We recently read Hugh MacLeod’s new book, “Ignore Everybody, and 39 Other Keys to Creativity“. You might already be aware of Hugh from his website www.gapingvoid.com, where he has successfully morphed his New York City bar & coffee shop past-time of using the back of a business card for his bizarre cartons and provoking observations into a nice little money-maker, with more than one million people having downloaded “How to be Creative”, his original post which inspired this book.

So essentially we have 40 tips on creativity.

Although Hugh was a copy writer for an advertising agency when he started his little hobby, most of the tips are easily transferable into the lives of songwriters and musicians. So, here’s a little sample of Hugh’s tips along with Namba Gear’s commentary.

Keep Your Day Job

Hugh refers to this as the Sex and Cash Theory (see we told you that you’d like this book). This is about balancing the need to make a good living (cash) while maintaining and nourishing the creative spirit (sex). Hugh provides several examples of individuals who balance this duality, many times throughout their entire lives. His observation is that this is not only a smart way to live, as no one really wants to be a starving artist, but may play a vital role in ultimate success. We all know great musicians who have given up everything to pursue their dreams, only to have it come crashing down; and now they are stock brokers or insurance salesmen or whatever. The “all in” folks rarely seem to make it.

Put The Hours In

“Doing anything worthwhile takes forever”, is the opening statement of this chapter and it’s so true. Hugh is a perfect example as he appears to be an overnight success story, but in reality has been pursuing his craft for over 10 years. We learn from both our successes and our failures, and it seems that long-term success is almost always a result of accumulated experience. “Stamina is utterly important,” says Hugh. If you are working the Sex & Cash Theory, you are staying grounded and the ups and downs of your creative pursuits don’t have the same impact, and you can be in for the long haul.

Ignore Everybody

This is the 1st tip in the book and probably the most relevant. “The more original your idea is, the less good advice other people will be able to give you.” As a musician, there is a great example that came to mind that illustrates this. First thought was The Ramones, who are credited with inventing Punk Rock and continue to be celebrated today.  They were so passionate about their music that they created a bubble around themselves and ignored the people who said their music would never be appreciated, much less sell.

That’s just a sampling, but “Ignore Everybody” is a good read with easily applicable tips for the creative songwriter and musician to help you stay the course and enjoy life. (There are also lots of cartoons.) Enjoy.

Read Related Articles: Musicians Resources

Get Your Namba Gear

Share This

We always find the content from Music Connection Magazine to be interesting, but this article is a “must read” for any independent musician. Think you already know all the best websites? Guess again. Music Connection polled its AMP network members and readers to find out which sites are most helpful to the careers of artists and musicians. This list is as long as it is wide, and it’s sure to turn you on to some effective new internet tools. Since this is from the current December 2009 issue, and they change the issue on their website each month, we suggest that you check this out ASAP. The Best 103 Music Websites starts on page 44.

Read Related Articles: Musicians Resources

Get Your Namba Gear

Share This

Have you ever wanted the chance to tell software companies how you feel about copy protection, limited installs and iLoks? This is your opportunity to have a perfectly good rant and you have a chance to win some fantastic prizes in the bargain. How cool is that?

If you complete IMSTA’s survey and opt to reveal your identity, you are entered into a contest with 18 fantastic software prizes. The prizes include some of the Big Dogs of software; Komplete 6 from NI, Reason or Record from Propellerheads, Sonar from Cakewalk, and AmpliTube Fender from IK are just a few of the great prizes. Not only are the prizes of the highest level, but the chances of you actually winning something in this contest are about the best you could ever hope for.

Here is the link to “Let’s Talk Piracy” Survey:  http://imsta.org/imsta_survey.html

Read Related Articles: Musicians Resources

Get Your Namba Gear

Share This

We came across this book entitled The Amazing Adventures of a Marginally Succesful Musician  which describes  the 4200 gigs, 250 Film and TV song placements and 30 years in music of author/musician Bill Cinque.

For your enjoyment, here’s a snippet from a chapter entitled The Music World’s Most Over Used Phrases:

I will interpret some of the most common language you will hear directly after you walk off the bandstand after a show. As with all matters in my book, I will do my level best to handle this with the delicacy it deserves:

“Sounded great out front” = you sucked.

“The bass player was solid” = he sucked.

“The material is really commercial” = it sucks.

“Great stage presence” = don’t sing.

“The chick singer is awesome” = I want to have sex with the chick singer.

Be realistic. All your friends are trying to be supportive. They know how excited you are about your new band. They are truly happy for you. They drove 20 miles in the rain and paid $14 for cheese fries and a glass of something brown just to give you an audience. You come running out of the foot lights and say, “So, what did you think? Did you like that last tune? Don’t you love the new drummer? You know you can tell me what you really think.” Right about now is the moment of truth. Your college room mate, Uncle Tad and J.J. from shipping and receiving all look you right in the eye and start using words like “amazing” and “awesome.” Then, as if scripted, comes a stream of the above mentioned phrases.Hey, you had it coming. Asking these people how they liked your show is similar to your girlfriend asking you if she looks fat in that skirt. The truth? You want the truth? Every Jack Nicholson fan knows the next line. No one wants to crush you. No one has the heart. Except me.

