The enlightenment of Karmahitlist - By N.L. Belardes
I was wondering why Cesareo, drummer for Karmahitlist was taking the time to describe to me his recent epiphany in music industry ideology when an epiphanal phenomenon occurred to me as well: he was just plain excited to talk about the music industry in relation to the Bakersfield scene.
It was only recently that Cesareo even realized a good part of how the music industry operates. Through the hard work of an eye-opening six-week tour drumming for Society One, Cesareo’s road journeys brought him to self-reflect on his own position along with his band Karmahitlist’s position as they pursue the ever-elusive and highly coveted golden music contract.
Cesareo’s revelations brought him to realize how the sometimes naiveté of the Bakersfield music scene idealizes greatness. In dreams that have locked some bands into a bubble of idealistic thinking, Cesareo feels some bands have misplaced such dreaming which he indicates prevents some bands from experiencing the road to success. One has to admit, there are a lot of bands in Bakersfield, and though I don’t believe they are fighting each other, they are fighting to realize their own dreams, and according to Cesareo, that takes business acumen and self-inventiveness to truly realize how to be successful in the music industry.
“There are three rules to live by,” Cesareo said.
We had been talking for a while. Before he even showed up I arrived with pal Matildakay and sat while the jukebox played old Cure tunes. I had talked to him on the phone. We decided the Mint would be a good place to meet and I showed up before he did. Inside, I gazed at the bar. There were a lot of people on the barstools while I sat at a table sipping on a drink. Behind the bar multi-colored lights reflected from dozens of bottles. I stared at the pink glow surrounding a clock stuck to a mirror when in walked Cesareo with Preston and Rocky Nash. The rest is history after we moved outside to a smoky patio.
“Rule number one is, don’t give up.” Cesareo smiled from behind dark glasses. He wore a Morrissey shirt covered in part by a dark button up. Rocky and Preston sat contemplatively while Cesareo articulated, “It also means you have to adapt. Sometimes people quit bands. Do you give up? No. You adapt or you die. Don’t give up, adapt. Your band will naturally grow and progress.”
That was his rule numero uno, which brings me to much of our discussion where he talked about the recent re-inventing of Karmahitlist through re-working many of their old songs. “Riot on the Streets, Uncle Sam, and Drowning in Poetry, are all songs that have been completely re-worked. Being on the road was the most eye-opening time in the music scene for me. It allowed for re-evaluating the whole band and our music. We wanted to get more of an emotional kick from our songs. You see, there’s something in a song, even one you may not like anymore, but for some reason you as a musician or as a band keep going back to. You want to believe in what you’re doing. But you might have one song that’s not connecting with people. Drowning in Poetry just wasn’t an honest song for us anymore. We had to do something about it.”
Cesareo took a long drink from his beer. As he articulated, I kept with his drumbeat thoughts and the rhythm of the mystery revealed to him in music and music creation. Keep in mind, Cesareo is one of those rare drummers, having grown up playing in country bands, rhythm and blues and more. He’s skilled in many styles and speaks with academic confidence…
“There was something about the core of Drowning in Poetry as a song that was still there. We re-worked it to not really have a new sound as much as a remix with subtle chord changes and minor differences in vocals. You know Seantastic. Sean is Sean. He’s that big ol’ tall rock star guy doing his thing while the rest of us found our niche.”
And what more could Matildakay want than to see Seantastic this weekend at Reggae Fest, then write another make-up blog on the rock star himself. She let out an obvious sigh while Cesareo continued, “Our break gave us a chance to look at that song in more of a realistic way. But like I said, these were subtle chord changes. You change one note and you have a butterfly effect. The song starts morphing. It comes from underneath the very fabric of the music. It isn’t forceful at all, it just comes up…”
The second rule to live by that Cesareo presented was as filled with common sense as not stealing a slice of your grandma’s fresh baked apple pie. “Don’t read your own headlines,” he sat back, thought for a moment, but just a moment, because Cesareo is a fast-talking articulate drummer with a far-reaching opinion on music and the newly enlightened Karmahitlist in a musical transfigured industry.
I surmised that what he was saying was that some people self-invent themselves based upon the positive and negative views of themselves permeating through the media, the radio, myspace and so on... I agree that people just can’t get caught up on others perceptions of themselves. It defaces the very nature of one’s artwork. Such thought destroys the syngery with artform and creative expression. It creates a contrived template not from within an inner core and artistic layer, but from the vantage of eyes that will never see into the core of those who create.
My own drink was long gone by this point. Preston Nash and Rocky Nash both joined in a very symbiotic conversation on the arts, radio, music and book publishing. “I’m interested in politics, “ Rocky said, describing her radio focus. Don’t get me wrong, we had a hearty talk about her band and how she started her music career by making a wedding song...
I quickly learned about Preston and his own articulate nature. He spoke close to a whisper. Around his head was tied a white bandana; a cigarette hung poised in his hand as he spoke with a smooth rhythm and confidence. An educated man, he’s got some hefty degrees in music theory and composition. He’s also a radio hot talk sensation with ‘The Puck Show’ on KGEO 1230 AM weekdays from 4-6 pm.
The business acumen of the music industry is not as different from corporate America as you think. Cesareo was quick to point out the many layers and tiers of bands in the music scene, and how big bands vie for big shows, all while using the small bands and small fan bases for revenue outlets and fan bases of their own. “Don’t corporations use the middle tier workers to make the money for the CEO and others? Doesn’t the majority of society work for the betterment of those at the top of the profit pile?”
