the world we live in
if fashion societies and defines
generations but where is the support for
the artists who create this legacy these
influences of society it seems there
isn’t any it all comes down to the
concept of value can you think for a
moment how much do you value music this
amazing creation that defines key
moments in our lives to the music
industry the value of an artist lies and
their profitability to the creative
artist the value of their music is often
personal emotional or spiritual in the
words of an artist I met this year it’s
a plastic industry it’s all based around
a simple but infallible premise where
there is music there is money let’s go
back in time as a child I had a stutter
so much so that when it came to
answering the school register in the
morning I struggled to say yes to the
point my teacher said look Brendon just
put your hand up okay as a teenager I
learned that when I sang the stutter am
the fear disappeared so I learnt a few
chords on the guitar and started to
write songs to express myself for me
expressing myself through music was and
still is deep-seated in Who I am it was
never just a manufactured or threw away
thing it’s my soul on display so I put
all my time and energy into songwriting
one night during a gig I noticed an
acquaintance of mine he’d set up a
tripod I miss filming the set my band
and I were performing I never got to see
the recording of that gig and I didn’t
think anything of it at the time
until one bonfire night during a
firework display a song burst now
through the large speakers and I felt
that’s my sound a part of my soul but it
wasn’t me singing it was the well-known
singer my acquaintance played with I
felt like someone punched me in the face
I have no idea what to do or what to say
I was completely naive and this ate away
eventually music burned me out I fell
into bitterness and negativity about
something that was originally therapy
for me in the end I gave up music but
over time I learned more and started to
research and I felt that my songs have
been taken and used as reference points
to make more than one well-known hit
song so I took it to a top musicologist
that’s someone who analyzes music and
his analysis supported my suspicions and
what this did it gave me the confidence
to turn poison into medicine
now I’m not special there are many
musicians who have similar stories to
tell in hindsight I just feel stupid
because I never really understood the
value of music creating art music
anything that is real and true it’s
putting a part of your soul on display
and I believe that this is where the
value lies it’s worth more than money
but that doesn’t mean to say it isn’t
so how did I get back to being positive
about music I followed my instinct I
went to Zambia it was here I reconnected
with a simple joy of playing music I ran
music workshops I donated my guitar to
the school and I launched a project to
build a music center back home over the
next two years I raised the money by
hosting live music events and I met many
grassroots artists amazing people who
wanted more control opportunity to be
valued for their work a common theme
musicians here is we can’t pay you but
your guests exposure with the explosion
of the internet there came a huge
opportunity for artists to develop their
careers independently of the traditional
music industry unfortunately artists
have been cursed instead into giving out
their music for free in this way music
as a whole can become devalued and we
risk creating a generation of jaded
disillusioned artists yes the noble
artist creates and conceives wonderful
things without a thought for fame or
fortune but then what do we do with it
we take it and we say thanks you didn’t
do this for the money anyway right again
creating art music that’s the value and
this is where the value lies it’s worth
more than money and that doesn’t mean to
music makes you remember and go back to
it makes you buy a pre it makes you pay
premium for a ticket or a seater you
know a front-row seat at a show like
this a great song is gold dust the riffs
the melodies the words and the burst of
inspiration have the unique power to
capture our seminal moments of joy and
tragedy family and friendship adventure
comfort loss and healing that unique
mathematical sequence at the same 12
musical notes once I gave up music
because I became afraid afraid of
putting myself out there afraid of being
ripped off but a few years ago I started
a new journey and I thought here’s an
idea
let’s create a world where artists do
not have to sacrifice artistic integrity
for commercial success the fundamental
principles to never lose the will to
express your real voice never succumb to
fear or failure an understanding that
music is not just a commodity to be
shaped bought and sold but essential
therapy for the soul or spirit to share
an ethical vision for the creation and
consumption of fair trade music it is by
changing the core principles of the
music industry rather than enforcing
rules that we can turn things around
removing the poison becoming nothing and
rebuilding from a place which is about
pure music and supporting those who
created do you value music with that in
mind I’d like to leave you with one of
my own songs
so take these words to your heart they
can spark the things we start this is my
prop it’s called a de Kaap oh it makes
me sound good without it I this song too
– hello this song is called eyes of
all the time it takes is it left too
marching upon the middle on the edge of
elbows we can take the reins in the
the power that lies in me Raisa can I
whereas above with me in the light of
the eyes of change
[Music]
pocket so much has gone but we know how
to stop it
[Music]
out of my pocket I’ve wandered the earth
with my feet for me
[Music]
as a change
[Music]
change something still remain
flexible and fearless limitless and
lyrical
I’ve left my pocket so much
[Music]
light up the eyes
a change
in the light
as a change
when something goes I still remain [Music]