Balancing the Wind

In music, like all of life, you need to get the balance right to succeed. I’m in the midst of a recording project and setting levels, mixing, editing all the instruments, pitches, sounds and volumes. When I used to have bands invariably the drummer, guitar player etc. would fret there wasn’t enough of him in the mix. That is universal it seems and I’ve talked to hundreds of other musicians. On stage it’s the same thing. The singer will complain that he can’t hear himself in the mix or monitor. You learn what your “money maker” is as we call it. Is the singer the main reason people stay turned onto your music? The rhythm? The flute? When you figure that out you can create a supporting sound like a great jazz combo interweaving in and out of prominence and create something cohesive free of the tension of competition. You will either learn this the hard way or through years and years of experience. When you are professional from an early age, like I have been, you learn it early in your development and adjust accordingly.

The idea of balance has been taking me for a ride with this project. See, you can either think of it as blending like cooking or like an advisory all wanting equal amounts of your time and attention. The idea of sacrifice for you art is difficult, especially in the early stages and then the more successful you become. Expectations of producing something better, more awesome and “your best yet” can’t help but creep into your creativity. Most artists don’t read their press and isolate themselves from things like the Grammys. Facebook and MySpace have changed that dramatically. Fans will say they like this song more than the others or they wish you would do more of this and their favorite one is this song…..etc. Which is great. I enjoy and even solicit feedback from listeners. The access you give people on social media is a very delicately balanced walk. You are trying to maintain what you think might be their image of you (and you are really only kidding yourself there) with who you really are, what people you went to school with think they remember, your professional image and all the while trying to not reveal so much that it is a distraction. I know I’ve found myself taking a fast from all that though the temptation to check Facebook in between recording tracks is strong.

When you are committed to an art something else will suffer, be lost. Life on the road, in the studio and the hours of rehearsing is lonely and misunderstood. There is nothing sexy about driving 12 hour days, getting lost, unloading your gear and falling asleep with a burrito in one hand and your laptop on your lap. The partner back home might be thinking of all the groupies and fans you are fending off. For the independent artist that is rarely the case—and never the case for this one. When you are home relationships, friends, bills, taxes, yard work, children, pets, life all need your attention. You end up feeling like you are only treading water with most things. The amount of time I could spend on line working and promoting is well over 40 hours a week. But I don’t. I can’t. So, like I said, something suffers. In the end you give more than your reserves to your art and your fans. Think of Billie Holiday, Hank Williams, Chet Baker, Janis Joplin to name a few. Poets, writers and artists have the same lineage. You can burn out so take of yourself however you can. Do the little things that give you a sense that you have some say in your day. I always travel with a book or two, an iPod and some really indulgent movie like Bring it On or the Scary Movie series. Just for me. I cook meals that take hours to prepare. I try to pay attention to loved ones with varying success. Al the while I’m thinking of getting the balance right. Living with arthritis means sometimes I get flattened and have to stop. When the only time you rest is when you are ill it is probably time to check the balance. Stay tuned for the new music. I am very excited about this music. I’ve returned to a fuller, more fleshed-out sound and incorporating instruments I’ve taught myself to play like the Udangu Udu, more Anasazi flute, the Bodhran and some surprises. What you will hear is a lot more singing because fans, critics, programmers and musicians I really respect say they want to hear more and my mom does too.

Peace

Randy

American Idol Killed the Subtle Star

Video Killed The Radio Star - ...

When MTV came on the air 1 August 1981 it played the song “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles as their first song. Now in 2010 we have American Idol and I think “Idol Killed the Subtle Star.”

Simon Cowell, of American Idol is quoted to have said something like, “If you've got a big mouth and you're controversial, you're going to get attention.” He should know. Though I think he is probably the most honest, non ass-kissing person in the entertainment industry his delivery is absent of tact because people don’t watch tact—they watch conflict and drama. Plus the millions of singers he’s heard in Europe and the US, well, anyone would cave. What has come to mind is how singers with understatement and subtlety never seem to show up on American Idol and rarely get our attention except for the “critical recognition,” translation: only reviewers who have the sophistication to get it about an artist mention them before they recede back into the spaces between overkill and laconic.

