subject: Musicians And Madness [print this page] It is not unusual to hear stories about musicians living wild, crazy lives, wasting all their time, talent, and money, and deteriorating through the use of drugs and the abuse of alcohol. We see them flying quickly into the sky and crashing down into oblivion.
Sometimes we cannot help but admire and idolize those we know gave so much of their time and talent to the world, while at the same time digging their own shallow graves, scattered with wilted flowers, and countless empty liquor bottles.
Writers who do not perform their own songs are a little more immune to these extravagant lifestyles. But as musicians, we all share the characteristics that lend themselves EASILY to decadence and self-destruction. The biggest ones being the constant uncertainty of not knowing where that next paycheck is going to come from, and the burning inner passion to get our creative ideas out into a world that easily dismisses this magic as frivolousness.
Riding into the sunset penniless and in ill health is sometimes the result of this train ride of decadence, and perhaps the experience is worth this price a hundred times over. I have no authority to judge people for the decisions they make, as I have succumbed to the Devil's temptations many times, and felt the urgency to fully embrace my indulgences.
My only goal here is to show you ANOTHER SIDE OF THIS SPINNING COIN, the another type musician one could strive to become. There are songwriters and performers who are able to find balance within themselves, like circus performers doing jaw-dropping stunts WITHOUT FALLING into a final blaze of exhausted glory. These people achieve longevity in the music industry, and they are able to give back to people something of great value.
A couple examples that come to mind are Bono, from U2, who fights for humanitarian causes all over the world, and Paul McCartney, who dedicated his whole career to the promotion of love and world peace through music.
The key to becoming a gift giver to the world lies in finding inner BALANCE, and dedicating some of your life to PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.
