don't, neither will you. that's how you'll know if they are bullshitting you or not.

anyways...i'm going to go marinate some more. and yes, this is my 'mean' face. i could never pull it off that well anyway...hahaha! Brandon's is so much better than mine, and he's half smiling.

dc