The issue of why I ‘do it all myself’  has been a real concern to me for many years and for many reasons. I thought I’d comment on it partly because lots of people either ask me about it or, don’t ask me about it but wonder about it, and also because this is something that affects more and more musicians as technology moves ahead and the record business continues to break down.

When I studied music I loved learning new instruments. My primary mentor in college, Dr. Alvin King was a disciple of Paul Hindemith, the great German composer. Hindemith stressed to all his students the importance of learning to play as many instruments as possible. Hindemith himself played at least one instrument in each of the main orchestral families at pretty much a pro level. I loved that idea and I’ve worked very hard at the craft of playing a variety of instruments.

At this point? I can usually get what I want most directly by playing the instruments myself. […]

We needed a standard jewel box version of
Beautiful Sounds in order to get reviewed in various magazines (most
reviewers scoff at any other packaging) so we thought, why not spruce up
the packaging with a genuine hand signature and some extra special
bits on the audio (sort of like those extra characters in the bar scene in
the "Star Wars Director’s Edition"–by no means essential, but
kinda cool, nonetheless.) Thus was born Beautiful Sounds: SVE! If you want
an autograph? If you want a different cover? If you prefer a jewel box? If
you want the last word in audio arcana? This is the version for you. How
limited is this edition? We currently had about a hundred lying around
[…]

This is Joe Clark, a writer in Toronto, working on a very interesting book on copyright reform. It refutes a lot of the extreme points of view on both sides of the ‘great divide’.

I get a lot of razzing at gigs when the talk turns to ‘great singer/songwriters’. It seems an unspoken rule that certain stars in the firmament that cannot be denied. I dunno.

I have always enjoyed Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams. Their songs were not only sincere but also profound. They also really ‘lived it’ so he’s got the built in ‘street cred’ that builds so many careers (think of rappers who have to prove their gangsta bona fides in order to get a deal.) Best of all? Both their bodies of work still sound very fresh to me.

The succeeding generations who have stood on their shoulders have, in my opinion, not fared quite so well. And I think there are some commonalities to their work that make their almost universal success so puzzling to me.

First of all, none of ’em can sing their way out of a bag. I mean seriously. Is there anything even pleasant in the vocal tones of Neil or Dylan or Leonard or Lou? I’m not […]