I get a lot of “this is a great time to be an independent artist” stuff from people who aren’t independent artists. Chris Ruen has taken a look from both sides of the fence and you should read his piece, “The Myth Of DIY”.
There’s a romanticization of that image of the starving artist, someone willing to sacrifice their own well-being in order to live out a higher ideal via their work. But as a music fan, I don’t see anything artful or transcendent in our favorite record stores closing, Touch and Go going out of business, talented musicians saying “fuck it” to enroll in law school because they’re sick of stressing about rent, or a generation adapted to hearing an infinite shuffle of newly-pirated tracks blaring from an iPod dock or tinny computer speakers.
First I thought this was DIY — Driveling Intoxicated Yobs — I looked again. Mr Ruen’s article is sublime. It talks directly to me… and calls my bluff; what better compliment is there among bloggers? eh?
Myth Article says to me:
You must go to the source: Petras, Peter the Rock, for salvation to begin.
Summon corner stones of past centuries from their time-capsule graves… channel their collective wisdom — from Chanting Stonehengers, or National Park Geyser Geezer Choirs, Flaco, Voice of America, Diller Street Chorale, Danny Wallenburg, to Skip Jones, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, World Economy – EU, Bill Cosby, Johnson and Johnson, Public Radio, Jeff Beck, Jimmy McGriff and the Chemical Toilet, all God’s chillun’s… aunts and uncles too…. and their puppies….
Empty your pockets to self-publish, and join the realm of the Dead Poets Society… buy a UTE, challenge pharisees, tramps and thieves… fake your own death, bury yourself in your Tom Waites Zoot Suit — then
Move to Dubai, trade your UTE for a Golf Cart, start over, engage the glisten of arabic public, make a new name for yourself, return after eight years as a different entity, and live the rest of your years funded by your Jewish annuity in the blind Trust you left behind.