Your post on saving money put a smile on my face. When I visited my parents in the desert I would often drive my father to run errands. Once I realized I needed gas and mentioned to my 80+ year old father that I had to find a gas station before taking him where we were headed. He told me to go to Costco because it was 25 cents a gallon cheaper. I told him that it was out of the way and for 20 gallons it was a $5 savings and that wasn’t worth it to me because the line is often 30 minutes or more and my time is worth more to me than that. He said, “thats your problem, you forget where you came from and your attitude will only get worse and you’ll eventually be throwing all kinds of money away!” I  told him that I know exactly where I come from, it’s just that I’m more focused on where I need to go. In the end, of course I went to Costco; saved $5 and waited a long, long time. As we were leaving he said “now, that wasn’t such a big deal, aren’t you glad you did that?” I said, “to be honest, no.” And he said “to be honest, me neither” and we both laughed.

Andy Astrachan

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Married 51 years, saving and planning on all the future traveling ahead.

Last year diagnosed with a bad blood cancer.  Maybe a year or two left.

Live Now.

Dennis Brent

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I am getting set to retire at age 60 and your column really spoke to me. Unlike you, I was moving with my family every few years so I never had a childhood home. Dad was always chasing after the better job – supposedly. But my mom was always the breadwinner because she was a nurse. Money was always an issue with four kids and never putting down roots. I learned to be tight with cash. I had a friend in college who would say, “McIntyre can stretch a buck until it screams.”

It’s hard to leave something I’m really good at. I know I could never get this job again at my current age. That’s probably not the way to look at it.

Instead, I look at the fact that my two older brothers died during Covid. In another year or two I will have surpassed both of them in age. My mom died when I was 39. My dad died when I was 45. One sibling left. One daughter will be finishing up college next year. A great spouse.

Anyway … experiences. Go for the good ones. Everyone needs their own version of your ski jacket.

– Jody McIntyre

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I’ll turn 70 this year, and I’m financially comfortable, however, like you I’ve often found myself denying simple pleasures and saying, “nah, I don’t really need that.”

Here’s something for you to think about: according to the CDC, the average life expectancy for a US male is 76 years. And the inescapable truth is the last few years will be characterized by declining health.

So take that ski trip NOW.  Buy that convertible NOW.  Do something nice for your kids NOW.

It’s more important than ever to live in the moment.  As Warren Zevon famously quipped about his cancer diagnosis, “enjoy every sandwich”

Dave Burgess

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I loved this article—I swear I could have written it myself. You hit every topic perfectly: travelling, clothes, Gelson’s, Costco, spending priorities, living life. I can relate to all of it.

 

I turned 72 not long ago, and I’m firmly at the “if I really like it, just buy it” stage of life. What’s the point of living if you can’t LIVE? I grew up with nothing—and I mean nothing—but I worked hard my entire life (and still do, because I enjoy it). At this point I just say to myself, what the hell is the point if I don’t enjoy it while I’m here? Why should I be jammed into a horrible seat on a plane when I can pay for first class? Travelling is stressful enough these days—so screw it. The comfort, relaxation, and pampering are absolutely worth it.

 

I laughed out loud at the ski jacket story. I just spent a stupid amount of money on another Moncler winter jacket myself. I definitely felt a bit of guilt at first, but then I thought, I like it—just get it. Now I wear it all the time and love it.

The Costco gas story also hit home. I’ve got a few younger employees who laugh at me because I get up at 7:30 a.m. every Friday to fill up at Costco. I figure I’m getting three or four extra tanks of gas a year by doing that, so why not? I think what they find funny is that I’ll do that—and then turn around and spend a ridiculous amount of money on a bottle of wine, clothes, or a great meal. ? Oh well… it’s all about priorities.

 

I found out last week that I need a triple bypass, so I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately. Fortunately, I’m in pretty good shape overall, so it should all work out. Thanks for the laugh, Bob—for me, your timing couldn’t have been better.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jerry Van Dyke

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The struggle is real Bob.  Like you, I don’t have kids and my siblings are financially stable, in other words, I don’t need to leave any money behind.  I am 67 and regardless of what my financial advisor says (I’m not going to live to be 97 as he would have me plan for) for the first time in my life, I can treat myself.  I did everything I was supposed to, max contribution to my 401K and lived within my means.  I bought a house that was significantly less than the bank told me I could afford.  My parents grew up during the depression and were fearful that it could happen again.  A case of Michelob and a rib roast at Christmas time was a big treat.  Add in my Roman Catholic upbringing and you have a recipe for guilt and frugality.  But I have finally realized that I can afford to do things that I always thought were out of reach, I just hired a contractor to do some work on my house that a few years ago, I would have done myself.  I am planning to travel, if I see something that I really want, I buy it.  You can’t take it with you Bob, so the goal is to check out with no debt and about $8.00 in my checking account.  Challenge accepted.

