When I played in my old band, The Jesters, it was hard to define what genre we were. We started out as a ska band with a big horn section (this was the late 90's when ska was having a moment). And with those horns, you know that we had to add a healthy dose of James Brown-influenced funk. But if you had just come into our show for one song, there was also a good chance that you might hear a punk song. Or old-school hip-hop, reggae, 80's pop, jazz, or even 60's surf. That's the beautiful thing about being in a band with a lot of talented musicians from wildly different backgrounds. Everyone brought their own ideas and songs into the … [Read more...]
The Problem with the Paralyzing Power of Self-Image
"Play as loud as you can, as fast as you can, as hard as you can." That was a quote written in black Sharpie on one of my cymbals when I was playing in a band. I wrote it there because that was the energy I wanted to bring to our live shows. And our shows reflected that ethos. They were high-octane dance parties (even if there wasn't anyone at the show - we were more than happy to entertain ourselves). It's how I saw myself as a musician. It was the image in my mind that I tried to live up to. It's how I self-identified. There was nothing wrong with that self-image, but when I listen to old recordings of our shows, I can also … [Read more...]
Leadership Lessons from The Commitments
When people ask me about my favorite movies, they're usually unprepared for one of my top choices, The Commitments, the tale of a scrappy Dublin soul band struggling to break away from the travails of working class life. Even though many people haven't seen (or have even heard) of it, the exploits of Jimmy Rabbitte and his band have deeply influenced my approaches to music, business, and life. The fact that it's also full of witty Irish repartee and has a solid soul soundtrack helps a little bit. There are some powerful lessons on leadership that can be pulled from the story. Are you putting together a soul band or a new … [Read more...]