Thursday, September 8, 2011

Keep it up.

WE often get immersed in the work of those who lived ages ago, and forget about the present. Certainly there are those of our contemporaries who have something beautiful to say, and I don’t just want to hear it after we’re all dead. But often the ones we need to discover are the ones who aren’t crying out to be noticed.

We’re always told to keep it down, but every great creator needs to learn to be loud. We’re told to go to great lengths not to be noticed and criticized, but every great artist needs to learn to be laughed at. You’re not succeeding until you’ve offended someone, made someone else jealous, made someone else uncomfortable, and made everyone else notice.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Music in the Moment

There's a moment in G. Love's song "The Hustle" (1:18 into the song) where he starts to play a harmonica solo, pauses for a second, and then laughs and says, "damn." If you play harmonica, you'll recognize that he'd accidentally had his harmonica upside down. It's one of my favorite moments in recorded music, because it's so real. You can feel the music living in the moment. I wonder if they talked about recording it again before deciding to just use the version with the flub on it. Part of me hopes they didn't even debate it.

I was going to take a break halfway through the set last night in Hollywood, but ended up playing for 2 and a half hours straight, and included a few songs that I hadn't played for a long time. We had a great audience, and I just kept going. It was music in the moment, exactly the way it's meant to be played.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Origins

It’s important to realize that there are no definitive answers in life. The only definitive that has not been proven false in my life is love, but love is always - and must remain - a place of origin, not a destination to be reached. And priorities are usually related to our goals and destinations, not our starting points.

Much like love is an origin, I also believe marriage should be seen as a point of origin, and not a destination to be reached. Marriage should be that gate two people walk through together which leads gracefully into another chapter in life. So many people see marriage as another destination – something to be obtained - rather than a beginning. Even the concept of being engaged, when viewed more literally, becomes a much more active pursuit. I think the concept of engagement with another person – or, to clarify, engaging with that person and being engaged by him or her – is a much more worthy goal than being married, or bonded to someone. Every engagement should be lifelong, and is more important than the marriage it preceeds. Marriage should be nothing more than a title, the legalization of our rapture with another person and our commitment to that person. Easy for me to say, of course, when I'm not married.

I digress.

Life offers us no definitive answers. I’d love to have a flow chart and run my life through the hierarchy of a system – this comes first, then that, then that….fulfillment. The challenge is maintaining a sense of calm, purpose, and fulfillment through all the many phases of the juggling act. Or perhaps the challenge is learning to see it as something other than a juggling – instead, what if each day under the sun were just that – a day in the grace of the light, in the warmth of the world. Eternal bliss, no. I would not have eternal bliss, it would be a poison that when drunk would make the world comatose. Instead, give me the world, with all of its raptures and risks, and grant me a strong, pourous skin with the power to let in the light and turn away the darkness. What I mean is that when I pass a man on the street and he’s crying, I cannot completely disregard his sadness and remain in a state of untouchable bliss. And at the same time, if I pass a woman on the street and she’s laughing, and I meet her eyes, I can’t walk by unaffected by the contagion of her laughter. We can, however, be firm in our own gravity – be confident in our own souls, and remain pure in our ability to affect and be affected by those around us. In essence, we are each touched by the ripples of those around us, but we don’t become the ripples; this is the main difference between the strong and the highly impressionable.

In vocation, we each pick one or two little things to give each other. If we make comedies, our mission is to make each other laugh; to send those ripples outward into the lake of human interaction. If we write songs, our job might be to make people imagine things; or to choke people up, or to make people feel a very particular way. A good song is like a small chocolate that you put in your mouth whose flavor builds until you lose touch with your immediate surroundings and for a brief moment become the chocolate.

There are a very few songs I have in which I think I bring that sensation to the listener. But, like a romantic relationship, my relationship with my music must start here, it must start with the love I wish to give to my listener; whether it’s tough love, love received through pain, love given through laughter, or an escape in the form of a story. If I think of my music this way, alongside the concepts of taste and sensuality, it becomes a treat, nourishment, and I am able to give a gift to my listener that will nourish and satisfy her. If I listen to a lot of new music with this in mind, it becomes unlistenable. Not because it's bad, but because it is the equivalent of a sweet candy, made with just a little too much sugar – like a jolly rancher made to taste like watermelon that comes off as sweet, but lacks the satiating fullness of a bite of the actual melon.

