ROCK, READ, AND ROAM!

Seth Godin, Guns N’ Roses, and The Dip

“Never quit something with great long-term potential just because you can’t deal with the stress of the moment.”  Seth Godin

“Of course, we had rough times, but if you want something bad enough then you stick it and make the best out of things.”  Slash (Lead guitarist, Appetite For Destruction era Guns N’ Roses.)

“The Dip is the long slog between starting and mastery.”  Seth Godin

In 1986, while I was working for an investment company listening to rich stress puppies curse at me for costing them seven cents in their multi-million dollar accounts,  the members of Guns N’ Roses  were enduring a different type of stress.  Between the time that the Appetite For Destruction lineup of GNR first plugged in their guitars in 1985, and the time that Appetite was released in 1987, the members of Guns N’ Roses were pushing through what marketing author, Seth Godin, calls The Dip. 

In Brian Hiatt’s excellent article in Rolling Stone magazine, bassist Duff McKagan states, that the band knew there was a special chemistry from the first chord they slammed into at a Silver Lake studio- “There was something, and we all knew it," says McKagan. “We were only twenty years old, but we considered ourselves real veterans. It felt like, 'This is the band, this is it. This is what we've all been searching for.’”

Here are what I believe are the most relevant questions to ask based on McKagan’s statement.  1.  How many other LA based bands in the 1980’s felt a chemistry equal to what Guns N’ Roses felt on that timeless night in 1985?  2.  Why did most of these bands fail to achieve success?

“Hard training, easy combat; easy training, hard combat”
Marshal Suvorov, famous Russian General

“Desire is half of life; indifference is half of death.”
Kahil Gibran

I think that when presented with the 1985-1986 living conditions of the members of Guns N’ Roses, most human beings would have quit the band in disgust and been on the first Greyhound out of town.  Here is then GNR manager, Arnold Stiefelto’s description of the house the band lived in.  “I almost fainted,” says Stiefelto, whose name was on the lease. “It was Beneath the Planet of the Apes. It was Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. It was so beyond imagining. I couldn't stop laughing.  The band had torn the toilets from the floor and thrown them out the window...There were half-eaten Whoppers with mold on the wrappers.”  But, the Gunners didn’t quit, and didn’t run home, because they understood the concept of the Dip.

A FEW THINGS THAT GUNS N’ ROSES UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE DIP (Quotes from Seth Godin) 

1.  “Quit the wrong stuff. Stick with the right stuff. Have the guts to do one or the other.” (Guitarist, Slash, drummer, Steven Adler, and McKagan all quit a band called Road Crew.  Singer, Axl Rose, and guitarist, Izzy Stradlin quit the group LA Guns.) 

2.  “...It’s important for you to amplify the benefits of not quitting.”   According to Steven Adler, “We wanted to be like Aersomith, Kiss, Zeppelin, bands like that.”  As discussed above, GNR knew from their first practice that they had a high potential for success.

3.  “In order to get through that Dip, you will need to quit everything else.” (The members of Guns N’ Roses quit everything else.)

A FEW QUESTIONS WE CAN ALL ASK

1.  Is there anything that I am passionate about enough to live in a home with no toilets, and half-eaten Whoppers with mold on the wrappers lying on the floor, while I am going through my Dip?  If not, should I have a passion that great for something?

2.  What is my Dip?

3.  Are there some things I should quit today, so that I can work through my Dip?   

The Dip is one of my best Amazon.com purchases.  If I had intuitively grasped the lessons of that book as well as the members of Guns N’ Roses, I would have avoided years of frustration.  

What is your Dip?  Please leave your comments below, or contact me directly.  My contact info is in the sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by!  Bill

What Millions Of Us Have In Common With Kurt Cobain

“Depression is the inability to construct a future.” Rollo May

The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.

A. A. Milne

From Winnie the Pooh

“Depression is rage spread thin.” George Santayana

Yesterday morning, my dog, Cody, could not get up.  I was downstairs, and I heard him yelping in pain.  When I came back upstairs, he tried to get up, but could not push off with his back legs.  All I knew, was his front legs could move, but his back legs seemed frozen.  So, I picked him up, and carried him downstairs.  For some reason, as I was carrying Cody down the stairs, a memory of Kurt Cobain playing with the rest of Nirvana on MTV’S unplugged  crossed my mind- I saw Kurt, frail and tired, and apparently depressed , playing “Jesus Don’t Want Me For A Sunbeam.”   Suddenly, I made the connection that depression could be our brain’s way of “yelping” for help and begging us to help it “get to where it needs to go.”

