John Doe is the founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk group X, a solo artist and actor. John answers questions from our community members in the WWJDD? blog. Photo by Autumn de Wilde.

A Question from Liv in Milwaukee

John, John, John,

(big fan here)....I have seen you countless times,and spoken to you a couple as well, and although I quit 'the hooch' years ago, I still somehow manage to turn into a blathering rambling puddle most of the time when faced w/speaking directly to people I admire,,,So,uh, I'll do my best*

 I am 37 now, and this year marks 20 years of playing in bars/nightclubs/and venues for me. I am embracing the word 'seasoned' now more than ever. I've had two record deals, successful in their lessons to me, unsuccessful in terms of exposure regarding my music. I keep going, keep going, keep playing, practicing, writing, dreaming. I think positively, I think negatively, I've gone through love /hate and back again w/what this means to me, and why I still am willing to occasionally play to nearly no-one, only for gas money.

So I guess I'll end this with a sort of question...Do you believe that if what you do is good enough,(for lack of a better term) that it will be noticed one day?

Or, Is the music industry so different and fucked up now, that it's more of a privilege to in fact not be noticed?
Or...Does god, or the powers that be, hear us and our songs, thus paving the way to a pretty kick ass afterlife?? (half kidding)

It would be great to hear what you say

Liv

www.myspace.com/thedarkhorseproject 

WWJDD?

Hey Liv,
   Unless you are lucky enough to find just the right balance of the music/career/life combination, everyone has similar questions.  Let's say you're Debby Harry (I see she's on yr "friends" list) & had a great artistic run, part of a seminal scene, changed peoples' lives, had bonafide hit songs & now still loves music & wants to keep making it. Does she want to sing, write songs, record, play live OR does she just want to be famous & re-capture the "salad days"? Probably some combination of both.  At this point in her life, it's her attitude that will determine how rewarding making music is or is not.  DISCLAIMER ! ! ! I have no idea how or what Debby Harry does w/ her music, life or mind.  I'm just using her as an example.
  There are times in everyone's career, artistic or not, where the question "What The Fuck?" is all you can think.  Sssooo . . .  I guess that's the question you have to answer.  There's no doubt that a lot of bullshit happens in music on all kinds of different levels.  Do you love making music and that whole process or is how it's received, by whom & what you get paid more important?  I'm not judging which is better.  People do things for all kinds of reasons & it really doesn't matter why.  Personally, I'm not all that anxious to walk into another ammonia-stinking bar @ 6 PM to do sound check, but I have to look at it from the perspective that if I'm lucky I'll have the opportunity to do this for another 15 + years.
   In the old days (like up 'til the 50's) people just sat around each others' houses & played songs w/ their friends.  That is a great thing that I wish I did more of & can be even more rewarding than having to be validated by an audience.        
Hope that's of some help, best of luck solving an ancient dilemma & as always
thanks for writing,

JD

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For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .