Jake and I gave a copy of our EP to a guy for "review" in a college newspaper today and shortly thereafter realized that he might totally fucking hate it. We kinda stressed about this for a bit. We live in a society whose cornerstone is voicing your opinions on just about everything, loudly, to anyone within earshot. Subtlety is not American, and it's definitely not punk rock.
I've been making music as long as I can remember, but it's been something I've kept pretty closely guarded for my entire adult life, up until very recently. When you hear my music, you are essentially learning something extremely personal about me. Imagine a page from your private journal being ripped out and posted for everyone to read. Now imagine being able to hear what everyone else has to say about those inner-most thoughts. Their most merciless judgment.
It's pretty easy to let that kind of stuff get to you, no matter how thick your skin is. When you learn what other people think about you, it can shape the way you continue to put yourself out there. When you're in a band and people are critiquing you, you get caught up in things you could do better to please those people.
But why? Who gives two shits what they have to say? I didn't get into music to please those idiots or to react to other peoples' presumptions. I do this to express things that I'd otherwise be internalizing, views and opinions that are so strong it hurts to contain them. I am not concerned with people whose job it is to sit behind a computer and indifferently assess these things, which have fuck-all to do with them anyway.
Besides, they're just reacting to something you said or did in the first place... to react to their reaction would be pointless. Keep moving forward. You can't let peoples' perceptions of you influence how you conduct yourself.
I'm a trailblazer, you sons-of-bitches. I lead, you follow; not the other way around.
Anyway, they say any publicity is good publicity, so I guess it's cool these people want to help us get our band name out there. Whether this review is good or bad, I'm not going to let it concern me. I know exactly how my own farts smell, thank you very much.
-Anthony
ps - Comments on this blog are encouraged. APPRECIATE THE IRONY THAT THIS IMPLIES.
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