Why yes - I make music... go to my site and check me out if you're interested.
Things about me hmmm... well I live in Los Angeles and actually love it. Grew up in the crazy city too. I love dreamers. People going after their very own impossible dream. It's a beautiful thing to see, even when it's not all that pretty.
I love movies, oldies especially. Hitchcock is crack. Philadelphia Story. Casablanca. All About Eve. The list goes on. Went to USC film school and everything.
I am somewhat of an exhibitionist by nature. I love taking risks and making good on some crazy bet.
I have a pornographic heart.
I've got a blog that I update from time to time. I'm on facebook, yes. And check that much more often.
Oh yeah - I've got a website too. It's snazzy. check it out.
So I am starting work a little later today. Working on a song called Creeping at the moment. Need to finish it up, still a bunch of beat programming to get into and other nonsense. It's definitely a fun song. Just got the master to Snake in the Road today which will be released today as well and it sounds great! Phew!
One of my closest friend's mother died this morning and it's definitely affecting me. We were extremely close as families growing up. Our parents knew each other right around when they got married. So we grew up together. Both of their parents have died about a year apart from each other. It's just incredibly difficult. It was a brain cancer.
So I had to get up at 7am today and somehow pull myself out of bed to finish up this song today. Last minute as usual for me. The lyrics have been very difficult. It's sort of a cryptic song which is the hardest thing. Writing about a few things at once, personal and universal, and looking for patterns within the words. Every song has a strange geometry to it and it takes time to land upon the shape of it.
So I had to get up at 7am so my voice would be ready around 11a to sing some last tidbits.
Ah the life of a wandering musician...
Why the singer shouldn't mix his own song (8/17/10) [View | Hide]
So I am pulling another rather late night. We just finished the mix for Helium which I am releasing tomorrow. Things are always down to the wire lately and I have to get a bit ahead because all this last minute stuff is making me a little crazy. But I am happy we took some extra time with Helium, it's much better for it. Going to get the song mastered at 6am by Nick Moon up in Oregon. He's going to studio super early to make it happen - which I am very lucky for.
Mixing has been interesting lately. I am working with Chris Testa, who has been great. He's done a bunch of stuff with a lot of really cool artists including Jimmy Eat World, Mat Kearney, Paul Simon, Glen Philips, and the Dixie Chicks. It's been a different process for me. I am not in the mixing room at all anymore, just give notes on the mixes that I get emailed to me on my computer. I think it works out better in the end this way. I usually nit pick things to death and sometimes wonder if I am ruining the mix in the end. We often used to do too much back and forth. So this way is working out better so far. Less energy and better results I think.
It's easy to get lost mixing a song when you wrote and played most of the instruments on it. You often want to hear all your hard work instead of listening to the song and following your ear. I just don't have enough objectivity at the end of producing a track. I don't think most artists should be in the mixing room actually for precisely that reason. It becomes more about ego than the song a lot of times. Takes an entirely different mentality.
I have a ton of lyrics to plow through this week, which is always super super hard for me. I am always staring at a wall at multiple points during the day, praying for divine inspiration. My lyric writing has changed a lot more this year though. The process is much more wrapped around the piano. I tend to play the song up to a hundred times until I finish the words. Let it come out organically, rather than sit at a coffee shop with pen and paper. I used to spend days at Starbucks trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together basically. Now, it's more around what comes out of my mouth in the moment and following that thread. I like this way a lot more. I think it took a while for me to get my mind out of things and let the subconscious take over - which is happening more and more with the songs. I am working hard to think less and less and play more and more.
Much more fun that way too.
I wrote a few strange dance numbers today that will probably never see the light of day today. I am still playing around with lots of dance beats, trying to find a way in. Determined to. I definitely don't want to try and write something that Britney would sing. It's more about finding out how I relate to the dance beat and what it brings out in me. Have some really cool ideas, it's just a matter of finding the melodies that stick at the moment. Then I can start doing some cool melding of genres etc that I really want to do.
I am toying with the idea of traveling a bit and working with some musicians outside of Los Angeles. I really want to do it, hopefully late fall or in the winter. We shall see.
It's funny at the moment. I have a whole bunch of songs that sort of express whole different sides of me, different genre wise as well. It was freaking me out a little bit, because I wasn't sure how they related to each other per se. But doing this project has freed me up a lot. I don't have to worry about the cohesiveness of an album as much. I can deliver things more stream of conscious like. That has helped a lot creatively and kept things interesting for me too. Each project requires a whole new set of tools. I have to be quick on my feet.
