My friend Julie linked me to this quote by Brian Leftsetz. I was hesitant to even link to him, because most of the folks that read this blog would most likely be very offended by his opinions, and no doubt that would come back to me for acknowledging his existence and suggesting that he actually may have a good opinion about certain things…unfortunately, my filter that is used to please other people is beginning to fade away in exchange for a new urgencncy for making the most of life….but that’s another blog to be written another day. Either way…he is spot on when it comes to this:

A rock star is not someone who takes the temperature, who gauges the marketplace before he creates his “art”. A rock star is someone who needs to create and is willing to tolerate the haters along with the fans. He’s someone who incites controversy just by existing. That’s what we lost in the dash for cash. Unique voices. I’m not saying we haven’t ended up with some pleasant music, but it just hasn’t hit you in the gut, it’s the aural equivalent of Splenda, it might do the trick, but it’s not the real thing. The real thing grabs your attention, drives down deep into your heart and lodges itself there. A rock star doesn’t follow conventions, doesn’t go disco or add drum machines just because everybody else does. A rock star exists in his own unique space, and if you met him you probably wouldn’t like him. Because he tends to be self-focused to the point of being narcissistic. Because he cares. He needs to get his message out.

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