Why I Am Unsuccessful At Starting A Band

Why I Am Unsuccessful At Starting A Band: 

When someone says, "I want to get a band together," they imply that they want to be in charge of that team of musicians to their ends. The goal that the person saying it may not align with the goals of the members of the band. And the musicians who would join said band, notoriously, are basically equally opposed to dealing with authority as them, will not put themselves into a position of being "controlled" by said band leader. 

I got to admit; I have some issues with authority. Likewise, other (Most) musicians will too. The trick to leading a band of liberal-minded blokes is to influence rather than dictate. Delegate and motivate rather than designate. Let the members bring to the table what THEY have as individuals, and set the guidelines for their goals as well as yours. If the goals don't match, or at least co-align, it is not  a go to be a band. 

In teams for projects that are tight and go anywhere popular, especially in the eyes of the audience, there has to be a common thread of joy in doing the music. A common goal that says something about the team through the time that they go through the trials and tribulations of being a band and gigging to whatever popularity is achieved. 

Meshing personalities in a band is like painting. If you take different colors and blend them, you'll get another color. When you paint with different colors on a canvas, you essentially get a collage of them. Not just one. 

So, the resulting personality of the band becomes something different than that of one individual. You can't force a group to be all about the concept of the one...unless you're PAYING them NICELY, or you're a superstar already and just hired them for fill-in help. Yuck! Work.

Most musicians, I've found, seem to think that in order to lead a band, you have to be the most bad-ass one in the group. (B.S.) They don't seem to want to accept your leadership or direction if you don't play as well as they do or know more than they do. Hmm! To offset this, I will prioritize valuing the person's contribution to the band/project, rather than see it as a job for this person to perform. I will say, "What you bring to the table is invaluable to this band. You're awesome! Love you for that." That will be the mindset for each interaction I make with members over any issue. We need to step back from our conflicts at some point, and have the mindset of the over all joy it is to play music together in the first place. That has to be the main motivating factor in it...always. 

So, I will ask prospective band formers; "What do you bring to this table? How do our tastes and influences affect the whole result of our endeavor as a band?" "Here's what I bring." And if a drummer can play guitar, it doesn't mean he has to be the front person. If a guitarist can play bass, it doesn't mean he needs to be the bassist. If one member can play ALL the instruments well, so what?! It doesn't mean he/she can lead the band or should be interchangeable with another seat. 

Now, my admission is this: (And I don't try to seem like a big shot of a mature "better person," in saying this.) I saw bands from the outside looking in. I have seen bands from the inside dealing with. I am the layman AND the musician who sees the myths and the truths of what goes into what makes those bands look so good and be so impressive to audiences. I saw it as a businessman who could have someone fill this slot of bass player...someone fill the slot of treasurer/accountant...someone fill the slot of security....the drummer...the roadie...etc. Everyone has a role. If only I could get the personnel to cooperate with....MY CONCEPT! (A show)

(Ooh! He didn't....) 

Yeah. That's NOT how it's going to work. I had to accept that a few years back. And then I have laymen tell me, "You know, you're so talented and got so much music in you, if you had a band together, why don't you get out there and mingle for the right hook-ups and you could take off?!" 

...And I just look at them with a blank face for a minute, and say, "Oh really?" ....BROO-HAH-HA HA HA HA!!! "Ya think??? after 45 years?" 

So if you're not a show biz exec. or mentor with more than me achieved in the music biz, kindly shut the fuck up! 

One of my favorite phrases is, "I don't give you advise on how to run YOUR business outside of music, so don't give me advise on how to do my music!" 

So if it's so hard to even start a band, much less get anywhere with music in business...(Yuck!) Why am I still trying? One might ask. It brings us back to the main principle and reason for this essay; The love and joy of making music in the first place. That's got to be your main motivator. Or else I'm not going for it. I'm down a different rabbit hole. If you are too, let's rock! 

Thank you.

Cyborg Johnny

Not hating. Just Found Out Too Much!

WOW! I just saw a reel that outlined women's reasons for going out dressed to the 9's and I'm blown away! It's "armor" for her security? A validation for her own chemical release to appreciate how good SHE looks? To herself? In mirrors...& when she's not sincere...that's why men's compliments dont-...😡

     Yo... I'M THRIUGH! I'm done with your gender. Nah...

No thank you. The games...

Look, that's like the ultimate narcissistic mindset! Women loving their own looks and getting off on it is like masturbating with your super-ego! 😵‍💫🤨

     I can't say I'm a misogynist! I can't judge based on how men think. I knew women thought differently..."bizzzzzzzz!" than men; ...🤔 And, we may not ever understand women. Much less do we need to. But now I think I've learned too much. I regret knowing this much about women because now I'm less attracted to them just by how they think. 

     No, thank you! 

A Prediction of Our Near Future

Trump... It's 2026. You, (the reader), know what led US into this situation. So I don't want to go over what can be shown as history up till now. Seeing how much the current administration has changed the country and U.S.A.'s (Can I even say, "U," for "United?"), rules so much that we can observe the patterns that have previously in history, brought about the French Revolution, the fall of Rome, The overthrough of Hitler of NAZI Germany, countless atrocities against natives, Mexicans, & Africans...even Asians in this country in the last 200 years! 

     So, it could have been foreseen & has been predicted for the most part in our past. We just weren't listening. I mean the American consumer public in general. We were too busy chasing this facade of the American Deeam or enjoying our civil liberties while running their rat race, to notice that through certain loopholes, with certain plants in office, the right could and would sometime get back into control of this country. 

     That being said, & concurred with by a percentage of the readers of this blog, I predict a breaking up of America into communal states/factions of mini countries. These will be self-sufficient reservations of communities that secede from the federal government. 

