January 22, 2009"Losing a Best Friend" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]
***Submit questions to me via message!***
Posted on 01/22/2009 6:57 PM Comments (8)
"Bouncing Souls Song?" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah,
Posted on 01/22/2009 3:52 PM Comments (0)
"Crushville, Population 3?" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah,
Posted on 01/22/2009 3:51 PM Comments (0)
January 20, 2009Dear President Obama: Dear President Obama: If you want to prove to me that I made a mistake by voting Libertarian instead of voting for you, please do the following within your first 100 days: *Immediately eliminate the Income Tax so we all have more money in our pockets to put back into the economy. *Abolish the Internal Revenue Service and all federal programs and services not required under the U.S. Constitution. *Recognize the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want, the level of health care they want, the care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all other aspects of their medical care by restoring and reviving a free market health care system. *Replace the current government-sponsored Social Security system with a private voluntary system. *End the current U.S. government policy of foreign intervention, including military and economic aid. *Substantially reduce the size and intrusiveness of government and cut all taxes. *Let peaceful, honest people offer their goods and services to willing consumers without a hassle from government. *Let peaceful, honest people decide for themselves what to eat, drink, read, or smoke and how to dress, medicate themselves, or make love, without fear of criminal penalties. Love, Sarah Saturday REMEMBER: Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of individual liberty, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to agree to such new governance as to them shall seem most likely to protect their liberty. Learn more at lp.org
Posted on 01/20/2009 6:17 PM Comments (3)
January 15, 2009"Trying to Expand Horizons" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah,
Posted on 01/15/2009 3:43 PM Comments (0)
"Paranoid and Crushing" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Posted on 01/15/2009 3:42 PM Comments (0)
"Music Business Hopeful in the Year 2009" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!*** Dear Sarah,
I've been in love with music my whole life and I'm interested in doing something in the music business, but not sure what would be best for me. Would you know anything that would help while I'm in college? Classes, volunteer work, internships? Anything really. I would love to work for a record label or AP, even Warped Tour. How do I get there? Submitted by: brookeagainstcity.buzznet.com Dear Music Business Hopeful in the Year 2009, Ten or so years ago, I would have answered this question in a totally different way. The music industry then was booming; artists were easily selling a million copies of their albums in the first week; indie labels were just starting to gain momentum; there were jobs-a-plenty and there was money to be made. Now, however, the landscape of the music industry has become quite grim. Labels are dying off faster than anyone can keep track; bands are breaking up and musicians are getting jobs at the Home Depot to make ends meet; managers are downsizing, getting rid of their assistants and offices; booking agents are only booking two or three months in advance; and tours are being cancelled left and right. Magazines, radio stations, record stores, and venues are shutting down one by one, in quick succession. These are all signs that the end is coming for the music business as we all know it. I don't want to discourage you; I'm just trying to prepare you. If music is your passion, and your calling, and you know for sure that you don't want to do anything else with your life, then you should go for it. But if there is any chance that you might be happy working in some other industry -- maybe one that closely parallels the music business but has a bit more security and longevity (television, film, journalism, advertising, etc) -- you should consider following one of those paths instead. You should remain open to all kinds of options while you are in college. Take classes that will benefit you no matter what you end up doing, like business, marketing, philosophy, website development, etc. Take advantage of being around other young, educated people who have their own unique ideas and goals. Meet as many people as you can, and ask as many questions as possible while you are in college. College is the time to challenge yourself and prepare yourself for adulthood! If there is an introductory music business class at your school, that would be a great place to start. Internships are also great ways to get your feet wet, while you can still afford to donate your time (most internships are unpaid). Internships are hard to land, but if you have a good resume and you are politely persistent, you will eventually get one. You could also join the official street teams for your favorite bands, and get involved with their online and street marketing. You might want to talk to your local promoters and venues, and offer to flyer for upcoming shows or to work at the shows. You could also talk to your local or school paper and offer to write show and record reviews for their music sections. Also: READ BOOKS! Get as many books as you can that talk about the music industry, and read them cover-to-cover. Start with All You Need To Know About the Music Business  .If you are really keeping your mind open, and trying a little bit of everything, you will quickly and naturally find yourself more inclined to want to work late nights on certain projects rather than others. You'll find yourself energized by the subject matter in some conversations and bored to tears talking about other subjects. You'll want to read ahead in your books for some classes, but find it extremely hard to make yourself even go to other classes. And lastly, remember that sometimes the things we love the most are the things we should specifically NOT pursue as a career. You love music, and that's great, but once you see "the wizard behind the curtain," you will never be able to go back to innocently loving music the way you once did. Just because you love something, it doesn't necessarily mean you should turn that thing into a job. But if you close your eyes and all you can see is yourself at a desk late at night, with papers piled up, and your phone ringing, and hundreds of emails unanswered -- and you feel a sense of joy when you picture that -- then go for it! If all else fails, you can always get a job as a nurse. We need more nurses in this country! :) Love, Sarah
Posted on 01/15/2009 1:24 AM Comments (13)
January 8, 2009"Stuck in South America" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah, Lately Ive been thinking a lot about my future. I live in South America and want to be in a band. Where I live, there is no possible way I can make a band and go on tour. I'm in singing classes so I can make my voice better and am raising money so that when I turn 16 I can exchange to USA and if possible make a band there where it's most acceptable. The thing is that my mother doesn't agree with my plans. I want to be a successful musician but my mother doesn't seem to understand that. What should I do about my mother? What can I do to make my goals realistic? Please help! Submitted by: http://kmipaz.buzznet.com Dear Stuck in South America, You're already on the right track, by having goals, following your instincts, and making plans. So the question here is smart planning, and timing. I don't know at what age you are a legal adult in South America, but there is, of course, the argument that once you are of legal age, there's nothing your mom can really do to stop you. However!!! Having the love and support of your family in all your endeavors is a very powerful tool, one that I could not have lived without. Even when my mom thought I was making a mistake, she still trusted me enough because of our relationship to let me work it out. It might be worth it for you to really listen to your mother's opinions and consider them, and try to work with her on a plan that will make you both at least mildly satisfied for now. Sixteen is a pretty young age for anyone to pick up and relocate to another continent; I moved across the country when I was 19 and it was extremely overwhelming even at that age. I can't imagine uprooting myself at 16 to live somewhere so far away from home. So maybe you should start by asking your mom when she might be comfortable with you moving so far away, for good. As for starting a band in the US and trying to "make it," I feel that it is my responsibility to remind you and everyone who reads this that the chance of that happening -- on the level you are imagining and hoping -- is less than 1%. More like 0.0000000001%. With the way the music industry is headed, putting all your eggs in the "start a band and get famous" basket is just not logical. It's almost a better approach to plan on NOT getting famous in a band, these days. I know so many talented, hardworking bands who have been touring relentlessly for years and years, who are still starving and broke with nowhere to live. It takes a lot of time, money, sacrifices, and work to get successful in a band these days -- and that still doesn't guarantee that you'll ever make more than you would at a decent office job. You have to do it because you love it, plain and simple. Now, the question for YOU is, when and where to start. I think you should wait a few more years before making any drastic moves. There is a lot you can work on in that time. You need to keep taking singing classes, and work on learning an instrument or two, maybe take some lessons. Try writing some songs. Learn some music history and music theory. Read books about how the music industry works. Try recording some of your own songs. Figure out what style of music is best suited for your voice. Plus, you need to research options for moving to the US. School? A job? A one-way ticket with your savings account in your backpack? Where will you live? Do you know about that city? What types of jobs are available there? What kinds of bands live and play in that city? How will you afford rent? Will you need a car? Do you know what areas are safe to live in? Maybe you could find a summer internship that would allow you to visit for a few months to learn more about the city and make some friends there. Make lists! Lots and lots of lists! While you are working on all of this planning, you should be saving every penny that you make, and perhaps most importantly, be working on communicating with your mom. Be open and honest with your mom about your ideas and plans, and try to take into consideration the things she says. Give her time to come around and see things from your point of view. She loves you and wants you to be happy, but it's also her job to protect you. So if you give her more time by sticking around a bit longer, working on a feasible plan for relocating, and keeping the lines of communication open with your mom, then at least you can say you tried. Sometimes all that's left to do is go out and prove yourself to people, but it's always smarter to get them on your side if you can. Love, Sarah
