Stamina And The Genre Snob / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-Aug-2024

Today's post is going to be a bit out of the norm.  Then again, when is it never . . . ?

Last weekend, my wife, three of our girls, and myself went to the Twin Cities to attend two concerts: Friday night was Metallica and Saturday night was Green Day.  We had a blast, to put it mildly.  I may deep dive into these concerts at a later time, but I want to touch on two things this week.  The first is stamina.

Green Day played, non-stop, for roughly two and a half hours.  With very few breaks.  And what breaks they did take were a few seconds at max.  They kept playing and playing and playing . . . to the point where I became exhausted.

Green Day has an enormous catalog of songs to choose from, and they played many of them.  Last year during the Bryan Adams concert, there were so many he played that I forgot that he even sang them.  Metallica also has an enormous catalog of songs.

What does this mean for the writer?  Simple: keep writing.  Ten years ago, I had written five full length novels and maybe a handful of short stories.  Now, I have over 60 individual stories, from novels to short stories and even a few flash fiction.  I keep going.

The second is what I am calling the genre snob.  The last song Green Day played was "Good Riddance (Time of your Life)".  After the concert, I overheard someone saying they didn't like the song and that it was outside of their genre--hence the reason they did not like it.

The genre snob isn't limited to musicians.  Take Stephen King and John Grisham.  King is known for horror, yet some of his better books are the ones that are not horror.  Grisham is known for his legal thrillers, and his better books are not in that genre.  It's okay to step out of the genre you're in.  Even reading the Wikipedia page on the Green Day song "Good Riddance" they note that the song was outside of the other songs.

Yet it is one song they are best known for.

Didn't Impress Me Much / Happenings In The Outhouse 10-Nov-2023

I was going to dedicate this post to the subject of suicide, but will hold off on that topic until next week.

This past weekend, my girlfriend and I went to a concert by a country music icon, a queen of country so to speak.  Tickets were bought almost a year ago, and we had anticipated how great this concert was going to be.

Well . . . not sugar-coating this, the queen didn't impress us much.

This brings up the point of either not accepting feedback or not being supplied the correct feedback on your art.  Sure, something you create may not be for everyone.  And that's okay.  But when there are repeated suggestions on what's missing (or whatever), then maybe you should listen.

I feel bad for Shania Twain's band.  They played their heart out, and at the end of the day it was Shania's poor performance that will linger on in people's minds.

The Year Of Concerts--And It Ain't Over Yet / Happenings In The Outhouse 13-Oct-2023

For the past 12 months, my girlfriend Melissa and I have been to a slew of concerts.  Just this month alone, we saw Nickelback last week (with Josh Ross and Brantley Gilbert opening), Cole Swindell yesterday, and tomorrow is Luke Bryan.

Phew!

And next month is Shania Twain.

Going to these concerts have brought me back to my high school days when I dreamed of being a rock star.  Yes, yes, I was that kid.  I recall going to prom my sophomore year and being mesmerized by the live band that was on stage.  I wanted to see what they did and how they did it.  I wanted to watch how they entertained.

Even for movies, I wanted to know how things were done.  I wanted to be the entertainer.

The problem was, I was the shy kid.  I preferred to sit in the back of the class, keep my head down, and pray that the teacher didn't call on me.

As a writer, I can still entertain and that is how I view what I write: pure entertainment.

Lessons Learned From Bryan Adams and Joan Jett / Happenings In The Outhouse 14-July-2023

On July 3rd, my girlfriend Melissa and I saw Bryan Adams in concert in the Twin Cities.  Joan Jett opened for him.

It was an amazing concert, and Brian Seltzer even made a surprise appearance for a handful of songs.

One thing we noticed with both artists were the fact that they acknowledged their band.  A lot.  They honored them and made note of the bands they played with throughout the show.

Authors do this all the time in books.  They dedicate the work to someone.  Typically a spouse or significant other.  Even though being a creative artist, one still does not do it alone.  That person may not read or listen to your music or see what you've done, but they still support you.  Or, in the case of Bryan Adams and Joan Jett, they are nothing without the band.