Anyway. I am watching Galaxy Quest while waiting for the final mix at the moment. I love the movie. I think because I am a closet Trekkie. Not a huge one. but I did love The Next Generation growing up and Voyager. There is something ridiculous and wonderful about it all.
Yes my inner geek is showing a bit :)
Sending LOVE
Return to OZ and electro-rock (8/14/10) [View | Hide]
I'm pretty tired at the moment. Just finished my legwork on Helium for the mixer tomorrow. Had to add a bunch of background vox and it took a bit to get things working. Spent a lot of the day working on some new music. I've been getting more and more into electro-rock and even techno. Really want to see where I can take that world. It's been an experiment. Working with various beats and dance synths. We'll see where it goes. Might never see the light of day or it could be a whole new thing :)
Other than that. I am going to spend my remaining 30 minutes before bed having a beer and eating cottage cheese. For some weird reason I decided to watch Return to OZ. Don't ask why. I remembered that scene where she has to find her friends that were changed into inanimate objects. She had like 3 chances or something to pick the right objects. Anyway. I felt like watching it :) Very random.
It's been a bit of time again since I've blogged. It gets hard for me to do this for some reason. The process has been tough and challenging of late. I'm dealing with a lot of songs that are almost there. It's like 7 or 8 of them and I think I am just dealing with some fear of finishing. It's a normal thing. And I have to push through. It's the point of this whole project really. To push beyond my fear of letting things go.
Fucking With Your Flow was something that really took a lot out of me that last 2 weeks. I felt like I was wringing a rag as tight as I could to get the last few drops of water out. There is that creative well that you can't just expect to supply exactly what you need all the time. Making something is tricky - it's never logical. It rarely comes when you want it to. And sometimes you have to roll with the punches, even if you aren't sure if you are going to get exactly what you think you want. I think the whole thing is - you have to be willing to jump into an abyss when you are being creative. You have to wander. And a lot of times, I like to decide what a song is before I've recorded it. So there is this whole process of unlearning the song so I can get to the end. And that's where things can get painful.
I need to do something that has nothing to do with music that is more than just watching a movie or drinking a beer at home :) I need to refill the creative well somehow and I am not sure what that is yet. I am also really wanting to start some new fitness regimen. I like doing things dramatically - if you can't tell :) And I like taking on really big fitness goals too. Was thinking about doing some sort of boot camp thing - cause I've never done anything like it. Really need a stress release that is healthy and positive. Things have been very tense with the work load and my constant mental back and forth with the songs.
I am working on a song called Helium at the moment. I've had it for a long time. More than a year actually. And I have all the lyrics and almost all of the music ready to go. It's just that I still have to track my final vocal and I am shying away from it. Which always gets me into trouble. Vocals always take a bit to get into. You can't just expect it to come in an hour. Sometimes it does and you expect that it should always be that way. But it's always when you think it shouldn't be a problem when it bites you in the ass.
I need to just sing though :) at the end of the day I feel the song is there ready to be brought out. I just have to let it go and be what it wants to be.
The promotion angle has been getting to me pretty hard. I really want the music to get out there and there is some sort of block with that. Not sure exactly what it is. Honestly. There is a hesitation that I have always had to present my work to the world. I always tend to hold back. I really love making music and I hate having to deal with the public at large. There are many times when I wish I had someone to help take care of the whole mess and do it really well. That someone could sort of just magically fix it. But the real issue is that I am holding back. If I am honest. I am holding back from letting people to really see the music. Still sorting that one out.
What else? My dogs are the best thing. Every day they are just happy to see me, and having a ball. And it always brings me back to center. They are the biggest stress release.
Anyway. I should get back to Helium. Wish me luck. Sending LOVE.
Cocky (SIRPAUL vs. Robotika Remix) (7/21/10) [View | Hide]
New Remix by SIRPAUL is available for free download!!
Ever Master a song Three Times? (7/7/10) [View | Hide]
It's been a bit of time since I've been writing. I think in large part because of the work load lately. I have been working to develop 2 rather large batches of songs - totally different genres from each other as well. And also juggling mixing some older tracks. It's just a lot and I am a bit ragged at the moment. I think the hardest part is the picture part for each song - because I am holed up in my little studio all day and don't feel sexy at all ;)
But things are lovely.