Posted on 01/08/2009 2:53 PM Comments (0)
"Unsure in New Zealand" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah, I'm unsure of what to do after I finish school. Music is my passion, but I'm not sure what exactly it is that excites me. New Zealand doesn't offer much within this particular industry and I don't want to make a huge mistake and follow something that may not lead me anywhere. So I'm essentially stuck. Do I follow something that doesn't have a clear ending, or take the safe road? Submitted by: http://xcollapsingcities.buzznet.com Dear Unsure in New Zealand, The most that any of us can hope for in life is to find joy in our work. If we are not spending our days energized by our work, everything else in our life suffers. We should love not the idea of what we do, not the title that we have, not the amount of money we get with each paycheck -- but the actual work itself. When we are working, we should enjoy even the smallest tasks. We should feel proud when we reach a goal we have set for ourselves. We should never be too comfortable; we should instinctively feel the urge to do more, to achieve more, to be better, to work harder. These are all the things that make us feel ALIVE. When people ask me what they should do with their lives, I get a little tongue-tied. I mean, I could sit with you and list all of your talents, your strong points, your interests, your financial goals, etc. We could brainstorm for hours about different types of jobs you could get, different schools you could go to, different internships to take. But the bottom line is: If you can find a way to make a living doing something that you are passionate about, something that you love working on with your own two hands, day in and day out, you'll be happy for the rest of your life. So you say music is your passion, but what about music do you want to make your life's work? Start there. Ask yourself WHY you might want to work in music. Are the reasons solid or hollow? By that I mean: Do you want to work in music because it seems exciting, and you like the glitz and glamor of touring and red carpets and MTV? Or do you want to work in music because you enjoy working 12-hour days sending emails and making phone calls, fighting for the smallest goals and coming up with creative ways to pay your bills in the meantime? Once you figure out in your heart of hearts whether or not your calling is truly to work in music -- for the sake of the work, not the music -- it's just a matter of setting goals for yourself and taking those first few awkward steps toward achieving them. This might mean going to college and taking classes, or it might mean working for a year to save up money so that you can take an internship abroad. It might mean asking your friend's band to take you on the road as their merch person. Set goals for six months from now, a year from now, two years from now, five years from now, and as far into the future as you can. The goals can and will change over time, and when they do, your plans will change with them -- sometimes without any notice at all. But you still, always, in every moment, need to have the goals. As for following something that doesn't have a clear ending: that's the beauty of life. It's not about the ending, it's about every moment leading up to the ending. We all have the same ending to our stories; the part we can control is what happens in the present. Right now! This second! Are you doing something you love? Are you doing something the drives you? Are you excited about tomorrow? Are you sure? Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.
Love, Sarah
Posted on 01/08/2009 2:51 PM Comments (0)
"I'm in Love With My Best Friend's Crush" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday] Hmmm... How do I say this? ***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah,
Ugh. I'm infatuated with my best friend's crush. She thinks he's straight, but he's not. He and I have messed around a couple of times. But she has dibs on him, even though they are not formally together. I don't want to do anything to mess up my friendship with her, but I really like this guy. What should I do? Love, Zacc Grazier http://zaccgrazier.buzznet.com Dear Zacc, What a predicament! And it's made even more complicated by the fact that this guy obviously has not come out as being gay or bisexual. The best approach here is to break it down and figure out where to start building it back up... 1. You are obviously open about your sexuality, and your friend (the girl) knows it. 2. The guy is obviously not open about his sexuality, since the girl thinks he is straight. 