i was online in 1996
i quickly made the jump
out of expensive recording studios
to
digitally creating music for tv
running a logic system off a tiny mac
the networks all got hip quick
i watched budgets go from $7000
to $700
times were changing
i rolled along
in 2003
when i started CAL
i told all the musicians
that they would need an email address
in order to go forward with my company
for many of them
this was a big undertaking
i forced many musicians to get online
in 2007 i had an arguement with a close friend
my stance was that ‘likes’ and followers
are going to be the currency of a successful business
he thought i was nuts
and that it had no actual value
in some ways he was right
but not really
all of the alumni share reels and clips
i worry that one day
while crossing a border
they’re going to confiscate my phone
and see all the ridiculous and inappropriate reels
we all send each other
after that it’s ‘midnight express’ time
in a turkish prison for me
mostly we share cool stuff
i’m always amazed
that someone went to the trouble
of conceiving
filming
editing
and posting a video
for the sheer purpose of entertainment or instruction
sure they get likes
and followers
but other than that - they’re just doing it
for the sake of being human
i always say that it renews my faith in humanity
the past couple of months
i’ve been producing videos
and posting them consistently
our likes and followers have more than doubled
and we’ve become a major presence
while scrolling
the comments are overwhelmingly positive
but it speaks to human nature
at how a stray hater
can stick tar to your heels
the haters really go after the zep band
our levee breaks video is getting close to 750k hits
and that’s big for us!
but the comments from the haters are incredible
here’s a couple
- drummer sucks
- singer sucks
- you guys should pack it in
- you’re playing it wrong
it’s astounding!
i don’t let it get to me
i know who i am and what my company can do
but you know…
before i block them
i click on their profile
and dive in
they all a few things in common
- male 50+
- no likes
- no partner
- pictures of pick up trucks
- balding
i want to copy and paste this comment
“I’m sorry you feel that way. We’ve checked out
your profile and you seem angry and lonely.
A more positive online persona would do wonders
for your mental health. Being a voice of hatred and
aiming at hard working musicians just digs you
deeper into a hole. Cheer up!”
but i don’t do this
because it’s just blow torches their flame
human nature revealed online is tricky
but i am quick to reassert
that the overwhelming vast majority of people
are good a decent and caring and cool
i’m not sure what the haters think they’re achieving
what is the mind set?
they watch the post
and there’s maybe 100 comments
all happy that we’re sharing music
but one old guy sees this
and thinks to himself
‘i’m going to take a dump on this thread
everyone will love me then’
it’s weird
like many of us
i immerse myself on the socials
i’m on all the platforms
my attention span is that of a gnat
i can barely get through tv show or movie
without being bored
i like short spurts of information
i’ve done well on the stock market
(i just cashed everything out except for tesla and bitcoin)
and my cooking has bumped up to the next level
(making my own stock was a game changer)
i follow er doctors
palliative care nurses
a ship captain
a family in nigeria
a woman who sits on cakes
artists
ny times
the moth
ron butler (a straight shooter)
a pretty healthy variety of people
all of them sharing their lives
in hopes of making yours just a little bit better
it renews my faith in humanity
craig martin
(coffee, chocolate croissant)
.