We have a show this Saturday that I am excited about. Working to just play all new material - which I know pisses people off sometimes. I think it's exciting though. It's a very creative state. The songs are germinating in front of your eyes :) They often take a different shape in studio but I really like the idea of starting them out with a pure live band arrangement and then expanding from there. At least that is my kick at the moment.
The songs that I have been writing lately are much more low key than most of the stuff I have released so far. More subdued and quirky. I love them and can't wait to get them finished. Part of me feels like I have to write a new chorus for all of them, and the other side likes that they are different beasts and I shouldn't meddle.
We shall see...
Was up till 4am doing a last minute re-mix to Caroline. We got the master back and I wasn't happy with it at all. So I had someone else do it. We mastered again but figured out that the mix itself had issues. Paul was at a dinner, so I had to drag him over around 10pm and we didn't stop for about 6 hours. It was a bit rough, but we got it done, and sent it off for the new mastering guy to re-master it again this morning. I cut it EXTREMELY close.
So basically I had Caroline mastered 3 times. Yes... I have a problem :) But it was a big improvement. There were dynamics in that song that were rather complicated.
Right now we are finally finishing mixing a song called The Outsider. It's a very contemplative song. It puts me in a very thoughtful state. It's very pretty, there's a little typewriter beat, synths mixed with a live band... the production ideas are similar to Caroline actually - but it's a totally different beast. It's sort of this idea of mixing a heavy electronic landscape with a really rock oriented White Stripes-ish sort of band.
Both songs were recorded in one take with drums and bass. The guys played together and just killed it. So it has this very organic feel within a very electronic landscape. It was an exciting thing to watch develop.
The Outsider will be out next week
Okay. Now to finish up this mix and get some sleep!!!!
Sending love. Hoping to see some of you this weekend at the show. xo
We decided to release 2 songs today. New song of the week, Cocky, is available now and when you buy the Digital Album you get the other song (No One's Fool) free!
So tired :) whisked away to Lake Tahoe for a beautiful and romantic wedding. Finally got to meet my lovely goddaughter - which really was just magic. And even managed to get a hike in and enjoy some nature.
finally got back today.
Phew.
Time to get back to it. Needed some input after so much output. It's really important to get out of your space and see life in perspective. If even for 2 nights :)
Got to do pictures tomorrow. Going to release 2 songs on Tuesday. Look out!
Sending love...
Green Grass and Lottery Luck (6/24/10) [View | Hide]
Well it's been a few days since I've written here :) Things are going really well. I hit a little roadblock with some of the songs but I think we are almost in the clear. Right now I am searching for the perfect clavichord. I figure if it's good enough for Stevie Wonder, then it's good enough for me. Don't you wish your last name was something awesome like that? Sacha Fabulous or Sacha Spectacular... Sort of makes me feel like a cirque du soleil act/superhero or something... maybe not.
I have a wedding to attend up in Lake Tahoe for the weekend. Which I am both excited for and a little nervous about. I don't like being away from an instrument for too long - especially with my new creative mandate. I might bring an acoustic guitar with me, but planes can be spotty about that sort of thing. Get to see all my friends and their new babies. It seems everyone is having babies or getting married the last few years... and I don't feel ANY peer pressure :)
I think we are going to release Cocky next. It's sort of a different little song, has a retro feel, a bit glam actually and I want to start releasing some of the more electronic, futuristic music I have been hounding on. Ready to show another shade. So we'll cap it off with Cocky and show something new in July.
The hardest thing lately has been trying to promote the music while creating. It's always an impossible feat to do both simultaneously. And it seems I am always caught in purgatory.
It's so easy to feel the grass is greener on the other side and all that. Like U2 or Lady Gaga have it made. They just get to be all creative and have a 1 ton gorilla to take care of their promotional needs. Soooo not true though. I know it. But you can't help but feel that at times.
For some reason this video came to mind. Maybe because I am determined to have it all :)
I felt it was time to do a "Sacha on piano" song and get back to basics. We sort of randomly recorded this song one night when we were supposed to be doing something else. Just got on the piano and pressed record. Hope you enjoy it!
Did you know that my music video to "Used," hit #1 this week on LOGO's "Click List!?" Really exciting stuff! Thanks again so much for taking the time to put in your vote every week. It's amazing that so many made the effort. And I definitely love you for it. Please help keep me at #1! Vote here :)
ALSO...
