Rich musician, poor musician
Updated: Jul 17, 2021
Hey guys, how are you?
Things are going quiet well, muse came knocking on my door step few days ago and told me i should start working on a new album. songs are being written, and beats are being made in my groove lab. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, work with my brother Alon on Pil Basira's music is going pretty well and we intend to release a new song every month, next song on june 1st, to spread love, joy and art, and get some new listeners. Follow Pil Basira.
This post is about society's attitude towards music and creative people, about fear and money, about well being and prejudice, about passion, about choices, about you, about me.
As a young boy, I was enchanted by music and dreamt of becoming a musician when i grow up, and life took me on a long and mysterious path towards this destination. this dream, this fantasy is now my reality.
I grew up in a small town called Lod which is now world famous for it's riots, and besides school and street soccer, I loved going to rehearsals at the local youth orchestra. This was my place to shine, I felt safe, i felt popular, talented and had good company of like minded cool kids (yes, orchestra kids are the coolest).
Being a musician is a general and abstract way of life, it is a combination of choice, chance and talent (everybody has one, I believe), and it is hard for normal people to understand what is my "job". To be honest, most people think that musicians are bums and junkies with no steady income and no sense of responsibility.
The first thing that people ask me whenever I tell them I'm a musician is how and how much money i make, its a realistic question. Truth is that there are many musicians that are millionaires, and many other who aren't, Like most other occupations and professions. The secret is in financial education, I believe, not at all at the title of your occupation.
This article is for all people who want to take initiative, to create, to be a contributor to this wonderful planet and humanity.
As I told you before, I was a "normal" person, working 9 to 5, not hating my job, but steal waiting for the weekend all through the week. Until I got a call from the desert. outdoors, playing music with the cool evening breeze, I decided to become a full time musician. this decision was complicated, since I was a university graduate, a military officer and a working man, I was considered a freak of nature. why leave such a good job? go play music in your own free time. where will you work, how will I survive?
After quitting my job I travelled India for a few months, made some gigs and recorded music. I felt like I need guidance and knowledge to become better and went to study double bass, in the classic method (with a bow and notes and all). My teacher was super professional and kind, but me? I was not so good, maybe it's because I did not really understand the importance of what he had thought me.
One day, after a long and winding session, he told me he is frustrated, my progression was slow, and he was truly concerned about my future. he was afraid that I will not find a good job at an orchestra, because I'm to old (I was 26) and there is a lot of competition from great young Chinese (this is what he told me, i presume that good bass players are everywhere) bass players who play accurate and lovely. I got him, I could never be an orchestral double bass player (i don't want to). As he told me about the Chinese music invasion. I left. again, no guru, no direction, wild, beautiful and broke, i roamed around Israel playing, Jamming, Gathering, meeting people of all kinds, running away from the Chinese, I went seeking for help.
How will I live? Where would I go? Will I ever get paid for playing music? Who will hire me? Who will play with me?
I asked my music guru Avram Felder (a great Israeli jazz trumpet player), "where should I study, who will teach me?"
He told me that: "The internet is full of knowledge, you just need to know what you want and take it. don't waist your energy on unworthy music teachers".
At that exact moment, He gave me a new perspective on life, the gift of choice and creation.
No waiting and looking for people (boss, conductor) to give me a job and meaning. I went on seeking my own musical meaning. once i decided to go proactive, i got tons of gigs as a baseman, alongside creating original music and booking most of my concerts myself.
I could seat and wait for the Chinese takeover, but I chose to take action and look out for myself.
the world is in dire and constant demand of creative people, that take action and lead us to a bright future.
I'm a rich musician, although I don't have property (only guitars, LOL). I have my brain, I have time, I consistent and creative, I'm surrounded by love and support, all thanks to my choices, my actions, my self confidence and Belief.
Be a rich musician, take care of yourself, find your path, be sure to stay creative and open minded, never stop learning and read a book or two( or more) on how to do it.
Peace and love.
Tell me what you think about it and recommend a good book in the comments bellow.
See you next Tuesday live on site.
www.cooligorgroove.com/stream
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