Martin Atkins has a 30 year career in the music business that includes touring with the bands Public Image Limited, Killing Joke, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and Pigface, owning an independent record label celebrating its 20th anniversary with over 350 releases, and is an instructor at Columbia College Chicago teaching The Business of Touring, Applied Marketing, and Indie Label Management. He is also the author of the book Tour:Smart and a founder of Revolution Number Three - a school where students learn IN the business, not ABOUT the business.

It turns out that Nike is right.  You can JUST DO IT.  If, when faced with a less-than-ideal situation, you find yourself immediately getting defensive or rolodex-ing the million reasons (and people) who are responsible for your lack of action, movement forward, success, or blowjob - then STOP.  Stop everything. 

If you’re on this path the next thing that is going to happen is that I am going to start telling you motivating stories of triumphs without budgets, greatness without cash, groovyness in the face of everything.  You’ll start retreating and reinforcing your position that all you need is a manager, an agent, a producer, and several budgets (because now you have the hang of Microsoft Excel and can make a silly wish list pie in the sky budget why not make a few more!)  We’ll go back and forth.  Me, trying to convince you that the solution to everything lies within you, and you blaming everyone but yourself.

Well...., I'm not doing that any more.  No, I'm not giving up on you but I’ve come to realize that my time is better spent helping the few that get it (or at least a bit of it) rather than smashing myself in the face with a recently stolen parking meter. 

The glorious part of that is the amazing flower that blossoms and brightens the half dug up, oil slicked concrete pock marked car park (not the orchid that blooms in the temperature controlled hydroponic environment).  The other way of saying that (literally in a less flowery style) is:  triumph in the face of adversity!  Sounds like something you'd print on a coffee mug and recite over the cappuccino machine on a bright sunny morning, doesn’t it?  Like, “Triumph in the face of adversity - who wants the last blueberry bagel?" 

Actually, it’s a phrase that’s going to be much more useful in the very pits of a lonely, stark, harsh reality-check bio-hazard hot tub, bubbling with despair, defeat, and hopeless sadness.  Any fuckhead can survive an on-stage “catastrophe” of a broken string and waffle into the bar afterwards and recap in horrifying microscope detail: "...And that’s how I managed to clip on the strap right before the middle G on Dave’s bass solo!” 

No one really tells the story of, “....and that’s how I avoided killing myself in the middle of a really bad period of my life.”  It’s easier to share the epic tale of “How I Survived a Broken Guitar String” than it is talk about the “deep stuff.”  That is, I suppose, a weird part of all this too.  Music is a very powerful force in each of us.   People commit themselves to sounds, bands, and entire movements.  Sometimes (more often than we might think) the people making that music are awash in a sea of emotions and problems of their own unknowingly helping others whilst sometimes not emerging from the tunnel themselves. 

We are equipped with instructions, advice, and guidance that is at best flawed, but more often non-existent, misguided, deliberately obtuse or cloudy.  It sometimes feels like giving a soldier about to land in Afghanistan instructions for Pac-Man or a DVD episode of Dr. Phil to play to the enemy.  Maybe it’s like giving a shuttle pilot the ignition key, the location of the GO! button and nothing else......a fucking blender comes with more meaningful instructions than the desire to create a career in music or art.

So, yes, clearly, I “get-it.”  I’ve lived it.  I’m still living it.  I'm fond of saying, “it’s not rocket science” and much of it isn't.  It is a lot lot lot of hard hard work that you can do - easy peasy.  Then, of course there’s the other stuff.

The good news is that if you start doing the hundreds of easy tasks ahead of you, you might grab the tenacity, ingenuity, sense of humor, and resilience you are going to need for so many of the other not-as-easy things.  The bad news is...   Actually, there isn't any bad news right now - unless you want to make some up for yourself.

Coming to these conclusions on my own in the last few weeks has really helped me.  I met some amazing folks at Unconvention in Manchester a few weeks ago.  I’m still doing consulting, but I’ve put together a few other packages to make myself accessible to those of you who are ready to work.  Contact me if you want more info on that.

And for those of you who need a little bit more structure, maybe revolution number three is the place for you.  It’s a school that I’m starting. 

And, lastly, a new Pigface album just dropped.  Along with it comes some CD release parties, gallery shows, and all kinds of wonderful-ness. 

So, not the usual “ten ways to play drums faster!’ tips this week, more of an introspective, philosophical thing – but that’s the way it goes…….

See you on the road.

Upcoming dates:

Saturday, June 27 - Chicago IL

Time TBD Martin Atkins DJ set / Pigface CD Relase Party at Vampire Night at Lucky Number Grill 1931 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60647

FREE ADMISSION if dressed like a vampire or $5 at the door.  more info: http://www.myspace.com/vampirenightchicago

Friday, July 10th - Baltimore, MD.
The Metro Gallery, Baltimore.  Martin Atkins Gallery showcase.  Showcase/sale of his artwork.  1700 N. Charles St.; Baltimore, MD 21201 sarah@themetrogallery.net
8pm to 11pm, Doors open at 7pm.  Free wine from 7pm to 8pm.

Saturday, July 11th - Baltimore, MD.
Orpheus, Baltimore.  Pigface CD Release Party.  Martin DJ Set from 11pm to 12am.  More details to come.  1003 E. Pratt St.; Baltimore, MD 21202.