Be More Like Bowie.

If you work in the creative field long enough, you would know exactly what works. Whether you are a musician or a writer, you have a fair idea of what the pulse of the market is and whether or not what you create is in tandem with what is in defines where you stand both creatively and as a person. Boy, that's a long sentence. Would McEwan would be proud?! 

Anywho, like so many others, I lost an idol this year when David Bowie passed away. But it's also given me an opportunity to learn more about Bowie, about what he stood for as a person, as an artiste and of course, discover some of his unheard hits. 

So, when I was reading or rather discovering how Bowie was a big influence on Trent Reznor, I was surprised to see Reznor mention how Bowie chose to play the songs he wanted to play when they were touring together. Nearly all musicians know which of their songs concertgoers come to see. Not all of them have the courage to go ahead and do what they want. I hope you and I both can follow the Starman here and stay true to our tastes. Whether or not that gets us a lot of applause is irrelevant.

Excerpts from the Rolling Stone Interview:

At one of our first meetings, in rehearsals, we were talking about how the tour was going to go. I was faced with a strange predicament: At that moment in time, we'd sold more tickets than he did in North America. And there's no way on earth David Bowie is going to open for me. And on top of that, he said, "You know, I'm not going to play what anybody wants me to play. I just finished a strange new album. And we're going to play some select cuts from a lot of Berlin trilogy–type things, and the new album. That's not what people are going to want to see, but that's what I need to do. And you guys are going to blow us away every night." I remember thinking, "Wow. I'm witnessing firsthand the fearlessness that I've read about." 

...

There was a subdued reaction to him for the most part. In the environment of an outdoor-amphitheater rock concert in the summer, people with 32-ounce beers probably would have preferred to hear "Changes," rather than an art installation on stage. He did what he wanted to do. That made an impression. And I think about that anytime I'm going to ask for your attention or your money in some capacity.