Well, it’s 2012. Did we learned anything insightful this year about ourselves and how we can improve on the things we do?

One extremely note-worthy thing I picked up on this year was from an article on brain function and creativity. (I blogged about it a bit back in June)

This article was written from the scientific study of how the brain works when it is up against roadblocks in problem solving and creativity, and includes great advice from creative luminary BRIAN ENO.

http://the99percent.com/tips/7034/Developing-Your-Creative-Practice-Tips-from-Brian-Eno

The main thought in the article is that your brain needs a break to relax after you’ve been working hard on something. In order for that “AH HA!” moment, you need to step away at some point. This is why so many great ideas come when you are doing mundane tasks. Washing dishes, driving, taking a shower… etc. Your mind needs time to rest and process in order to finish something you’re working on.

In a related experience… I was throughly burnt out on my own music by the end of 2011. All the writing I was doing, all the solo gigs I was playing, on top of hosting and performing at The Hum House every week fried me. The last thing I wanted to do was dig any deeper into myself and pull out something new.

But luckily for me, I can be away from music while still being involved in music. That sounds like a contradiction but it’s not. I never contradict myself. Yes I do contradict myself. No I don’t.

I was asked to be the guitar player in a backing band on a really cool Christmas tour throughout December. It is always so great to play other artist’s music, and to focus on a different role as a musician.
Taking that step back from my own music, but still being involved in other’s music was a much needed break.

And then of course the holidays are always a well deserved break all together.

If you are burnt out on what you are doing… try to take one step back from it for a short minute. A little break might be all you need.

There are 52 weeks in a year, so I finally hit the goal last week when I penned the 52nd song of the year. I thought I would just keep going once I hit 52, but actually just the opposite happened. I am so burnt out on pushing myself every week, that the last thing I want to do is sit down with a guitar and write something new. I’m sure that will pass in a day or so.

But now I’m looking back closely on this list of new songs from the year. Some I’ve played live a lot, some I played out a few times and forgot about, and some songs I just shelved right after they were finished. Of course there are a large group that may never be touched again, but at least half of them are strong enough to get excited about and record.
So now the game has changed from frantically writing, to going back and massaging my favorites. Kinda feels like Christmas. Not the ‘Jesus in the manger kind’, but the ‘getting presents kind’.

The process was fruitful, painful, exciting, monotonous, more pain, stretching, and eye opening. I’d recommend it to friends AND enemies. (if you know what I mean)

I just always hear the same advice from great writers: “If you want to be a writer… just write. All the time.”

So that means 5 more to go, (I started this back in November of last year, so the last week of October will be the final week)

then a wedding, then a honeymoon, then a month long December tour (playing guitar for a bunch of artists on an Xmas tour) then into the studio to record the best songs of the year, then… I can’t think that far. Or much

Work desk view

I would like to thank the sun for making the summer in Long Beach extra inspiring this year.

And The Hum House is still going strong each Wednesday night at Sipology. Check out this picture someone drew of me while I was playing my set a few weeks ago. It was sketched on a small white napkin and left on the bar. I found it at the end of the night. I love it! Maybe someday I’ll find the artist.

If you drew this, send me a message! :^D

Oh, and my summer gift to myself…

…I found the Les Paul I’ve been waiting for for a long time. Found her at the Mesa Boogie store in Hollywood.

Check this baby out.

2000 Les Paul Standard 50's neck

I figure… there are about 53 weeks in a year, so by the end of this year I’ll have 50-60 songs to choose from to record my next album. Surprisingly I’m already ahead of the game with over 30 new songs from the past 5 1/2 months. Sometimes it’s a steady one per week, sometimes nothing for a few weeks, and other times (like this month) two songs per week come out. So on average it’s about one per week.

Hosting The Hum House every week has been the perfect opportunity for me to write new songs and try them out live each week at the show. And it helps give me a deadline for finishing a song.

It’s interesting how you’re creative brain learns to work and gets used to a certain flow. It’s also cool how you learn helpful tricks and techniques for writing as you go. Check out this great article that a friend turned me on to with tips from legend Brian Eno:

Developing Your Creative Practice: Tips From Brian Eno

One main thing I’ve learned from doing music in the past years is that above all else I love writing. I love making music. Period. The rest of the music business BS sucks. But creating is the ultimate. And when people like it, it’s the greatest.