Michael Kimball

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One of the things that happens when you get past 70 is you realize “I don’t need any more pens, paper clips, shirts, underwear, socks, possibly even shoes, for the rest of my life.”  The more you buy, the more you have to get rid of, doing the Swedish Death Cleaning to prevent your kids from having to get a dumpster in the driveway to throw out all your “stuff”. So I resist buying, at age 74. And why shoes? If you have 10 pairs, they don’t wear out very quickly. You might be good for 10 years.

Preston Bealle

Darien, CT

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Good article Bob.  I am 67 and like you,  I am more willing to splurge on things now more so than when I was younger.  I have made the observation that once people hit their eighties they either have significant physical problems, mental health issues, or both which will significantly impact their ability to enjoy things they take for granted when younger.  So, my plan is to go for it (in a thoughtful way) for the next decade, while my wife and I are still able.

I once heard some macro financial advice which advocated spending more freely on things that are important to you, and be frugal with those things that are not important.  I think this is sound advice at any age.

Do things which make you happy, and put a smile on your face.

Don Weis

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Say what you will, but Kirkland is a solid product. I wear their boxer briefs as they are almost as nice as Fabletics and I will use the 32 Degree Vests for outdoors because they hold up and cost $20.00, they rival North Face these days as NF shif the bed on their vests lately. They’re long and bulky, they cheaper out! I will wear Costco and proudly. Take care, Bob

Adam Franklin

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Beautifully said, Bob.  You touched a lot of chords with this one.

I’m a Sam’s Club guy (closer Costco is 190 miles away — Sam’s is 75 miles!)

I still have my Levi’s jacket, bought in ’77 at University with my own coin.  I’d had Dickies and Sears before that — endured the teasing.  We couldn’t afford the cool stuff.

I have a vintage wool Celtics jacket that, on my every few years Celtics game at the Gahden, draws comments from EVERYBODY as we find our seats.  For a moment, I’m hip.

I’m picky about my chainsaws (Stihl), my books (hardcover or kindle … no softcover), about my Jameson’s and Guinness, the whiskey and beer, respectively, of my people.

We spent about $3800 on concerts last year — can’t do that again, but it was a treat: Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlisle, Karla Bonoff, Chicago, Willie/Dylan.  Billy Bragg, others on the bucket list.  Such fun — I don’t do merch; save on that.

Thank you for doing what you do.  I read everything.

Best,

Kevin Ritcchie

Woods-of-Maine

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All I can say is YOLO baby!

Make yourself a promise that the time has come to set yourself free from worrying about money. Not free from being responsible with it (which at this point you can totally trust yourself to do by rote), just free from all the anxiety money has taken up in your mind. You’re not Bezos, but you’re never gonna go broke. Isn’t that wonderful?

If you ask me, not worrying about financial building and planning is one of the only bright shiny aspects of getting older. You’ve made the journey and you’ve arrived with whatever you have. Let yourself feel great.

You can’t buy happiness it’s true. But the occasional high quality purchase is not a waste. It can bring lots of joy and pride to your heart which can last a long time. Just like with that jacket. You didn’t get had. You got something great. It was worth it.

Not having any money is a real problem to think about each day. Worrying about not having any money when you do have a little bit is only self-destructive.

So…enough with the guilt. I mean, if you don’t relax and enjoy now, when?

Don’t worry. Be happy.

Best,

Paul Gigante

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Dear Bob,

As my good friend Jock, also in his 70’s says, after all the years of saving, it’s time to put the car in reverse.  Not easy to make that shift, but it seems like the right thing to do….now.

