The Pursuit of BLING
What is wealth? What is bling? I'm not much for diamonds, though i have one in my ear. Its not obnoxious. I usually wear a very simple necklace if any at all. The one i like to wear most lately has a pendant made from an ancient Roman coin, dating back to around 300AD. That makes it around 1700 years old. When i look at it, i am reminded that, all things considered, we get a very short time on this Earth. I bet the original owner(s) of this coin never dreamed someone would wear it around their neck over a millenia later. I wonder how they lived, and i wonder what I'll leave behind for people to find 1700 years from now. I hope to leave some sort of semi-permanent mark through music. Not to be remembered personally, but i'd like to think some of my work will survive that long. I've been very fortunate to work with some of the great artists of our time, who's names I have got to assume will live for at least a few centuries. Mary J Blige, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Usher, Mariah Carey. Will any of my contribution to music stand the test of time? I hope so, because thats my bling.
Now i have a couple other blingy things. My studio is pretty blingy. As far as gear goes, i have everything i could want to mix records, and most of the gear i'd ever want to record them too. But since almost nobody but me ever sees my studio, it only sparkles sonically. I drive a nice car, not over the top by any means, but i love it. No big rims, no super modifications. I don't consider myself wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. I make good money, but i also spend it like water. It takes money to build a career right, to build a studio right, to pay your staff, pay your taxes, enjoy life a little bit. One day i'd like to be considered "rich". I have a stock right now that is really taking off and making me some good money. One thing i've definitely learned, it takes money to make money. Well, unless you have a hit single, then it just takes a song to make money. Mix engineers dont usually make extra money if the songs they mix do well. Sometimes we do, but we benefit with residual work. One thing is for certain, i work very hard to make the money that I make, and i do have a bit of a love affair with money, though it certainly doesnt consume me. Work does consume me though.
Recently, I've thought alot about what it means to be "Rich", and i've drawn some conclusions. I think the things that make me rich are my life experiences. I love to travel and i've seen some great places. Lots of Europe. Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, London, Normandy, and all over southern Germany. I want to go back to Europe this fall. I love it there. I've been all over the United States, and to many carribean islands. I've been to Alaska 3 times. It is truly the last Crown Jewel of the United States. The places I havent been that I'd love to go to are Africa, Australia, Japan, and the Galapagos Islands. If anybody wants to fly me to one of these places to work, I'll cut my rates. I've also seen some of the most beautiful art ever created. Some of my favorite artists are Salvador Dali, Van Gogh, Pissarro, Rhodin, Monet, Renoir, Michaelangelo, there are so many, and their work has enriched my life.
I've seen some pretty amazing bling in the music industry. Kanye wears that backpack to balance out the weight of his chain hangin in front of him. Just Blaze has some of the most amazingly beatiful watches i've ever seen, and you should see his sneaker collection. but the richest person i know probably doesnt own a single diamond. His name is Bo. He's my cousin, and he's one of the most talented photgraphers on the planet. (and a genuinely nice guy). Speaking of the Planet, he's seen places and things on it that i can only dream about. He currently LIVES in Antarctica, where he's spent much of his adult life. He's also traveled all over the world, to places i've never heard of. Thankfully, he loves photography and he's very good. So i get to live vicariously through him and see all the places i dream about going. I think Bo's life experience makes him the richest person i know, his life is his bling. Whats your bling? Check out his photography website, you'll be very glad you did. He got to look down the lense of every shot, what a lucky man.
www.BoPhoto.org
-Ken
Now i have a couple other blingy things. My studio is pretty blingy. As far as gear goes, i have everything i could want to mix records, and most of the gear i'd ever want to record them too. But since almost nobody but me ever sees my studio, it only sparkles sonically. I drive a nice car, not over the top by any means, but i love it. No big rims, no super modifications. I don't consider myself wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. I make good money, but i also spend it like water. It takes money to build a career right, to build a studio right, to pay your staff, pay your taxes, enjoy life a little bit. One day i'd like to be considered "rich". I have a stock right now that is really taking off and making me some good money. One thing i've definitely learned, it takes money to make money. Well, unless you have a hit single, then it just takes a song to make money. Mix engineers dont usually make extra money if the songs they mix do well. Sometimes we do, but we benefit with residual work. One thing is for certain, i work very hard to make the money that I make, and i do have a bit of a love affair with money, though it certainly doesnt consume me. Work does consume me though.
Recently, I've thought alot about what it means to be "Rich", and i've drawn some conclusions. I think the things that make me rich are my life experiences. I love to travel and i've seen some great places. Lots of Europe. Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, London, Normandy, and all over southern Germany. I want to go back to Europe this fall. I love it there. I've been all over the United States, and to many carribean islands. I've been to Alaska 3 times. It is truly the last Crown Jewel of the United States. The places I havent been that I'd love to go to are Africa, Australia, Japan, and the Galapagos Islands. If anybody wants to fly me to one of these places to work, I'll cut my rates. I've also seen some of the most beautiful art ever created. Some of my favorite artists are Salvador Dali, Van Gogh, Pissarro, Rhodin, Monet, Renoir, Michaelangelo, there are so many, and their work has enriched my life.
I've seen some pretty amazing bling in the music industry. Kanye wears that backpack to balance out the weight of his chain hangin in front of him. Just Blaze has some of the most amazingly beatiful watches i've ever seen, and you should see his sneaker collection. but the richest person i know probably doesnt own a single diamond. His name is Bo. He's my cousin, and he's one of the most talented photgraphers on the planet. (and a genuinely nice guy). Speaking of the Planet, he's seen places and things on it that i can only dream about. He currently LIVES in Antarctica, where he's spent much of his adult life. He's also traveled all over the world, to places i've never heard of. Thankfully, he loves photography and he's very good. So i get to live vicariously through him and see all the places i dream about going. I think Bo's life experience makes him the richest person i know, his life is his bling. Whats your bling? Check out his photography website, you'll be very glad you did. He got to look down the lense of every shot, what a lucky man.
www.BoPhoto.org
-Ken
posted by Protools Mixing at 4:10 AM
1 Comments:
I measure bling outside the usual. It'd be nice to have a Ferrari, a house in Malibu Cali a penthouse in Manhattan, but that really isnt where you're going to find happiness at all. I'd consider my most valuable "bling" something extremely intangible, my thoughts. It is something that surprises people (sometimes impresses people!), but you cannot buy it. I value my creativity and my ability to be patient. My character is more important to me than anything I can buy.
I would like to say I dont often think about what life would be like if my music pulls through and scores me a multi-million dollar contract, but I do think about it. Truth is I hope for it everyday, but through my character I also have the will power to make it happen, and thats what is valuable to me. Knowing that i'm fully capable of doing it, thats more gratifying than any gold chains, 20" rims or watches heavy enough to drown you in a bath tub.
Speaking of fancy cars, after learning what my payments are on my USED Jetta, I dont even want to know what 50 Cent and Usher pay for their Bentleys.... --> I'll save myself a little cash for now and stick with the VW.
-Night all, I too have work to do.
-Tom
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