I had an interesting brief conversation with a young man at my job 2 days ago. He was wearing a Berklee College of Music hoodie. As I was ringing him up for some picks and strings I said "so you went to Berklee? Did you graduate?" His reply was "yeah, now I'm doomed to a life of failure."
I replied, "you don't ever need to say that, you have no idea what is in store for you in this life." He asked "did you go there?" I said "yeah, back in the 80's". "Looks like things really worked out for you!" he says as I ring him up at my job at Southside Guitars. "Kid, you don't know anything about me, you don't know what great stuff I've experienced in music." He said "yeah, cool, you're right, sorry."
It was a great chance to do a little healing, that opportunity to speak. Life has no accidents. I felt calm, like I was talking to myself at 22 years old saying what I wish someone had said to me then.
I don't know why I had the same attitude as he did back in 1988 when I dropped out, I do know that I would be doomed to failure if I believed that jive today. The fact is there is no truth in that idea of being doomed to failure. Music has taken me around the world, I am happy and proud of what I have contributed.
When I left I was surrounded by this attitude. Many of my Berklee friends expressed being "doomed to failure" and had a negative attitude about themselves and the school which they were fortunate enough to attend. I heard this message enough that I believed it. I started to compare myself to people who were making much more compelling music than I in the scene who never went to music school. I felt stifled and weighted down with all that knowledge. I couldn't experience music the way I did before when I was in high school. Maybe that experience did do some damage? I don't know if I buy that anymore. Maybe I was choosing to be a victim so I wouldn't have to put myself out there is more the truth. There were some kids who were judgemental of us that went to college and said stupid things, but truth be known, most folks only care if you are the right person for the band you are in.
And..... no experience can kill my passion for making music. I'm still here, never stopped and never will stop. What does artistic recovery mean to me today? It means that was awesome that I was interested enough to talk to a fellow Berklee Alumni. I was curious. It means I didn't take his comment the least bit seriously cause fact is I've had a wonderful life and continue to do so. I doubt he will forget our brief dialogue. Maybe that was an opportunity for him to get over himself and just do the work. Maybe 10 years from now he'll have a flash of that encounter and will choose to let go and grow. Or maybe it doesn't matter as it's none of my business and truth be known, I can't be bothered by a bummer kid. But just maybe, he and I will get what we are after in life and that will be awesome.
JB
I replied, "you don't ever need to say that, you have no idea what is in store for you in this life." He asked "did you go there?" I said "yeah, back in the 80's". "Looks like things really worked out for you!" he says as I ring him up at my job at Southside Guitars. "Kid, you don't know anything about me, you don't know what great stuff I've experienced in music." He said "yeah, cool, you're right, sorry."
It was a great chance to do a little healing, that opportunity to speak. Life has no accidents. I felt calm, like I was talking to myself at 22 years old saying what I wish someone had said to me then.
I don't know why I had the same attitude as he did back in 1988 when I dropped out, I do know that I would be doomed to failure if I believed that jive today. The fact is there is no truth in that idea of being doomed to failure. Music has taken me around the world, I am happy and proud of what I have contributed.
When I left I was surrounded by this attitude. Many of my Berklee friends expressed being "doomed to failure" and had a negative attitude about themselves and the school which they were fortunate enough to attend. I heard this message enough that I believed it. I started to compare myself to people who were making much more compelling music than I in the scene who never went to music school. I felt stifled and weighted down with all that knowledge. I couldn't experience music the way I did before when I was in high school. Maybe that experience did do some damage? I don't know if I buy that anymore. Maybe I was choosing to be a victim so I wouldn't have to put myself out there is more the truth. There were some kids who were judgemental of us that went to college and said stupid things, but truth be known, most folks only care if you are the right person for the band you are in.
And..... no experience can kill my passion for making music. I'm still here, never stopped and never will stop. What does artistic recovery mean to me today? It means that was awesome that I was interested enough to talk to a fellow Berklee Alumni. I was curious. It means I didn't take his comment the least bit seriously cause fact is I've had a wonderful life and continue to do so. I doubt he will forget our brief dialogue. Maybe that was an opportunity for him to get over himself and just do the work. Maybe 10 years from now he'll have a flash of that encounter and will choose to let go and grow. Or maybe it doesn't matter as it's none of my business and truth be known, I can't be bothered by a bummer kid. But just maybe, he and I will get what we are after in life and that will be awesome.
JB
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