Best,

David Epstein

Oakland

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Thanks Bob,I saw Levis jeans for sale $20 at Walmart.Black Friday.So I bought a pair.Fit good 1 time when I put them on,and then they went all baggy and out of shape.Levis Signature.I didn’t know Levis have a crappy brand.But I bought a pair of Amazon jeans,they fit after wearing them for a week.Who knew?I can’t ski or go to shows anymore,so me and my dogs eat well.I don’t know what else to pay big money for.I heard a woman say,when you hit 60,you don’t need to buy anymore clothes.You have enough until you die.I don’t agree.A new pair of black jeans,and a new black t-shirt feels so good to wear.Stay well Bob,snow is coming this weekend here in CO.Take a run for me,Ted Keane

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I am of your vintage and my sport of choice is dressage.  I do not even look at what I spend on my horse, my equipment, my show clothes, my truck and trailer and my mare’s wardrobe of blankets for every occasion.  If I added it up, I would get nauseous. Here is the thing.  This activity brings me pure unrelenting joy.  That joy is priceless, so cost be damned.  I never feel more alive than when I am riding.  I will be dead soon enough so living well now is worth any price. You are right on.

Kathy Marsh

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My old college roomate did extremely well, TV production and as the infomerical king of LA. He’s got a lot of money and just dropped $2 mill on a nice second home up here, but that same feeling of, ‘what if’, gets in the way.  He has a great 8 year old MBZ and he said I can ride this one into the sunset.  Then he sees a helluva a deal on that new one where the back seats recline (he’ll never have the pleasure of using them unless he gets a chauffeur), but it’s got everything.  It’s a helluva a deal at $155K.  He calls and does the Jewish back and forth e.g. it’s a waste, what am I thinking, but it’s such a good deal.  I just said; Steve, just buy the damn car.

I’m not in that situation, but I just can’t buy full retail, it’s not only against my/our religion but I see getting gouged as an insult.  It’s offensive to me.  Perhaps if I had fu\*ck you money I might feel different but the for the clothes I need now, Costco is perfectly fine.  And then there’s Marshall’s.  I do like a good retail outing.  A deal is satisfying.

I spent plenty at those great Melrose boutiques., but it’s not so important anymore.  Comfort is king.  I like HOKA’s which can be pricey, but I will wait for the sales. thanks for the Vita Rain Zero tip.

I will buy a main course at Whole Foods cause I want quality.  It’s about what we feel is important.  Then there’s the whole concept of wanting to hit the finish line with the fuel gauge on zero.  You can’t take it with you.

John Brodey

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It’s a tricky balance, this aging thing, Bob.

Biggest issue – man or woman.

In 12 years we’ll enter a full decade where there are 8 women for every man. They will live longer. And they’ll have less money because they always get screwed literally and figuratively.

In 12 years, a larger number of Boomer single moms will be homeless. Women will be sicker with no one to care for them. The men the same age will chase younger women – if they’ve got the money. So do these women save now – or do they end up in a homeless shelter?

That’s because this so-called trillion dollar windfall coming from Boomers will fall very unevenly on their kids. The rich will get a lot richer. Everyone else won’t. The wealth will be concentrated in just a few geographic areas. Everyone else will be out of luck.

And, you didn’t even talk about the money sponge that destroys families – dementia. $100k a year for pretty awful care?

When I think of that, I’m with you. Enjoy it now. And if you run out of money and you are still “aware”, you can ski off the cliff or swim out into the ocean.

Because like it or not that’s what the Republicans have put in motion with the ongoing cuts to service and the massive tax cut gift to the already wealthy, Massive poverty for millions of Americans and entitled grandkids sitting back and soaking up trust funds.

That’s my nickel’s worth since we don’t have pennies any more.

John Parikhal

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It’s a very common dilemma 99.9% of American’s are faced with, even the uber wealthy (who, trust me, have PLENTY of their own legacy and estate planning issues, just look at how many wealthy legacy artists get stuck in mud and die intestate!)

I always repeat the same thing to every artist I work with – find the balance. A balance between enjoying your money and saving your money. Don’t save it all, don’t spend it all. It’s even more important for artists to find such a balance given fluctuations in income. Years when you sign a new pub deal, or sign a new three-picture deal with a studio, be sure to save plenty to cover those in-between years when earnings may slip… COVID shutdown, WGA/SAG strikes a perfect example.

We will all die one day, but we don’t know when. The psychology of money is something that is extremely complex. Americans see their peers flexing on socials, yet don’t realize most of them are living on CC debt… we all have seen our parents/grandparents navigate the costs of assisted living and skilled nursing in their twilight… you DO NOT want to be the person who relies on your children or Uncle Sam late in life.

