Jun 27 2005
History Repeating Itself
It’s very dangerous to ignore history. I made a big mistake in high school and college – not paying attention in my history classes. It is certainly true what is said about history repeating itself – if you are unaware of what has transpired before you, it is very easy to make the same mistakes again.
Trust me on this one – every band has faced what you are facing now. There have already been scores of people facing the same challenges you feel are new and overwhelming. People before have made it through, you are able to as well. You simply must be aware of what has happened before.
Read books on the history of the music industry. Here’s some essential reading. Here’s another. And one more.
I’ve read each of these, often more than once, and the lessons I learned from the successes and failures of those before me has surely had an impact on my speedy accomplishments in this industry.
speaking of history and books; this book studies a crucial time in UK social history and the worldwide impact of music upon our lives today:
http://www.davehaslam.com/control.php?_command=/DISPLAY/17/5
And we’d better all be Mindful of the Force, by which I mean, remember your music history, too – there are lessons woven into the lives and careers of Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Haydn & Mozart, etc. [In my college Music History 101 class, we used to say that if you couldn't remember exactly what a famous classical composer died of, your best odds were to guess, "syphillis". Yikes!] Legendary composers and pianists were the rock stars of their day, with groupies every bit as eager to please, with the money and fame that goes along with it. But still, some of those same famous composers and pianists’ parents made them finish law school first!
The G-8 London Bombing just happened this morning. I’m listening to the news reports as I type. At least 40 dead and 300 injured. Of course, Al-Qaeda Europe is claiming responsibility. Just a reminder to everyone to (read the 9-11 Commission Report asap and) keep alert to current events. History-making world events happen every day, and these events will certainly affect our families, our artists and our business.