Writing Life: Another 9 July

About Me

Name: mac

Location: Tennessee, United States

I was born on Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina, then lived a while in Fayetteville, North Carolina, before moving, at the age of 5, to Walnut, NC. I graduated from Madison High School in 1977. After a brief time in college, I spent the most of the 1980s in Nashville, Tennessee, working as a songwriter and playing in a band. I spent most of the 1990s in school and now teach at a university in Tennessee. My household includes wife and son and cat. In South Carolina I have a son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters.

Friday, July 09, 2010

Another 9 July

I discovered the following in one of my journals. I was writing on 22 August 1991 and doing some catch-up on stuff that happened since my previous entry. One paragraph focuses on Tuesday, 9 July 1991, and it describes a pivotal moment in my life:

On July 9, in a rehearsal hall in Nashville, we performed a great set for representatives of MCA Records and SBK Records, both of which turned us down for reasons that had NOTHING to do with music and EVERYTHING to do with our [society's] warped sense of entertainment values. MCA said we didn't look right (image problems), part of which was I appeared too fat. SBK said our performance wasn't exciting enough to watch. Both companies said great band and great songs. I'm still chewing on my frustration with the state of things in our popular culture. Make mine mindless. Make mine mindless. Make mine mindless. Make mine mindless. Make mine mindless. Make mine mindless . . . mine mindless . . . mindless . . . less . . .

2 Comments:

Ruth W. said...: Michael, I have been thinking long and hard in how to reply to this, and I can imagine your frustration on how body image seems to over ride talent. I have also been turned down in a few jobs because of not meeting the proper physical image and yes, it is NOT right.

I see it this way, yes, you could and probably should be a popular singer by now, however I feel you are in the position you should be, influencing and training the minds of young people,they need guidance from people like you.

Besides,this way I have been able to listen to your songs and love every one of them, so I thank God in setting you in this direction.; 7/14/2010
mac said...: Thanks, Ruth. This response means a lot to me.; 7/19/2010