maitreya_

MAY 14, 2008

"Luctor et Emergo"

Kia Ora!

This is the first blog I've written for a bit… I pretty much haven’t stopped since I finished the album, things only really got busier here, it’s just a different kind of busy. I’m in NZ to release my album single by single, the album should come out around OCTOBER but in order for it to sell more than two copies I need radio play and video play. I also need press, that almost seems easier than radio play, I think its cos there are a million bands here vying for play but not that many with good PR. Do I have good PR? I don’t know yet?? I’ve got some things in place, to try and maximize the exposure, lots of press kits and postcards and press copies of the album going to all the ‘right’ people. I’m organsing some huge events that may or may not happen depending on the willingness of the moneyed to be involved… I'm also booking a national tour for July which I'm hoping will give me some live presence here again.

I'm at a point with this industry where I need some big things to go my way. I’ve got the best music I've ever written, the coolest fans and whole lot of energy and determination but at the end of the day its gonna take some luck and lots more hard work to actually become self-sufficient from this. That might sound slightly strange but truly that’s what I want. “I got a dream to be comfortable” literally means I want to be able to pay for food and rent off of my music, that would be success for me. I don’t give a shit about fame and fortune, the only possible good I can see out of widespread fame is bringing attention to injustices in this world and promoting positive and sustainable solutions to them. Now, more than ever we need people who are willing to stand up for what they believe in no matter the consequences. This is a time when you can be a cheesy dickhead or a conscious leader of new thought, the choice is yours and either way you can make it work but only you will know if you are being true.

“Music is spiritual, the music industry is not” or something like that. I think that’s important to hold onto. It’s really easy to let the negativity and constant walls and hula-hoops of this industry put a hurting on your outlook. I have Cat Stevens moments where I'm like, “man I'm just gonna go and meditate for 10 years and wash away all this music ‘business’ bullshit.” Your art is so personal that when the industry starts throwing up barriers it can become madness. How do I deal with it? Sometimes I don’t. I went for a run yesterday around Herne bay in Auckland which is a really posh part of town, all these huge houses and beautiful harbour views… but I was also a block from where one of my sisters pupils got stabbed to death a few months ago… hmmmm, starts to put things back in perspective. This industry is just another hustle… sad but true. There are more important things in life than the music business and I gotta keep reminding myself that. My mate Sloppy just had two friends pass away in the last month... that’s reality… I just get so passionate about my music and getting it out there that it can become all-consuming.

But what it all boils down to is drive, talent and luck. I think I have been given a fair dose of all three lately. Sometimes I feel like my luck is not equal to my drive but I think every person on this earth feels that way once in a while, some every waking moment. I don’t feel that way, I’ve already had shit loads of luck this year... and when I think about my day to day life, I think I have more luck and good fortune than most... so, I'm grateful for that… only thing is… I want that kind of luck where by I have a number one album!!

Luctor et Emergo… (Thanks DK!)