I'm So Selfish
Its true. I am. Hi, my name is Ken, and I am selfish. Everything i do is for me. me. me .me. me. me. me. Trust me, it is. OK, now that i've got your attention, you might be wondering "gee Ken, you dont SEEM selfish, you seem like a really nice guy". I'm a nice guy too. I'm in this business to make the best damn records I can possibly make. If thats mixing, or producing, or performing, or whatever it might be. If my name is going on it, i take a very selfish pride in making sure i do the very best job i can, not for you, for me. I don't care who the artist is, mega-star or unsigned. After all, when the only person i really have to answer to is myself, its good to know that "myself" always sets a very high bar for me to jump over. Don't get me wrong, i actually do care about most of the people i work with, but honestly, if i'm hired to do a job, even if i hate the music, even if i hate the person, (both very rare, but it happens, I'm human) if i agree to do the work, I'm giving it 110%. Not for them, for me. I'm selfish like that. I have too much respect for the art of mixing, the art of music, I have too much respect for myself, not to do the best job i can do. And for my current clients, who have been waiting too long for their mixes to be delivered, All i can offer is my apologies for my snail like pace lately, I've had a glut of major label work come thru. The good news is, part of whats taking so long is that i try to make every record i do as good as possible. I will put the same effort into your record, please be patient :-)
I don't like losing. I never did. I played soccer year round, indoor and outdoor from 6 years old, til i moved to New York at 22 years old. I was a son of a bitch on the field. You did not want to play against me. If i wasnt scoring on you (and i scored alot), i was attacking relentlessly. I was always one of the most agressvie people on the filed. What i sometimes lacked in raw talent or speed, I made up for with determination and hard work. I always wanted to win. The best feeling in the world is winning, one of the worst is losing. From the first time til the last time i ever set foot on a soccer field, i almost always led my team each season in scoring and assists (yes i'm definitely a team player too). I think i just wanted to win more than anyone else on the field. Hmmmmmm..... sounds very familiar. By the way, I am a HUGE believer in building a great team. I have one. I have a few. I'm lucky to be surrounded by talented people who all have a passion for music.
I didn't get to make hit records for a living because I'm complacent. I don't accept from myself any less than the best i can give. Sometimes my assistants say "man your STILL working on that song", and i just say yep, its not done yet. Look, if you wanna succeed in the music industry, at any level, you better be able to look yourself in the mirror and live with the reflection. I've been making major label records for 14 years. I'll be making them 14 years from now. I've seen so many people come and go in that time. Success and survival is not just about talent. Talent definitely helps. I'd like to think i have a bit of it. Long term survival is about how you conduct yourself. What is your work ethic? How do you treat people? Do you take your smallest client as seriously as your biggest client? Are you honest? Do you do good business, or do you screw people? Are you a person of your word? Are you willing to invest the time and money into your career that you'll need to succeed? Is your talent your crutch that you lean on, or one spoke of the wheel that makes you turn. I've seen so many incredibly talented people who never made it, or who's careers ended quickly. Something was missing, have you figured out yet what i think was missing?
And of course the last rant. Credits Credits Credits Credits Credits. If you don't understand the value of a good credit in the music industry, get out now. A good credit is more valuable than gold. So is experience. I worked with Diana Ross six years ago, but when i'm sixty, I'll still be able to say "I worked with Diana Ross" and people will know who I'm talking about. The money i made on that project was spent quickly, the credit will last forever. My break, however, is over. Back to work for me.
- Ken
I don't like losing. I never did. I played soccer year round, indoor and outdoor from 6 years old, til i moved to New York at 22 years old. I was a son of a bitch on the field. You did not want to play against me. If i wasnt scoring on you (and i scored alot), i was attacking relentlessly. I was always one of the most agressvie people on the filed. What i sometimes lacked in raw talent or speed, I made up for with determination and hard work. I always wanted to win. The best feeling in the world is winning, one of the worst is losing. From the first time til the last time i ever set foot on a soccer field, i almost always led my team each season in scoring and assists (yes i'm definitely a team player too). I think i just wanted to win more than anyone else on the field. Hmmmmmm..... sounds very familiar. By the way, I am a HUGE believer in building a great team. I have one. I have a few. I'm lucky to be surrounded by talented people who all have a passion for music.
I didn't get to make hit records for a living because I'm complacent. I don't accept from myself any less than the best i can give. Sometimes my assistants say "man your STILL working on that song", and i just say yep, its not done yet. Look, if you wanna succeed in the music industry, at any level, you better be able to look yourself in the mirror and live with the reflection. I've been making major label records for 14 years. I'll be making them 14 years from now. I've seen so many people come and go in that time. Success and survival is not just about talent. Talent definitely helps. I'd like to think i have a bit of it. Long term survival is about how you conduct yourself. What is your work ethic? How do you treat people? Do you take your smallest client as seriously as your biggest client? Are you honest? Do you do good business, or do you screw people? Are you a person of your word? Are you willing to invest the time and money into your career that you'll need to succeed? Is your talent your crutch that you lean on, or one spoke of the wheel that makes you turn. I've seen so many incredibly talented people who never made it, or who's careers ended quickly. Something was missing, have you figured out yet what i think was missing?
And of course the last rant. Credits Credits Credits Credits Credits. If you don't understand the value of a good credit in the music industry, get out now. A good credit is more valuable than gold. So is experience. I worked with Diana Ross six years ago, but when i'm sixty, I'll still be able to say "I worked with Diana Ross" and people will know who I'm talking about. The money i made on that project was spent quickly, the credit will last forever. My break, however, is over. Back to work for me.
- Ken
posted by Protools Mixing at 2:09 AM
3 Comments:
This blog sounds like a solid spark of determination came through, what if I may ask was the cause of this? Also if I may add, there is a distinct differance between selfishness and respect for yourself and your work. Selfish is for the unsuccessful.
-Tom
Any responses are welcomed at TRWELLS1@COMCAST.NET , meant to include that in prior comment.
-tom
Hey Tom,
you actually got the point of my blog entry. But its more fun to call myself selfish.
-Ken
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