Breaking Through Creative Block with Alison & Mia | Local Music Shapes Culture

This week I sit down with The Only Person In Both Of My Bands, Mia Rivas. Mia is awesome and wanted to sit down with me this week to discuss a struggle we all come across: creative block. We get into our personal experiences with feeling stuck creatively, from the pressure of perfectionism to challenges of finalizing and recording songs. Along the way we explore how collaboration within our bands can help generate new ideas and break through moments when inspiration runs dry. The conversation filters through discussions of education and intelligence, and we reflect on how these perspectives shape our creative processes and self-judgment.Between sharing practical tips on overcoming creative blocks, we explore the mythology behind Pigmale Brains' name (i.e. the Greek goddess Circe and her transforming greedy men into pigs), illustrating how stories and diverse influences fuel our art. We touch on the importance of balancing multiple creative pursuits, the courage it takes to know when to let certain projects go, and our curiosity in setting strict time limits to boost productivity. Our sights overall focus on authenticity and finding community that supports your true artistic voice. We discuss how fear often underlies procrastination and the value of creating "bad drafts" rather than waiting for perfection.Connect with Mia’s bands on Instagram:Callejera | Halfway House | Pigmale BrainsTell us about your creative block and your methods of getting through them!Watch more Local Music Shapes Culture: YouTube | SubstackListen now on Spotify | Apple MusicFollow me on Instagram | TikTok Local Music Shapes Culture is a reader-supported publication celebrates life in local music scenes, insights and resources on building community, and rock. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alisonchristoff.substack.com