Reaching My Teen Through Music

Reaching My Teen Through Music

Much as I did (and still do) with my older daughter, I share a bond through music with my teen. Only a week prior I had taken her to see a band (Badflower) whose music we had discovered together, over the summer. This time around, Badflower was the headliner, and one of the openers was Weathers – who neither of us had ever heard of.

Finding New Music

Finding New Music

I have an imagination that works constantly, from running fantasies about the amazing things I’d do if I won the lottery to imagining a bucket list item being fulfilled … like getting the chance to play the drums on stage with band I love, for a song… I regularly think about those choices in life that have taken me down the path I’m on, as in – what if I’d chosen something different? A writer, a chef, a military officer, a drummer, a detective, a radio host, a football coach, a winemaker… or, in this case, a music producer. 

Rule Number One for Songwriters

Rule Number One for Songwriters

I have one rule when it comes to a song that, when violated, instantly dictates that I will not like it. No matter the artist. No matter the genre. I am talking about a phrase, repeated, consecutively, more than twice, particularly without change in meaning by inflection or change in dynamics. Join me as I describe why I hate the Grammys, discuss music that breaks the rule, and get creative “correcting” the lyrics of a brand new Shinedown song.

My Advice to Rock Stars, Amazon, Apple, etc.

My Advice to Rock Stars, Amazon, Apple, etc.

Maybe there ARE bands that cave into the pressure put on by record producers who feel that they can make more money if they “soften the edge” of their music, or mimic whatever is trending. I have a lot of trouble imagining that. In fact, I choose not to believe that. I’m glad that bands I love like Linkin Park and Shinedown continue to evolve and try new things and stay fresh. It’s part of what makes them exceptional. Every artist should…