Dear Musician - Take A Music Chill Pill

In recent months and weeks—heck, even days—it’s hard to get onto any social platform and not be bombarded by political banter that’s downright brutal. Speak your mind and you’re likely to be torn to shreds. From shoe companies to football to government itself, we're being buried with negativity. Even if you say you're in favor of cute little kittens, someone will tell you kittens carry diseases, taxpayers have to support animal pounds to compensate for irresponsible owners, and that you're a stupid moron for thinking that cats are better than dogs—even if you didn't say cats are better than dogs.

It’s too bad that people behind a computer keyboard can’t behave like people behind a synthesizer keyboard. Musicians, for the most part, get along—at least on stage.

A wise person once said, “If you want to get along with others, avoid conversations that revolve around sports, religion, and politics." It can’t be said that music’s been free from politics. Look at the lyrics of Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, Architects, Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, Muncie Girls, or Bob Dylan. We were reminded of how politically powerful a song can be during Aretha Franklin’s memorials. And that’s the great thing about a song: it can have an underlying political message or tone without beating you over the head with it.

It's great that music can express any kind of emotion, from depression to elation...from hate to love...from political disgust to spiritual bliss.  But music itself is just the container for our emotions. How are we going to fill that container?

To the 125,000 plus Make Better Music subscribers, we humbly suggest that you have the power to create music that can take you away from the stress of the “political hate” of today. You have the freedom to pick up your instrument and change your day or, even better, the day of other people as well. Maybe it's time to take a music chill pill and let music give you the freedom to find peace—and maybe even help others find peace as well.  -HC-

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Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.