Passion

This was originally posted at thepublicrecord.com/Stever in the Video Blog area there.

Part of the blog is in text below for those of you who prefer that. ;)

I saw an old ad online for Elizabeth Taylor’s Passion Perfume. It seemed like a migraine in a bottle to me. Most perfumes do that. I have learned to appreciate the smell of a breeze, well not in the city of course, but if you go to the ocean, the breeze entices us. It almost bullies us into submission.

I grew up around lakes and streams though, where the breeze was just faint enough to lure you into investigation. To me, that is what a scent should do. It should make you want more and should make you want to explore. I also like scents that are appropriate and indicative of the surroundings. I would prefer something be delicately represented rather than overwhelm a room in an attempt to control. Too many planted scents on us and around us force a reaction instead of encouraging exploration.

Suffice to say, I think tacking the word ‘Passion’ on at the front of Perfume is ridiculous. Are you trying to sell us on the idea that your perfume will make someone passionate? It’s overkill to misuse such a fantastic word.

Passion is way too dimensional to just insinuate the one meaning. Could it be part of the culmination of feelings? Absolutely! But ‘boy meets girl, boy smells girl, boy wakes up next to girl’ isn’t what ignited and then sustained the night of passion. If they truly did experience this once in a lifetime event as the ad would have you believe, there’s a good chance there were some underlying factors.

By definition, the word has several meanings. I recognize this! Passion can mean lust and desire or strong love, but can also mean strong hate. It can mean having an outburst of emotion.

My favorite meaning is; ‘a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm or desire for anything.’ They gave the example; a passion for music. Well, of course, that is my favorite meaning.

Do you know why it’s the perfect example and why I think people will use it to explain their desire to make music or even listen to music? Because I believe the multi-tiered meaning of passion is right on par with the perpetual journey of music. It’s no wonder that sparks will fly exponentially between artists and musicians because now you’ve ignited a passion in two souls whose multidimensional journeys have met at the intersecting point on the graph. Now add extra elements onto your graph so its 3rd and 4th dimensions come in and your passion is explosive.

What dimensions can we add to heighten the passion? Well of course there are stimulants like alcohol and drugs, but what if you are going for the sustainable high? Why does our passion come and go like the seasons? I believe it’s because it’s generally based on something as thin as paper and inspired by a perfume ad.

We tend to hate music without depth. I hear it a lot from people. If they hate the music on the radio, it’s generally because it’s produced for the masses with monetary intentions. So what is it about the music we love that inspires us so much? Most people will say, “I love it because it has depth.”

What are the third and fourth dimensions? We want to know there was a story behind it. More than that, we want to know there is a person behind it. Go list your top 10 favorite artists of all time and I bet you know something about them. There is a background that they either shared with everyone, the news shared with everyone or even better, their lyrics shared with you.

If lyrics have the ability to translate an individual’s passion, it’s pretty indisputable. There are certain visual artists and musicians in the world who undeniably rank as the passionate ones. You know them, not because you’ve dissected them but because you have lived vicariously through them. Their passion is like the breeze. They don’t get in your face and force you to love them, you love them because their breeze was faint enough to entice you into investigation. When we feel drawn to someone, it’s generally because of our intrigue, that initial scent. But the depth of water which meets us around the corner could be a muddy puddle or it could be the high tide which washes over us and we ride the wave of their power.

Passion does have several tiers, but the one I want to be part of is the culmination of all of them. I don’t want a single dimension which leaves me depressed and disappointed.

I think many of us feel this way. Our passion for something we love comes and goes. I think the only way we can sustain it is by throwing our complete self into it; our vulnerable side, our anger, our love, our courage. If there is something you love, you should do it even if nobody sees you. If you are frustrated that nobody sees you, is it possible that too many things are distracting you in your peripheral vision? Caring what someone on the outside thinks takes you out of the headspace needed to fulfill your art and creativity! Why? It’s because your story becomes tainted, not told.

I think if we become distracted, there is the potential for our passion to fade…and consequently die. If we create because the passion burns under our skin to do so, how can it go anywhere? If you think your muse is dead or you have become uninspired, is it possible you are looking for it outside of your own honesty? By that I mean being honest with yourself? When you sit down to write, draw, paint or make music, are you questioning if your own work is worthwhile or are you doing it because you carry a wild enthusiasm for it.

Too often we chase a society-promoted passion like perfume when there is something in our own spirit waiting to have a relationship with us.

If you have harnessed that, then you are ready to share! But if you are sharing with the hopes that someone will love you or your art and only then will you have adequate passion, may I humble suggest you are doing it in the wrong order.