I do know this: Whatever the goal is, I haven’t quite reached it yet. I’ve gotten close with songs like Providence. A song that tells you a story, takes you through a miniature lifetime within the confines of those three minutes. Those are the songs I love.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

California Songs Word Search!

In honor of the big day, I've devised the following word search...

Enjoy!


WORD SEARCH



You can watch tonight's webcast online at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/california-songs-live

ANSWER KEY:

Monday, June 13, 2011

The Venice Beach Haircut

I keep going through phases where I want to be one of these cool musicians I'm always seeing in Hollywood with long hair, body jewlery, and a tattoo of some chinese word that means 'love', or 'namaste', or 'gullible tourist' on my shoulder. I'll start to grow my hair out for a little while, but after about two months I wake up, look in the mirror, and the same thought always comes to mind: Nah. I then rush out to have a professional remove the bird nest from my head. That's usually where my Sunset Boulevard rocker fantasy ends. This summer, I'm going to be performing weekly on the Sunset strip, and with my clean clothes and short hair I'm sure I'll stand out like an Osborne in a Mormon temple.

Yesterday I got what I’m calling a “Venice Beach” haircut, which is different from a normal haircut as demonstrated by the following transcript:

THE NORMAL HAIRCUT:
(I sit in the chair)
Stylist: what are we thinking today? Trim the length, thin it out, clean up the sides and the back?
Me: Perfect.

THE VENICE BEACH HAIRCUT:
(I walk in and sit. The receptionist offers me a glass of wine, and when I politely decline, gives me a dirty look)

Stylist (usually named Cleotitus, Raspberry, or Phillip): I know you came for a 'haircut', but let's try something different. Let’s listen to what your hair wants. Your hair is saying to me, whoa, that sometimes the left side doesn't want what the right wants, you know what I'm saying? (wields large scissors). How does this all sound?

Me: I'll take that glass of wine.

I won't burden you with the picture. Suffice it to say that I feel like a mix between a hipster and the victim of a lawnmower accident. I kind of like it.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Press Release

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 24, 2011

JAKOB MARTIN RELEASES NEW ALBUM “CALIFORNIA SONGS” JUNE 28

FIRST SINGLE “WHEN IT’S TIME” OUT TODAY, ON TOUR NOW


“People seem to carry stereotypical views of California as this paradise brimming with beaches, stars, and surfers,” says Los Angeles singer-songwriter Jakob Martin. True, those things exist, but from all his travels Jakob Martin knows that that’s such a small part of the state, which is also home to empty land, farmland, desert, mountains and forest. “I saw that as a terrific metaphor – life anywhere, even in paradise, contains so much more depth, imagination, sadness, hope and intensity than people might realize.” Consequently, California Songs, Jakob’s forthcoming full-length album, is about one artist’s exploration of a life in paradise and the complications that come along with it. “The poet John Berryman was known for his ‘dream songs’ – a series of lyrical poems exploring emotions brought on by everyday events,” says Jakob. “People often talk about the California Dream, and California Songs is a play on that.”

California Songs will independently release as a digital-only album on June 28th, 2011. It follows Jakob Martin’s 2010 EP Leave The Light On, both showcasing his distinctly down-home edge of blues harp that cuts through a blend of piano-driven pop, rock and folk. Produced by Dan Diaz of Hypothetical Studios, California Songs is an attempt to explore the Californias of the mind, heart and imagination.

Today, May 24th, Jakob Martin releases the first single from the album, “When It’s Time.” A lullaby in its nature, Jakob says this song became an anthem to his own strength and a reminder to hang on because there’s always something better out there. “When It’s Time” is now available to purchase on iTunes.

For all press inquiries/requests please contact:
Laura Goldfarb at Red Boot Publicity
Laura@redbootpr.com | 617.407.7284
http://www.redbootpr.com

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Variations on a Dream

We are all variations on a dream.

