(And Why That's the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You) A Manifesto for 40+ Creative Pioneers Ready to Stop Touring Like Heritage Acts and Start Building Like "Cultural Architects"
"It’s understanding that your 30 years of innovation contain frameworks that corporations, brands, and younger creators will pay significantly more to access than they’ll ever pay for your back catalog."
I get what where you're coming from and it makes sense, artists need to make a living, when they're young, 40, and beyond. But on the other hand, isn't it a bit sad that the outcome of 30 years of work are frameworks you can sell to corporations so they can carry on making more money at the cost of other artists? Back in the day, we called this "selling out."
It's easy for me to be critical about this since I have a career outside of art and can making a decent living. I also know that as we become adults, we have to learn to live within our own contradictions (which I have plenty of). I was just wondering what your thought's were in this regard.
Have I got stories! With all the people I have played with over the last 50 years, reinvention was the key to survival! From where I sit now, I believe there will be a cultural upheaval in all of the arts, and I believe even us older guys, LOL, can both mentor and create a new way forward.
That’s so true. I think there will be a need for the Cultural architects and guiding the next generation. They have Youth and enthusiasm but they don’t have experience, or in-depth knowledge of life, business and how to bounce back after failure
Man, great article. I've been a fan since right around Warhead, still have it upstairs. I still spin D&B, but today my sets are full of tempo/genre changes and politics.
I'm a forty-something "original junglist" and "graver." And I'm just emerging from 20 years managing parts of software businesses, during which time I was in bands, produced bands and electronic music nonstop, and had the periodic DJ gig.
I've had *zero* luck finding a job that was anything like my last one, mid-level management in B2B software. I applied for over five hundred, and I spent the past year living off of my savings and wondering why I couldn't get a call back or an interview.
But I've had time to practice multiple hours a day, and I learned a new discipline -- making the experimental video content that now accompanies my performances and live streams.
I've produced hundreds of tracks and my DJ/scratch chops are sharper than they even were back in the day. I have much better taste now, too. But I don't know what to *do* with any of the tracks, and I don't know how to break back into things to start playing at parties again.
All that led me here to Substack, where I'm throwing a bunch of different ideas at the wall -- after all this, with no job, out of savings, having to sell my home. And I gotta say, I wish I'd left the software industry twenty years ago and tried to do something on my own. I've never been happier or more content, even though I'm under extreme financial pressure and have mouths to feed.
I'm not heading toward any kind of a point here. That's where the story sits right now. I'm selling my house and moving to NYC to -- I hope -- avoid having to get a traditional job by playing gigs, throwing parties, and writing grants for the visual work.
This is a long post to have an excuse to say, hi Kirk (!), loved your work since the VERY beginning. If you have advice or tips for me, I'll take it!
I was a professional DJ in the 90s for a minute. Today I'm not sure where to start, who to talk to, or how to get booked, or if there even *are* parties anymore. But my heart has been telling me for ~six months "you can figure this out -- you don't need to get another regular job." I hope my heart winds up being right!
"It’s understanding that your 30 years of innovation contain frameworks that corporations, brands, and younger creators will pay significantly more to access than they’ll ever pay for your back catalog."
I get what where you're coming from and it makes sense, artists need to make a living, when they're young, 40, and beyond. But on the other hand, isn't it a bit sad that the outcome of 30 years of work are frameworks you can sell to corporations so they can carry on making more money at the cost of other artists? Back in the day, we called this "selling out."
It's easy for me to be critical about this since I have a career outside of art and can making a decent living. I also know that as we become adults, we have to learn to live within our own contradictions (which I have plenty of). I was just wondering what your thought's were in this regard.
Thanks for the post, it's super interesting.
Hey, it’s a way to frame what you could do with your experience. By no means is it the only.
If companies want to buy it they can but the main idea is to use your skills set and find ways to leverage it.
The goal is to help creators use their IP in ways they may not have thought about.
And a noble goal that is. Thanks for your comment!
Have I got stories! With all the people I have played with over the last 50 years, reinvention was the key to survival! From where I sit now, I believe there will be a cultural upheaval in all of the arts, and I believe even us older guys, LOL, can both mentor and create a new way forward.
That’s so true. I think there will be a need for the Cultural architects and guiding the next generation. They have Youth and enthusiasm but they don’t have experience, or in-depth knowledge of life, business and how to bounce back after failure
Man, great article. I've been a fan since right around Warhead, still have it upstairs. I still spin D&B, but today my sets are full of tempo/genre changes and politics.
I'm a forty-something "original junglist" and "graver." And I'm just emerging from 20 years managing parts of software businesses, during which time I was in bands, produced bands and electronic music nonstop, and had the periodic DJ gig.
I've had *zero* luck finding a job that was anything like my last one, mid-level management in B2B software. I applied for over five hundred, and I spent the past year living off of my savings and wondering why I couldn't get a call back or an interview.
But I've had time to practice multiple hours a day, and I learned a new discipline -- making the experimental video content that now accompanies my performances and live streams.
I've produced hundreds of tracks and my DJ/scratch chops are sharper than they even were back in the day. I have much better taste now, too. But I don't know what to *do* with any of the tracks, and I don't know how to break back into things to start playing at parties again.
All that led me here to Substack, where I'm throwing a bunch of different ideas at the wall -- after all this, with no job, out of savings, having to sell my home. And I gotta say, I wish I'd left the software industry twenty years ago and tried to do something on my own. I've never been happier or more content, even though I'm under extreme financial pressure and have mouths to feed.
I'm not heading toward any kind of a point here. That's where the story sits right now. I'm selling my house and moving to NYC to -- I hope -- avoid having to get a traditional job by playing gigs, throwing parties, and writing grants for the visual work.
This is a long post to have an excuse to say, hi Kirk (!), loved your work since the VERY beginning. If you have advice or tips for me, I'll take it!
I was a professional DJ in the 90s for a minute. Today I'm not sure where to start, who to talk to, or how to get booked, or if there even *are* parties anymore. But my heart has been telling me for ~six months "you can figure this out -- you don't need to get another regular job." I hope my heart winds up being right!
Hey, love this. This is what being a cultural architect Is about using deep knowledge to build something new.
Let’s jump on a zoom call this week. I have free time tomorrow afternoon or wends UK time. Let me know if you’re up for it.
I sent you a DM. Thank you!
Sad, but true.