Author: jaymathes

  • Finding Significance in Your Work

    It might come to a surprise to some of you, but the majority of songwriters and music artists struggle to earn enough money to make ends meet. That means that the majority of songwriters often find themselves employed doing work completely unrelated to their music. And I think that’s okay – for a season.

    For my own part, I’ve spent several hours this past week trying to drum up new business, new gigs (music- and non-music related), and I’ve come to one [I think] very important conclusion: wherever you work, and whatever you do, it has to be “work worth doing”:

    “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

    – Theodore Roosevelt.
    If your current job is just a job or just a way to pay the bills, I’d suggest seeking new employment. Why? Because jobs like that burn people out. These are positions that are a part of the modern corporate machine, but don’t really add value to our or any other peoples’ lives.  Some might say, “Yeah, but these things have to be done by somebody.” And to that I say, “You’re right.” But why should it be done by you? Find something else where you *know* you are adding value to society – not just to your 401k.
    Life is too short to be somebody’s tool. I want to be a tool for change.
  • Anti-Social-Media Trends

    @jaymathesmusic: Is it possible? I think it is: the successful, anti-social-media band. Only time will tell. Consider this a prediction.”

    So, I know this is probably going to come as a complete surprise to many of you… I have a very strong feeling about this, though, and because I have been accused at times of saying “I knew that was going to happen” well after the fact, I’ll say it here, right now.

    A day is coming when the cool thing is nowhere found online. It only exists in a secret, old-fashioned, *actual* word-of-mouth world. I predict that one day in the not-so-distant future bands will “emerge” and become popular, not as a result of social networking websites, but as a result of anti-media. Does any band or artist dare to test the waters? I don’t think so. Not yet. But the one who figures out how to do this first will be the one who benefits the most (or at least gets the credit for implementing this “cutting edge” “marketing” strategy.

    So how far in the future do I see this happening? We’re probably a ways off yet. I’d say you won’t hear about the first, best-kept-secret, off-media band/artist until 2024.