Subtle and understated performances are not so easy to define. To me they are the artists, be it painters, actors, musicians who have what I call headroom. Meaning they have the skill or chops to wipe the floor with what they do but choose to keep it in check like a helium balloon fit into a pill bottle. In understatement you hear the depth of the player—just not all at once. It is measured because the music is more important than the skill. Make sense? I know it when I hear it and I play it. Think of Whitney Houston’s version of the Star Spangled Banner as she aggressively let the world know that she could fit more notes into a single pitch than we could. Should have been the Star Mangled Banner, with all due respect Ms. Houston. American Idol has been great that it is giving singing and music a spotlight as well as the creative process. It is also sort of giving people a critical ear if you will. You ask people why they like one band over another or Mozart over Beethoven and they will not be able to articulate more than…well it just makes me feel good. So while it has helped sharpen our ears it has also homogenized what we think is good or not. You are forced to decide you like one over the other. And while music is a competition for listeners that step of discovery and discrimination is out the window. Who says 1 of these 12 is the best singer with potential in America? Well three over paid judges and the people who watch then vote supposedly.

I can guarantee that if some of my friends were to walk into a coffee house and hear and see Susan Boyle singing they’d either turn and walk out or sit really far away. I watched her audition over and over trying to figure out what it was people were weeping and having religious experiences about. Granted I’m a trained musician who makes a living entertaining people, but that wasn’t it. It was that people seemed to be more gullible than I give them credit. If something is packaged and presented to the public the bait is taken and eaten willingly. I’ve seen it myself with listeners and fans. We artists know that nothing, and I mean nothing, is more powerful than friends telling their friends about their music! It’s met a filter for them. As I’m in the throes of recording an album I’m trying to not think in terms of what is commercial but I’ll admit feedback and criticism has steered me. I never, ever give a shit what anyone thinks of what I do musically. Seriously. I’ve been insulted directly by my heroes to my face and after I scooped up my stomach I gave it thought. Regardless of the music I’m thinking how will I market this? Who will I hire? What is the back story and angle? Trust me friends everyone does this. We have to. I want my music to reach as many people as possible just not in obscurity.

It isn’t about the fame or money—that is such a hallow goal I see so many Flute players pursuing. My music is straight from my heart but I’ve been told it needs to reach as many people as possible. It comforts, it heals and it brings joy. That is always a good thing. Stay tuned for more info on the CD. I am excited, humbled and overjoyed by the music that comes to me. Thank my parents for indulging me and letting me take lessons and by a drum set. Thank everyone who ever called me weak or fag that drove this talented, skinny, sickly, overly intelligent, overly sensitive boy to channel the creative force inside to hear Creator’s whispers in dreams and bring them to light. I love what I do and if it takes 300 years for my understated style to catch on so be it. American Idol will be gone and I’ll still be in the gravitational orbit of Earth. Because that’s where the people are.

Much Love
Randy

Is This All You Do?

“Is this all you do?” When I get asked that question from people I know what they are probably asking but so I usually have no outward reaction. “Don’t take anything anyone says, compliment or criticism personally” I remind myself. I’ve also learned that not every question merits an answer just like not every door needs to answered, every phone, email, text etc., either. What is it about people that we need to quantify everything in life? Being a musician is a numbers game for sure. If you know anything about major labels and how many of the great artists got screwed out of their royalties you know you have to sell X amount of Units just to cover your “recoupable” costs. Did you really think the studio time, producer and case of single malt scotch was paid for by the record company? Silly boy.

Of course I’m an independent artist so the KOA campground fee, tin of salmon with Tabasco and crackers comes out of mine—and you the fan who actually pays for the download on iTunes—pockets. Recently I played a festival where it seemed some guys were just either really bored or were writing a book about me. I don’t know. As I do more often, I had a booth selling my “merch” as we call it in the biz. In addition to my music I sell t-shirts, bumper stickers but also the jewelry I make as well as hand-blended aromatherapy massage oils and some beautiful flutes made for me by master flute maker Michael Graham Allen. Why? Income primarily but also I enjoy being an ambassador of the Native flute, talking with people, making that connection, hearing stories, taking pics with fans, signing CD’s. The flipside it is exhausting. You set up your tent, which is a chore, your booth, display are on your feet most of the 10-hour day and scramble for someone to watch your tent while you headline the main stage. Afterwards you run back—a gaggle of new fans following you—have no time to compose yourself before you spend the next two hours using the “knuckle buster” credit card swiper, signing CD’s answering the same questions 70 times and all the while smiling. That’s the easy part though. I love what I do and am one of the privileged few who get to do it. It is my passion and why I’m here. I have to put that in because I hear from people all the time telling me how lucky or blessed I am….yada yada yada. Yes, I am aware. However, sometimes it is nice to have someone say “You really work your ass off don’t you? I’m glad it is paying off. How can I help?” ha ha