Happiness. Comfort. Adventure. Pleasure. Connection. Spirit. Meaning. Euphoria. Pain. Healing. Bliss. Exploration. Curiosity. Meaning. Speed. Rat races. Heart races. Street races. Hunger. Meaning. Satiation. Touch. Sunlight. Firelight. Pride. Emptiness. Fulfillment. Vindication. Revenge. Rebirth. Desire. Sensuality. Oneness. Awe. Meaning.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Just Keep Going

Click here to listen to me read this blog entry out loud :)

I'll never forget my first solo performance. As part of her Bat Mitzvah celebration, my friend Carly organized a talent show. I had just learned some new chords and written a song earlier that day, and, rather than playing one of the songs I had been practicing, I decided I'd attempt not only to get on stage for the first time, but to play a brand new song as well (go big or go home, right?!). I remember arriving with my little red electric guitar and seeing a girl I thought was cute, but didn't have the guts to talk to. Just wait until she hears me play, I thought.

I got onstage and completely bombed - I couldn't remember a single note of the song I'd written. And yet, as I exited stage-left after mumbling apologies to 130 family friends and avoiding eye contact with the cute girl, I still felt this rush throughout my body, and one single thought: "I've got to do that again." (I also thought I should probably practice next time). And, of course, I did get back up and do it again- about 700 times. And every time it gets better.

Persistence has become one of the most important themes of my career. It has seen me through failures, successes, and milestones. I have never regretted being persistent, regardless of the outcome. If you think it sounds cliche - you're damn right it is. All lasting cliches have withstood the test of time for good reason. My parents used to tell me to "Just Keep Going" when things got rough. "You're always closer than you may think," they'd say. My dad is still quick to remind me of this, and I love him for it.

As many of you know, last year I launched a "Listener Supported" campaign to raise the money to produce and release a new album independently. We came close to the goal, and I ended up being able to record the "Leave the Light On" EP (five songs). Over the last year, however, I've quietly continued working to finish the full album we originally set out to create. Last month, we were able to do just that, and I'm happy to announce to you that California Songs will be released online/worldwide on June 28th.

Next Tuesday, we'll be releasing the first single from the album, entitled "When It's Time", (which happens to go well with the theme of this email - booyah!). You can preview the new single online here. The second single, "California Song" will be coming out on June 7th.

I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you so much for having my back, cheering me on, and giving me the courage to just keep going.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Ultimate Frontier

We settled the West. We landed on the Moon. The ultimate frontier is the human imagination. It gives us everything, and requires only our faith in return. It cannot be conquered; only discovered. It cannot be settled; only loved.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Universe Smiles

Last night in Baltimore, I found out at the last moment that they wouldn't have a piano at the venue. I've been doing about half of my set every night on piano, so I was disappointed to hear this, but a little voice in the back of my mind said don't worry. I made it to Baltimore, lugged my baggage from the train station down to a local Starbucks, and created a new setlist involving only songs I was prepared to play on the guitar, but the little voice in the back of my head was saying doing worry. I met up with a friend of mine who drove me to the venue and I looked at the empty stage area, imagining a keyboard there. That little voice, don't worry. Eventually, it was show time. I put on my red Sanuks and looked at the stage. Still no keyboard. I took a deep breath, went up, and played my heart out on the guitar.

I took a break between my two sets, and was talking with a guy who had come for the show. "You're a great multi-instrumentalist," he said, referring to the guitar and harmonica.

"You should see me when I have a piano," I said.

"You need one?" said the guy. "My friend owns a recording studio and I think he's there now. Maybe he has something you can borrow for your second show."

"Where's the studio," I asked?

"Directly upstairs," the guy said.

Five minutes later, this guy walks in with an electric piano and sets it up on stage in front of me. A red one; it even matched my show shoes. I was in piano heaven for the rest of the night.

The universe smiles. I've got your back. Don't worry.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sirens and Rain

Certain things seem to have gone together forever, like
sirens and rain.
Together, a complete thought,
a reference point for
love and history and god in the city

On days like this, life is a painting,
my bedroom, museum

big tree flaps
green on brown
brown on green

umbrella blows, top first,
from a third-floor balcony
into the mud.

Everything is motion,
the artist signature
barely visible
fogged and streaked,
as time
paints watercolor songs
across the window


Los Angeles
3/20/11

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Thursday, 12:42 am

Who are we to doubt ourselves?

