A recent Harry Potter-themed friend hangout got me thinking. (As it would anyone, right?)
My friends asked me what's going on with our band, and naturally we spoke about recording and the struggle with our imperfections, etc. Something that caught their interest, though, was when we were talking about how the desire to support musicians and artists is more about the need to sustain a world where there is art and live music and all the rest.
Someone once told me that in New Orleans, there is an understanding among street performers. Their source of income is a result of the prevailing culture - people expect there to be live performers in New Orleans. (It's cool. It feels like a 24/7 social experiment.) Therefore, if one person is supported, every one is supported. It's in everyone's interest to support every one.
At a recent folk conference we attended, a man who had been the manager for Ani DiFranco related a story that stuck with me above all else. He was booking a gig for her and, upon hearing the amount they wanted to pay her, advised them to pay her less. Let me remind you - this was his client. I.e. He was advising something that would get him less money. And why? It was because, for this venue to continue to be a venue in the future, they needed to offer a fee they could sustainably pay.
I learned that the work of our band, while it is just Josh and I on one level, is very much a part of a larger world.
