I am watching Lady Gaga parade around in a music video, whilst I pump iron in the gym. She is talented; her songs catchy, voice strong, and she churns out hit after hit in an effortless manner. For a moment I appreciate this, then my eyes take over my ears, and I consider her image as this 'crazy' person. I begin to laugh hard. I laugh because Lady Gaga is likely as sane as anyone outside a funny farm, and from a knowledge how in reality, genuine wackiness of individuality; that of a Jimmy Saville or Jim Carrey, cannot be faked - at least not in my eyes. Still, I admire her immensely successful attempts at publicity, for being noticed in a world where everyone is screaming for attention, requires charisma - which she maintains in abundance.
Over the course of an hour, I view another series of commercial music videos. I begin to notice a consistent pattern in the trend of every female solo artist of 2011; dancing in a series of bizarre outfits, avant garde sets, and looks to suggest they are somewhat 'out there'; giving off the impression of being crazy, an outlook considered 'cool'. at the current moment of socially acceptable trends. In essence, my eyes are listening to the music - yet they were never designed for this, only conditioned. I begin to wonder if this is all most people alive today know; our eyes tasting the world before we even feel it, so by the time we do feel it, it has already been through the ringer of external reality many times - much easier to accept, than question.
Right back to the 1950's, copying business models has been a regular process of the music industry; for every financially successful group or singer, a myriad of similar artists are signed up in the hope of replicating the monetary heights they achieved. How many swinging hipsters echoed Elvis Presley? Or mop-tops in the sixties resembling The Beatles; singing about endless monagamic love, in orgasmic vocal tones? Roll through other revolutionary musicians who created genres of their own accord, and those who seemingly arrive from nowhere; for every Rolling Stones, Queen, Bob Dylan, The Sex Pistols, Nirvana, or Oasis, you have a Ramones, Sparks, Donovan, Tenpole Tudor, Mudhoney, and Embrace.
Usually, 95% of these artists are average at best; who remembers brit-pop band Cast, or Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch? It is not the music which sells the artist, but the image. It has been happening for so long, we accept it as standard. One positive side effect however, is every now and again a group are signed through this structure, who ride its wave to express talents - which may never had been given the opportunity to shine on a global scale; The Verve through Oasis, or James Morrison being signed for similarities to James Blunt, as examples or credible artists - apparent by the fact they remain in the public eye long after the air of their style has outgrown its fashionable nature; Jessie J will likely be an example of the Gaga types to do this - she has genuine talent.
It wasn't video which killed the radio star - but as usual, capitalism; as well as the individual expression of music lost through the subliminal powers of our own sight. My solitary piece of advice to any aspiring artist - in any field, is to remain strong, and express your true self through the art form of your chosen craft. When the commercial success which often allows artistic efforts to continue in the cold light of day, is based upon copying an image of somebody else already successful, there is understandably much pressure to conform. But please, try not to. I try not to - I don't want to be the next Lady Gaga, I am quite happy being the first Lee Gunnell...
Lee.
Human Success.
I am going to write this as a single, free flowing, straight forward article - a first draft if you will, as I attempt to capture the wandering thoughts of my mind; based around a perception I have towards a reality of distortion. In a little over thirty years on Earth, the greatest error I find we consistently allow ourselves to make as a solitary species, is to define both ourselves, and everybody else, by all the things that - while a portion of definition as to the ideas, morals, principals, or genetics and social conditioning ring true in determining us as solitary beings, are in no way indicative of the reality which binds seven billion living souls. A simple, universal truth... we are all human.
I am, you are, everyone is. We desire to be liked, admired, respected, appreciated, considered, understood, validated, wanted, needed, and know our place on this planet carries a form of progressive value. In the end, this all leads to one simple, unconditional reality... we all desire to be loved; in a way which transcends every element beyond the walls of protection, we build with necessity around our souls in a world which is both wonderful, yet often brutal in the harshest means.
Many live their lives with a sense their value is minimal, or even worse, non existent. Somehow they may convince themselves not being an international entertainment superstar, ideal Mother or partner, carry a perfect body, have a mind like Einstein, a heart like Rocky Balboa, a soul like the Dalei Lama, or a bank account like Alan Sugar, renders them an insignificant failure. But, this is a negative reflection determined by media to fund capitalism and retain power to the few - whilst concurrently keeping people chasing barely imagined rainbows. Success is not wealth, power, or fame. Success is learning to accept people as simply people; to respect them as they are, to help as opposed to harm. To see beyond colour, creed, class, and all that other crap we are told makes us different from one another.
Without this knowledge, we often end up chasing our own tails down avenues - which inevitably lead us away from the people we truly are inside, hoping to attain positive affirmations from our own species. But to me it seems counter-productive, for the only people this ever really impresses, are those who seek their own external shell validations in the same way, while those who will always love and appreciate you for the person you are; regardless of wealth or status, shall always remain true to staying a part of your core. I guess what I am saying is this; we are defined by character - not by perceptions of culture.
No human being alive is perfect, or entirely pure. We all make dumb-arse mistakes, get lost, contradict ourselves, misunderstand situations, become confused, and do stupid stuff sometimes. But this is what makes us who we are, and the older I get, the more I subscribe to an ethos of live and let live. Just never convince yourself you have no worth - if you are reading this, then I guarantee you, you will mean something to someone; as much as someone will mean something to you...
Lee.
I am, you are, everyone is. We desire to be liked, admired, respected, appreciated, considered, understood, validated, wanted, needed, and know our place on this planet carries a form of progressive value. In the end, this all leads to one simple, unconditional reality... we all desire to be loved; in a way which transcends every element beyond the walls of protection, we build with necessity around our souls in a world which is both wonderful, yet often brutal in the harshest means.
Many live their lives with a sense their value is minimal, or even worse, non existent. Somehow they may convince themselves not being an international entertainment superstar, ideal Mother or partner, carry a perfect body, have a mind like Einstein, a heart like Rocky Balboa, a soul like the Dalei Lama, or a bank account like Alan Sugar, renders them an insignificant failure. But, this is a negative reflection determined by media to fund capitalism and retain power to the few - whilst concurrently keeping people chasing barely imagined rainbows. Success is not wealth, power, or fame. Success is learning to accept people as simply people; to respect them as they are, to help as opposed to harm. To see beyond colour, creed, class, and all that other crap we are told makes us different from one another.
Without this knowledge, we often end up chasing our own tails down avenues - which inevitably lead us away from the people we truly are inside, hoping to attain positive affirmations from our own species. But to me it seems counter-productive, for the only people this ever really impresses, are those who seek their own external shell validations in the same way, while those who will always love and appreciate you for the person you are; regardless of wealth or status, shall always remain true to staying a part of your core. I guess what I am saying is this; we are defined by character - not by perceptions of culture.
No human being alive is perfect, or entirely pure. We all make dumb-arse mistakes, get lost, contradict ourselves, misunderstand situations, become confused, and do stupid stuff sometimes. But this is what makes us who we are, and the older I get, the more I subscribe to an ethos of live and let live. Just never convince yourself you have no worth - if you are reading this, then I guarantee you, you will mean something to someone; as much as someone will mean something to you...
Lee.
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