I'll be playing live at M Bar on July 10th in Los Angeles. Be there! :)
And finally... I just wanted to break it down for a sec and send a really big bear hug to all of you who are buying the songs, emailing me supportive notes, and even donating more than the $1 per song. It really means so so so so much - especially with everything so hectic as it is with the Viscera project.
With everything online and streaming and instant and in your face. Just the fact that you are tuning into what I do, is such a huge blessing. I couldn't do this without your love and support. So I just want to just say THANK YOU REALLY LOUDLY for all the positive energy you have been sending my way :) You are amazing and beautiful. And I appreciate you all so so much.
I hope this finds you all in bright spirits!
Things are lovely here. It's getting time to get to recording again tonight! Been practicing on my beat making skillz and am excited to show the results of my latest experiment in the coming months :) Wish me LUCK! It's definitely something new :)
So I finished up the vocals to this song called Cocky. Really glad I re-did them. It has a better feel :) Hoping to get that song out sooner than later - sort of having a love affair with it. They only last so long until the next one comes knocking on my door. But I really am enjoying the song at the moment. perhaps a little toooo much. too. much. information.
And I started working on new material today. Which has been like a breath of fresh air. I think I was spending too long on some older stuff - making sure it was right. Now I can just make music and not worry about finicky stuff (until I get to mixing of course and then it starts again). Anyway it's much more fun and alive right now. Feel more like a musician now.
If any of you get the chance to spread some of the music around on facebook or by email that would be a huge help! There is a share button under every song at sachasacket.bandcamp.com . If you could take the time to share it with your friends, it would help things go a bit more "viral." :) infect some friends with some Sacha fever! Okay that was cheesy :) but reaaaallly. Would love it if you could. infect your friends with Sacha fever that is....
and now for a picture of my dogs kissing:
Smooches.
British vocals and techno rock (6/18/10) [View | Hide]
So today was great. The allergies went away and let me sing! I had a hiccup with work flow for 2 days but it was good in the end. In some ways I am feeling a bit burnt out lately. Realizing quite profoundly that I want to work on new songs instead of rehashing old ones. I get obsessed with the perspective of the song which - for me - comes from the vocal. Not a fan of just delivering a solid vocal, always searching for something that reflects the mood of the song. Tiny inflections change. Delivery. Sometimes the voice wants to be crisp and other times it needs to be lazy. Breed was a good example of that. It was a hard vocal to nail because it was all in the timing of the phrases and how it was sung. It took me a while to find the right voice. And this one is proving the same. I feel like he is a little British for some reason :) Not in the accent... sort of in the way it is sung.
I am working on a naughty song called 'Cocky' at the moment. The idea has sort of been in my head for years, but I started writing it about 8 months ago and I am finally finishing it up. It started out as pure dance but actually turned into something a bit more interesting. It has this sort of 70ish thing going on that I like. Thinking I might have some remixes done of it - but I have to finish it first before I know :)
For I while I have been experimenting with merging a rock band with dance/techno elements and seeing how far I could take it. A few songs will come out in July that reflect that. It was a lot of fun to work on. And the two separate worlds sort of merged pretty naturally in studio.
Dogs are doing much better now. Jack has gotten used to his dreaded cone and is back to his naughty self. Nice to see.
Just got the masters back from a new song - Colin - today. Which will likely be the song for this Tuesday. Will write a little more on that later in the week :)
All is going well. Excited to get working on some beats and lyrics for this new song that's been itching at me. Hopefully tomorrow while Paul mixes 'Cocky!'
Bises.
Allergies and a sulking dog (6/16/10) [View | Hide]
So allergies took me completely off track yesterday and today. Really sux! It happens every year at least once. And it hit hardcore yesterday. About 8 hours straight of sneezing. And Claritin did nothing at all. Sometimes once my body starts going, nothing will stop it. A shower offered temporary respite. So my voice is shot and I was supposed to track vocals the last 2 days. Oh well. Hoping to catch up again tonight. Crossed fingers. Working on getting 2 tracks of lead vox done - hopefully by tomorrow if I can sing a bunch tonight.
My dogs got "fixed" yesterday - so I guess they had it worse than me. :) It was really hard to make the decision but they are really young, so it's not supposed to be as difficult. I picked them up (sneezing like crazy at the pet hospital) and they had tails wagging and everything - so that made me feel better. Jack hates his cone though. Gets so depressed with it on. He'll freeze if his cone hits something. His sense of space is totally off and he's sulking like crazy. Been babying him a lot - but I gotta sing! Wish me luck! Jameson is totally cool. He's totally independent in general and it's almost like nothing has happened.
