Rock & roll HEALTH Chick


I’ve Learned To Dance With My Hand In My Pants


Well, I don't dance and, if I did, it wouldn't be


like that. However, “The Entertainer” by Billy Joel is a great song on the subject. If you haven't heard it, lis- ten now! https://tinyurl.com/rockinhealth


You probably do know about selling out! It's


an age-old dilemma. We want the attention and "fame," but at what cost? Do we alter our art for pub- lic or corporate consumption? Do we bend to the wishes of the market and lose the soul of our artistic expression? The first day of economics at The University of


Tennessee, the teacher silently walked in and wrote TNSTAFL on the board. He asked if anyone knew what that meant, and of course we didn't. He said, "There's no such thing as a free lunch!" I have never forgotten that and have often confirmed it in my mind. Everything has a cause, effect, some sort of con- sequence and a “price.” Some people try to play it safe and become very wishy-washy and non-decisive. Like RUSH says, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.” We're not operating in a vacuum. We often have to decide, even if the price of our choice is too high. So, what have you chosen in your life that


came at a high cost? Was that price too high? Did you ever feel like you were selling out in order to acquire a payoff like fortune or fame? I would think most musi- cians at a certain level have faced that crossroads at least once. Those of us who are, shall we say, more opinionated and headstrong about staying true to our- selves and our moral compasses especially struggle with this. I suspect a lot of the troubled musicians, past and present, have wrestled this demon and it has taken its toll. I have worked hard to position myself and my


life in a way that gives me the most control over those and other choices. I am very fortunate to have an ex- tremely supportive husband, who lets me be me and be self-employed. I can avoid a lot of the denigration, anxiety and depression I feel when I am at the mercy of whatever boss wants me to be someone I am not. I have to play some of the games, like anyone else, but I get to choose a lot of the players and make more of the rules.


Don't get me wrong. I've had some really bad


jobs. When I was young, and without financial obliga- tions I would quit whenever I wanted. The choice could have been as simple as going to the beach or work. After I had kids, my financial responsibilities became greater, especially when I was briefly single. The learning curve, of having to go to a place I hated and trying to fit into some box I didn't fit in, was very painful, but the lessons were plentiful. My last job be- fore being self-employed was three years of working at the health food hell-hole. The first year was great, but the next two were increasingly horrible. However, I learned how to turn a foe into a “friend,” perseverance and how to plan to get the hell out. My knight in shin- ing armor came to my emotional and a lot of my fi- nancial rescue. I am fortunate and wish that everyone had the financial security to find their own way. The world would be a much nicer place. When it comes to the "business" of making


music, the approaches vary. Some get the safe job and make music on the side. I've met all kinds in this cate- gory. There are those who seem content to just play here and there, maybe making no money at all. Then there are those who go through all the motions of composing, recording and playing live, but don't seem to have larger aspirations. A really good guitar player in one of the ElectraLand Radio bands and I were talking about that at a “Jamsgiving” party recently. Our friend remarked that he wasn't looking for the bright lights of fame, because he didn't want to answer to any marketing shill. Being told what to do, what to play, where to go and when wasn't his idea of "making it." He would be happy just playing festivals and other concerts of his own choosing. We know many musi- cians who aren't willing to take that next step. Maybe they don't want to work that hard, loose their security or risk failure. Whatever their reason, they make great music on their terms. We also know a bunch of musicians who are


pounding the shit out of the pavement! Some are young and some are not. They drive around the coun- try, day in and day out. They lug their gear around and set it up themselves. They grab whatever sleep and food they can between gigs. Maybe they make enough money for gas, lodging and a nice meal or two. And there are plenty of times they don't. One of our bands got all their gear and trailer stolen and had to start over. If my kids were in this boat, I would be very proud that they were musicians, but extremely dis-


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