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The views and content are not necessarily those of Road Records and/or affiliates, or even Conrad Askland. This is just a place to post opinions and insights that don't fit into other sections of our website.

You Are What You Do
I filled in with a band on a gig recently and the lead singer kept telling me, "This isn't really what I do, I'm really a music producer". I always chuckle when I hear people from any walk of life say things like that. In the real sense we are nothing and what we do is irrelevant. But more importantly what we do with our time DOES define our occupation.

If you're playing every weekend in a band, then you are a band musician at that time. If you spend your time at home smoking weed, then that defines what you do at that time. This is a real paradigm shift in thinking for many people.

Do what you love. If you love flowers then spend your time growing flowers. Life is too short for anything else. If you like sitting around the house watching tv, then do that if it's fulfilling. What? You say that's not fulfilling? Aha - then do what IS. That's the secret of life and only you can answer it for yourself.

I get a lot of emails from people saying things like: "I want to be a singer, what do I do?" Well, the answer is simple: you sing. If you want to be a concert pianist then start performing concerts as a pianist. "Oh, no," is the usual reply, "I want to be a famous singer". Well, now you're redefining your goals which were missing in your original statements. I'd suggest you keep refining and the answers will start appearing for you.

No one will do it for you. If it seems like they will, then believe me there is always a catch to it; whether that be financially, emotionally or otherwise.

Music, Death and Legacy - A Lesson From A Student
Years ago I had a very promising young piano student. As I look back he is still one of my favorites. He was frail, a little backward and probably teased relentlessly at school. But at the piano he was a giant master. (Those is usually my favorite type of student).

During one lesson he stopped playing and became very serious. He asked me, "Why do you work so hard at music?". I instantly heard this as my cue to teach him about the legacy of the great master composers and our responsibility to follow suit. I explained in detail the struggle and ultimate triumph of many composers, and tried to paint him a picture of their immortality in the world of art.

His mind was glued on my every word which made me tell him more stories that I knew would, at this moment in time, change his life forever. I told him that at the end of my life I wanted to have written enough quality music that it would stack next to my coffin and reach the ceiling. Perhaps morbid, I meant to totally immerse him in the idea of this short life and the far reaching implications of his studies.

As the climax of my improvised lesson drew to a close he became even more serious and said to me, "I understand. Do you know what I want at MY funeral?". YES! I thought. Finally a student that understands! Yes, here it was, he was about to voice his commitment to music forever!

He looked at me sternly and said, "At my funeral I want my teddy bear."

Do You Like My Song?
I'm always amazed when people ask me this. I only ask people if they like a song in the event that I am writing for a client. I ask because they're paying and I need their input. But with my own material it makes no difference to me what others think of it. It's art.

It also makes no difference as to the amount of work put into a piece. I always work as hard on every song as the client will allow. It never enters my mind with a client whether I like a song or not. My job is to give clients suggestions and point out different avenues and possibilities to explore. Not to say what to do, but to point out choices.

A song to me is like a child. It's not a matter of whether you like it. You make it the best you can and let it out into the world. Maybe that's not the best comparison. My point is you should have the inner strength to believe in your own material. People have too many political motivations in their answers anyway.

The Song
"Music is power. Its power lies partly in the ability to manipulate the emotional state of the listener. Properly coupled with lyrics it can be a catalyst for social change. The song from is the mirror of human experience, and as human experience ranges from an ecstatic divine hope to the edge of insanity; so follows the song."

"The song can touch the hem of God's robe or tear at the fabric of social convention. For all time the opposing sides of any fight will create their own battle cries in the form of song; and after the dust clears will use the same form to proclaim their views of love and fellowship. In part, this is the power of the song."

Conrad Askland
excerpt from "The Power of Music"