What is amazing to me is that it’s been raining outside and I’m unaffected like when I was depressed. I think it’s because the things I love to do are not dependent upon sunshine and my imagination is so on fire lately that I don’t have to look for inspiration.

Ok arguably, I was inspired today by a perfume ad to write. Whatever. ;)

Walking barefoot in the creek,

Karen :)

“It is the passion that is in a kiss that gives to it its sweetness; it is the affection in a kiss that sanctifies it.” ~Christian Nestell Bovee

Do we have the element of affection? And is this what makes it sustainable?

Do you ever wish you could play an instrument?

Know what I tell everyone who wants to learn? And I am NOT kidding when I say this. Go start with the ‘Sound of Music’. The scene where she is going through Doh a Deer and says, "it's a very good place to start" is VERY true. But everyone thinks it's too rudimentary! But everything in life has to start somewhere. Why not at the beginning? If you planted one bulb in your garden every year, you'd have quite a garden as the years go by!

What I think many of us don’t notice is the bad habits we accumulate over those years. We learn bitterness by picking it up every day. We learn to hate by seeing it every day. We learn to be jealous by the ads thrown at us for seconds at a time.

With music, I believe we think a certain age is too late. It seems like the magic number is 30, but for some, they may have thrown the towel well before that. Once a person reaches 45 and 50, they are absolutely sure there is no reason to start something like that. Subsequent ages that follow seem to laugh at the prospect of learning music.

Well, let’s look at the reasons then. I think the (cough cough, failing) music industry is responsible in part or maybe in whole. You are supposed to be under 25 (these days under 5…lol) and you better look like a model. Guys better be sleek with “just off of Melrose” stitched clothing. You better be able to sell products that are not music-related too. Oh and the odd favor on a casting couch…oh man…let me stop there…

Those reasons seem traditionally obvious. But, what about our own personal reasons? I have heard countless stories of people who won’t do any music because their own family and friends make fun of them. This isn’t even getting booed at the bar, I mean the people who claim to love you! “Oh my children would laugh at me” “my husband would think I am nuts”.

How about the “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? (the biggest crock of crap line ever spoken IMO)

Of course the older we get, the more difficult it is to break old habits. Wrapping your fingers and brain around a cello IS a hurdle. But since when has a hurdle stopped us in any other area of our life?

Gratification almost always comes from hard work paying off. But I think before we ever get there, the hardest work is teaching our brain to go along for the ride.

I used to be involved in the Second City Improv in Toronto. Our teacher would tell us, “Say Yes to everything”. While that is completely impractical in many areas of our life, it’s completely imperative in our creative endeavors. Trying stuff, getting dirty, mucking around in the mud are methods of freeing our spirit in order to try the things we want. It’s kind of like yelling in a shopping mall. Scary, but after you’ve done it, it’s quite gratifying. (Don’t ask me how I know that) ;)

For the last few weeks atthepublicrecord.com/Steverpage I have had the opportunity to be immersed in the creativity of very artistic people while we are all working on our charity song together. You know what I love about TPR though? The spirit. I have encountered the smallest amount of ego in this community than any group of musicians I have ever worked with. These are people with varying degrees of musical knowledge but I am feeling the childlike spirit again. It’s the spirit where children just run free with each other because it’s FUN!

Music started off that way. There are many areas of our lives where we accuse others of deceiving us, but to me the biggest lie ever spread has been that we cannot do something. The crappy part is the lie is fed to us in tiny spoonfuls like preservatives in food. No one thing makes us feel ill, it’s the accumulation of the lie.

If you want to pick up a guitar, play a keyboard or buy a set of drums, you should do it.

I was just telling some friends on my FB account (facebook.com/karen.stever if you haven’t found me on there) that my Mother learned to play the guitar 5 years before she died. Know what? I have never seen her that happy and content. She was fighting a terrible disease for those 5 years and that didn’t stop her from enjoying this new instrument every day. She said it was an awful hurdle to get over. The Chemo was taking the skin from her fingertips. She did it anyways.

If you want to, go and DO IT!

Much love on ya!

Karen :)

“The chief enemy of creativity is ‘good’ sense.” ~Pablo Picasso

Thank you ever so much…

I just wanted to write a note to extend an extra thank you to everyone who is making the STEVER; PUBLIC PLAYGROUND project (where we work on a song from the ground up together) a great community experience!

