Deeaa stated:

quote - am I just after all simply scared of committing myself 100% to something out of fear it might not work out after all? If I did all I could to make a hit song and give it all on stage, and it didn't work - well that would be a downer for sure, but I honestly don't know if that's a reason enough to not go for it full blast. unquote.


To each their own approach to things, etc., but I'm thinking that in order to be a successful musical performer, such as a singer and player in a band, you have to throw all these "vanities" to the wind and just rock out to your soul's content, or heart's content in the case of the athiest I suppose; with a somewhat unrestrained abandon, not giving a shit about what others think as to if they think your performance is a success or not. Then, in retrospect, without a feeling of remorse if things didn't turn out star strikingly - revise the approach and, "get up and do it again" (JB). It is too easy to take ourselves way to seriously. After all this is just rock and roll, it's not like it is serious music - as in philharmonic.

I would agree with you that it is not reason enough to not go "full blast"; being held back by the fear of it not working, that is.

Think of that Prince video recently posted here on the Fret to the effect of, "Prince plays to a dead crowd", or something to that effect. Think about that one. Prince and his band hit it hard and rock out to "Johnny B. Good" and another hot song and the audience is disconnected off on some other wavelength other than appreciating the real good performance just presented by Prince and his band. From a Professional point of view, I doubt if Prince was phased by the lack of interest and enthusiasm demonstrated by the heavily restrained audience. I'm positive it wasn't a "downer" for Prince to deal with the aftermath of a performance that didn't really get the enthusiastic attention of the audience, much less inspire any kind of breaking loose or excitement from the audience.

Therefore, I think that a fear of not "smashing thru" with the hit is not realistic or productive, but is a futile waste of time - because you can't predict what is going to excite the audience ahead of time with any accuracy. For any number of reasons an audience might not share your enthusiasm for a particular performance or song. I don't think this shoud get you down. Many of the big time stars have probably had beer bottles thrown at them, as in the "Blues Brothers" when performing their songs that would later gain great recognition and respect, but started out being totally underappreciated.

If your heart or soul is into it, that is all that should matter. You can always try to perfect the song in ways to try to get it across to the audience in a more effective way, or move on to the next song or project, without being bummed out.

I'm sure many so called personal masterpieces have been met with critical and popular rejection. This is where people have had to pick up the pieces and move ahead, with a belief in themselves and a willingness to try new approaches.

The fact is that many, many, many super great players, singers, and bands never become stars or even get one hit song; for whatever of all sorts of reasons it may be. We have probably all seen the best muscians we have ever known go no where, for whatever unknown or known reasons; in more than a few instances.

Sometimes when I'm on stage, doing my best, I'm just glad they are not throwing beer bottles at me. And when I get off the stage I'm glad if someone compliments me. My friend's bands have played in some very red neck places, cowboy bars, etc. You never know how a hippie is going to go over in some of these places. Just like the "Blues Brothers". In so many ways that movie is a great metaphor, an archetype.

Plus, I doubt if you are really so modest or even reticent when your band is going full tilt boogie. You don't seem like the type of guy that would worry too much about the backlash. How about when they "boo'd" Stevie Ray Vaughn at his first Montreau appearance? He came back and slayed them.