What is correct action in a deteriorating world?
I wrote a song at age five about algae on the pond by our house, then the next 'real' song was in fifth grade about an unrequited crush.
A great song awakens something in your body mind spirit or history that you had forgotten about. It ignites some emotional kindling that you didn't even know you had stored. It awakens you to a possibility for the future - be it hope or excitement - that you never knew was possible.
A great song is the reason you want to jump out of your bed in the morning.
I want them to have a desirable experience in whatever way that may manifest itself in each person.
My main influences are pop and folk music - Bob Lind, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, the Motown collection, The Zombies, Elliott Smith, and a ton of 70's AM radio hits. I love powerpop too.
From a literary standpoint, I've been loving Raymond Carver's short stories, William Carlos Williams' poems, Richard Siken's 'Crush', John Fante, and Jim Harrison's book of ghazals. I love film and photography too, so many of my songs are very image rich from those influences.
If we want to eliminate bad qualities like hatred, envy, pride and ostentation, we have to employ Sathya, Dharma, Santhi and Prema and Ahimsa as the cleaning instruments.
California must be all American or all Chinese. We are resolved that it shall be American, and are prepared to make it so. May we not rely upon your sympathy and assistance?
O King, believe not this hard-hearted man!
Now to what. . . ? How we teach people to make choices and the things they're going to make choices over - that is culturally learned.