We are in a constant fight against inflation… it is imperative that your savings are maintaining buying power over the years, otherwise you WILL fall behind. Case in point the cost of education and housing today versus just a decade ago.

I make a recommendation to work backwards! Set a savings goal each month. Whether it’s $1,000 or $100,000/month – everyone has a different capacity to save. Make sure you hit your goal each month, then whatever is left over, go enjoy it! Take that vacation, buy that depreciating boat… we work really hard, care for our loved ones, exert incredible mental and physical stress each day trying to get by in life… what is it for other than doing the things that make you happy… and if it costs money, that’s ok.

Find the balance. Everything will work out in the end… don’t feel scared about asking for help.

Julian Schubach,

SVP – Wealth Management

ODI Financial

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I agree wholeheartedly!  I’m in my mid seventies and have decided that I put money where it most benefits me. If it seems wasteful to others, I don’t care.
My wife and I were fortunate to have good jobs, with good retirement plans. We did the hard savings when we were younger. That meant sometimes we had to do or have less. So why should I do that now.
Bob, enjoy the time you have now. I will, and I don’t think anyone should judge me for it
Mitch Horowitz

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Go for it, YOLO.

I take comfort in the fact that, while we don’t know how much time we have left, every year that goes by is one less year that we have to fund. I figure that if I’m worth as much now as I was last year, then I’m basically living for free.

Best regards,

Darryl Mattison

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I’m with you Bob. It’s nice to get exactly what you want sometimes. Not almost what you want. Cause that’s the thing you’ll reach for for years, like your ski jacket.

I believe in spending money on the things that are important to me….I don’t worry about what others think so much anymore. Some people are going to have something to say either way.

Jason Morris

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I love Costco’s vitamin water. $.50 a bottle versus $1.25. Sure, the flavor isn’t exactly what you want but for that price delta I’ll take it. Plus you get an extra 4 ounces with the Costco version.

Best wishes,

Kyle Kraus

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Spot on Bob. I’m your age. Still, I can’t allow myself to throw caution completely out the window and live like there’s no tomorrow, but at the same time, I realize I will never have more health, relative wealth and time than I do now. So I’ve got to carpe diem. And speaking of Costco..My wife has always wanted to go to Tahiti and stay in an overwater bungalow. So on Christmas Eve I got up the gumption to take the plunge and bought a Costco Travel package. It cost a small fortune, but we will both remember the trip long after I’ve forgotten what it cost.

Happy trails.

Peter Angleton

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Milt Olin said the difference between a good vacation and a great one is $1,000.

Hank Barry

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I am 82. I work weekends as a PSIA certified ski instructor and have a Vail Epic pass NE only available over 80. To me, anyone in their 70’s is a child pretending they are old.

Robert Lovenheim

Engineer/producer/equipment designer extraordinaire George Massenburg and six of his behind the board buddies will be hosting a series of live shows of studio tales in New York at the Sheen Center from February 3rd to March 1st.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/george-massenburg/id1316200737?i=1000746194532

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/4ecc4f43-0884-4209-a3a6-f372a66c5ddf/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-george-massenburg

I’m too old to save money.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a spendthrift, but as far as saving a dollar here and there…I’m giving up on that, or shall I say I’m TRYING to give up on that. I lived hand to mouth for so long it’s very difficult for me to spend a dollar, for fear I won’t make any more, but I was skiing with my old buddy Mini in Sun Valley back in 2019 and…

He said he didn’t know how much longer he would be able to do this. He’s four and a half years older than I am. We were buddies back in Utah in the seventies. He’s a CPA, he ended up moving to the Valley not long thereafter and got involved in some real estate deals and with the mountain being mostly groomers, getting so little snow, he decided to become a ski instructor, just to pass the time, which he had to apologize for, back at Snowbird they were considered the enemy, sell-outs.

That day I was skiing on boards that I got at a discount. Twenty five cents on the dollar. Hard to pass up a deal. And I employed the same deal for the following pair but they weren’t so good, they wouldn’t hold on the ice, so I decided what I hadn’t done in years…

I decided to pay retail.

I’d done this once before, in 2010. I was in this ski shop across from the gondola in Aspen, which has an amazing inventory of clothing. I wasn’t planning on buying anything, but I tried on this Descente jacket and…

My heart sang. And I hadn’t had ski clothing in decades that I liked that much. But it was $700…so, no way.