We are made of the magic we seek; we are so often asleep in the arms of our better angels.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Nervous

I'm getting excited (and a little nervous) for my tour dates back east, which makes me think I’m doing something right. Taking risks again, getting ready to put it all out there in a few cities I've never performed in. New York City. Baltimore. Charlottesville.

I had a mentor who used to say that if you were very nervous about something, you probably weren't prepared, if you weren't nervous at all, you probably weren't challenging yourself enough, but if you were just a little bit nervous, you were probably ready. I like to feel a tiny tingle of nerves before I go onstage or head out on a tour. It keeps things live and interesting, and it keeps me focussed. I also think an audience would rather see a real, vulnerable person than someone pretending to be unbreakable. Having said that, it took me a long time and a lot of failure on stage to get to a point where I can be confident enough to enjoy the nervousness. Part of it, I believe, comes from knowing that, no matter how long I do this, I'm going to take risks - and fail - again. I'm also going to succeed and break through again on stage in ways I never anticipated. In the end, it's not the result - but the challenge - that keeps my heart beating just a little faster.

PS - Cut my own hair today...still haven't found a barber I like in LA. See below.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Coincidence

You can never just have one coincidence. Once you start noticing them, it somehow always compounds on itself, until this proliferation of coincidence becomes the greatest one of all, and you start walking around telling people you've had some big awakening and you're finally have a direct line to the secrets of the universe.

Coincidence # 1: There's this gelato place I love in Hollywood called scoops, and I was telling a couple of friends about it, and talking about how I hadn't been there since I moved up and wished there was one closer to my house, and boom! we pass a storefront, mere blocks from my house - where they're having the grand opening of "Scoops Westside".

Coincidence # 2: I've been listening to a lot of Tom Waits over the last week, for the first time in years- I was jogging yesterday and I was suddenly hit with this phrase- "Be your own Muse". I wrote it in my journal actually. I got home, and started listening to Radiolab and they had an entire segment about this idea of the 'muse' and whether it's something that comes from outside of us or within. Just then, as I'm thinking how in touch I am with the universe, the woman being interviewed starts talking about Tom Waits, and how he would sometimes talk with the muse when he was trying to finish a song.

Alright, so those are the only two I can think of right now, but I'm sure there were more this weekend. Some people might argue that these are all indicators of fate. Some people might argue that they're completely random, a product of chance. I'm not sure. But I do love how life smiles on those of us who are paying attention.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

iMovie...Practice round

We had a lot of fun making all those tour videos, and I just got a new computer that'll allow me to do the same thing from home...post new music, maybe a few puns, you know the drill. For more on this (and a test of the JM broadcasting system) here's a special message from yours truly (thanks to Dan Diaz for the music):

Sunday, March 6, 2011

The Jolt

I'd felt it any time I've looked at the New York City skyline - That tiny electric hand squeezing the center of my heart. It happens when you see something that your heart knows is beyond your mind's ability to comprehend. Like that message that pops up on your computer to tell you that you're using more memory than the computer has. The jolt can come from something or someone beautiful, but it goes beyond beauty. It's about magnitude, totality. Awe. If I ever see a girl who gives me the jolt, I'd be a fool not to approach her. I'd always wanted to feel it in Los Angeles, but you can't force these things.

My friend and I were talking at dinner recently about how, when you tell people in other cities that you live in LA, they often say "I'm sorry to hear that", or something douchey like that. (They usually continue on to talk about the latest episode of some TV show that was conceived, written, and filmed here). Angelinos are constantly being programmed to think we're missing something if I we like where we live. But you know what? I'm a well educated, well-traveled, intelligent, creative, astute human being. And I like it here. A lot.

I was driving back from Phoenix yesterday afternoon and drove past downtown LA, on the 10 West. As usual, I made my way around, admiring the cityscape. No jolt. Then I caught the Hollywood sign out of the corner of my eye, and my heart stopped. I'd seen it hundreds of times before. But never accompanied by this pang of electricity.

Yes! the jolt said, in response to an unasked question. The answer is yes.

