Dear Artists, don't be afraid of imitation...

When I first started singing & writing songs I tried to be Jon Bon Jovi. Literally I would've been perfectly happy sounding just like Bon Jovi. They were/are my favorite band, and I wanted to make music that felt just like their greatest hits do.

My favorite singer/songwriter Billy Joel admits in many interviews that every song he's ever written is him purposely trying to copy someone or something else. I've always remembered that, and I sort of set out to do the same thing. I now realize that's one of the smartest things I've ever done artistically.

Every artist is in some way "copying" or "imitating" other artists. The art we've seen and heard is what influences us, and there's no way to escape that. Even the most unique artists have things in their art that are reminiscent of other artists.

I think the problem comes when a young artist thinks that they are completely "original", and that the music they make won't sound like anyone else. This is the most immature stance/statement an artist can take, and it basically just means that they have no real grasp over the art they're making, or the skills it requires to produce that art.

The reason I think that my actually trying to copy other artists has been good for me is that "I'm not those artists". I don't have the same set of vocal chords as Jon Bon Jovi, and I don't have the same size fingers as John Mayer (the second artist I spent a lot of time trying to copy). Trying incredibly hard to copy these artists, and FAILING is what's made me sound like me. It's actually that failure that makes us sound like us, but first we must get as close as possible to mastering the skills of our idols in order to realize who WE truly are. 

John Mayer wanted to play guitar exactly like Stevie Ray Vaughn. He admits that. But he also admits that he's no Stevie Ray Vaughn. They aren't the same person, and he can never sound exactly like his idol.

So don't be afraid of imitating. Don't be afraid of copying. Learn from the best. Try to be exactly like the best. And once you fail you will find out who it is you really are. Maybe in your failure you will even find that in some way you are "better" than what it is you're copying.

Maturity, and the beauty in "selling out"

Tonight I've been thinking about "giving people what they want". It's in many ways the opposite of what I've always done. I've always considered myself a rebel; mostly because I've had to be in order to achieve my goals. Lately though with a growing fan base that actually "wants" something from me my rebellious side has been saying to me "David, don't give them what they want …give them just the opposite and try prove to them that they'll still like it", haha. My last cover was a version of the song "Sex And Candy" by Marcy Playground, and though I'm sure a few of my fans love that grungy strange pop song just as much as me I'm also pretty sure most of them would much rather hear me sing (for instance) the classic ballad "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain.

Tonight's epiphany for me is that maybe "selling out" …also sometimes known as "giving people what they want" (instead of the mindset of "giving people whatever you want to give them") is actually the much more mature (in a good way) way of doing things.

I would never suggest that someone commit long term to doing something they hate in order to satisfy others, but I've realized that the dilemma I'm now facing is not that at all. You my fans/audience actually love MOST of the same things that I do, but as a complicated person with diverse taste in music you probably won't like all the same music that I do, and that's fine.

So a compromise must be made for the better good of the "brand" …and that's not a bad thing at all. It means both me and my audience/you are happier. I get to do more of what I love (which is sing beautiful melodic songs that are often about love or family), and you will be more satisfied and willing to support me knowing that I represent something that's also very important in your life as well, which is those themes of love, heartache, family, and the songs that best represent them for both of us.

Today I'm uploading a cover of "Danny's Song" by Kenny Loggins …it's exactly one of those songs about love and family that I'm sure we both love :)