Another great thing to come out of this process is the opportunity to try things I’ve always wanted to try and get out of my comfort zone in order to make something new. Stylistically you have to go in new directions to keep things fresh. (I friggin love the word “fresh”)

I totally recommend something like this if you are a writer. Even on a smaller scale, just setting a goal for your creativity is very fruitful. Yes, writing can be a mystical inspired thing, but practicing it and sharpening your tools are the best things you can do for your craft.

Download my new single “Don’t Let Em Get To You” for FREE at:

http://coryjosephclark.bandcamp.com/track/dont-let-em-get-to-you

To borrow a phrase from Russell Simmons, “Do You”. In other words be yourself, and if you are a creative type, that should apply to what you create. We all think that we have to do, achieve, accomplish, maybe even sound like someone we look up to. That is the worst way to make a mark, in my opinion. The more we care what people think, or try to figure out what people like or what people will buy, the more we fade into the background.

Maybe it’s more important to pay attention to what we do best. Find out what our strengths are and lean in that direction. Sure we may thin the herd, but the herd is already thin. You may make music that you love and is totally honest, but it doesn’t sell. Well, guess what? Most music out there doesn’t sell.
We have to stop caring about marketing, and put that energy into making the art we want to make.

On that note, I’m heading down to THE HUM HOUSE for the show tonight, and I’m going to play what I want to play, and if nobody likes it, screw it. I will.

DO YOU!

~Cory

So, like every other indie artist you hit the digital streets and bug your friends and fans to come out and see your show this Monday night at Boring Bar where you ask them to cough up $10 for parking, $5 admission, $10 per drink, and then you’re lucky if someone has enough cash left over to buy your new EP.

The nerve it takes to ask all of that is one thing… but what I’ve never heard anyone talk about is the toll all this self promotion takes on your soul. I’ve started to notice in the past year how painful this is becoming for me. Forcing yourself to promote, promote, promote yourself. It starts to wear you down over time and make you feel dirty. Kinda whorish.
Compound on top of that the fact that every time you share your music, live or on recording, you are bearing your soul and expressing something personal.
I love getting out in front of people to share and perform my music and want to do it as much as possible, but beyond that I want to live a quite and simple life and keep to myself. It’s kind of an introverted performer conflict.
I don’t want to talk about myself constantly and promote myself endlessly.

Like other artists, all I want to do is make beautiful and powerful music that makes listeners feel and think. I don’t think any of us started creating music so that we could get into marketing. Especially marketing ourselves, which can easily be confused for marketing our self worth.

I DO know that I am not conflicted about promoting my weekly songwriter showcase THE HUM HOUSE here in LBC, because I’m not promoting myself necessarily, as much as I’m promoting a night of music with other artists in which I sneak in a set of my own.

Maybe you’re thinking “He’s just not cut out for it…”
Maybe I think that too, sometimes.
Or maybe all the self-centeredness that it takes to promote and market yourself is actually damaging to your spirit over time.

Cheers to all you indie artists out there making music and feeling alone in your craft.
Keep creating and expressing, because eventually people will hear it even if we can’t get them to right now.

~Cory

9:30pm January 4th 2010 will be the last time I perform on the GYPSY LOUNGE stage.
This is a very sad thing for me. The Gypsy Lounge has meant so much to all of us.

I got my start there, as well as so many other artists. Artists that I now consider some of my best friends and favorite people in the world. People I met directly through The Gypsy Lounge.
Artists that I saw performing on that stage, and made me want to be better. Ever time I walk in the door of the Gypsy (or GYLO as me and John Bach starting calling it) I am inspired.

Mike Conception is the greatest club owner in the world. He has always supported the artist in every way that other clubs don’t.
And everyone knows how fun it is to play on that stage. It sounds great, the monitors are always super loud, and there is just an unexplainable vibe when you walk on onto it.

Mike, Matt, & Shawn, we love you guys. Thank you for the years of inspiration, late nights, new friends, and great original music.
This was a scene that I will be proud to have been a part of for the rest of my life. We’re all praying that the Gypsy will eventually be able to move location and stay alive.

AJ Degrasse, Joe Denges, and myself will be playing tuesday night.
Tradition.

Hope to see you there one more time.
~Cory

9:30pm January 4th 2010

www.thegypsylounge.com