3. Your friendship with the girl seems to be more important to you than a relationship with the guy, which is admirable. I always say that honesty is the best policy, because the truth always prevails in the end -- it always makes itself known, in one way or another. But in this case, the burden of honesty doesn't necessarily fall on your shoulders, yet. First: It's up to this guy to be honest about his sexuality with the girl. If he can't do that, then there is no reason for you to even pursue him or upset your friend by telling her about him (especially if he isn't ready to come out, that could turn into a huge mess). So the first thing you do is have a conversation with him about whether or not he plans on coming out, and if he wants to be with the girl or not. As HER friend, you should want to encourage her love interest to be honest with her. Second: Check yourself. Since there is nothing you can do to act on your feelings for this guy right now, I think you should do the noble thing and put your feelings aside -- just for a while. Put the burden of honesty on him, and let him clean up his own mess. Just be ready to be there for your friend if and when he breaks the news to her. She will need your support. And keep in mind that it could take this guy a long time to work up the nerve to tell the girl the truth, or even to admit it to himself. During this time, a lot could change in your heart and mind. You might meet someone else or decide that he's not right for you. So keeping your feelings in check is the smart thing to do, not only for yourself, but for your best friend AND your crush. Finally: Be patient. It may seem like a really big deal at this moment, but so much can change in a matter of days or even hours that there is no need to upset yourself or feel anxious about getting the situation resolved. Focus your energy on something else, something creative. Spend time with other friends, start a new project, and keep yourself busy. Let this situation clear up on its own. If you are meant to be with this guy, it will happen when the time is right. But be open to the possibility that by the time it's all said and done, you might have already moved on. And most importantly, you'll still have your best friend. Love, Sarah
Posted on 01/08/2009 2:55 AM Comments (12)
January 1, 2009"Touring Hopeful" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah, How did you get on tours with bands, Warped Tour, etc? When I get older I want to work on tours and festivals like Bamboozle and Warped Tour. Where should I start? Submitted by: http://smile4thepoparazzi.buzznet.com Dear Touring Hopeful, I started touring when I was in my first band, Wish. We decided we wanted to book a US tour, and it was my job to book all the shows. I was 19 at the time, and had never booked an out-of-town show before. I ended up only getting us two shows in Michigan -- one was at a bar and the other was at a restaurant. The next tour I booked was for my band Saving Face, and that ended up taking us from Wisconsin (where we were from) to California and back. Saving Face was constantly going out of town for shows during the four years we were a band. During that time, I also filled in on bass for a band from Los Angeles for about three months of straight touring. The next kind of touring I did was on the production side, after I moved to California to start working for the Warped Tour. Getting the job working for Kevin Lyman and the Warped Tour was the next step in an organic progression from one chapter in my life to the next. I had met Kevin through the touring I had done for all those years, and I had kept in touch with him like I did with a lot of promoters, managers, etc. This is all Networking 101. One day, I called Kevin to ask for advice about my band. Either my timing was right or the universe decided to intervene, because he offered me a job that day. The experience I had gained in touring, booking, managing, promoting, marketing, etc., for the eight years prior to that day, served as my resume. My point is this: if you are passionate about something, you should be living it every day. If music is your passion, or art, or whatever, then you should already be working toward goals in those areas. The only way you will ever get from one point to another is through an organic evolution of events. If you are working hard to achieve your goals, and you do a good job of it and leave a good impression on the people you meet along the way, things will fall into place. So before you ask how to get on the Warped Tour or Bamboozle, first ask yourself what you want to do with your life. Does it follow a path that could potentially lead to working on the production side of a festival tour? If it does, then those are realistic goals and you should focus on building your resume and experience so that you can impress the right person at the right moment, when the day comes. "Nothing will be given; one must make one's own desire and every shape of its fulfillment." Love, Sarah An old pic I found from my first full summer working on Warped: 
Posted on 01/01/2009 2:43 PM Comments (0)