But then I got to Vail and thought about it and had them ship it to me. And that jacket… I got compliments for YEARS! It was red, with this silver imaging on the shoulders, very subtle, and I’m in the Game Creek Club and someone in the lobby comments on it. And then in the lift line. I’ve still got it, the only problem is red fades in the elements, but I can’t get rid of it, I actually wore it over Christmas, when the conditions were so terrible, it improved my mood.

So the next time I needed new skis, at the end of 2022, I quizzed the store expert ad infinitum. I skied four brands. I ended up buying what I never would have, but… Everybody in the store said as good as the 99s were, the 108s were better. But you don’t need a 108 every day, so I was going to wait to demo those. And as I’m laying down my cash, I ask the guy what I should do, and he says I should just buy them, which I do, at full pop, and they were right, the 108s were even better than the 99s.

So…

I just went to Costco. I don’t want to be cheap, but I hate getting ripped-off. So I go to Costco to buy their Vita Rain Zero, which is an inexpensive imitation of Vitamin Water Zero, in some cases worse, in some cases better, depends on the flavor. I just can’t handle the price of the Vitamin Water Zero, not with how much I drink. But when I’m in Vail, and the Vita Rain Zero is unavailable, I pop for the Vitamin Water Zero.

I mean how long am I gonna live?

Bob Weir died at 78. Not one of my friends believes they’re not going to live that long, no, way beyond that long. But maybe they won’t. The Big C got Bob, it could get you. And then you’d ask yourself…do I have any regrets?

That’s another weird thing about being 70… You’re forced with the choice, assuming you’re awake, and not everybody is…are you going to keep playing the game, compromising, or be who you want to be, do what you want to do? The pressure to conform is amazing.

So I pull up to Costco and there’s no line for gasoline. Which happens never. And I was planning to get gas later tonight at the Chevron in Brentwood, it’s safe there, and I’ll pay extra for safety, but since there was no line…

And I saved seven dollars. My tank is not that big and it wasn’t completely run down and I was feeling good and then I asked myself…what is seven dollars?

And the problem with going to Costco is too much looks too good. But if you haven’t got a family of four+, the portions/sizes are almost always too big. Furthermore, although a deal, not all of the foodstuffs are top drawer. I mean they’re adequate, but they’re not…

Gelson’s.

Gelson’s is the expensive market in L.A. The general market. Erewhon is niche and health-based but I’m talking about a store where you can get everything, the name brands, even if they’ll pollute your system.

I never shopped there in the nineties. I couldn’t rationalize the price. And now it’s still hard, but… They have a raw bar, and I find that seafood incredibly satisfying. As for the soda I drink… I probably could pay less at Smart & Final, but not only would it be an additional, out of the way trip, there’s no guarantee they’d have what I’m looking for. So I pay for what I want at Gelson’s.

Now I have trouble using Instacart, because the prices are such a rip-off, but I will go to Gelson’s. And Whole Foods if there’s something there I want. I mean I’m going to be on my deathbed lamenting that I ate crappy food?

You can stretch it from there…

Do you pay for premium economy, never mind business class. If you’re flying across an ocean, it really makes a difference. It’s hard to rationalize the cost, it seems like lighting your money on fire, but if you sit squeezed in the back it’s going to take you days longer to adjust at your destination.

Now let me be clear. If you ain’t got the money, you have no choice but to watch your pennies and compromise. And I’m not rich, but…exactly how much longer am I gonna live?

Unlike so many of my peers, I’m afraid of running out of money, that’s why I waited until 70 to take Social Security. Sure, if I die soon, I will have lost the bet. But I don’t care. I just don’t want to be on the other end, broke. I’ve got no kids to take me in, take care of me… Two of my parents’ closest friends ran out of money, one even after a reverse mortgage, thank god their kids could keep them alive.

As for travel… Part of me still would like to take the winter to hit every ski area in America or Europe. I can’t rationalize the money, but even if I’m alive… I know people whose parents went on their last trip, even though they were only in their eighties, it was too hard after that.

And a friend promised me a couple pair of new skis. Great, but they need bindings. I could cheap out and buy the Markers, but the Looks are better. But a pair of the top of the line will cost me nearly $600. Most people would buy skis on sale, never mind the bindings, for that price. Right now Powder7 has a sale on 2026 demos near that number.

But the truth is the right tool makes all the difference, and it makes a difference to me.

