Today in the morning, I watched an hour long documentary on rock n roll in the 1950s in the USA. It was an entertaining and fun video. In the video, it tracked the origins of rock n roll, its rise and fall over the course of the 1950s, and ended on a joyous note with hope for the future.
In the video, they mention Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many others. This was the time when the USA was growing exponentially, things were about to improve for the black community, and the economy was booming. Post War USA was rich and upwardly mobile.
Ultimately, it was Chuck Berry who had the longest career and the most influence in music and pop culture. And Johnny B. Goode was not his best song, just his most famous song. He invented the thoughtful songwriting, clever guitar play, and the upbeat dance music that would define the pop music of the past half century. He was an influential man.
My music is doing well and in 2019 I got over 5,000 plays on Spotify between 4 albums. That is not a lot, but it is the beginning of a music career. I want to expand my music in 2020 and do one thing and do it well. I can't be a musician and an artist and a writer all at the same time. In modern society, you specialize. So I will choose music over art and writing because it is more fun and more lucrative.
The main thing in work is socializing. Autists can't succeed in business, that is why we consider autism a disability. If you have no guile, you won't be a great businessman, soldier, or ladies man. Warfare, business, and dating is based on deception not on being honest and straightforward. But I know I am talented and deserve my share of the pie.
Even if art makes me more money in the end, music is my love and I will play guitar every day for the rest of my life. Jubal the descendant of Cain invented music, that is where the term Jubilee comes from. A jubilee is a joyous celebration of life and love and is done by offering a song to the Lord. The Psalms of King David were not just poems, they were songs meant to be accompanied by music. King David was Asian and was both a fierce warrior and sensitive poet who played the harp. He was fierce, honest, brave, and loyal to the Creator. He had a personal relationship with God.
The Beatles were the biggest pop band ever, the first boy band, a commercial hit, and ultimately, they were not that talented. But they had spunk, enthusiasm, were good looking, charismatic, and irreverant. Listening to their music or watching their videos made you feel like they were having a party and you were invited. But it is just marketing. They don't know who you are and they just want your money. Real music is closely tied to religion, and Rock n Roll comes from gospel music.
Without Rosetta Tharpe, there'd be no Chuck Berry, Elvis, or the Beatles.
So I try to counter the trend and make my music about spirituality, loneliness, injustice, the hard times, being an outcast, and suffering. Suffering is grace. It is by using creativity to transform suffering into joy that you become happy. That is why Nietzsche called his book, 'The Birth of Tragedy.'and contrasts art and music as methods of expression. Ultimately, music better than art, because you spend more time growing down than growing up. The first 27 years of your life you are growing up, but until 75, you are only slowly dying. Music makes dying easy.
So I will look to expand my music business in 2020. I will not just sell streams and downloads. I will teach guitar, gig out, play at churches and synagogues for free, and create band art. I might even monetize my YouTube channel and try to find syncing and licensing opportunities. There is an possibility of being a full time musician and making 30,000 or 40,000 per year. But you need to be a marketing guru and be active on social media. The great thing about the internet is it allows the whole world to be connected, and people in Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, and Sweden love my music. In certain parts of the world, rhythm and blues is still popular, and people think of pop, hip hop, and goth music as crap.
The USA is no longer leader of the free world. This is not the 1950s anymore. Europe, Asia, and even Israel is doing better. I know life in Israel is problematic, people are stressed out, live in fear of terrorism and war, work more hours for less pay, and are fiercely competitive. But at least they get socialist medicine and education, better food, better climate, and thinner women. Israeli military strategists are extremely clever and Israeli politicians are strong leaders. If they weren't, World War 3 would erupt and the world be destroyed. I admire Israel.
So as an unpopular musician on long island, New York, all I can do is apply myself within my means. My gift is my song, and my song is for God. I never made it in Acupuncture or graphic design, because book learning doesn't work in a streetfight. You learn by doing. I mastered music, judo, cooking, and writing, and ultimately people will pay for entertainment not education.
So I will offer a Jubilee to the Lord and feel alright.
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