Mood:
a-okNow Playing: Triosphere-"The Road Less Travelled"
Ok, hopefully the text on this latest entry shows up as bigger than the last one; wasn`t paying attention and realized I hadn`t adjusted the font size. Anyway....
The last couple of days have been really good; not that previous days were bad, but as mentioned previously, I posted 15 new reviews [3 pages worth] on Friday [which can be read here https://westsidedave.tripod.com/Reviewsindexpage-10.html btw]. Not only did it feel great to finally get this done, the response from bands, fans and friends alike was just amazing. Have been doing reviews since late `98, and there was always this great sense of satisfaction when I published reviews. I really enjoy them, though it can be a total pain in the @$$, as far as setting up the pages, and then sitting there & trying to think of something clever to say, and/or say it in a way I haven`t said it before. Haven`t always succeded on that one, as those of you who read my reviews might have noticed! The way I`ve always approached writing reviews is to (1) Express my opinion about something I`m interested in and somewhat knowlegable about. (2) Hopefully get those reading the review interested in the particular band/artist that perhaps they`ll want to buy their material. (3) Offer up constructive criticism without being really nasty. Even in the worst review I gave [for Hellion`s "Will Not Go Quietly"; boy, did THAT one deserve it!] I found something positive to say [I liked the cover]. Simple as that. Not getting paid for all this [though I have gotten quite a few free CDs` over the years, thank you very much], but it`s just something I like to do, and the subject [music] is one that means a great deal to me. As mentioned in my previous blog, the most recent reviews took me 9 hours, from 8 PM to 5 AM to type, proof read, post and link. This is not the first time I`ve done this; back in `04 I stayed up all night `til nearly 5 AM [then, like the other day, I was off work for the week] typing up five pages of reviews for a bunch of CDs` a label sent me. Am often asked why do I do it. My answer is always "I don`t know, I just like to do it." And that`s the truth. Same thing when, regarding a certain band or type of music I like, someone asks: "Why do you like that?" Again: "I don`t know, I just like it". To me, it`s a stupid question
; you like what you like. But some always want to dig for some hidden reason, it seems. Keep diggin`, I say! I could understand being asked "Why do you do it" concerning my tenure for as US Promotions for Portugal-based Sound Riot Records. I did that for about 3 years; they would send me boxes of promo CD`s, with addresses for `zines, magazines and radio stations in the US and Canada. I would then mail these out; I figure nearly a thousand promos` got mailed by yours truly! In addition, the label would send funds to my PayPal account and I would send the money as payment to have Sound Riot bands featured on various big name Metal magazines annual compilation CDs`. Or to buy advertising space in the same mags. Neither of these things are cheap, believe me. The label would also E-mail me draft copies of their ads and ask me to correct and spelling errors or incorrect English. Was also asked for ideas concerning one of their bands recording-in-progress, what type of vocal arrangement would work best, as well as should any sort of effects be added, etc. Was all this easy? No, but kinda fun, and definitely helped give me insight into the workings of a record label, albeit on a smaller scale. After 3 years I got tired of it, but it was worth doing for a while....
In my previous blog, I mentioned that the long delay in posting reviews was due to various problems and situation going on in my life @ the time. With the exception of the deaths of two good friends, it was more like minor vexations rather than really terrible problems. Things have actually been really good the last few years, nothing much to complain about; sure, situations have cropped up as they`re wont to do from time to time. But recently I felt certain issues needed to concentrated on to get them where I figured they ought to be, and let that be my primary foucus. Other stuff went on the backburner, though I did manage to record the demo track, so I hadn`t totally lost focus! In the end, certain issues weren`t resolved in the manner hoped for. Over one particular situation, I actually got pretty angry 
to the point where my stomach, head and chest hurt, and my eyes felt like they weighed 20 pounds each. Don`t think I`ve ever really been that mad in my life! Felt like this for about a day and a half, then thought to myself; "Hey, why should I let all this get to me? Is this helping? No! I`m only destroying my own system, nobody else`s. Other than pissing me off, how does the situations`outcome affect my life? Well actually, it doesn`t. Not one bit, really." So after this little bit of internal dialog, I actually started feeling better about everything.
Once I realized that the situation is what it is, and my being upset was merely because I had attached a desired outcome and reacted in a certain way when the outcome wasn`t how I wanted it. I chose to react rather than respond. Saw a great quote that has stayed with me ever since: "Response is request". What that means is the way you respond to something determines how the situation will unfold. For example, ever notice when you`re running late and getting all stressed out about it, everything tends to spiral? You knock something over, get more upset, start dropping things, hit your head, stub your toe, the kids start screaming, and so on. Then you end up getting a traffic ticket, get to work late, and you basically have a lousy day [or night] at your job. Much better to just acknowledge you`re running late, take a few deep breaths and honestly ask yourself "What`s the worst that can happen?" Probably not much of anything. So what`s the point of getting angry? By taking stock of the situation, recognizing that it`s just an event, and that while you might not be able to change the situation itself, you can definitely change how you deal with it. The outcome`ll be a helluva better, believe me! I generally tend to do this, but I momentarily forgot, so Life gave me a gentle reminder. It`s all down to Perception VS Reality; for instance, did you know the sky`s not really Blue?
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/sky_blue.html
After that, I began to focus on the one thing that always got me through, no matter what; Music. So I begand to get the reviews pages ready, album cover images, video links, homepage URLs`, etc. Then I went to work on making a proper promo video for "The Illusionist", which yielded better-than-expected results and fantsatic response from alot of people. And then three CDs` I`d been eagerly awaiting arrived, my good friend Joe Dell sent me a glow-in-the-dark promo 45 by his band Sleepy Hollow http://www.sleepyhollowband.com/ , Matt Preston sent me his band Ghost Tower`s http://www.myspace.com/ghosttowermetal latest CD for review, and I got all my reviews posted. So a shift in attitude [and focus] definitely makes a difference. Thus I`ve decided to concentrate full-force on all things music. In addition to listening to music. I always feel good reading about musical subjects, and watching certain DVDs`, like the band interviews on Heaven And Hell`s "Live In Europe" DVD, or the band interviews on UFOs` "Showtime" DVD, Magnum`s "Living The Dream", etc. [Not the Anvil DVD; too depressing, I thought...]. Just hearing all those guys talk about what they did and why they continue to do it, is a big inspiration.
Not trying to sprinkle New Age fairydust up your skirts 
but it all comes down to focusing on what you want, not what you don`t want. Simple as that. At the same time, you may have to make what appear to be tough decisions; letting go of and distancing yourself from people and situations that are no longer serving you; that is, if you have realistic, definite goals in mind [and they are positive and benefits not only yourself but others, as well], along with the desire and will to attain [simply being grimly determined won`t cut it] them, and your current situation and social environment isn`t conducive or supportive, then changes need to be made. It`s your life, and just as you have no business trying to control other peoples` lives, they have no business doing the same to you.
"Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it."-- Katherine Whitehorn
To that end, I have begun sending the demo to various labels. Knowing labels as I do, response won`t be immediate. If they bite, fine and if not well, I`m co-writing more material with Rachel "Iron Lungs" Pedri http://www.myspace.com/ironmajesty so there`ll be more demo tracks to send out. Either way, I`ll have fun doing it!
`Til next time, be good. And if you can`t be good, be careful! [And other cliches`]
WSD