I was skiing on a pair of skis in Aspen that would not hold on the hard snow. Even though they look pretty good. The same 99s referenced above. Most people would continue to ski on them, I’m going to trash them. Why push the limit and undercut my enjoyment?

I have friends my age who keep saving money…for what?

Now I can’t rationalize the price of concert tickets, but I’m lucky, I can go for free. And you may needle me for this, but every business has free perks/access. Like if you’re a ski instructor you get a huge discount on your equipment.

Obviously skiing is important to me. I’m not holding back, if I want it, I buy it. I was willing to buy a new jacket at full pop in December, but I didn’t see anything I liked, so I didn’t. But all those exclusive items, if you wait for them to go on sale, they’re gone.

Now my dad always insisted on picking up the dinner check. Everybody was invited. I wish I could do that.

Then again, my father knew where every dollar was.

Then again, we never moved from the house I grew up in. We put on an addition, and then the money saved was put into trips and meals. What they now call “experiences.” I mean you have to make a choice.

Or, you can clip coupons, thinking you’re beating the system…but how much time are you going to waste? And the older you get, the more important your time is to you.

So I didn’t mind saving money on gas at Costco, but if there were a wait I would have passed. Just like I won’t line up for a Black Friday sale. I no longer buy what is on sale, but what I want…which is almost always more expensive.

Kinda like the clothes at Costco… I never give them a look, but I saw an ad on TikTok or Instagram Reels that they had UGG slippers for less than twenty bucks.

I find shopping for clothing overwhelming.

Then again, Lululemon is suing Costco, saying their pants are a rip-off of their design/product. The “Wall Street Journal” compared the two…turns out the Costco product is extremely good at a fraction of the price. But I’m gonna save money on this? It’s like that comic Sheng Wang said…when you buy your clothes at Costco, you’ve given up.

I mean they had Wrangler jeans at twenty bucks. Very tempting, even though in the sixties Wrangler was for kids and girls. But do I need new jeans? I mean how often do I buy jeans? I might as well continue to buy them at the Polo outlet store…like I said, I don’t need to be ripped-off, but I don’t need to wear Costco clothes.

And maybe you do, which is fine. If it’s not important to you, cool. But I still remember all those comments on my red Descente ski jacket, I still get a thrill when I see it in the closet, when I occasionally wear it.

So, inflation has made the value of a dollar incomprehensible. Prices are so high that it makes it that much harder to lay your cash down. However, I don’t want to be like my mother, who had a cheap streak, even though she complained how cheap others were. My mother would just say the price was too high, she’d deny herself, not much, but you could sense her attitude.

But now she’s gone and I’m still here. For how long I’m not sure. So I’m trying to ease up on the reins. Chart my own path. Spend when it’s not easy for me and let it go. Hell, we stayed in a hotel room in Kyoto which was fantastic, but when I saw the bill… I’m embarrassed to tell you how much it was, and Felice ultimately said “I don’t know what I was thinking…” I still haven’t gotten over the amount. I mean the money you spend on lodging is gone, like the money you spend on concert tickets. But then I put it in perspective. Or I utilize the perspective. I’m going to save a dollar here or there? I mean relatively speaking it’s bupkes. Live it up a bit, get exactly what you want.

That’s what I’m trying to do.

It isn’t easy, but I’ve made progress.

Anybody can be famous. Many people can have success on the chart and sell tickets. But can they move the cultural needle? That is the question. That is where music has abdicated its power.

Hip-hop. The sound of the streets. As popular as it was, the true breakthrough moment was the L.A. riots in the wake of the Rodney King verdict. That’s when white people realized everything that N.W.A. and Ice-T were saying about the police was true.

But you don’t have to be political to have impact.

Two examples:

1. Steely Dan’s “Aja.”

It was the same two guys, but the sound was completely different. Nothing on “The Royal Scam” prepared the audience for the jazz-influenced “Aja,” with its extended tunes. On paper, a disastrous career move. In reality, although sounding completely different from everything in the rock marketplace, the audience embraced “Aja,” because it hungered for something new, an alternative to the corporate rock pablum that was being purveyed.

2. Joe Jackson’s “Night and Day”

The rap on Joe was he was an imitation of Elvis Costello, even though his initial album, “Look Sharp,” didn’t sound the same and had unique messages that resonated with the public. Is she really going out with him? We haven’t had that sensibility here since at least the eighties. Today everybody’s a winner, no one’s a nerd…unless they’re embracing nerd culture, which is a joke, it’s just another way of saying “Look, I’m cool!”