Below are Thursday’s videos (I am putting new ones up every day for 6 pm PDT) just to give you an example of how cool this has been. Frank Gryner is in the videos with me. Frank did the ‘Playground Isolator’ record with me and many of you may know him from his work on Zombie’s ‘Hellbilly Deluxe’ and ‘Sinister Urge’ records. We are working on other music for STEVER outside of thepublicrecord.com but the community song will be the first time I have done a publicized collaboration.

It’s been great getting to know you all through the concept ideas you have all been sending! I’ve been smiling, teary, nostalgic and creatively uplifted by the tons of submissions so far!

This Sunday night will be the end of Phase 1 which is where you can send me a ‘Working Title’ and ‘Song Synopsis’. I will be writing lyrics all of next week from the ideas I have received and then I will upload a vocal for you to put drums on, followed by weeks of guitar, bass and overdub submissions.

I encourage everyone to participate even if you don’t do music. In the following weeks, I want to brainstorm with you about how the visual for the song will happen. I will welcome video editors, artwork etc. This is all charity-based and any proceeds that come from this project will go to charity, but you guys get to decide which charity that is by submitting a video of you pitching your favorite charity to our community.

Outside all of that, I would love to see a video where you say hello to me so we can connect on a new level. Cool? ;)

Our collaboration page is;

thepublicrecord.com/Stever

ROCK ON my friends!

Karen :)

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” ~Pablo Picasso

Last Night’s Silly Dream

Many of you who have read these blogs back far enough probably know my love for ‘The Sound of Music’. As kids, this movie was in our annual rotation along with Christmas classics but since then I have it on DVD and put it in on those really crucial days where I need to have my spirit picked up. I have several films, CDs and books that have specific tasks whether it’s healing, teaching or just to serve as mindless entertainment. Art heals…Laughter heals…Music heals…

In my dream last night, Frank and I were walking out of a downtown building in some unfamiliar city. There was a lot of hustle and bustle but everyone was a modern-day zombie. (not the kind that eat you in movies, but the kind in suits just going to work sucking Java) The energy of this city was really low and we all walked around with a direct destination but none of us knowing where that was. I remember seeing a car slam on the breaks so as not to hit a pedestrian and the pedestrian barely noticed, lifted his coffee to his mouth and continued onward.

As we were walking down a sidewalk, I saw two of my friends from Canada going the way we just came from. We caught their eyes which seemed to be dragging along the cement and I said, "Lunch?" and my girlfriend says, "Fuck ya." They turned and walked in our direction as though they made a big decision to play hooky and were pretty pleased with themselves. lol

As we walked along, her boyfriend walked ahead with Frank and I heard them talking about studio equipment, some old speaker they found at a garage sale and restringing guitars with locking tuners. I turned to my friend and said, "Gosh, I don’t know that I have ever seen you so sad." "Sadness was a while back," she said. I placed my hand on the top of her chest as we walked and said, "Yup, it’s beating but barely." Her analogy was, "Maybe I am reading too much, thinking too much and not feeling very much."

Well this is where dreams don’t make sense. There’s an actor on TV who plays Jacob on Lost and was also in the Dexter TV series walking along and I said, "Hey aren’t you the guy who sings those healing songs?" and my friend just started to giggle. He replied, "I’m an actor on TV." To make a long dream short, I talked him into singing something for her. He pulled a song out of thin air that didn’t make a lot of sense, kind of gibberish... It was a cross between something you’d hear on Sesame Street and something you’d hear on a TV commercial or opening theme for an 80s show. I wish I could remember it because I knew it and sang along with it in my dream, but it made her laugh hysterically. If it ever comes to me, I’ll post it up. I feel like it was close to the Laverne and Shirley theme. That’s the closest feeling I could tell you.

After much annoyance, he left and we sat by a city fountain. She cried uncontrollably, we talked, we hugged each other and then I said, "Come on, let’s catch up with the boys." And we did that kind of Laverne and Shirley dance arm in arm, skipping like a couple of dumbasses and people stopped to stare.

Well listen, I dream all sorts of things that don’t make sense but I felt like as bizarre as this was, I woke up this morning feeling like we can actually get through this cruddy life, ya know? I also realized how much I missed my friends and how much of a loner I have become in the city.

But above all, it’s once again music, silliness and friendship that came to the rescue! Every freaking time! I think life has become so junky, we forget how much power is in that!

It would seem that this assisted my friend, right? But it was a dream…so the healing wasn’t hers but mine. ;)

Hope that whatever has you down, you can immerse yourself in music, silliness and friendship and feel a whole lot better about it all.

And for all of you L & S fans; (HA!)

Have a corny day y’all!
Karen :)

"There is nothing we won’t try…never heard the word impossible…this time there’s no stopping us!" hahahaha!