     At some point before their establishment, (hopefully without a bloody civil war), there will be Matial Law declared, by which they will further justify their cruel defaming, brutality detaining, & deporting citizens they chose to scapegoat all along. 

     Many will die unjust ly...from homeless to mid-management, from violence, starvation, generally their lack of ability to survive the turmoil. But the Trumpers won't care! They see the lives lost as consequential casualties. "The population needs to be reduced anyway." They would argue in their defense. While, in aftermath, most of the supporters of the MAGA movement or of the  government's fascist crimes against innocent civilians will perish right along with most of the working class and those below the poverty line. There are only a few thousand rich, elite people who will benefit from America's downfall in our near future! I mean in 2 to 10 years! SOONER than you might think! 

     They're shaking the jar, people! They have started to shake it more violently lately, and they don't plan on slowing down.  They have met with some resistance from those of US who refuse to buy into their dumb-down hypnosis or panic (like getting into a situation where likely to be shot in some useless protest!). 

     So here we are...the woke & the righteous, innocent, indifferent, activists, or victims, & even nepharious criminal or addicted...subject to incredibly high prices; having to watch over our shoulders for ICE, or cops, or random mass shooters. How are you going to survive this overthrow of The USA? Because it's CRUNCH TIME! 

They have pushed US too far! 

Most of US are going to drown in the economy, or go down fighting...and maybe get free of their control. (Communes; move to other countries; win cases of benefits liberties in courts for government aid). I'm going down fighting and reserving my last resort plan to leave the country. We can't just do nothing. Might as well be one of the oppressors if you do. 

 Local Weather: WTF? Mother Nature

 https://weather.com/?cm_ven=PS_BI_General_04012019_1&par=MK_BING 

Here in upstate NY, I have lived for 6 years or so, and I know it's a colder climate here than in NC or even NYC where I resided for the first 48 years of my life. But this spring...(Can I call it spring now?) is unseasonable. I do not approve...have no choice but to bear it, but come on! WTF? 

We got a great gradual increase to 78 for lows and mid 80's for highs the past two weeks. Then it plummeted into the 40's and 50's with rain for up to 4 days straight. This is not the normal spring rain you expect for the region. this is cold breezy, constant rain with no thunder, no lightning. 

It's May, not April anymore. (April showers bring May flowers - the saying goes.) but this seems more like April came late in May and spring was cut short for a brief winter blast until June brings blazing hot summer in a day!  

It makes me think, "WTF sort of El Nina (El Nino), storm system, or anomaly in the jet stream are we suffering through this time? It has me looking online at weather reports for what changes in the national air masses are making this season become erratic this year. 

Last year as well, we had arctic blasts which brought a harsher winter. We had a record-breaking hot summer last year too and I dare not complain about the heat since it's the cold and miserableness of winters that I despise with much passion. 

 I have never seen such drastic abnormalities in weather for a region in my 54 years on this planet and i want to know...WTF is going on?

 

“(Leggings are) meant to wear underneath a long shirt that covers your heiny, or a long sweater of some type, or a dress. It is not meant to be your actual pants, and if you have a shirt that comes to here, then you are showing everything..." -   Principal Taylor’s remarks 

 

From an article in Seventeen Magazine by

By Megan Friedman

Aug 25, 2017https://www.seventeen.com/life/school/a12094992/principal-leggings-size-0-or-2/#

about High School dress code for leggings and yoga pants. 

I rest my case about the audacity and improper wear of girls trying to be "cute" with the attire that brings the WRONG attention from males. They really don't get it? And they look foolishly trendy trying to look the same. I couldn't believe how many cookie-cut-outs I saw in Union college dining halls when I worked there as a temporary dishwasher! 

Here's more:

https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/175460-phylicia-masonheimer-modesty-yoga-pants-and-5-myths-you-need-to-know.html/2 

https://www.quora.com/Why-are-leggings-against-some-school-dress-codes-They-do-not-expose-anything 

I love the vie, being a straight male. But I just don't think young ladies, or even many older ones, should be wearing those things to all these places in public. (Church, restaurants, court houses, schools, and work!) Knowing what's on the minds of us "creepy" guys who look at them, never mind the ones who actually jeer, cat call, groope, ridicule or take creep-shots of them, You'd think that with the ladies' complaints about this, they'd go home and change into something more conservative so as not to get the pressure! More back-lash is needed on this issue! Harsher restrictions need to be enforced, in my opinion. 

I make fun of it and criticize it in the songs I write, but it is a serious violation of public modesty and decency if the gal's woo-hah is saying hello to you and her body language is saying "Creep, stop looking at me like a sex object!"

Since 2013, I published the album in a previous blog, as "With Liberty and Justice For ALL!" 

The next CD release of mine will be called, "Is My Hair OK?" It's a collection of 10 songs about American spoiled lifestyles and vanity and conceit. 

Since the work has taken 3 years so far to complete, I have written 10 more songs and conceived of a NEXT album which is called, "Something In The Water." It is a work that comments on the contamination of not only water, but wheat, other produce, media, and and even gadgets with access to the Internet. 

So much for "Conspiracy Theory." It's more and more becoming conspiracy FACT!

 

I must have forgotten to post what I had to say here. 

It's 2020 now and I think I'll use this space to catch you up on the discography. 

Since 2013, I published the album in the last blog, as "With Liberty and Justice For ALL!" 

The next CD release of mine will be called, "Is My Hair OK?" It's a collection of 10 songs about American spoiled lifestyles and vanity and conceit. 

Since the work has taken 3 years so far to complete, I have written 10 more songs and conceived of a NEXT album which is called, "Something In The Water." It is a work that comments on the contamination of not only water, but wheat, other produce, media, and and even gadgets with access to the Internet. 

So much for "Conspiracy Theory." It's more and more becoming conspiracy FACT!