Friday, March 4, 2011

The Spy

I caught her
spying this morning
returning from my jog
saw her perched behind
sheer cloud curtains
they rustled
and she was gone

some nights I have
pushed aside my blinds
and, seeing her
snuck up to the roof of my building
infatuated
I thought she never noticed

up past bedtime
queen of her world
secretly dying to know
how the other half lives
I had no idea
the moon was so curious

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Techno-Schitzo

Recently I was out with a friend when her smart phone started acting like a snobby third wheel. We'd be in mid-conversation when the table would vibrate, causing my friend to spring into action like a firefighter on call. While she rushed into the Facebook profile inferno, I'd instinctively take out my own phone, look at a few texts, and then play around with the 'calculator' function, just to look busy. Five years ago I would have been really annoyed, but it has become so normal for us to spend our 'social time' communicating with everyone except the person we're with, and I found myself just accepting it. Of course, this was a friend I text with all the time, who probably interrupts her visits with other people to respond to my messages. Welcome to modern times.

Many of us have become technologically schizophrenic, constantly rushing from one profile, conversation, or planet to another. We treat our phones like babies - taking them everywhere with us, cradling them, tending to them the moment they start to cry. Have you ever hung out with the parents of a baby? They're deranged! They're exhausted, their attention is all over the place, and they're covered in weird substances. Minus the substances, this is US! At lunch, on the bus, in the movies - obsessed parents taking care of our little machine babies. If smart phones are so intelligent, shouldn't they be taking care of each other? Why do we have to get involved?

I heard a report that members of our generation are masters at switching effortlessly between tasks. The flip side of that is that we're losing our attention spans. Many of us don't spend nearly as much time reading, inventing, and contemplating. But contemplation is what drives us forward. Should we expect the great thinkers of our time start having epiphanies in 140 characters or less? Are you even still reading this?!

I love that money and information move so quickly now. There's potential there to make the world more united, efficient, and dynamic. Look at these revolutions in the middle east where some of the greatest weapons were social networking sites. These new technologies are great, but they're just tools. It's up to us to create a society where we use our tools intelligently. If you don't use your hammer enough, things won't stay together. If you use it too much, you'll destroy everything around you. Technology will never have the ability to replace our time, our touch, our intimacy with each other. Right now we're all obsessed; afraid of being left behind. And the pressure of being current, constant, and present in the eyes of everyone around us has prevented us from being present in our own lives.

For as fast as some things have become, the speed of certain things has not changed. The earth continues to revolve around the sun at the same pace. It still takes the exact same amount of time to make a baby, reach a birthday, digest our food, grow into our bodies, and fall in love. Let's embrace the fact that being a person takes time. We don't need a cure for that.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Wings (and other heavy things)

Last night I went out to Hollywood with friends to check out a band they knew. It was clear that this band had gotten into rock and roll for one purpose - meeting the ladies. The songs weren't memorable, but they were good musicians, and they'd clearly practiced all the right moves - winking at girls in the audience, strutting the tight pants, muscle shirts, fog machines, spray-on-sweat. It was all about presentation, and as much as I fought the urge, I couldn't help feeling a little jealous of these guys.

I've never been textbook cool, and I'm probably one of the only artists who didn't get into music to attract girls. It wasn't until late in High school that I even made the connection that girls dug musicians. Growing up, I had dealt with a lot of challenges, and music had been my refuge; a solitary escape. I actually used to try everything except music to get the attention of the girls I liked. In elementary school, I wrote plays and tried to cast girls I had crushes on to star in them ("Attack of the killer stuffed Animals", anyone?...) In Jr High and High School, I'd heard that girls loved guys with accents, so I'd put them on during class discussions or while reading out loud. A vague scottish Brogue while reading passages from "The Scarlet Letter"? Of course! A southern drawl to enhance one of Shakespeare's odes? Why not! Did it work with the ladies? I have no idea - I had no game, so I never found out. Maybe I'll ask around at the 10 year reunion.

Of course, I eventually discovered the rush of playing for an audience, and the attention that comes with that, and I really love those things. But music for me has forever become linked with something much deeper. When I see a band like the guys last night, I can't help but be a little envious. For them, playing music is like me putting on that accent in english class, one more way of attracting attention. How much easier would it be to think of music that way! Somehow I got roped in on such a deeper level! When you invest your heart and soul in something like this, every performance becomes an expression of your deepest self. And when people really connect with that, it's the most incredible feeling in the world. And when they don't, it can be crushing. Last night, I felt like these guys were cheating - looking for all the glory without any of the risk. But it was entertaining and fun, and ultimately, that's what it's all about. Music is a language that can be used to flirt, heal, challenge, love, and grow. It's amazing to feel as though writing brings me closer to conversing with the infinite, but sometimes it's also fun to have fun. The living is in the balance.

