By all definitions, Jack White collaborates a lot. At least more than the average musician. That’s why when I said collaborations, his name popped up into my mind. Most of his projects are collaborations, and whether they are your cup of tea or not, you have to admit that there are sparks and indisputable quality throughout all of them.

After all, I’m talking about a joint intellectual effort that takes people out of their cocoon and allows inspiration to shoot up. Sharing the stage or the studio can be a recipe for greatness, can resurrect a career, advance it, or even start one, but it can also be a recipe for disaster. Not everything is game-changing. Probably because chemistry is key. But before talking about chemistry, you need to show your face to the world, schmooze around, make yourself available.

Worry not, I’m not here to state the obvious, just to point fingers. You make and play music, but waiting by the phone with all your works nicely wrapped is not enough. You need to do more. Be ready to create, but also to shake hands, to download, to upload, to smile nicely and impress deeply.And I’m not talking now to the overactive “beast”, spreading its musical kingdom through real and virtual territories. I’m talking to the other just as talented… extreme, innocent and lost, not knowing how to start and where to go.

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It’s been Miley Cyrus overload for the last two days. Business savvy execs claim press is better than no press. That means if one generates enough chatter it will correlate to more units sold. This old age philosophy is short-sighted as negative press will eventually trickle down and will effect the brand. You see this case scenario with big companies and artists are not an exception to the rule. Some have compared Miley’s MTV VMA performance to that of Madonna or Britney Spears back in the hey day. Sure, Madonna and Britney Spears “pushed the envelope” with music and performance. But is Miley Cyrus pushing the limits like her predecessors creating influence and innovation? To most, it seemed like a cheap after high school party. To others it was derivative stunt that revealed an artistically bankrupt music culture.

“Disgusting!” “Raunchy!” “Desperate!” So went the scathing reviews that poured in after once wholesome Disney star Miley Cyrus’ recent bizarre performance at the MTV Video Music Awards said Camille Paglia.

“the real scandal was how atrocious Cyrus’ performance was in artistic terms. She was clumsy, flat-footed and cringingly unsexy, an effect heightened by her manic grin she continued to say.

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Katy & Gaga. The most anticipated music releases of the year. Both camps are following the chart race closely as a #1 album creates good press.

Katy’s track is cracking along toward 450,000 downloads by the end of the week, while Gaga’s is estimated to sell between 200,000 to 250,000, according to Billboard.

8 Things Young Musicians Should Learn* from David Bowie
* besides how to make awesome music, of course

At the beginning of July, 40 years ago, after a sold-out concert, David Bowie was killing off Ziggy Stardust, the alter-ego that defined his career, a blueprint for dozens of artists, the character that changed the face of music forever. Some called his gesture madness, others called it integrity, we don’t know exactly what Bowie called it, but in an interview he once said “I think he was a very successful character and I think I played him well, but I’m glad I’m me again”.

And Bowie’s life is full of examples like the above-mentioned one, outlining the career of a musician fearlessly chasing his own artistic endeavors. He’s seen good, and he’s seen bad and he has been constantly faced with challenges that can become any young musician’s challenges irrespective of time and place. His career is a sturdy template. You can find out how he dodged delicate issues, how he got stuck and how he managed to keep his artistic integrity.

The following rant is a fan’s investigation into the hours of reading biographies, watching interviews and listening to Ziggy’s father, brother and executioner.

1. Kill them creations when time comes

So, Bowie ‘killed’ Ziggy after one year. You’re probably still a long way till that time will come, but the truth is that what’s good for your manager, colleagues and fans is not necessarily good for you. As creator of your own work, you know better than anyone else when the time to pull the plug and start anew has come. Call it instinct. It’s a fluid, but handy tool. And by all means, wear a dress if you have to.

2. Perseverance

His debut album launched in 1967. In 1969 he hit it pretty big with “Space Oddity”, but it was only two more amazing albums later, in 1972, that he got as big as you could get at the time, with “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. So, never take your toys and leave when something doesn’t work the way you want and when you want it. Bowie tried various styles until he finally got to the place he wanted.Complete dedication to the project can work miracles too. CONTINUE READING

The only three bands that achieved platinum status last year were Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, and a lesser known hard rock act from Wisconsin called Skillet. In fact, Skillet is a Christian band.

“Skillet’s success seems to signal a growing acceptance of Christian rock at a time when rock is generally declining in cultural importance. While it is not unusual for Christian acts to score an occasional hit on mainstream radio, Skillet has become a regular presence there, emerging as a leader among Christian bands that have crossover appeal, among them Thousand Foot Krutch, P.O.D., Flyleaf and Switchfoot.” Read more