(better yet - forward the link to all your friends)
What's even cooler is that the song comes with a multimedia package. We recorded Chalk in one take as a band, and the download comes with video of the actual recording taking place - as well as some awesome photos we did for the song. I was still cleaning out my ears days later ;)
So for $1 you are getting the song, a video, and a photo story! Cheaper than that gum or soda you bought at your local gas station! You could downgrade that grande latte to a tall and still manage :) All profits go back into this projectand help create cool recording opportunities. So please help an artist out.
I've got a new live show in Los Angeles too! Be there!
Sacha Sacket Live at M Bar
Saturday, July 10, 2010. 10:30pm. $10. 21+ 1253 Vine St., Los Angeles, CA
You can now download my music videos for super cheap! Click on the pictures below to get them!
AND my music video to "Used," hit #2 this week on LOGO's "Click List" this week! Thanks again so much for taking the time to put in your vote every week. Please keep the votes coming!
So. I had to scream a vocal part today and am contending with a pretty sore throat. I am not a screamer. Not my kind of style - but for some reason, I got it in my head to break with the norm. Should be back to normal by tomorrow. But no more singing for today. I sound like a horse (not sure why that analogy came to mind - but there it is).
I feel majorly behind today really. Got some good work done over the weekend. But wanted to be much further ahead that I am by the week start. Really want to get into some brand new songs this week and get them recorded with the band by early next week. That's still my goal. But we are in the middle of mixing and putting final touches on songs, which is really important. So we'll see how it goes. I have a lot of structural work on the new material before I can bring it into a session - so I am crossing fingers that I have time to do that extremely important base work.
The project so far has been both easier and harder than I thought. Easier in that there is always a lot of energy because new ideas are always exciting and people have been pushed to try new things instead of talk or think about them. I love that and it gives me fuel - which I didn't account for. However, I've really been dealing with my perfectionism lately. Still struggling with letting things go. But I am doing it, and I hope that it gets easier as we go along. Still looking for the flow...
So we sampled some "baby beats" last night which was a lot of fun. Within a few minutes of recording them, I even came up with a little dance number for everyone to groove to. Going to make these little 6 month old twins rockstars or dJs before they know it!
Tracking some vocals today and in general getting everything ready for the week so we can hit it hard again. Overwhelmed with it all - but taking it step by step.
It's really nice having a place full of dogs and babies. There's that baby/puppy smell everywhere, bottles, diapers, cradles, blankets, chew toys. Very primal and comforting. Have some friends bringing ANOTHER baby over just to visit really quickly. So it's definitely a mad house today. And I am somehow getting work done! Sort of amazing.
Just watching the amount you have to do to take care of twins has given me a whole new appreciation for the work that goes into raising a kid. DEFINITELY skittish now, if I wasn't already before :) Magic is in the air though - and it's wonderful to soak in. Hope they actually stay longer - but seeing as how taxing it is (they haven't really slept at ALL), I think they are going to escape to grandparent's place and get proper help. My music skills are pretty useless for them all :) But they'll come to appreciate it once there is a song to listen to dammit!!!!
Babies are going to play on one of my songs (6/11/10) [View | Hide]
We are recording vocals at the moment. Just taking a little break to write :) My place is about to be inundated by babies in about 30 minutes. Have out of town family coming to stay for the next 5 days or more (perhaps 3 weeks - eek!) and they have 6 month old identical twin boys! I flew to South Carolina when they were born (actually spent this Christmas in the maternity section of a hospital) and saw them in their first moments. It definitely does change you. The limitless possibility of new life.
So I am really really really excited to see them again! It's going to be funny recording and having babies in the house at the same time. I think they have to make it onto a song. Want to sample them and turn them into a baby beat of some sort :)
Hoping to get 2 songs close to complete by tonight. There's a lot of work to do! Got harmonies to lay down next! Wish me luck!!!
Hey all. So I am pretty tired today. What happened. Well we worked most of the day. I had to rent a mic and contend with LA rush hour. That was NOT fun. But I got it, and we recorded Simon Hancock on drums today to a song that has sort of been one of those things that you look at from every angle until you find the right approach. It's been a hard song to frame. I actually have recorded drums to it THREE times. which I have never done before. So I am praying that I don't wake up tomorrow and decide we didn't capture it again. But I really think we GOT IT this time.
