Make Yourself

So I think a lot about "making yourself"...kinda like Incubus said. I am a big proponent of just going and doing it, no excuses. Another quote that has influenced me a TON is "Be the change you wish to see in the world" -Mahatma Gandhi. It just makes sense to me, if you want something to change you have to change yourself and lead by example, others will follow. So I have been trying really hard to do this for a long time.

The music scene in Columbus is great, and one way to make it even better is to do things you "wish" would happen in Columbus. There are a ton of people already doing this in this town that's why I think it is great. The Rock Potluck is a night where a bunch of musicians get together from different bands and all form a band for one night, rehearse 2 covers, and write one original and then do a concert all in a day/night. It is pretty awesome. Cowtown Round at Rumba Cafe every Monday puts two of C-Bus' best songwriters (in my opinion) Jesse Henry and Jason Quicksall on stage together with another songwriter (sometimes local, sometimes not) and has them rotate songs in an acoustic fashion. A lot of times the musicians will spontaneously collaborate on stage and it's magical. There are plenty of other examples.

So my brother and I have been trying to do different things that we feel are missing or that are just cool and maybe other people will catch on. We house musicians from out of state and do house concerts for them. Plan it out, people come over, eat, talk, listen to live music, and usually they tip the traveling musicians a good amount/buy their cds and hopefully become life long fans. We also do songwriter nights where we invite a group of local musicians over to play acoustic songs in the round, eat, laugh, share,,,,getting the idea? This creates community and allows people to be introduced in a non bar setting, just musicians. It is a great networking night and just always awesome in general. The next project we are embarking on is South By Southwest in Autin Texas in March 2011. We are gathering a group of Columbus' best to do a showcase down in Texas. Andy and our good friend Genean are going down this next weekend to secure a venue. This is going to be a great thing for Columbus in general and the idea is to promote the city through the event. Columbus bands, Columbus beer, Columbus sponsors of all kind but really celebrating the music of C-Bus. I am really excited for the next year and I guess the whole point of this blog is help others and you will end up helping yourself. You will also feel good and meet a lot of cool people, hopefully in the end it will come back but if not you know you helped a bunch of others. And I am not saying I am awesome or I helped anyone but and I rule..just saying that this is my journey and I really have enjoyed it.

I often get frustrated when people say they "want to be professional musicians" but then opportunities come up and they just have other priorities or what not. I am all for doing music on the level you want but don't say you want to be professional and act like it takes no work. It takes a ton of work, tenacity, sweat, blood, tears, being really poor, and I just sometimes find that people don't understand that. That being said, I love creating my own success, opportunities, and allowing others to be a part of it. Lead by example rather than saying "you suck, I am not including you". I will include you as long as you put the work in with me and we work together. Anyway, now I feel like I am just rambling. In the mean time check out the house concert we are doing November 3rd with Raina Rose and Rebecca Loebe