For many years, I’ve always had a problem of people being critical of myself. I get negatively criticized by musicians, promoters, club owners and even non-musicinas. When you want to play your music, get yourself out there by promoting yourself on the internet… releasing your music and playing your gigs — you’re gonna get all kinds of opinionated people coming after you. When you want to get yourself into the world of local musicians you gotta be ready for musicians with huge egos and horrible attitudes ’cause they’re gonna be all over the place. Gotta be ready for all kinds of jealousy going around.

You see, musicians who think they’re “successful” and established in this area, that’s when a lot of them are gonna think they’re better than you. If they think they’re talented, they’re gonna think they’re better than you. The last thing you wanna do is let them think they’re better than you. Before their success and popularity, they were all cool and nothing wrong with them but once musicians become “successful” their egos would go sky-high. I’m not afraid to say it. I’ve dealt with too many musicians who think they’re the “shit” over the years, trust me on that. Not naming names, ya know?

That’s the last thing you wanna do. I don’t care how successful and big you are. Congrats on your success in music but it’s how you treat your success. I am my own worst critic. I don’t think I’m popular/successful at all and I don’t think I’m all that talented even though people try to tell me these things sometimes.

My point being is that you must be down to earth and humble if you want to earn more respect in the music community. Leave your ego at the door. You can do that by never acknowledging your success and popularity. Still act like you’re nothing. I’ve grown tired of musicians who think they’re the shit. That’s kind of why I stopped writing music reviews on local bands ’cause when they write me asking me to write a review on something, they expect me to write a “positive review” praising the hell out of them so they can have something to jerk themselves off with. I’ve had it. So I stopped doing the reviews for that reason. I still review local bands once in a while but only if I like their music.

Musicians can be crazy whack jobs, man. They really can be. I’m not afraid to say it. I speak from experience over the years.

If you want to play music and be a part of the music community successfully and positively here’s a few tips of advice: 1) Never trust anybody 2) Never take sides and always stay neutral 3) Only worry about yourself and your own music 4) Don’t give a fuck about anybody 5) Stop trying to please everyone.

Be flattered with all the criticism you get. In my opinion, when you get so many people criticizing you that’s gotta say something about your music and talent, right? I think it’s because they know that you’re talented musically and they’ll never admit it. Just my opinion, though.

Kev