A few years ago, I was sitting in my favorite chair in our living room.  I don’t remember why I decided to move my arm, all I remember was what it was like when my arm wouldn’t move.  First, I smiled as I had a flash back to when I was in college and believed that it was actually pleasurable to drink myself into this state.  Each attempt to lift my arm, brought less pleasure,  but unlike my dog Cody, I had no one at home who could hear me yelping.    (The dudes calling the game on  ESPN, couldn’t seem to hear me. :) )  Finally, I “accepted” that I could not lift my arm, and there was nothing I could do about it- At that moment, I felt a sense of peace.   I didn’t realize what I accepted then, but what I had temporarily accepted, was that I was depressed. (My doctor  “officially diagnosed” me as depressed the following week.)  After my initial discussion with my doctor,  I went in and out of denial about this illness, before I reached final acceptance and decided to do whatever was necessary to  overcome the insidious effects depression. 

Like Kurt Cobain, before I “bottomed out,” I thought about ending it all.  Fortunately, I never went further than thinking about driving out to buy the gun. 

 

“The first step is always acceptance.  Acceptance precedes even recognition.” Cheri Huber

So, “why in the hell” am I writing about my personal experience with depression on my blog?  Because, I believe that I have an obligation do so.  (Depression may be the most powerful bullet that “Agent Smith shoots at me.”)  In the two weeks that I have been posting, most of this blog’s readers have come from five groups: 1. Entrepreneurs 2. Musicians 3. Writers 4. Music fans  5. (Some combination of the first four groups.)   I don’t want anyone reading this post to lose what I lost to depression. HERE’S WHAT I LOST TO DEPRESSION- ABOUT 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE.  Author, Elizabeth Wurtzel, said that “Prozac did not cure my depression, but it gave me a space to work in.”   For almost 20 years of my life, I did not have “a space to work in.”

The traits that enable us to succeed as entrepreneurs can set us up for depression.  If you are a writer or a musician, and you don’t believe that you have a higher than average risk of experiencing depression, please look here, or here. :)

What’s Worked For Me (In no order)

1.  Listening to my doctor. 

2.  Strict nutrition and exercise program.  

3.  Having a no tolerance policy on negative thinking.

4. Morning prayer and meditation time.

5.  Doing the “Zen thing.”  (If I think one second behind me or in front of me, I can rapidly find myself in a very bad neighborhood in my head.)

6. A healthy marriage.

7.  Sharing with friends who have experienced or are experiencing depression.

8. My dog is my best buddy.  (If you don’t like dogs, please consider a cat. :) )

9.  Walking The Black Dog Blog.   

http://walkingtheblackdog.com/  

A Few Books That Have Helped Me Overcome Depression (In No Order Again. :) )

1.  Undoing Depression by Richard O'Connor

2.  Self Coaching by Joseph Luciani

3.  The Depression Book by Cheri Huber

If you have any questions about my experience with depression, please contact me through this blog or Twitter.  Have you experienced depression?  If so, what has helped you overcome its harmful effects?  

“I wish I was like you

Easily amused

Find my nest of salt

Everything is my fault

I'll take all the blame

I'll proceed from shame”

Nirvana “All Apologies”- Lyrics by Kurt Cobain

 

Do You Want To Be Fugazi Or U2?

 

“Bo Burlingham reminds us of a vital truth: big does not equal great, and great does not equal big.”  Jim Collins, coauthor of Built to Last  and author of Good to Great . 

“American business at this point is really about developing an idea, making it profitable, selling it while it’s profitable and then getting out or diversifying. It’s just about sucking everything up. My idea was: Enjoy baking, sell your bread, people like it, sell more. Keep the bakery going because you’re making good food and people are happy.” Ian MacKaye, Fugazi frontman

Do I want to be Fugazi  (pronounced 'Foogähzee') or U2 ?  I say this each day as if these words came out of a holy work... Okay, I don’t really- But, I believe some form of this question should be asked by anyone who is playing in a band, working as a writer, starting a business, or running a business.  Here’s some other ways this question can be asked-  Do I want complete creative control, or only partial creative control over what I do?  Would I be able to do more good in the world, if “my message” has worldwide distribution?  Is it okay to receive attention from only a niche group of people? Is having “lack of control” worth the price of being “really big?”  Am I okay with making just a little money?  Will I be satisfied with a “middle-class” lifestyle, or do I want to become “really rich.”

For those of you who don’t wake up each day asking yourselves, “How would  Fugazi handle this situation?” Here's a brief summary of how Fugazi does business from Tim McMahan’s excellent lazy-i blog .

