Over the years of my blogs, you’ve seen me bashing and criticizing local music award competitions… stuff like battle of the bands, radio station voting contests, local award shows that are kind of like the Grammy’s (aka The Cammy’s), etc. you get the deal here. You see, I don’t give a shit how shady these competitions and contests are. I don’t give a shit how they are all done behind the scenes either. I just disagree with local competitions or band award shows overall. Why?

Well, here’s the thing… I disagree with competitions, contests or award shows ’cause simply put… ready for this??? I simply don’t need a pat on the back for anything. Yep, that’s pretty much it. I don’t need to win awards of any kind ’cause I don’t need a pat on the back for anything. My ego is not all that big. Really it isn’t.

I don’t play music or write songs to win awards. That’s not what I do this for. If that’s what you’re into this for is to win competitions, then I feel that you’re playing music for all the wrong reasons, in my opinion. Like I always say, I don’t look at my music as a career like many do around here. To me, music is a way of life for me and just something I enjoy doing it for fun. I don’t really care to get recognized for what I do. Don’t get me wrong, more recognition for my music would be great but I’m not that desperate. I just play music for me and enjoy it for me. That’s all I wanna do, ya know?

Band competitions and award shows is happening more and more around this area. I look at all of this and think to myself, is this area that desperate for that kind of attention??? I know that musicians and bands are proud of the music they make so they feel that they deserve some kind of “respect” and “recognition” in return for it… I get that but if that’s all you’re playing music for is to win awards and prizes, all that’s doing is showing how desperate and egotistical you really are.

Just be humble with yourself and don’t take yourself so seriously, ya know? Winning awards, in my opinion, means nothing. It doesn’t make you better than everyone else. I understand that local bands and artists enter these competitions and award shows hoping to get some recognition around this area, but you don’t need to win awards and prizes to get more recognition.

You can get more recognition and respect toward your music on your own without entering band competitions and award shows at all. Just play your music, get it out there, play your gigs and that’s all you gotta do. You wanna feel rewarded for your hard work and get more respect with your music? You’ll get all that when your fans support your music by listening to your songs, going to your shows and buying your music if they like it. To me that’s more rewarding than winning some silly trophy or some stupid prize to win studio time or open for a national act. You should be more focused on your fans supporting your music instead of focusing on winning silly awards.

Whenever I talk about stuff like this, musicians would usually get angry and become all defensive. That’s okay… let ’em get upset ’cause they don’t like the truth getting told. When playing music, they just don’t get it, and they never will. Playing music to me is about the love and the passion for it. I don’t really care to become a big star… I just write songs and play guitar for fun. I don’t take myself that seriously.

I don’t need to pat myself on the back for anything. I just like to make music that I’m proud of and that’s the end of it, ya know? I just wanna make music, get it out there and hopefully get people to listen to it and give me feedback on it. That’s pretty much what I do this for.

Winning awards and prizes is just silly, ya know? Just my opinion and sticking with it. It’s all delusions of grandeur. I think musicians and bands get into these things as an excuse to give their fans something to be proud of them about, a “pat on the back” kind of thing. Once again, I don’t need a “pat on the back” for anything.

I just feel proud and happy just taking my guitar, recording a few songs at home and that’s all I need. I don’t get myself involved with any cliques or any type of community… I just wanna play music and that’s all I care about.

Kev