Ironically, the things that give us wings are often the heaviest to carry. But that's the challenge of living an inspired life. I may be in too deep, but then again, to paraphrase one of my favorite books, the deeper we open ourselves, the more we can contain. May we all be blessed with such a beautiful burden.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Roofies.

I've been doing my best to get up to the roof of my building at night lately and meditate. You'd be amazed at how quiet West LA can feel after midnight; how clear the sky can be. I often run into one of my neighbors up there, a guy who comes up from time to time to have a cigarette. We barely know each other, but we're the only two people in the building who ever visit the roof, so I think there's an unspoken kinship there. Roofies.

The other night, he opened up his mouth to say hello, and (I think to his surprise as much as mine) ended up talking for a good half hour about some very personal things that were going on in his life, and some big decisions he had to make. I sat there, listened, offered a word or two when I could- but mostly just listened.

When he'd finished, he sighed heavily, put out his cigarette, and apologized for talking so much. "I feel lighter," he said. "I feel like I've really unburdened myself." And with that, he disappeared back down the stairs, behind the walls that build the illusion of separation between all of our lives. I wanted to say "don't apologize - I needed that." I wanted to thank him. But I'm not sure if I did. I think I may have just sat there silent, grateful, meditating on the many ways we're all connected but don't ever know it.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

"People are always criticizing you and focusing on what you're trying to say on one little album, on one little song, but to me it's a lifetime's work. From the boyhood paintings and poetry to when I die - it's all part of one big production."

-John Lennon

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Peace?

After the shootings last Saturday, I wrote a blog suggesting that rather than getting angry, taking sides, and placing blame, members of our generation should make an effort to step back and become vocal advocates for peace and understanding. I was pleased to hear the president echo similar sentiment in his speech in Tucson tonight.

People throw the word peace around in irresponsible ways. There are the people who preach that peace will come to the world when everyone believes in the exact same things (usually the things the ‘peacemaker’ happens to believe). There’s also this hippie notion of a peaceful world where no one ever disagrees, where people hold hands singing folk songs under an eternal rainbow. Blech.

I think a person can be an advocate of peace and still enjoy a good argument. One just has to accept the fact that we’re not all the same, and never will be. We each come from a different background, and because of this, we will always disagree about something. Everyone has been raised differently, hurt differently, gone through hardships differently, and come into our own in a slightly different way. We’ve all been shaped by similar forces, but we're not the same, and our world is better, more colorful, and more interesting because of that. The moment we realize this, we start to have more meaningful arguments, the kind that lead to progress and understanding, rather than violence and hurt.

Let's argue it out. Let's debate, and listen to each other. Let's take the time to get worked up until we laugh about it, or cry about it, or go our separate ways to cool off before we get together again. As long as we realize that we're all neighbors; we're all in this together for whatever time the forces of life grant us. That is the kind of peace I’d like to see for us. Not a boring, utopian ‘garden-of-eden’ peace where nothing ever happens. I’m talking about a gritty, messy, twenty-first century kind of peace. The the kind our country was founded on. The kind that works.

Monday, January 10, 2011

"DVD" Commentary

I'm a huge fan of DVD commentaries. I love being able to watch a movie with the people who created it - learn about the process, hear their inappropriate inside jokes, and get a sense of what the artists are like alongside their work. For those of you who share this love of bonus features, "Leave The Light On" producer Dan Diaz and I sat down and recorded a little DVD-style commentary where we listened back and talked a little, off-the-cuff, about the songs and the making of the record. You can see it in several parts on Youtube, starting here:

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Tucson

I want a quick word with my generation.

The suspect in the shooting in Tucson this morning is 22 years old. He could have been our classmate, our friend, our sibling. Throughout the day, many angry people have already started to lay blame in all kinds of places and people. Placing blame is natural, but wherever we're making excuses and scapegoats, we're usually not making progress.