“Look up Fugazi in any alt/rock/music guide and you'll find an entry that reads: "The Washington D.C. indie punk rock band, known for its strident anti-corporate stance." Research Fugazi on the Internet and you'll likely find countless articles describing how the band has managed to flourish despite bucking the mighty rock-star machine. Ask you're run-of-the-mill Fugazi fan about the band and they'll tell you, with great pride, how they never sold out.

Keep looking, eventually you'll find something about their music. Fugazi's Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, both songwriters and vocalists, know that their legendary flip of the bird at the corporate rock establishment has long ago become their calling card. That doesn't mean they like it.

"Yes, I guess our actions can be seen as anti-corporate, but that's just the way we operate," MacKaye said. He and Picciotto talked via phone from their D.C. homes last week. "What comes natural to us might strike others as austere and intense, but everything we've done – whether it's how we release our records or control ticket prices – has always been centered around making the most comfortable environment to play our music. It should be that way for all bands."

Fugazi's integrity was legendary long before Pearl Jam made headlines with its quasi-fight against Ticketmaster. The band continues to charge no more than $5 or $6 for its shows, and tickets are sold mainly at indie music outlets or the venues. All six Fugazi albums have been released on MacKaye's Dischord record label and sell for around $10 at indie music stores. The band doesn't do interviews with mainstream magazines, such as Rolling Stone or Spin, preferring to talk to small, local publications or fanzines. There are no Fugazi T-shirts, MTV videos or other slick promotional gimmicks. The band is proud to say it makes its living doing one thing: playing music.”

So, Fugazi, wants complete creative control.  I think they are a great example of the “start small, keep it all,” approach to business. They are very happy to make a nice income playing music, and to receive the love of their fans.  Jetting around in a large corporate jet isn’t near the top of their priority list.  So, do you want to be Fugazi?  If you want your business, band, or book, to become larger than Fugazi,  what are you willing to give up to do that?

BUSINESSES WHO HAVE A FUGAZI BUSINESS MODEL 

1.  Anchor Brewing  

2.  Righteous Babe Records  

3. Patagonia

4.  The Green Bay Packers -  I hear the laughing... Yes, they have to abide by the NFL rules like all NFL teams, but- they could have left Green Bay for the “big city” decades ago.  The Packers are the only NFL franchise that is publicly owned. 

“All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender. For it is all give and no take.” 

Mohandas Gandhi 

“We’re not shy about being big anymore. I think rock and roll should be big. It’s about mass communication. The idea that it’s kind of a cult thing and that it’s underground is all very well, but it’s shame if that’s all it ever is…that the majority of the airwaves are dominated by music that’s purely commercially motivated and does not go beyond that, but is essentially one-dimensional. We’re in a position where we can do some more wild things and I would think it would be a shame if we just accepted the standards and the way that most bands go about their business, and didn’t use this position in a different way.”  U2 Guitarist Edge in an interview on Negativeland.com.

From day one, I believe that U2 knew they wanted to, “become something like The Beatles.”  As they have approached a Beatles style level of success, has U2 compromised on what Gandhi calls “the fundamentals?”  It is a debatable point...  Though some will adamantly disagree with me, I believe U2 has compromised, but not on the fundamentals.  I like Brad Reno and Ira Robbins   words better than my words- “...U2 behaves like a dog that has been jolted by the invisible fence a few times too often. Still, they do try to leave the porch now and again, and it's obvious they want to shake things up as much as their fans will allow, a creditable impulse for a band of U2's stature and endurance.” 

“The only thing I can say about having this type of success is that you can get yourself in trouble because basically the world is set open for you. People will say yes to anything you ask, so it's basically down to you and what you want or need.” 

Bruce Springsteen 

Can all of us become as big as U2 without compromising on our fundamentals?  I think, U2 began pretty far out on “The Long Tail,” as Fugazi did.  Unlike Fugazi, U2 chose to keep moving closer to the head. (For a great summary of the book, The Long Tail, the books author, Chris Anderson, has a great summary here. ) 

“I have found that the greatest help in meeting any problem is to know where you yourself stand. That is, to have in words what you believe and are acting from.” 

William Faulkner 

THREE BASIC QUESTIONS TO ASK (Consider heeding Faulkner’s admonition and write out your answers. :) ) 

1.  What do I need to do to become Fugazi and stay Fugazi?

2.  What actions can I take, to become Fugazi first, and then become  U2?

3. What are the options other than the two models above?  Do I like one of these other options better?  

Whatever our opinions might be about how well we have held to our integrity; any of us who want to obtain mega-success need to be ready for two words “sell out.”   

SMART MOVE OR SELL OUT?

Below, are a couple of examples of businesses that chose to give up some creative control to “reach a larger audience.”   All of them have detractors who say they “sold out.”  What do you think,  smart business moves, or “sell out?”

