Hello World!
Let's be honest here, alright? I love to create music. It's close to being a drug for me when inspiration takes over. I will spend countless hours with my guitars playing chord progressions, searching for that dream original that absolutely everyone will love. Sometimes my new songs grab hold of me and stay with me, while others just fade away once the music stops. Lately I've been thinking about all my years I've spent writing songs and suddenly I took a hard look at myself and asked one very simple question about my love for music. The question I asked myself is this: "Why?"
Why do I always find myself drawn to my guitars, keyboard and microphones so often? Why do I love to create new music by myself for hours at a time, and yet feel completely uninterested in playing even a few chords of what happens to be the current hot rock track every radio DJ is playing on the air? Why do I share my music online with both friends and strangers alike, opening myself up to feedback that is far more likely to be criticism and emotion evisceration than any positive feedback from new listeners and fans?
Because I am who I am.
I am a songwriter. A vocalist. An artist. I write and perform my new music because the creation process is what makes me feel alive. I feel such a surge of adrenaline when I write a chorus for a new song that has that pure 'hook' quality to it. I can't wait to finish the whole song and share it with anyone who will listen.
This next part is the important message of the day, my own personal revelation if you will. I've realized that it's the sharing that matters the most to me in the end, not the response I get.
I have realized that it's okay if some random stranger from Ohio says in a forum that I will never amount to anything. It's okay if Mike from Alberta says he hates my voice. Or my choice of effects on my rhythm guitar. If John from Florida thinks I'm lousy at something else, hey that's alright with me as well. I figure there are builders and destroyers in this world, and while the builders are often too busy trying to create something worthwhile it just leaves the destroyers with nothing better to do than run other people down. If I get insulted by fifty people online who say I have no talent, but also get praised by three people who said they loved my new song then I will always call that a success. One fact that we all know is that you really can't please everyone. I will always find people who don't like what I have to offer. And I will always cherish every single person who does.
Another fact we all know is that the only sure way to fail in life is not to try in the first place. Too scared to put yourself out there? That would be the majority of us. Sadly that also leaves you with a 100% chance of never being heard. I am not that guy. You can like me, love me or hate me - I am okay with whatever you decide. I am always going to put myself and my music out there so that you can choose.
And on that note, I would like to invite you to listen to one of my latest songs, 'Jack's on Queen' on my page at Reverbnation.com . I enjoy listening to it, there's a good chance you will to. Also, on September 1st, 2013 I have a single that will release on iTunes and Amazon.com. It is called 'Coming Home' and is a song that I wrote about an adorable little boy I personally know named Oscar. Oscar is struggling with Leukemia and recently went on a trip to Disney World with the Make A Wish foundation. In honor of Oscar I am donating all monies raised from sales of this song to charity. If you, random stranger, happen to be reading this why not listen to some of my songs and see if you enjoy them? Any word of mouth always means a lot to me. Heck, just write me a note to say hello, I love to communicate!
Best wishes to you.
Be well.
Be kind.
Be heard.
...Definitely be heard.
Later, World!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Back by popular demand!
After several years of collecting 'virtual dust' on the internet, Back Stage With Jay V resumes!
Hello World!
In the time since my last post a lot of life has happened including some highs, and some lows. I've met a lot of great people already in 2013, and greatly expanded my circle of good friends. But today I'd like to talk a little about one new friend in particular.
I'd like to tell you about a special little guy named Oscar. Oscar is 4 years old, and comes from a good family with an older brother and two parents that love both their children immensely. Oscar looks like any fun loving 4 year old you've seen before, but there is something about him that you wouldn't know most days from looking at him - Oscar has Leukemia.
I met Oscar and his family and it affected me right away. I saw two parents coping with a stress most of us will never see, and yet they still were incredibly outgoing and uplifting, while they immediately made me feel right at home in their house. It's an uncommon sight, to see people who can carry themselves with such grace while coping with stressful circumstances beyond their control.
After that day was over I felt an overwhelming urge to do something nice for them, even if only as a gesture to show them that someone else has noticed how kind they are, and how special little Oscar is. That's what lead me to write a song for Oscar, something fun and uplifting - much like the family themselves. They had told me about the stress of having to leave Oscar in the hospital so many nights, and the anxiety that it would bring. So I wrote a song for Oscar simply titled: 'Coming Home (Oscar's Song)'.
I am not content with stopping there though. After working on the song over a couple months I finally had a finished mix that was not just ready for Oscar and his family, but was ready for the world. And so with a lot of excitement I can announce that on September 1st, 2013 'Coming Home (Oscar's Song)' is releasing on Amazon.com, iTunes, and other major online retailers. For example, you can already find the Amazon listing for the new single located here. I will be sure to add more links to other retailers in the next few weeks as September 1st approaches.
After consulting with Oscar's parents on this, I am happy to reveal that I will be donating ALL of the proceeds from this release directly to a charity that has been very supportive to Oscar's family - Candlelighters, a childhood cancer support program that does important work and provides real help for families coping with childhood cancer.
I have so much more to talk about over the next few weeks as September 1st approaches, and I hope to share this story with many more people as it grows. In the meantime, why not like my page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jayvmarshall and stop by to listen to some other songs of mine at www.reverbnation.com/jayvmarshall
Later World!
Hello World!
In the time since my last post a lot of life has happened including some highs, and some lows. I've met a lot of great people already in 2013, and greatly expanded my circle of good friends. But today I'd like to talk a little about one new friend in particular.
I'd like to tell you about a special little guy named Oscar. Oscar is 4 years old, and comes from a good family with an older brother and two parents that love both their children immensely. Oscar looks like any fun loving 4 year old you've seen before, but there is something about him that you wouldn't know most days from looking at him - Oscar has Leukemia.
I met Oscar and his family and it affected me right away. I saw two parents coping with a stress most of us will never see, and yet they still were incredibly outgoing and uplifting, while they immediately made me feel right at home in their house. It's an uncommon sight, to see people who can carry themselves with such grace while coping with stressful circumstances beyond their control.
After that day was over I felt an overwhelming urge to do something nice for them, even if only as a gesture to show them that someone else has noticed how kind they are, and how special little Oscar is. That's what lead me to write a song for Oscar, something fun and uplifting - much like the family themselves. They had told me about the stress of having to leave Oscar in the hospital so many nights, and the anxiety that it would bring. So I wrote a song for Oscar simply titled: 'Coming Home (Oscar's Song)'.
I am not content with stopping there though. After working on the song over a couple months I finally had a finished mix that was not just ready for Oscar and his family, but was ready for the world. And so with a lot of excitement I can announce that on September 1st, 2013 'Coming Home (Oscar's Song)' is releasing on Amazon.com, iTunes, and other major online retailers. For example, you can already find the Amazon listing for the new single located here. I will be sure to add more links to other retailers in the next few weeks as September 1st approaches.
After consulting with Oscar's parents on this, I am happy to reveal that I will be donating ALL of the proceeds from this release directly to a charity that has been very supportive to Oscar's family - Candlelighters, a childhood cancer support program that does important work and provides real help for families coping with childhood cancer.
I have so much more to talk about over the next few weeks as September 1st approaches, and I hope to share this story with many more people as it grows. In the meantime, why not like my page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jayvmarshall and stop by to listen to some other songs of mine at www.reverbnation.com/jayvmarshall
Later World!
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