an excercise: create your ideal life
1. where do you live? describe what your home looks like.
I live on the beach right by the ocean. There’s a fairly big patio with a table to have meals outside and some lounge chairs. It’s warm all year round here. At night I like to light bondfires on the beach, have friends over and have sing-a-longs by the fire. Inside the house there’s an indoor pool and spa area with a hot tube. I also have a home recording studio equiped with numerous instruments, guitars, basses, amps, drums and a grand piano. I also have a vinyard and a cellar in the basement. I have two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard.
2. what kind of people have you surrounded yourself with?
Marya, my ever supportive, creative and stimulating companion. Seb and Wolf my bestfriends and ever creative and inspiring bandmates. All living a clean and productive lifestyle. A very competent and trustworthy team of manager, booking agent, publicist and record label. A personal chef and maintenance people for the house. Also a good road crew for when we’re on tour.
3. who are your bestfriends? what makes the relationships work?
Marya, love and understanding. Seb and Wolf, a productive, supportive healthy lifestyle filled with creativity and achievements.
4. what do you do on a daily basis that fulfills your emotional, spiritual and physical needs?
Wake up early (to get the most out of the day). Music (writing, recording, jamming, performing). Karate (keeping in good physical and mental shape). Art (of some kind drawing, painting, poster making). Eating well (healthy feasts), sex and good sleep.
5. How would you describe your chosen profession?
Life as a musician is very fulfilling. Get to travel all around the world playing shows, making people happy and have a good time. Get to be creative, write and record every year or so.
6. Describe your work setting.
Phase 1: a very comfortable and inspiring space to write and record in. Phase 2: On the road in a comforatble tour bus with all the basic necessities and playing in accomadating venues.
7. whom do you work with?
My bandmates Seb and Wolf, our road crew and our management crew/record label. When recording I’d like to collaborate with top engineers/producers, starting with Jace Lasek/Jonathan Cummins but also including the likes of Steve Albini down the line.
8. describe your ideal audience and your realtionship to them.
My ideal audience would be full of people that genuinely love music (and don’t just follow trends). Hopefully their relationship with the music would be one that allowed them to find shelter from their troubles and make them happy, have a good time and feel good when listening to it. Hopefully they would be loyal and supportive enough to ensure a lifetime career in music.
9. what do you enjoy most about your career?
I like that I get to travel all around the world. I like to be creative and feel a natural high everytime we write new songs and record new albums. I like getting the chance to perform with some of my heroes growing up such as Sonic Youth, The Pixies etc. I also like to help out the smaller bands that I find good (with exposure, advice etc.)
10. How much money do you make?
Enough to give large portions away to family, friends and the needy.
11. what do you spend your money on?
My girlfriend, my family, my good (deserving) friends and the needy. Personally I like collecting instruments and nice gear for my home studio. I also like collecting art and records.
12. H ave you aquired any awards and honors?
Starting locally we won MIMI, GAMIQ, Polaris and Juno awards (did I miss anything?) Then eventually down the line a Grammy lifetime achievement award. Also we often topped the charts with gold and platinum selling records. Made a bunch of best records of all time lists in magazines and such (I think that about covers it).
13. How do you think your peers view you?
With respect and admiration.
14. How do you view yourself?
Pride in my achievements (content, fulfilled), yet humble about them. I also take pride in helping others.
15. what do your admirers say about you and your work?
They say they are grateful for our music’s sincerity. That it’s a welcome change from the mainstream, commercial, plastic, phoney pop world. They say it saved my life, got me through hard times, made me feel good when I was down. They say it changed the world for the better, made music good again. They say we’re the best band on the planet with the best live show. Some even say that we are the best band of all time!
16. what would you like to contribute to your field?
A return to sincere, raw, heartfelt, passionate music. Creating innovative albums.
17. what would you like to contribute to your community?
A record label, a recording studio and a live venue. A rock camp for kids. Money for the needy.
18. How do you enjoy your spare time?
Music, karate, art, sex, good food, read, write and quality time with family and good friends.