1.     

The Scoop on Ben & Jerry's Sellout

Ben & Jerry's About Page

2.    

Did, Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea Go to the Dark Side?

Honest Tea Mission Statement

 

Who Will Be Your Brian Epstein? Whose Brian Epstein will you be?

 

“I get by with a little help from my friends.” The Beatles

"M.B.E. stands for  Mister Brian Epstein..." -- Paul McCartney MBE George Harrison MBE -- 1965 (M.B.E normally stands for Member Of  the Order of the British Empire. :))

I love Twitter!  Twitter allows me to learn from and connect with hundreds of interesting people. My Twitter friends and followers include many up and coming recording artists.  Out of the numerous artists I have met, there isn’t one that I think has no chance of success in the recording business!  So, why do so many talented musicians never chart, never make it to  Saturday Night Live, never make it to The Tonight Show, Coachella Festival, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, The 40 Watt Club, or whatever their dream venue is?   As someone who knows about four chords on a guitar, I don’t really know, :) but here is a guess- “They haven’t met their Brian Epstein.”

"I think Brian's one of the forgotten people. It's almost as if he's been written out of the story. I don't think they'd have got anywhere without Brian.” Cynthia Lennon (John Lennon’s first wife)

For those of you who don’t know Brian Epstein, from Brian Wilson, from Brian Griffin, here’s a micro bio of Brian.  Brian Epstein was The Beatles manager.  He was someone who believed in what John, Paul, George, and Ringo were doing and  he sold their music with a great passion!  If ESPN’S Mike and Mike In The Morning were a music talk show, instead of a sports talk show, they would be asking- “Why is Brian Epstein not in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?”  This excerpt from, Glenn Frankel’s, excellent Washington Post article, “Nowhere Man,” is an excellent summary of what Brian did for The Beatles-

“But while Brian transformed the group's appearance and stagecraft, he never messed with their music. The professional managers of that era, had they been interested at all, would almost certainly have required the Beatles to choose a front man and limit their repertoire to the bland, pre-packaged pop music that made acts like Cliff Richard so successful in Britain -- and so uninspired. Whether because he was a total amateur or because he saw something that others didn't, Brian loved the Beatles' sound, encouraged them to write their own songs and cherished their originality.”

"It was almost like a father talking about a son who'd passed his university exams. It was deeply emotional. He would talk for two hours on the phone about it. It was so much a part of him. It wasn't about the money."  

There are conflicting stories about how Brian Epstein and The Beatles “found each other.”  Regardless of how they connected, Brian found a cause that he believed in and the Beatles found the right sales guru for their cause.    So, how can we find our Brian Epstein or Brian Epsteins?  

FIVE WAYS YOU CAN FIND YOUR BRIAN EPSTEIN

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. 

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

1.  Start!  The first time I thought about becoming a professional speaker was in college.  I am very happy that I only “wandered in the wilderness” for half as long as Moses! It took me 20 years to take action.  Here’s the first action I took-  I entered the search phrase “Professional Speaker Huntsville Alabama” on Monster.com.  Within a few seconds, I was looking at a work posting for employment as a speaker for Monster.com’s “Making It Count” program.  An online job application,  video audition tape, and few telephone interviews later, I was on my way to “Making It Count” training.

“When The Student Is Ready The Master Will Appear.”  Buddhist Proverb

2. Learn!  

At my Making It Count training, I had the privilege of meeting, one of the top youth speakers in the United States, Kevin Bracy.  I made the wise decision to attend Kevin’s First Step For Speakers Conference and Kevin’s From The Ground Up Conference.  Those conferences have played a significant role in my development as a communicator. 

“Go To The Places That Scare You.” Pema Chödrön

3.  Get out of your comfort zone!  Does anyone really want to go to a reunion?  My 2008 High School reunion was one of my best experiences last year, but I sure as hell did not initially want to go there!  My Facebook page is a witness to all the people I reconnected with at that event though. :)  One of the people who I reconnected with at our reunion, Allison Adams Blankenship , is an outstanding professional speaker, who has helped me focus on the next steps I need to take to develop as a professional in the communication arts.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You, too? Thought I was the only one." C.S. Lewis

4.  Connect!  Right now, one of my favorite places to experience the reality of C.S. Lewis powerful quote is Twitter.   As far as I am concerned, I became a writer, the day that my Twitter friend, Tara Joyce, put my guest post on her excellent blog, Rise Of The Innerpreneur.

