free mp3 of the month
'the road'
get the new collection:
what I want to do when I grow up
I took my kid to seaworld yesterday. between the brutal san antonio sun and the one-too-many beers (“one is perfect, two is too many, three is not enough…”), we sat and watched young trainers in ridiculous wetsuits work with the dolphins and beluga whales and orcas.
yujun was thrilled but I was busy not tearing up. something about those sea animals just rips my heart out. I realized that, since I was young, my dream job has been to be a marine biologist, to swim with dolphins, to work with them and learn about them and share their lives.
this was a little funny and ironic. here I am, someone who is doing what they most want to do, following their talent, yada yada yada. when really what I want to do is run away to the circus (and god knows seaworld is a circus) — or at least a respectable life in a small research lab in the caribbean or something, working with dolphins.
it’s not that I don’t dream (along with everyone else) of what it must be to have a voice like aretha or adele, or stand up in front of fifty thousand people singing my lyrics back to me. I still have music fantasies. but the idea of warm water and dolphins is very seductive.
just goes to show you the grass is always greener. how does one learn to accept — to want — what one has? to burrow deeper into who one is instead of always wanting to escape into what one isn’t?
10 Responses to “what I want to do when I grow up”
Leave a Reply
sounds familiar. <3
Hey, having 1,000 fans singing your lyrics at ya is awesome too!! You should try it sometime!
Ahhh what could have been…. If only I had……
We are great at beating our selfs to death with what ifs…
If you had chosen a different path you wouldn’t have been sitting in the stands at seaworld next to the greatest blessing in your life.
So sit back and have another beer, and listen to your son laugh, answer his questions, and tell him about your victorys and your failures…..
It’s all good…….
Paul,
If you don’t think that you’ve got it, you are wrong. I discovered you guys when “Lonely Boy” was “kind of” put out on the market. When I first heard your album “See The Sun” I was blown away. Still to this day is that album in my top 5 favorite albums. Even “Passion Leaves A Trace” and “Two Strangers” are both amazing albums. I get pissed (excuse me) sometimes because you write HITS. I can’t tell you how many of your songs are beautiful and have the potential to blow up. You aren’t putting out processed and sold stuff either, this is true to the heart talent and music. I wish Black Lab would blow up to be the male version of Adele because you are that talented.
I remember when you said “Mine Again” would get radio push and it never did. I was bummed. That song is a #1 hit. I know life is tough sometimes and touring isn’t ideal but man, you could go places. Set guarantees so it doesn’t put you in the hole.
Seriously consider a radio campaign. Shop your albums. Have labels re-release them or create new material. All of your music is timeless. I wouldn’t mind major label re-releases if that meant the world got to hear your music.
You are one in a million. I’m just somebody in San Jose who listens to your music daily. I blast it in traffic, I listen to it on my phone, I tell people about it, etc. You have made a difference in peoples lives. Believe it. You will never know me but you need to know thousands of us Black Lab fans exist. Someone somewhere is listening to you and probably thinking the same things I am.
I will ALWAYS listen to you whether you go major or stay independent. I was lucky enough to discover you but I can’t tell you how many people haven’t because your music isn’t on the radio. It’s a shame because millions are waiting.
Thank you for your music. I honestly hope you make music until you cannot sing or play. People like me love your band, voice, lyrics and what you have to say.
Sincerely,
A Huge Black Lab Fan
Ahh, I get it, I wanted to soup dive for oyster crackers.
Wow! Just found you by watching a Netflix of Flashpoint, and I am blown away. Thanks for good, errr great, music. Not the same ol same ol that the radio pushes. As for this blog…I don’t think you are alone in those feelings. Just keep doing what you are doing with this music. Nicely done.
hey all. thanks for your responses. hope this didn’t come off as complaining — I’m not. just dreaming. keep blasting, evan…
For what it’s worth, I’m glad you decided to be a musician because ‘Learn to crawl’ really changed my life!
You were in San Antonio?! Damn!
I have been listening to you since “Your Body Above Me.” Bands go in and out of my “favorites” list but you have never left. I have all your music – Black Lab and all the others. It’s nice to take your voice with me through my life. I’ve recommended you over and over, always with success. Thanks for doing what you do. I wish I could say that a million times. It means so much to so many people. We all look down other roads sometimes and think, “What if I had gone that way instead?” With a talent like yours, there’s no way you’re on the wrong road.