The first session was just a mess. The second time, I got sideswiped with someone else's opinion - and let them have at it - when I knew it was wrong while we were recording it. I think part of me was so frustrated with finding the right part - I stopped following my gut and just hoped it would take care of itself - which it didn't (always follow your gut!). So today we valiantly tried again and I stuck to my guns more. And I think we found it. Crossed fingers. The song has the initials F.W.Y.F. Don't want to give the title away yet - but you'll know about this situation once it gets released.
We have 3 more weeks of intense recording and mixing and then I am going to take a little mini-break to clear the air. I want to try some new recording techniques and have to develop that idea a bit.
I really love the live takes we have done recently. The song I am releasing this coming Tuesday - Chalk - was done that way. We all played it together at the same time and that's the take you are getting. No overdubs. We just added a few little touches of synths here and there because I only have 2 hands. But the organic performance is there and you just can't touch that. I am becoming less and less of a fan of recording vocals separately from the band (or doing each instrument individually) - which is how most albums are made. There is something wonderful about a band just playing live together and capturing the moment.
Anyway - going to sign off for now. Got to go drop off my engineer Paul so he can get some shut eye before we go at it strong again tomorrow.
Hope you are all having sweet dreams!
Surrealist Art Punk Dada Music (6/10/10) [View | Hide]
So I am a little bleary at the moment. I think I have been awake too long :) but things are going well. We are in the middle of finalizing 2 songs and finishing up 2 others. It's sort of nuts juggling 4 songs at the same time - but it's also very liberating. We are going with our gut so much more now - which was my intention with this project in the first place. And things feel so much more alive with the creative process. We just don't time to discuss the eq situation on a vocal and why 2 dbs less on this works. If it works, just lower it 2 db!!! (db is a volume term - decibels).
I have this song that I think is one of the more commercial things I have ever written and it's freaking me out a bit. I love this artier kick we have been on lately and the thought of "commercial" just brings back bad memories with producers long gone BUT the song is who it wants to be. Created with pure intent, kept the marketing campaign OUT of the studio. And who knows - maybe everyone will be like: that song is sooooo surrealist art punk dada.
Here is a picture of my engineer/co-conspirator Paul who is either praying for death or mixing my song. I can't decide.
Any profits fully go back into this projectand helps create cool recording opportunities. So please help a musician out :) And I really want to thank so many of you for buying the song and donating more than the asking price. I love you for it.
Also, my music video to "Used," made it onto the Top 10 list for LOGO's Click list this week! It's been airing all week on the channel. So thank you so much to all who took the time to vote and got their friends to vote as well. It's great exposure. Please keep the votes coming!
CLICK ON THE BANNER AND SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO FIND ME
In other news, a song called "At a Time" from my old record Shadowed has been put on a benefit CD aimed to help homeless GLBT youth. It a great cause so please buy it here and spread some love.
Thanks so much again all. Back in studio today cooking up some new stuff. See you next week!
Sacha and Daft Punk Make Nice (6/7/10) [View | Hide]
Today has been quite fun. We are still going actually. Probably into the wee hours again. Got a master to Give it to the Man today (which will likely be released tomorrow), tracked extra synth parts to and finished mixing a song called Chalk, and I re-tracked lead vocals to finish off a song called Caroline. Really excited about Caroline - it lightly reminds me of a Daft Punk song called "one more time." I always have the visual of that music video with the blue alien people in my head when I listen to it :) We actually had it playing on the computer while we were tracking drums and bass to it. Right now it's a bit heavy on the synth action, so i am probably going to track some piano to it but effect the piano out, so it sounds like something else. See how that experiment goes tonight. :)
I'm reading a really interesting book at night (it takes forever for me to fall asleep) called Outliers. It's actually really good for all artists/dreamers to read. Sort of a 'how to' on being the best you can be. It tracks famous figures, using their upbringing and even their ancestry to show how it led them to become geniuses. His big premise is that it's not, as much, nature as it is nurture. Fav story was on the Beatles and their first big gig in Hamburg. They were paid to play 8-10 hours a day at a club while people milled in and out. That's pretty much nuts!!! But they went into it supposedly being horrible live (admission by their own manager) and coming out brilliant. All that practice led to something extraordinary. Anyway, I am not doing the book real justice. It's better than that :) If you are looking for a read and some inspiration - pick it up :)