Let's start out by laying things out on the table. Life isn't fair and everyone doesn't have the same resources to get ahead. But, the best way to move forward is by accepting this and working with as much or as little as you have. Stewing over the inequities of life will leave you stagnant and dead. You'll wake up in ten years, bitter that you didn't do what you could have done if you had set aside your pride.
But, I digress.
So, I spent the afternoon at the local musicians union in a meeting between four of Portland's local music writer's and some of the cities general music/artistic community. From some of the things I read on craigslist, I half-expected there to be some kind of confrontation coming from the musical community who seem to hold these people in contempt for there role in "picking and choosing" who gets in and who gets out. Though there wasn't any real confrontation other than a few awkwardly phrased comments that hinted at some hurt feelings and spite, I could still sense some heat in the room. If some of the people were bolder in following their inclinations I'm sure they would have cornered the writer's and verbally stoned them.
Overall the writer's represented themselves well and explained to the crowd that they weren't the scene god's that they're made out to be. Not to say that being written about in the portland mercury isn't a good thing, but sometimes there are things outside of themselves that make it impossible to cover everyone, believe it or not. One audience member said that they should make there papers bigger to include more music, but I'm pretty people's attention spans alone would make that an impossability. The mercury and the ww are long and thick enough as it is. The fact is, scene and interest are always going to dictate what writer's want to write about. The last thing young, up-and-coming writers want to write about are scenes that they have no emotion tie to or understanding at that matter.
It's always a touchy subject when you deal with people's hopes, dream, desires, etc. I don't know if it's just result of modern political correctness, but we really aren't allowed by social constraints to be completely honest with each other when it comes to things like these. Hobbies and distractions are fine way to occupy time, but for about 95% of the people who at least vocalize the desire to take there music to the professional level and wonder why they don't get anywhere it's probably because they lack the desire and talent. But, more so, the talent. That's a harsh thing to say. I know. And I hate that it can't be said in public. People used to be booed off that stage and taken away with a cane. Why can't we just be honest and move on.