Anyway, repeating the same formula to less artistic and commercial success, Jackson put out “Jumpin’ Jive,” which the audience embraced, albeit not to the level of what had come before, but the audience believed acts were artists with something to say, and if they said it listeners should pay attention. Today the script is flipped. The track is oftentimes more important than the act, and how can you believe the singer has something to say when the song is written by committee?

Then Joe jumps even further from the beaten path. “Night and Day” was cool and jazz-influenced, when AOR radio was becoming calcified and MTV was starting to break through with one hit English wonders, which it filtered between bombastic acts from the previous decades who’d made videos to satiate the European market with its tight radio playlists. “Night and Day” sounded like nothing else on the radio, but it resonated with the public which demanded to hear it.

3. “Avalon”

Was a commercial failure in America upon its release in 1982. Roxy Music broke up once again thereafter. There were no singles. It was smooth when music was turning more edgy. It sounded like nothing else. If even confounded Roxy Music fans. But if you gave it a few spins, you entered a world unlike any other. The music set your mind free. When someone came to visit you put it on to spread the word. Instead of going for obvious commercial success, Roxy Music created an album that became a standard, that has lasted forever. It’s just waiting there, like a land mine, ready to be discovered by younger generations.

Today the paradigm is different. The end goals are primary. I.e. fame and money.

Another thing lacking is the basics. As in education. I’m talking book-learning, not learning how to play your instrument. Today college is seen as a glorified trade school, if you don’t get a gig upon graduation, the entire experience wasn’t worth it. But in the days of yore, college was about expanding your mind, so you could put two and two together in a different way.

As for high school… Music and art have been excised and they’re teaching to the text. They’re smoothing off the rough edges in public schools…in private schools, except for the long established elites, coloring outside the borders has never been tolerated.

As for learning your instrument at Berklee… There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but pop music is about the brain, not the fingers. It’s not about rote repetition, but thinking about how to come up with new ideas, or putting the old ones together in a new and different way. Which is why schools like Berklee very rarely produce stars. Because they don’t have what the public is looking for. The public is looking for something different, something inspirational.

So if you’re starting out today…

1. Consume culture voraciously. Read the news, watch TV and TikTok…you can’t reflect life back upon the masses with insight unless you’ve got experience. Which is why youngsters under the age of fifteen make worthless music, they have nothing to say.

2. Read. Songs have lyrics. To make them interesting, you must have a basis in the written word.

3. Attend the best college you can get into. Not for status, because at the elite level it’s not about the material but analyzing the material. You won’t be helped by business and economic classes, probably not the sciences either. Everything the talking heads deride today is the basis of art that impacts and changes the culture. Talking Heads went to the Rhode Island School of Design… Doesn’t this make you a chump, you can’t make a living as a visual artist, right? Same deal with studying art history and English and… These are the students who change the world.

4. Art trumps money. Your job is not to sidle up to money, but to speak truth to it. And that’s when people bond to you, when they can resonate with your position. As soon as you start parading your riches you’ve lost the plot. This was different in the days of yore because musicians were not supposed to have this much wealth and power, and then they achieved it, it was a middle finger to the man.

5. You have to be able to say no. If you say yes to everything, you have no backbone.

6. Credibility. It takes a lifetime to build it, one false move to eviscerate it. If it doesn’t feel right, you shouldn’t do it.

There’s plenty of time to make it, you don’t have to be young anymore…look at Chris Stapleton, and he’s not the only one.

Just because the press gloms on to money, talking about grosses and ticket sale numbers, don’t fall for this trap. They do this because those are quantifiable, cultural impact is not.

You have to go down the road less taken. You have to be willing to fail. Odds are you’re going to fail. But these are the people who change the world.

If you’re complaining you haven’t made it, you probably don’t deserve to. Furthermore, it’s impossible to find a superstar who didn’t have doubts, who didn’t think of quitting. Deep inside you know if you’re truly worthy, this century is about the false front, don’t fall for it. It is called “popular music,” which means if it’s not popular… Yes, the music needs to be popular. So if some academic approves of it and no one else resonates, you’re doing it wrong. 

There is no roadmap. Your goal is not success so much as to change people’s lives, make them think.

It’s too big a challenge for most people making music today.