"Where's My Romeo?" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah, I feel as if there is no Romeo to my Juliet; that I've lost hope of ever finding love. Guys don't want me or appreciate that I'm different. My friends tell me that no boy is worth my tears or my time, and that a girl like me needs someone whose heart is as open and sweet as mine. The deafening silences I hear when I'm sitting by a guy kills me more and more every time. What do I do? Please help me! Submitted by: http://musicalxheartxbeats.buzznet.com Dear Juliet, I know that everything feels really intense right now; that the desire to find "love" seems to overpower everything else in your life. But you have to take about 10 steps outside your life for a minute, and realize some things. First of all, you are young. You haven't even begun to begin the many chapters of your life during which you will find (and lose) "love." Trust me on this! Now is not the time to worry about finding a soul mate. The world is enormous and you haven't even made it outside your own town to live, work, and start meeting new people. You have all the time in the universe. Now is the time to focus on yourself. As with any goal, the goal of eventually finding the perfect guy that completes you and embodies the qualities of your ideal "Romeo" should be approached logically and with your mind, rather than your heart. Ask yourself, from your future, ideal guy's point of view: What is going to make you undeniable to him? What are the qualities that you would WANT your ideal guy to want in a girl? Would he want a cheerleader? A poet? An artist? A sports fanatic? A businesswoman? Would he want someone who likes to read? Travel? Shop? Hike? Write? Cook? What are his values, and what are the values he is looking for in his ideal girl? "Romantic love, in the full sense of the term, is an emotion possible only to the man (or woman) of unbreached self-esteem: it is his response to his own highest values in the person of another -- an integrated response of mind and body, of love and sexual desire. Such a man (or woman) is incapable of experiencing a sexual desire divorced from spiritual values." Now is not the time to worry about silly high school boys. Now is the time to discover and create yourself, to become the best possible version of yourself. Don't let other people decide your value and worth; decide it yourself, create it yourself. Instead of trying to find your ideal qualities in someone else, cultivate those qualities within yourself. Become the source for your own happiness; be an end in yourself. You have friends, family, health, youth, and time on your side; be grateful for that! You have plenty of time to find love, and you will find love. But love your own life, and your own self, first. "The woman who does not value herself, cannot value anything or anyone." Love, Sarah
Posted on 01/01/2009 2:43 PM Comments (0)
"Booking Rookie" [Advice Column: Ask Me Anything! by Sarah Saturday]***Submit questions to me via message!***
Dear Sarah,
I love my friend's band and I really think they have what it takes to make it. They've recently asked me to help them out and I'm trying to book them shows. I'm still learning the ropes about the business aspect of running a band and what it takes to get venues to book. They've done pretty well locally, but they really want to play some of the more famous local LA venues (Roxy, Troubadour, etc. etc.). I've been told that info such as who they've played with, where they've played, and other bio info isn't really relevant for the talent buyers, so what are some of the best strategies to get venues to book them? Submitted by: http://xxrccola.buzznet.com Dear Booking Rookie, This is a great question and I appreciate the thought that went into it. Whoever told you that talent buyers don't care about that kind of information was wrong (you should tell them to send me advice questions so I can set them straight). You definitely want to send promoters the kind of information that will show them -- as quickly as possible -- that the band has a strong working resume and will mean ticket sales for the show. So you want to go through the band's list of accomplishments and statistics and pick the most impressive ones to list in the press kit you send to the promoter. This usually includes your band's average local draw, big-name bands for whom your band has opened, well-known venues at which your band has headlined, the number of regional and national tours your band has done, total number of albums sold to-date, and then press clippings such as positive record or show reviews from local or online publications / zines. It's great that you have the goal of getting shows at bigger venues; goals are what keeps a band moving forward, and no goal is too lofty! As for your specific goal of playing at the bigger LA venues: just keep at it. Send a proper press kit, follow up regularly, be polite and friendly, and think of as many different avenues as you can that might help to achieve your goal. For example, you definitely won't be able to book a headlining show at the Troubadour right off the bat, but maybe you can talk to bands who are already booked to play there in the coming months about landing an opening spot. Stuff like that. There are some good articles about this stuff on my website, EarnItYourself.com, in the "EIYpedia." Check those out and get your band involved with the DIY/EIY community over there: How to write an email to a promoter or venue... Hey Sarah! What should go into a promo pack? What are the biggest mistakes that young bands make? [Answered by the EIY Panel of Experts!] Love, Sarah
Posted on 01/01/2009 2:30 PM Comments (57)
|
ARCHIVE
MY FRIENDS
redpatterndress
PanasonicYouth breesays Gabriel's Gonna Rollerblade mrdean no, not like rosalie hale. iriswasabi we're gonna burn out-- hard & bright. xjennersonx amynicolesommers chillingsilence karik484 FOLLOWERS ALL FRIENDS |
Buzz Feed