My statement regarding The Kaleidoscope, Brighter

This summer has been pretty up and down in The Kaleidoscope, Brighter camp.

I have finally come to the extremely tough decision that I will be leaving the band. There is no dramatic story to this; I have been with the band for 2 years, since it started. I have seen 4 friends come and go from this band, some because of personal differences, and other because of different life directions. Now finally it is my time to leave too. This is not personal differences between myself and the band, but a different vision.

I am hoping that I will be able to play a farewell show with the band in Bowling Green, OH in the late summer/early fall, but I'll keep you updated about it.

The next step for myself is simply this: make music. I will not be starting a new band, I will not be starting a "solo project" that plays shows, no myspace, no facebook musician page, etc. I will be, plain and simple, making music. So be on the lookout for some new songs from me in the late fall, and some spoken word pieces by the end of the summer, both of which I am super stoked about.

Thank you for supporting me and all of my creative endeavors. Please continue to support The Kaleidoscope, Brighter also as they continue making music.

If Elvis Can Get to Know Fans, So Can You: An Analyzation of the Disconnect Between Smaller Touring Bands, Their Fans, & Why They Might Not "Make It"

I've been to my fair share of shows lately (mainly because TKB seems to be having a lot, not because I'm rich. Ugh.) and I've noticed something that is slightly concerning to me.

There is a total disconnect between bands and the kids that are coming out to support them.

Let me explain:

I understand that a band gets to a certain point and they simply can't take out time everyday to hang out with all the kids that went to see their concert. Really, I do. I also get that bands want privacy, and just want to be treated like normal people (well, that's most bands, excluding Brand New I think? I've heard they will only talk about music).

But when you're a fairly small band, to the point of you are relying on the local bands to get the general portion of kids out, I don't think there is any excuse for you to not be as nice as humanly possible to them. Because really, they are the only reason you can do what you are doing. You're not on MTV, you're not on the radio, you have no sponsors to speak of, no real label support, no ad campaign. You just have your music, your band, and your fans.

So why on earth would you just sit behind your merch table, with your headphones on playing air bass, be outside smoking a cigarette with other members of your band, texting friends back home---doing everything except going up to the kids that came out to support you and showing them how thankful you are that they came all this way to listen to music, and that you hope they even stay for your band, since a lot of them came to hear the locals anyways.

I think this is one enormous factor that is changing the face of music. Smaller touring bands (that fall under the category of bands that have to rely on locals) think that:

a) Because they're on tour, they must be really on their way to make it.

b) Because they're on tour, they don't owe it to the kids that listen to their music to take a few minutes and actually get to know them.

c) Because they're on tour, they have the right to bash the bands that are bringing out the kids for them.

All of these conceptions could not be more wrong. I am sooo sick and tired of seeing these bands on tour not pay a second of attention to a kid. Or to even humble themselves and just SAY "Hey, I know you came for the local band, but I was really hoping you could stay for us- it would mean soo much!"

Bands wonder why they won't ever "make it" and I propose to you that this is one of the biggest problems. They are forgetting that they are not these big rock stars that don't owe anyone anything, and they get far too caught up in the cynicism of music to realize how blessed they are and to make the most out of the opportunity they have.

I feel that if a band truly wants to get to the point where their music pays the bills, they must realize how important the people that are coming out to their shows, buying their shirts, and buying their music are. They need to sport an attitude of thankfulness, as opposed to one where they take everything for granted.

Because (I think) that if you're in a smaller touring band, and don't have it in you to get off your butt, put down your ego, and socialize with the kids at your show- you might as well just not tour, and give up on music as a possible financially supporting lifestyle.

Because as of right now, contrary to what your attitude shows, it is faaaaar from being just about you.

humbleness, and keep your feet in the cement

(humbleness)

Last night my band played a show for a few hundred kids. When we got off stage, it was safe to say we all knew that this was not our best show. Careless mistakes were made that could've been easily avoid, on everyone's parts. Some of this was band error, other was technical error. Either way you spin it, I was pretty bummed out.

We started packing our gear off stage as quick as possible, debating who should stay, should we go, how are we going to get stuff from point A to point B, blahblahblah. As a band we all decided to chill out and hang out by our merch booth.

It started as a trickling effect, then became a pretty constant flow, of kids coming up to us and asking for autographs and pictures, for merch, and just to talk. I made it a point to ask every kids name, shake their hand, make sure that they knew that I cared so much that they were supporting us this way. It was fantastic.

--------cut to this morning, 1pm, i'm still chilling in bed----------

(and keep your feet in the cement)

I was just sitting in bed, thinking about last night. And what a humbling experience. It was now easy for me to see how bands could get big heads with stuff like that, if they don't take a step back and realize what just happened.

Most of the kids that talked to us were middle schoolers and high schoolers. And what is one big theme for that time in your life? Searching! Searching for who you are, and looking for people and things that you can latch unto that help define you. And for that short time, we got to be part of that "thing". We got to help define that kid for .0002 seconds. But it was amazing none the less. It was awesome to know that God put us there on that night, to be able to touch those kids lives for just a moment. To show them that to us, they mattered, and that we were just as stoked to talk to them, as they were stoked to talk to us.

I just hope all of these kids that were searching that night, and every night, can one day stop searching. Because I know that what they are searching for can never be found on this earth. Because some days I am searching for the same thing they are. But God will find us, if we just let Him. If we just embrace surrender.