The longer I’m on the planet…the less I give a sh*t about what people think. Don’t get me wrong, I really, truly care about people’s feelings; if anything, some of you would probably say that I’ve got an overabundance of empathy. So why would I say that I don’t care about people’s opinions? But I really, really am not worried about what some random person or booking agent might think of me, or our music. Even though it may cost us money, at this point I am not going to alter my image to fit somebody else’s ideas.
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.
~Jiddu Krishnamurti
Let me give you a couple examples of what I mean. When I was in my early 20’s, agents, management and financial backers pressured me to be “less mystical” and “more relate-able”. I argued, but in the end (being young and hungry for that record deal), I compromised. And today when I listen back to my old songs — guess what? My favorite ones are still the ones I did before the producers came along, or the ones I didn’t play with the band because they were deemed too “out-there.” Today I feel like it would have been so much wiser and so much more fun to continue to be 100% myself, and not compromised on my lyrical content and arrangements. Lesson learned.
And here we are so many years later and I’m still getting this kind of pressure. Really? When we were playing with the Big Love band, there was a certain pressure to seem more “professional” i.e. not as mystical/psychedelic/consciousness oriented. Certain of the musicians were really in it only for the money and not for the creative flow, and it just wasn’t working for me. And you know what? I’m done compromising with music. If people aren’t open to expanded consciousness, that’s fine, then I don’t need to play with them, right?
Categories and boxes are for “stuff”, not for living evolving human beings. I hope you, in whatever field you’re in… I hope you stay true to your vision with respect to your art. There’s only one YOU, and we need each and every being to be fully present, and fully authentic. There’s no replacement for YOU.
It’s crazy that being an artist and/or any kind of intuitive, evolving human being on this planet and in this particular society, we’re still getting this kind of pressure. Don’t you think that part of the creative process is becoming free of such constraints? Yes, I understand that we live in the days of slavery to mammon, but perhaps we can limit our participation with the big machine. Perhaps we can be truly genuine, truly caring with one another, and be a part of our NEW WORLD.
Are you with me? Do you want to be a part of a more creative, free, and loving society? Can you imagine a society where every person is valued for whom they are? Imagine raising kids to be true to themselves, instead of educating them in a organizational rigid fashion. Imagine a society where the arts are truly valued. Imagine a world where we cared for our home planet and for all living creatures. Then let’s just ask ourselves: What can I do today to help create a more free world?