5.  Be someone else's Brian Epstein!  I will let some of our world’s great spiritual traditions speak for me on this-

SOWING AND REAPING IN SEVERAL SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS

Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Christianity

It is nature’s rule, that as we sow, we shall reap.  Buddhism

As a man soweth so shall he reap.  Sikhism

A liberal man will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.  Judaism

What proceeds from you will return to you.  Confucianism

Thou canst not gather what thou dost not sow, as thou dost plant the tree, so it will grow.  Hinduism

***When you achieve your goal, please don’t forget your  Brian Epstein, or Brian Epsteins. If you would like to honor the original Brian Epstein’s memory, by helping him get in The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, please click here for more information.***   

 

   

        

Weirdos Are Wonderful

"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”  Aristotle

“Guitar bands are on their way out.”  (What Decca Records said when they rejected The Beatles)

I wish I had been able to see the cool LA punk band The Weirdos when they were together!  This post starts with something I did get to experience though.  Several weeks ago, I had a very meaningful conversation with a friend of mine.  In that conversation, my friend told me that I should, “Get a job and go to work as everybody else does.”  Now, I am starting a business, so I am working, but I may not be working “like everybody else does.”  Several weeks have passed now, and that conversation has had time to ferment.  I have decided this- Why would I want to be like everybody else?  Most people don’t like their work, many people aren’t happy with their relationships, and many people probably don’t even really like their lives, so why would I want to be like everybody else?   So, I’ve come to a major conclusion… I  want to take not being like everybody else to a higher level... I want to be “a weirdo.” I’ve decided that WEIRDOS ARE WONDERFUL!   

What is a weirdo anyway?  My definition of a weirdo is: A weirdo is someone who is just him or herself.  A weirdo will rarely do something because, "everyone else is doing it.”  A weirdo band will play the type of music they like whether that is what everyone is “down with” now or not.  Weirdo business people will start businesses that “can’t possibly make it.” Weirdos typically do positive  things that they enjoy, and have a passion for, whether everyone approves of what they do or not. 

So, will we all become rich tech barons, famous writers,  or rock stars if  all of us become weirdos?  No, probably not.  But, I do think that when we pursue things that we have a passion for and are good at, we will be happier regardless of our income levels.  So, if that is the case,  why aren’t we all weirdos? 

OBJECTIONS THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO BEING A WEIRDO

1.  PEOPLE WILL NOT LIKE ME IF I AM WEIRDO

- See the Aristotle quote above.  No matter how “nice” any of us are, there will be people who don’t like us.  Might as well do something we have a passion for and believe is right.  I believe, when you are yourself, more of the people who are good for you will like you.   

   

     

2.  I WILL BE UNEMPLOYABLE AND WON'T MAKE ANY MONEY IF I AM A WEIRDO

- I received the photos above in an email with this caption:  “Would you have invested in companies started by these people.”   Those folks aren’t exactly “Dress For Success” type people are they?

If you don’t already know this, the photo on the top is Apple Computer's Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the photo in the center is Bill Gates and the rest of the Microsoft staff around 1978, and the “the nerds” in the bottom photo are members of a then unknown Irish band, who according to biographer, Matt McGee, were ready to throw in the towel after the early 1980 tour of Ireland— the one that ended with Island signing U2 to a major contract.  Sometimes, pictures may not “say a thousand words,” but can cost “non-weirdos” thousands, millions, or billions of dollars. ☺

Once we’ve overcome these two major objections, what else will help us achieve our desired level of weirdness?

Here are two actions we can all take to achieve our desired level of weirdness:

1.  The first way that you can become a weirdo is by reading books, listening to tapes, or watching movies about weird and strange, but positive people that you admire, or relate to.   The key phrase is- that you can relate to.  For instance, maybe you don't want to read about some rock star who wears sunglasses indoors for instance. (I happen to enjoy reading about Bono. ☺) When you read, you will be absorbing inspiration and motivation to change.    

2.  Accept things as they are right here right now. I am a huge sports fan, but  I will not be the next Michael Jordan no matter how long I stay on the basketball court. I have to accept that I don’t have those skills.  I would love it if I had done what I thought was best, and worked on starting my own business 20 years ago though.  But, I can't go back and do that, so I might as well not live where I can't be.  I can only perform when I focus on what is going on right now, and I believe the same thing is true for everyone else. 

What will the consequences be if we decide that becoming a weirdo is too much trouble?  During his lifetime, professor Joseph Campbell was probably the world’s foremost expert on myths.  After studying all humanities great myths, and all our great religious traditions, professor Campbell reached this conclusion.  He said that not being yourself had very serious consequences.  Hell, said professor Campbell, “is living someone else's life."  Regardless of what our individual belief systems may tell us about hell, I think that we can all agree that is somewhere we don't want to go, even for a visit…