I think it's a combination of Artist + Iowa for me. Many artists could care less about what people think of what they do. I'm right there with 'em. I do what I do because that's what I do, and if you don't like it, go listen to somebody else because there are a zillion options out there. No hard feelings. But no, I'm not going to reinvent myself to make you happy. And Iowans are notoriously shy about calling attention to themselves. We think it's sort of scandalous and unseemly if we wear too loud a shirt.
But to try to explain to people why they need to support what I do, why it matters not just to me but to them that they support what I do . . . I can't just say, "Because what I do is important and powerful; because my music has healed people in crisis and someday you may need that kind of healing; because I am hopeless at making money any other way." I can't say that. Well, I could, but I very much doubt anybody would care to fund me if I did.
Music is not just important, it's essential. I'm not talking about the current crop of 3-chord pop songs that all sound the same, or the bullshit bro-country garbage songs that all sound the same, or any of the corporate created formulated to be totally homogeneous and guaranteed not to make anyone think crap the corporate-owned radio stations spew at you countless times per day to the exclusion of anything else. That stuff is disposable. I'm talking about music played by actual people on real instruments. People who have made it their life's work to become the best musicians they can be. People who are passionately committed to creating new, unique, interesting, different music that has the capacity to reach into the heart and the soul and the brain and move anyone listening. That stuff is important, but the people who own the corporations that produce the other stuff are doing their damndest to make sure YOU don't get to hear it. That's the stuff that heals people, that creates a deep sense of well-being and wholeness and clarity, that gives people a sense of mystery and wonder. You know the powers that be in this country don't want people thinking, or wondering, or feeling empowered and (gods forbid) healthy.
That's basically what I ended up saying, perhaps slightly more diplomatically. Not much. But slightly. And it's what I'm saying now. We are the 99%, the other part of the country that doesn't own major corporations or the politicians that regulate them. But here's the biggest thing they don't want us to understand: We don't need them. We only need each other.
In a couple days I'll be posting a link to my Indiegogo campaign. I need you. I hope you feel the same about me and what I do. I'd profoundly appreciate your support. Stay tuned.
UPDATE: The campaign has launched at Indiegogo - check us out here: http://www.igg.me/at/auntgrecord - and help us out if you can! Thank you already!
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