Why I Still Make Music
By T. Perry Bowers
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before in my blogs – but I’m still making music! In fact, my band Silverseed practices almost every week, sometimes twice a week if we are writing a lot of music or getting ready for a gig.
When we’re out, we play mostly to friends. We have a few fans from Face Book and previous shows -they dig us! We’re not lighting up the local scene, but we put on a quality live show and make some killer tunes in the studio. I do want to gain more fans and be successful at making music. But it’s not the main reason I do it.
So why do I do it? Because it’s a challenge! I have songs that are bursting to jump out of me and riffs live under my fingertips. Promoting my own band isn’t my strong suit, but creating music is my everything. If I don’t play my instruments almost every day, I’m not a happy camper. Music is healing for me.
Unusually for a musician, I don’t spend a lot of time listening to other people’s music. It’s usually only when I am really charged up about something that I get inspired to hear some tunes. Perhaps if I’m going on vacation or something is going really well in my business – or my wife pops out another healthy child! The rest of the time I listen to talk radio. Howard Stern and podcasts on UFOs or conspiracy theories capture my attention.
My two eldest girls, 8 and 10, are starting to get turned on to rock and roll. They go to a Waldorf school so they are not exposed to very much media. The other day, I heard a Justin Bieber song on the radio and I said, “Oh, this is Justin Bieber.” They said, “who?” I guess they are kind of sheltered! But that gives me a chance to introduce them to the bands that shaped my youth. My eight-year-old loves Rush. We listen to Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, Hendrix, and all the old classics. When I listen to these bands now I realize I am listening for them. I’ve heard the songs so many times they don’t turn me on like they used to.
However I do recognize a great song when I hear one. There is no formula for a great song. The really great songs are all very different. They have different structures and use different chords. The lyrics and content can be about love, politics or (often!) something completely indecipherable. The common thread is the moment of inspiration, caught on tape during the magical moment. It’s another reason I still make music. I’m always searching for that magical moment.
Some days it’s difficult for me to go to the corner of the room and pick up my guitar. However most days I can get my hands on it. After I warm up a little I’m in the zone. I don’t think about what I’m doing because when I do it messes with my ability to create something beautiful. If I go into thinking mode, I’ll start judging what I’m doing. If my head takes over (telling me I shouldn’t use that scale or that boring old chord) it’s no fun. Rather than listen to my head I play by heart. It’s a practice akin to meditation. It’s my satisfaction. Without it, I would be an irritable man.
Another huge reason I still make music is I simply love playing in a band. I feel so grateful for the guys that choose to play with me. They are great friends and we have a real camaraderie. We play together and our waves are in sync – not just our sound waves, but also our human waves, blending and dancing together. It’s satisfying to my soul to be in a room with like-minded people and make music together. I feel sorry for people who don’t make time and space for making music. Surely, there is something severely lacking in their lives?
Recently, I was asked to be a mentor for a teenage musician. He is doing a high school project and sent me his proposal. He listed a lot of goals, like learning music theory and recording techniques. But his last goal was the most intriguing to me. He said he wanted to learn to collaborate with other musicians. To me this means forming a band – and that’s exciting! I still remember when I joined my fist band in high school. I would never have thought all these years later I would still be in a band playing music together! I bet Metallica never thought they would still be going either. So, I’m going to encourage my little padawan to form a band. It’s where you grow and learn the most. It’s the most challenging and most satisfying goal. You always have something to learn from being creative amongst other people. And, who knows, you might be playing with the same people many years later. If you’re lucky enough, they’ll help you to become a more creative, bright and loving human being.