BOTTOM LINE: Bad shows are going to happen. There will be any number of reasons for a bad show. Sometimes it’s the soundman. Sometimes it’s technical problems. Every once in awhile, you have to face the fact that the band just wasn’t up to the task.In reality, the good shows will far outnumber the bad. You have to learn from the mistakes. You have to trust your ears and instincts. Be analytical. Take the time to record or video several of your shows. Dissect the set. Be prepared to take some criticism. Choose your words carefully when critiquing your bandmates. Be open to making the appropriate changes. Be willing to rehearse these changes. You can’t always rely on your close circle of friends to tell you how well you’re doing.

Read Related Articles: Musicians Resources

Get Your Namba Gear

Share This

We came across the following blog by CBE Music on The New York Songwriters Circle describing one artists frustrations at playing for only 2-15 people per night; who then came up with the idea of sending out a video-invite to help pack the house. We have included their video below. To read the entire story, go here.

Read Related Articles: Guest Authors

Read Related Articles: Musicians Resources

Get Your NAMBA GEAR

Share This

I recently got a freaked out phone call from an East Coast DJ looking to purchase a Big Namba Studio Backpack. It seems that he was standing in one of the endless lines at one of New York’s major airports with his laptop DJ gear in his old backpack. The backpack had the name of a major equipment supplier in bold letters across the face and lots of “convenient” outside pockets. He might as well have had a big sign on his back that said, “Please rob me, I’m carrying lots of expensive gear and it is easily accessible.”

The silent robber stole a beautiful new $350 microphone and a pair of headphones without leaving a trace. The theft was discovered when the DJ went through security and noticed that his outside compartment zippers were open and his gear lost forever. Of course the real nightmare would have been the lose of his DJ laptop.

Laptops have made DJing on the road for extended periods of time more feasible and significantly more fun. The only problem is that all this expensive gear has brought with it a host of new worries when traveling. So we have asked a few top DJs who travel extensively with laptops for tips they have learned to keep laptops secure and make traveling with digital gear as smooth as possible.

Slim Fast?

Yes, it’s insane to complain about the weight of a computer bag when you compare it with the weight of 200 records, but there are lots of ways that you can slim down the size of your digital-DJ bag. Trucking through endless security checks and corridors can get old really fast, so do yourself a favor and cut as much fat as possible. Do you really need those giant Pioneer headphones? Check out some custom in-ear monitors: They sound great, reduce ambient noise and take up far less room. Etymotic Research (etymotic.com) makes several models, including the ER•4s and ER•6s, which are quite popular for long plane flights. M-Audio (m-audio.com) carries a few models as well.

Where’s My Backup?

The Boy Scout motto (and your new mantra) is, “Be prepared.” Backups are a crucial part of any DJ regimen, but if something happens to your laptop on the road, that Lacie drive at home won’t save the gig. Playing the resident DJ’s 128 Kbps MP3 files is not going to cut it either, so you had better come up with a contingency plan before traveling. Some DJs will tell you,  “Bring a backup computer. You are getting paid two to 10 times as much as a backup computer would cost you. So it doesn’t really make any sense to lose the gig because your computer crashed.” A great alternative idea to stay mobile is that you can also buy an 80 GB iPod or a travel drive and back up all of your crucial music and program installers. Then, in a pinch, a loaner laptop can fill in temporarily. Most experienced travelers never check any luggage; the same should always be true for your DJ gear. Never check anything required for your performance.

Road Essentials

When we asked our DJs about what to make sure to bring we got some great ideas. “Always bring a laptop stand if you’re tall, create a no-drinks barrier around your laptop, and don’t forget the power supply!” The no-drinks barrier is an unfortunate reality that must be kept in mind when using a laptop. Too many DJs have found out the hard way; laptops and Long Island iced teas are a match made in hell.

A couple of must-haves for your DJ travel bag: Caig Deoxit (caig.com). This little cleaning solution is a life saver, just use the pen version because you can’t travel with aerosol these days thanks to the TSA. The Kensington (kensington.com) gooseneck USB lamp. This might just be the most useful item in your bag, as DJ booths are always too dark.

Give Me Some Peace of Mind

Well, this is where Namba Gear comes in. High performance bags & backpacks (without the screaming logo of an expensive digital gear provider), using weather-resistant, 1680D poly/nylon material and over-sewn stress point construction techniques to deliver a superior product. Cushy & plush internal compartments and pockets for your gear and lockable zippers for security. Conforms to airline carry-on regulations. It just doesn’t get any better.

Read Related Articles: Musicians Resources

Get Your Namba Gear

Share This