Creative communication

The way you communicate with people is part of your art. For people who have never heard your music, it’s the start of your art! If you make depressing music, send your fans a dark black announcement that’s depressing just to look at. If you are an “in-your-face country-metal-speedpunk” artist, have the guts to call a potential booking agent and scream, “Listen you crazy dirtbag! Book me or I explode! Waaaaaah!!” If they like that introduction, you’ve found a good match. Set the tone. Pull in those people who love that kind of thing. Proudly alienate those that don’t. There’s a minimalist classical music composer whose emails to me are always just one provocative thought. Like when I posted something online about being an introvert, he emailed me just one sentence: “Are we not ever-changing, both gradually and per situation?” That’s it. No greeting or closing or manners in-between. His communication style always makes me smile, and reminds me of his music. The gentle new-age artist always calls me “sweetie” and reminds me to nourish my soul. The surf-music artist always uses the Hawaiian greetings “aloha” and “mahalo” when he emails, along with other surfer slang. The rebellious punk never calls me by my name, but instead just says, “Hey sellout.” Be different. Show who you are. It gives people’s lives more variety, too.