I find the passion of music people contagious. People in the music biz are in it for the love of music. I also love music, (My personal passion is promotions/marketing, but that’s another story.), and the more time I spend near musicians and music people, the more I love them.

One big irony of the music business is that the more successful you are, the less certain your life can become. Someone with a garage band can plan on Saturday rehearsals with their friends, but if you are in a hugely successful band, your workplace changes each night, and you often sleep in a hotel and hang out in restaurants or backstage at nightclubs. Of course big rock stars make tons of money, which makes this kind of schedule worth it in a way.

But it’s not that easy to make money being a musician. Even selling CDs is getting harder. There are only a handful of artists that get to the top and stay there. More likely even successful artists have only one album that gets some notoriety, and going on tour costs a lot.

Still, musicians keep on rockin. There are songs to be sung, there is music to be made. Musicians do it because they love what they do. I’ve seen bands play in parks, and on stages only three inches above the crowd. Bands give out free CDs and play free shows just so people can hear their music. Musicians stand by each other and support each other. They know full well that there is only a chance in a million that they may get discovered or signed, and yet they keep keepin’ on. [Don't believe me? Watch the Anvil documentary, an excellent story of persistance, passion and rediscovery.]

Just recently, the rock family lost Malcolm MacLaren, who created and managed the Sex Pistols, and we lost Peter Steele, a musician I really enjoyed seeing. He sang for Type O Negative, a metal/goth band that had been around for a long time, and I had the pleasure of meeting him and the rest of the band in person a couple of times. The band often argued amongst themselves, but always came back together even through the very worst of personal tragedies. The music world is showing its support with a number of kind tributes coming out about both Malcolm’s and Peter’s talent and personality.

April 17 is Record Store Day, which was formed “as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally.” I used to be co-owner of a record store, so it means a lot to me. I’ll be heading to a record store in Baltimore to shop for some of the special releases and enjoy some in-store performances. I encourage you to do the same.

And, on a side note, there will be an awesome retrospective in this week’s Sunday Washington Post Magazine by J.Freedom du Lac on the 9:30 Club, often called the best nightclub on the east coast, and one of my personal favorite places in the world.

I hope that you love what you do. Life is way too short to spend your day doing something you don’t enjoy, and we can’t judge our talents by money alone.

Rock on! \m/

In the days since Haiti’s earthquake, Americans have donated millions of dollars towards relief organizations. I’m always amazed by our generosity as a people. I’m also amazed by the new technology that emerged this time — the text-to-donate operations have been incredibly successful and easy to use. These would have been so helpful in past disasters! If you can spare a few dollars on your next phone bill:

• Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to The Red Cross
• Text YELE to 501501 to donate $5 to Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Fund
• Text HAITI to 20222 to donate $10 to the Clinton Foundation’s Haiti Relief Fund

If you want to donate a more substantial amount, there are a number of organizations already in operation in Haiti. This is, in my mind, the most tragic part of the disaster there. Haiti has needed our help for years. This earthquake kicked them while they were down, in a way.

• The Media Consortium explains how to help: Haiti After the Quake + How to Help
• NPR put together a great list of recommended non-profits here: How to Help.
• Huffington Post’s recommendations are here: How You Can Help

I’ve heard a number of personal recommendations for Partners in Health, so that’s where my extra pennies are going, and there is also the newly-founded Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, led by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Meanwhile, please hope, pray or and think positive thoughts about all those who are missing and out of touch with their loved ones.

I have always been good at standardized tests. I realize this is no small gift.

One part of standardized tests that I never minded, ever since grade school — almost enjoyed — is the beginning, which is almost always the same, with little variations.

Even now, filling out job applications and health forms, it’s always: Name, (last name or first name first), Address, City, State, (two letter abbreviation or spell it out?), Zip code, (plus the extra four digits or not), Etcetera.

Over the years the demographics section has gotten more complicated. I remember way back when it used to be just male or female, black or white, and married or single (well, they didn’t ask that in grade school).

But those who create our forms came to the realization that America is much more complicated than that.

It is clear to anyone who takes a walk around the block in my neighborhood that black or white doesn’t cover my neighbors. I’ve come to realize that even male or female isn’t an easy question for some people to answer.

The marriage question is a totally different debate. Of course, since this is America, we need a ‘Divorced’ box to check on most forms. But for some poor souls who happen to have married someone of their same gender, they need to check state law before they know which box they can check.

I find that tedious and intrusive. The government lets you decide which race box you want to check. And some forms have dozens of race boxes, no proof of heritage required.

This past weekend’s National Equality March in DC was about evening that playing field for lesbian, gay and transgender Americans. The civil rights fight isn’t over yet.

Of course the marriage issue is only a small part of it. Learn more at the National Equality March website.

…come aboard, we’re expecting you!

Such were the strains of the theme to The Love Boat, a show I think my parents hated to see me watching at age 10 , but I couldn’t get enough of romance even then.
Love is a central theme in so many stories around us, and has been since Shakespeare, The Bible, and Greek mythology before that. Why? Because love makes everything better!

As long as you love someone, pictures are prettier, food tastes better, and the roses smell sweeter.

April 4, there’s a project going on in social media land to share the love. Just post it once.

I love you.

Don’t you feel good? Share it!

Here’s the inspiration: http://www.obsessedwithconformity.com/

It’s the last week of Fishnet Music, a record store I opened 3 years ago with my friend Lisa and her mother Terry in Ocean City, MD.
Our doors will close Friday, March 31 after lots of blood, sweat and tears – mine has been mostly remote, e-mailing ads and website updates from DC, after the first summer of driving back and forth every weekend.
If you live down there, please stop by and get some great deals on CDs and records at our close-out sale. If not, think of us this week. It’s hard to say goodbye. We met some wonderful bands that played in-store performances for us, and really enjoyed giving people an alternative place to look for and learn about music.
www.fishnetmusic.com