Really the main drawback for me, and probably other vendors at shows, is that you are captive. At the festival I mentioned several guys knew my entire Youtube catalog and asked specifically what I did 2:21 minutes into the song on this or that video. Huh?! Here is a sampling of actual questions I got in one day at the festival:

- Do you know where Singapore is? I bet you can’t tell me where it is.

- How many gigs do you average a week? A month? Or do you go by year?

- Tell me everything about how I can make it. I’m fucking awesome.

- How did you start?

- What advice do you have for me, I want tour?

- Okay, tell me what Canyon Records is looking for? How do I get signed to them? Seriously?

- Have you always been a musician or?

- Is this all you do?

- How long did it take you learn to play the Native American flute?

- How long did it take you to learn the Hang?

- My mom wasn’t at your concert. Can she see you Hang drum?

- How many CD’s do you have to sell per concert?

- Do you know _________?

- I’m 1/64^th Cherokee. Do you think I could learn the flute?

- Do you make your own flutes?

- Did you make that thing? (Hang)

- Where/how did you get it?

- How much did you pay?

- How long did it take you to make it? (this is making it?) geez

- Who made your CD? Who produced it? Who does your artwork? Who books you? How did you get booked here? Who is your agent? What camera do you use on your videos? What software? What mic? What program do you use to record? Where do you record?

- How did you get on Mystic Soundscapes? Hearts of Space? Etc.

- Are you like a “real” musician? (my favorite)

It goes on but I want you to keep reading so I’ll stop there. Usually I can deflect or temper any question, but this time I had an arthritic flare up in my knee, was dehydrated and in more pain the my usual Aleve could handle. I finally asked one guy if he was interested in buying my cd’s or flutes and that shut him up and moved him along. I later overheard him trying to trade a gun for a flute at another vendor’s tent. Yikes. To surmise. While you have to quantify what you do in order to set goals, make an income without going bankrupt, get bigger gigs, get air play, et al, the one thing you can’t quantify is the creative drive. It’s like we are privy to a secret source that once you sign onto, goes through you and you must do something with it. You must distill, translate and document the creativity by honing your craft, practicing, being receptive and working as hard as it takes through challenges, pain, relationship troubles, dogs dying etc. When you try to block it or dismiss it you pay the price. That is for another blog though. I’ve accepted this responsibility. One thing I did tell the one guy was when he came by and said, “Okay dude, I’m getting ready to leave, but do you have any last advice you can give me?”

I said, “As a matter of fact yes. But you can’t tell anyone because it is a secret only the top musicians share. Okay? Well the secret to making it as a musician is……. To work your butt off all the time and when you think you are working hard enough, you probably aren’t. Blend passion with compulsion and at night dream about what more you can do the next day. In fact in the hour you’ve been asking me all these questions, you could have been working.”

I’m updating my calendar, though slowly as I am working on many other projects at the same time. Check it often or bookmark it. www.randygranger.net/calendar.html I’ll be returning the World of Faeries Festival in South Elgin, IL, the INAFA 2010 Convention in Eau Claire, WI, Native Rhythms Fest in Fl and at Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, the first International-Tribal Powwow in El Paso among others and with much humility I’ll be playing at the prestigious Rothko Chapel www.rothkochapel.org in Houston with Bowl and Gong artist Jodi Roberts www.sacredinspiration.com and Violist Stephanie Phillips www.myspace.com/humantrio

Many of you know me for my Native Flute and Hang music, but I’ve been a professional musician most of my life as a Singer, percussionist and guitarist. Here is a quick recording and video I did of the Rogers and Hart standard, “My Funny Valentine.” Happy Valentine’s Day folks.

Randy