In music news, I released a new song on iTunes. It’s called “This Body is Mechanical, but This Forest is Not.” It’s a rather synthetic sounding piece about minimalism (or loss of it, I suppose) and artistic expression. Hope you enjoy it! More to come soon.
-Brian

In music news, expect lots to come… well, LOTS of music at least. I have quite the stockpile for your listening pleasure.

Listen here:
http://www.box.net/shared/nd4pcm1l1n

Their website’s here:
http://mtomsrs.blogspot.com/

I’m QUALDRAXEN: TIME LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you haven’t heard of thesixtyone.com yet, you should check it out. It’s a really fun website where users can go on missions, increase their levels, and discover great music along the way. It’s kind of like an RPG. Space Box 2, Tired of Dreaming, and The Hollow Axe are all there. Go enjoy it!

|Brian

|Brian

We’re gonna be getting all of the Space Box 2 storyline and music up for your listening and reading enjoyment. You can see it HERE or click on the link in the menu to the right. Keep checking back for updates, and if you want us to notify you of new music and parts of the story as they go online, sign up for the mailing list below.

|Brian

And then a lot of my fellow musicians… some will tell you that making money with music is a thing of the past, to not bother. That your music is worthless to all the pirates that don’t support indie music and illegally download you hard work. Or that being piss-poor broke and working a miserable, self-deprecating, soul-sucking job is the only way to be a true artist. That the “business” part of the “music business” makes you a sell-out and less of an artist. On the other hand, some will argue that, to borrow some clichés, the dust will settle, the industry’s woes will dissipate, and that the cream will rise to the top. Either way, a lot of pessimists and optimists will tell you the same thing: “Don’t bother trying to make any money, because there’s no money to be made anymore or at the moment.”

But I couldn’t disagree more. There’s people out there that work themselves raw trying to make money with their music, and they’re succeeding at it. And I don’t mean to sound like some public sevice announcement, but quitters lose. If a person thinks their music is good, then they should demand success. To act like they don’t deserve it, to think that no one cares, or can care, about their art only serves to reinforce their lack of self-worth. Every time one gives up, they’re reinforcing the patterns in their synapses. Just like improving at an instrument or sport through practice, a person’s mind and body gets better at giving up hope every time they fail to treat their art with respect. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it’s wrong. People deserve more.

But let’s get back to how this all started. What about the music-making part? Some of you may ask, “Haven’t you already lost? You spend so much time working and not making music…”

I spend too much time on the business, it’s true. But here’s the kicker. The business end, for me, is an inspiration to make more music. And not because I like making money, although it’s nice to make some extra cash here and there. But it provides some life experience that fuels the art, and in return, the art fuels the business. It’s a nice cycle, kind of like an ecosystem, and I encourage others to not shy away from whatever system works for them. If you have a cycle that’s nontoxic, then listen to yourself more than to others, and let the good times roll!

|Brian

Also, don’t forget to sign up for the mailing list below if you want to be notified of new blogs and get freebies emailed to you. And keep checking back… there’s a new song on the way!

© 2008 Brian Dorn

Later,
Brian