"Selling Out"

Hey guys, it's Mike again. I just wanted to talk really quick about the term "Selling Out," a term that used WAY too much in the music scene today. It seems like whenever a band changes their sound or goes in a new direction musically or lyrically, they're "selling out". That term (at least to me) means writng songs with one goal in mind: To make money. It's not changing your sound to pop, or metal, or whatever else, it's just to make money. Writing songs to make money destroys the art of music, and that to me is the worst possible thing bands could do these days. In a world with little or no art, bands need to make a stand and save the art that everyone fell in love with. That being said, we can't say that so many bands ARE actually selling out. When you think of bands that have sold out, you think of Fall Out Boy, right? Well I want to say, they are NOT sell outs. Yes, their sound has changed over the years, their band image has definitely changed, but those guys are not writing songs just for the fame. Go listen to their newest record, ESPECIALLY the lyrics, then come and tell me they sold. Hell, people are calling some bands sell outs that are the farthest thing from sell outs! Take Coheed and Cambria, for example. Their latest two singles have gotten so much heat from the fans about "selling out". I can guarantee you, those songs aren't gonna land them billions of dollars and a couple tours with Kanye. So before you call another band "sell outs," look again, and see if the band is acutally a sell out or they've just brought a different type of art to the table. I love you all.

-Michael Howell

First Impressions...

Hey guys, this is Michael Howell. I've been wanting to start a blog for a while, I just haven't been able to get around to it until now. Oh, how busy the life of an eighteen year old college student living at home can be! Between working two jobs, recording a full length CD with my band, saving for college, decided which college to go to... Needless to say, I hardly have time for a social life anymore! Anyways, I just wanted to start this blog basically to vent angers, frustrations, memories, and the whirlwinds that this past year has given me. I also want to try and talk about thing I think need to be talked about, as you will see in later posts in the blog.

My first topic is kind of a lofty one: The meaning of life. Which is a really hard concept to grasp, depending on social, theological, and mental status. I mean, where did we come from? What purpose do we serve by living here? A couple weeks ago I was down in Saint George, relaxing by the pool, when my mom asked me the same question. In almost a mocking tone, she cleared her throat, leaned over to me and said: "Michael, what is the meaning of life?" I was kinda at a loss for words, I hadn't really thought about it before. I took a couple seconds, then I answered: "I think life is about love. Loving other people, falling in love with that one special person and caring about them more then yourself. Having kids with those people and loving those kids even more than your spouse. That's what life is about, I think." I don't think my mom was ready for such an elaborate answer, so she kinda shrugged it off and looked away. I've been thinking about my answer to that question lately, and I realized that my first gut impression was right! The times in my life I've felt the fullest and most responsible and the happiest are when I've been in love. Luckily, I don't have kids yet, but I imagine I will love EVERY minute of raising them. I just feel that we as humans must have that connection with someone else in order to be happy. We have to care for them, and more importantly, know that they care about us. We've been talking about security of young ones in my Sociology class, and I made that connection that EVERYONE must feel loved in order to become a working, functioning member of society. So I guess, the message you guys should take away from this first blog is simple: To love and be loved. That's the greatest power and the greatest gift anyone could give to someone else, and it'll change the world for good. Thanks for reading, and hopefully my next subjects won't be so monumental ;) I love you all.

-Michael Howell