As individuals in a democracy, we live by the word and the vote, not by the gun and the sword. This shooter was one of our own, a member of our generation. If this 22 year old was old enough to disrupt the things we stand for and create such momentous tragedy, certainly all of us are old enough to counteract that by creating and promoting peace in our communities. We have a tendency to think of ourselves as helpless members of a society where decisions and attitudes are being shaped without our participation, and as members of a new generation of American grown-ups, we simply can't afford to think that way anymore. It's our responsibility to recognize that we're not that much different from each other in our needs and dreams, and to speak out in favor of peace and understanding, rather than trying to vilify and eliminate those we don't agree with, especially those serving within our own political system.

Yes, there is a lot of disagreement these days about how our country should be run, but disagreement is the root of progress. We can't be afraid to disagree. We have to battle these things out in the intellectual arena, because that's what builds real understanding. Bloodshed doesn't make people sympathetic. It just makes us hurt.

I'm an artist and an entertainer, not a politician, and it's not my goal to get wrapped up in all these arguments. But as someone who loves the country and the community I grew up in, I think it's important to address events like this that really have the potential to shape our lives. Every event either makes us feel more vulnerable or safer, more jaded or more idealistic, and a lot of that is a result of how we respond to it. There is enough turbulence in the world already. Let America be a place of peace, love, and an honest attempt at understanding. And let that start with us.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Awakening




This morning I meant to get up at 7:30, and I ended up in bed until 11. For whatever reason, I just couldn't face it today. The worst part was that I couldn't allow myself to enjoy the late start because I was too worried about sabotaging one of the first days of what I'd prematurely dubbed "my most productive year yet!".

For someone who likes to have a plan, it's nearly impossible for me to keep a normal schedule. I've been trying for six years. A major challenge for any artist is finding some way to structure your life in a profession whose very nature is to defy structure. I'm a homebody, but as soon as I start to establish a normal routine, it's time to hit the road again. Sometimes I go to bed at 10pm; sometimes I write and write until 3 or 4 in the morning, and sometimes I plan to write at a certain time and nothing good comes out. Sometimes I'm driving somewhere and I have to pull over to write down lyrics, or a thought, or a joke - usually when I'm on my way to something where punctuality is key (a meeting, a date, the airport...). A good thought or lyric or melody is often like a dream; if you don't record it right away, it simply vanishes. I've learned to honor that inspiration when it comes, and take the wrath of whoever was waiting for me on the other end. In rare cases, I'll let a moment of inspiration go, and I'm always regretful when I do.

I know nobody wants to hear me complain about the inconveniences of my dream job. I just needed to vent for a second.

Emerson once wrote that an artist who is traveling craves the comfort and consistency of home, and an artist at home can't wait to get back out on the road (I'm paraphrasing here) but that the true power of understanding lies in that delicate balance between life at home and life away. It's not a matter of always wanting what we don't have (although there's always some of that in life); it's more about needing two things at once to understand the balance. In one way or another, we're all either 'at home' or 'away' at any given moment; either doing something comfortable or something challenging, in motion or staying still. I think a lot of people lose that perspective that comes with balancing both, and it's only natural - people get older, settle down in one place with an office and a girlfriend and a dog, maybe a fish (don't get a fish, by the way - too much investment, no payoff). The point is, it's easy to forget how big the world is. Generally, "Gosh, It's such a small world," is a phrase reserved for people who haven't been on a sixteen hour flight recently. Our own little concentric circles may be small, but make no mistake - it is a GIANT world out there, and there's a lot to discover, both away and in our own backyards.

The new year began with all its fanfare and now it's time to get to work again, and sometimes it's easier said than done. We often spend time waiting for an awakening - waiting for some big cosmic alarm clock to shake us out of our routine and give us the fire to start doing what we know we're meant to do, to put some resolve behind our resolutions. And if it doesn't come, we just go back to the norm, hoping it will show up eventually. We hit snooze and sleep through the static.

Here's the deal: We are the resolve. We have to be the awakening, for ourselves and each other. It's difficult but necessary. I need to see you out there doing what you're meant to do because it fires me up to do the same. And you need the same from me.

With that, I'm getting back to work. Even if I have to start a little later than I'd planned.

J