Outside The Comfort Zone / Happenings In The Outhouse 17-March-2023

The best way to grow as a person is to do things outside of your comfort zone.

Now, this may seem easy for one to say, but not so easy to action.  Unless you make it a habit.  Make a habit of going outside your comfort zone.  My girlfriend and I go on frequent date nights--at least once a week, if possible.  When we go to a restaurant, I look for something I haven't had before.  One of our favorite restaurants in a nearby town I have had most items on the menu.  We have also gone to a variety of concerts, from heavy metal to country western.  Now, honestly, country isn't my thing, but I do love music in general.  And those country artists I have seen have certainly put on a great show.

Last week, we went to see the 80's heavy metal band Skid Row.  They have a new lead singer, Erik Gronwall, who was absolutely amazing!  I vividly recall the first time I listened to Skid Row with their former singer Sebastian Bach.  I didn't think the new guy would hold up to Bach.  Boy, was I wrong!

Even my current work-in-progress is outside of my comfort zone.  It is a middle grade novel and there are times I want to add something but given the potential audience I write it a little differently.  I'm not writing down to the audience--that's a huge no-no in my book, no pun intended.

I am also on the church council of the church I attend.  This is my second year and this year I am on a committee that is allowing me to stretch as a Christian.  At work, I am intentionally doing things that are outside of my comfort zone to stretch my mental muscles.

Find areas that give you pause and go forth with gusto!  If you've never gone grocery shopping, do it.  If you've never flown on an airplane, do it.  If you've always wanted to write a book, what's stopping you?  In the words of Nike . . . just do it!

I Think I Can / Happenings In The Outhouse

I can't say I'm on the home stretch for my current work-in-progress, but I am certainly edging closer and closer.

I am over 64,000 words and I still have a lot more to write.  Or do I?

Last weekend, the love of my life and myself went to the Blake Shelton concert in the Twin Cities.  Man, he can put on a great show!  We had very decent seats too.

Well, back to work . . .

What's In Store For 2023 And Beyond / Happenings In The Outhouse 30-Dec-2022

2022 was an interesting year for me, not to put it too mildly.  I saw a lot of changes, in both my work and personal life--and it's all for the positive!

What about 2023?

First, by the end of the year, I reviewed the number of podcasts I subscribe to and compared it with the ones I actually want to listen to.  Once again, I decided to cut many out of my feed.  I cut out roughly half so I no longer see them.  Why did I do this?  Because I found my time was best spent elsewhere instead of listening to needless podcasts.  Or, better yet, watching them add up in my "to listen to" feed and never getting around to them.

I also plan on focusing more on writing, now that certain aspects of my life are in order.  I am currently at the 45,000 word mark in my current work-in-progress.  I am planning on finishing it by February 2023.  Then, I will have to decide what to write next.

I do have some writing education courses stored up that I've been planning on taking for the past few years but for whatever reason have not done them.

2023 will also be the year of concerts.  As of this writing, there are 4-5 my girlfriend and I are planning on going to, and we're sure more will pop up as the year progresses.

The future is bright for sure.

Lessons Learned From A Vince Neil Concert / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-Dec-2022

Earlier this month, I went to a Vince Neil concert at a nearby casino.  It was a blast.  The guitarist and bassist were both from the band Slaughter (who will be playing at the same casino in the middle of January) and the drummer reminded me of Animal from the Muppets.  It was a smaller venue, but the crowd had a great time.  And the band looked like they were having the time of their life.

For those who know me, I'm a huge fan of 1980's hair metal.  Rock bands like Poison, Motley Crue, Skid Row, Warrant, Def Leppard, KISS, Van Halen, Cinderella, Tesla, and countless others (look up Hair Nation on SiriusXM and those are many of the bands I love).

Now, I had read articles prior about Vince's decline in his ability to sing.  But that didn't stop me from going and having a great time.  Heck, it was 1/4 of Motley Crue!  Less than an hour from my house!

And during the concert, this was evident.  However . . . the band made up for it by singing much of the vocals.  And what the band didn't, the crowd sure did!

They improvised.

