I want this blog to be a perspective of an independent, growing musician and lately it has become more of a chronicle of my events. So I’ll give you some idea of what I did with my free time.
It all starts with the most important thing to many musicians–money. haha. Seriously though, I love making music but I like to eat food now and again. Now, there is plenty of gray area between making cash and making art. In this case, I got some help with the former. As part of my music career, I have been exceedingly lucky to have the support of my family, but I have always made a point to them (and mostly myself) that I want to earn help. So we have reached a few deals where I build them a website or make their company a video and they help me buy a new computer, a plane ticket, a camera.
My dad was looking to remodel his condo in Myrtle Beach and I took on the challenge to complete it in a month. And something happened. It strengthened our relationship and gave me something music hasn’t. Here’s how and what.
So often with music, our creations are fleeting. They exist very much in the moment and remain only on the tails of reverb and delay. Aside from recorded music, no performance exists after the performance. Furthermore, even a recorded song ends and the sound stops. Videos start and end. Remodeling the condo gave me a tangible finished product that I hadn’t seen in years. I was able to step back and look at the tile, the shower, the walls, the lights…and say “that’s good.” No emotion. Less subjectivity. Just accomplishment.
In route from planning to demolition to construction to finish, I got to work with my dad and make decisions together. When in college I studied architecture and design. As a kid and teenager I remodeled basements, bathrooms, and kitchens. This is something I believe I am good at doing, and my dad and I got to speak on the same level. Just men discussing things. Mutual respect. Something many sons spend their lives seeking.
The condo is now rented and earning money and in that month I made more than I ever have with music. Most importantly I came out of the process feeling like the best version of me. I found my strength and confidence that music has a way of bleeding out of you. This will not be the last time I flip a property.