At first pass, the hedonistic, glam world of rock music seems an unlikely place for a practising Stoic.
But, then you reflect on the impossible highs and lows of life on the road; the shapeless, twilight, drudgery of tour-bus life and it begins to make sense.
Continue reading “Rock ‘n’ roll ‘n’ stoicism – @HurricaneNita”
Winning work is an ongoing challenge for freelancers. As an employee, someone’s always passing you the next project. But, as an independent, you need to be selling and delivering at the same time.
How is that possible?
Continue reading “Freelancers – build your reputation and win work”
It must be tough building a business whose core products were launched in the 1950s. Fender is best known for its solid-body guitars and electric basses: the Telecaster (1950), the Stratocaster (1954) and the Precision Bass (1951).
The Times this week has a profile of Fender’s CEO, Andy Mooney, who took the reins in 2015. It’s a fascinating read both for gear-heads (I’m a life-long Fender fan) and strategy gurus.
Continue reading “DeFender of the Faith – Andy Mooney, @Fender”
… with A Layman’s Blog.
As a taster, here he has one of my favourite quotes from Marcus Aurelius:
Continue reading “Philosophy, politics, music and more…”At day’s first light have in readiness, against disinclination to leave your bed, the thought that ‘I am rising for the work of man’.
Bob Dylan, The Complete Album Collection Vol. One. Happy 2019!
This all started with a trip to the Mondo Scripto exhibition at the Halcyon Gallery, back in November.
Kurt at Cultural Offering has updated his list of 25 Blogs to Make you Smarter and includes a history of his own Cultural Offering.
I am flattered to be included, although the list includes many, more worthy blogs. A lot of them are on are on my own list of essential, morning reading.
Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash
Oh, the wondrous synchronicity of the interweb.
These last couple of weeks I’ve been having something of a Steely Dan wallow. I still can’t quite decide which is my favourite album, although 1974’s Pretzel Logic is high in the running, but then again…
Today, I discover these delights from Cultural Offering. Firstly a live video of Reelin’ in the Years:
Then, this profile of guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. I had previously read that Baxter was now a missile expert, but the whole story (on Business Insider) is fascinating.
And, in sharing these delights with my oldest, and vinyl-collecting, friend I find he had “just picked up an original US press of Katy Lied last Saturday – sensational stuff & the original sounds SOOO much better than the re-press I had.”
Baxter is one of those individuals who has forged hugely successful careers in wildly different fields. John Perry Barlow was another: cattle rancher, internet pioneer, lyricist with the Grateful Dead, cyber-libertarian and founding member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
A third is John Kao: entrepreneur, psychiatrist, a talented jazz pianist who played with Frank Zappa, and a theatre and film producer with the film Sex, Lies and Videotape to his credit.
Do they all qualify as sovereign professionals? I guess they do.
And an eclectic set of fantasy dinner-guests.
Life is a liar, yeah, life is a cheat
It’ll lead you on and pull the ground from underneath your feet
No use complaining, don’t you worry, don’t you whine
‘Cause if you get it wrong, you’ll get it right next time, next time
Life is about learning from your mistakes. You’re bound to get it wrong sometimes, just make sure you get it right next time.
Another great track from Gerry Rafferty.
Incidentally, I love the arrangement, the way that the song sort of wanders in, says it stuff, then wanders off down the street, again.
Also worth noting is Hugh Burns’ sublime, understated guitar work.
This is the official video. From 1979. Can you guess?
Get It Right Next Time comes from Rafferty’s 1979 album Night Owl, the follow-up to the hugely successful City to City (which featured Baker Street).
Pressed for time but eager to keep pace with the latest scientific developments?
Cultural Offering brings you Settled Science:
All this plus inspiration and more music than you can shake a stick at (as they say, but as I’ve never quite understood).
And, via Cultural Offering, here’s Steve Morse and the Dixie Dregs:
Photo by Jonathan Francisca on Unsplash