How many people in life go through struggles, pitfalls, and then just quit?  Vince could just hang up his microphone and say, "I'm done!"  But he doesn't.  He keeps going on, keeps playing, keeps entertaining.  Because at the end of the day, that's all that matters.  What they may have seen as a weakness, they used as a strength.  Vince highlighted the great talents of the other band members.

What are you struggling with that can be turned around?

You Are No Mick Mars / Happenings In The Outhouse 16-Dec-2022

First, a quick update on my work-in-progress.  In the past month, I have doubled my word count.  It is over 44,000 words.  I am slating to finish by January 2023.

In late October 2022, Mick Mars, the guitarist for the heavy metal band Motley Crue, announced his retirement from touring with the band due to a medical condition he has been battling for several decades.  The next day, a guitarist named John 5 was named as Mars's replacement in the upcoming tour.

People love nostalgia.  If you don't believe me, watch the skyrocketing popularity of Stranger Things and everything 1980's.

People also love things to remain the same.  Bands to remain the same, authors to remain the same, companies to remain the same.  Even life in general, people crave it to remain the same.

But like everything, change is inevitable.

I am not familiar with John 5 and I can imagine people saying to him, "You are no Mick Mars" and dismissing him.

If that is the case, you are a fool.  Go to YouTube and search videos of John 5.  He is an amazing guitarist.  Rarely does a band have the same lineup for their entire career span.  And in reading John 5's bio, I am super impressed.

No, he isn't Mick Mars.

Then again, he shouldn't be.

And you shouldn't be whomever you are trying to imitate.

I'm not Stephen King, Rowling, Patterson, or Grisham.

Jordan Smith, Johnny Cash, And Your Unique Voice / Happenings In The Outhouse 24-Dec-2021

It might be ironic that this post is going out on Christmas Eve, with its place in the history of mankind and our Heavenly Father.  Roughly two weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending a concert by Jordan Smith with the current love of my life and her parents.

Don't know who Jordan Smith is?  Don't worry, I didn't either.

To put it simply, he was the season 9 winner of the TV show The Voice.  Give this a listen, and be both amazed and inspired.  Note: the YouTube video I originally posted (twice now) has been taken down for whatever reason, so I urge you to just search for him and listen.

Jordan is one of great talent.  That much is perfectly clear.  He sang songs at the concert that we all knew, but he put his own vocal twist to it in such a dynamic and unique way.  Jordan will be one to watch as his career blossoms.

Reflecting on this, I am reminded of a scene early on in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line.  Cash sang a tune that was just like all the other songs.  But the record producer wanted something different.

Believe in yourself.

Find your voice.

No matter what it is, believe in yourself.

Fun and Games - 5 Favorite Rock Albums / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-June-2017

Some writers listen to music while they write.  Depending on my mood, I do.  And what I listen to varies.  Honestly though, I don't listen to music.  From my Amazon author page: (my) genre interests are as expansive as his musical tastes--from classics like Mozart and Beethoven to heavy metal like Poison and Metallica.

I grew up listening to country music--honestly, there wasn't much else, so it was a bit forced upon me--but when the 1980's came along and I was in high school, I became a huge fan of heavy metal/hard rock.

I thought of my top five rock albums--sort of a collection of what I would love to have with me if I found myself stranded on a desert island (and either an endless supply of batteries or some unusual power source to boot).  One caveat to this list is that I love all of the songs on these albums.  These are, and in no particular order:

1) Poison - Open Up and Say . . . Ahh!

Note: this was the very first hard rock album I ever bought.

2) Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood

3) Metallica - Metallica (better known as the Black Album)

4) Skid Row - Skid Row (their first album)

Note: this album has an interesting history for me.  I read a lot of heavy metal magazines, from Hit Parader to Metal Edge, and one band that kept popping up was Skid Row.  Then I finally brought down and bought it at the local Ben Franklin store.  Holy cow!  From the first song, I was hooked!

5) Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

There are others, of course, but these five are the main ones.  Others added to the list are Def Leppard's Hysteria, Tesla's The Great Radio Controversy, Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet, Aerosmith's Pump, Megadeth's Countdown to Extinction, and so on.