I asked him how do bands change what they’re doing. “Aren’t all bands fixated on that carrot dangling in front of their nose called ‘possible music industry success’?”
“There’s this crystalline idealism,” he said. “All have the dream. But the local scene doesn’t necessarily know any better. There are many ways to get to the carrot. Sometimes you have to know how to sidestep to get to the people holding it. At one time I thought being successful was just about being more committed to Karmahitlist. But that wasn’t it. Let me just say that most see the carrot; but they don’t know who holds it. Bands just won’t make it without resources and the ability to get connected to the right people…”
One of the people Cesareo has connected with is Preston Nash of Society One. Society One is a signed band with some popularity now off and touring Europe. It was Preston’s absence and need to stay at home and work in California that allowed for Cesareo to step in as a drummer for six weeks on the road. “It takes so much luck,” Preston said. “You have to have the perfect balance of talent. Then some luck to get where you’re only one phone call away from the difference between working in a small band with minor success to making big money with multiple music deals… And the money isn’t in selling 100,000 CDs here or there. The real money is in making one hit. Success from that will last you a lifetime. You know, we’re not out there curing cancer. We’re playing music. Music is pure when there are some mistakes, a few warts in it. I like Karmahitlist. Not that they have warts. I’m glad to have borrowed Cesareo… we have the ‘go-to guy’ drummer bond.”
Rule number three? “Always play for the song, not for the self,” Cesareo said. If a musician’s ego gets in the way at any time a song will suffer. There’s a synergy in creating, making and performing a song that could all get lost if musical talents are shown off when creating a song. I’m not a musician, but how can I not agree with such wisdom?
In the end, Cesareo is just a humble musician wanting to use his talents out in the complex rock and roll scene. “I don’t know more music than anyone else,” he said near the end of the interview. “It could be any of them in my position.”
Could it? Preston Nash clearly disagreed, saying earlier that Cesareo was one of the only drummers he could trust in his place in Society One. But I’m sure there’s a lot of drumming talent in Bakersfield. These guys just have the bond…
It was only recently that Cesareo even realized a good part of how the music industry operates. Through the hard work of an eye-opening six-week tour drumming for Society One, Cesareo’s road journeys brought him to self-reflect on his own position along with his band Karmahitlist’s position as they pursue the ever-elusive and highly coveted golden music contract.
Cesareo’s revelations brought him to realize how the sometimes naiveté of the Bakersfield music scene idealizes greatness. In dreams that have locked some bands into a bubble of idealistic thinking, Cesareo feels some bands have misplaced such dreaming which he indicates prevents some bands from experiencing the road to success. One has to admit, there are a lot of bands in Bakersfield, and though I don’t believe they are fighting each other, they are fighting to realize their own dreams, and according to Cesareo, that takes business acumen and self-inventiveness to truly realize how to be successful in the music industry.
“There are three rules to live by,” Cesareo said.
We had been talking for a while. Before he even showed up I arrived with pal Matildakay and sat while the jukebox played old Cure tunes. I had talked to him on the phone. We decided the Mint would be a good place to meet and I showed up before he did. Inside, I gazed at the bar. There were a lot of people on the barstools while I sat at a table sipping on a drink. Behind the bar multi-colored lights reflected from dozens of bottles. I stared at the pink glow surrounding a clock stuck to a mirror when in walked Cesareo with Preston and Rocky Nash. The rest is history after we moved outside to a smoky patio.
“Rule number one is, don’t give up.” Cesareo smiled from behind dark glasses. He wore a Morrissey shirt covered in part by a dark button up. Rocky and Preston sat contemplatively while Cesareo articulated, “It also means you have to adapt. Sometimes people quit bands. Do you give up? No. You adapt or you die. Don’t give up, adapt. Your band will naturally grow and progress.”
That was his rule numero uno, which brings me to much of our discussion where he talked about the recent re-inventing of Karmahitlist through re-working many of their old songs. “Riot on the Streets, Uncle Sam, and Drowning in Poetry, are all songs that have been completely re-worked. Being on the road was the most eye-opening time in the music scene for me. It allowed for re-evaluating the whole band and our music. We wanted to get more of an emotional kick from our songs. You see, there’s something in a song, even one you may not like anymore, but for some reason you as a musician or as a band keep going back to. You want to believe in what you’re doing. But you might have one song that’s not connecting with people. Drowning in Poetry just wasn’t an honest song for us anymore. We had to do something about it.”
Cesareo took a long drink from his beer. As he articulated, I kept with his drumbeat thoughts and the rhythm of the mystery revealed to him in music and music creation. Keep in mind, Cesareo is one of those rare drummers, having grown up playing in country bands, rhythm and blues and more. He’s skilled in many styles and speaks with academic confidence…
“There was something about the core of Drowning in Poetry as a song that was still there. We re-worked it to not really have a new sound as much as a remix with subtle chord changes and minor differences in vocals. You know Seantastic. Sean is Sean. He’s that big ol’ tall rock star guy doing his thing while the rest of us found our niche.”
And what more could Matildakay want than to see Seantastic this weekend at Reggae Fest, then write another make-up blog on the rock star himself. She let out an obvious sigh while Cesareo continued, “Our break gave us a chance to look at that song in more of a realistic way. But like I said, these were subtle chord changes. You change one note and you have a butterfly effect. The song starts morphing. It comes from underneath the very fabric of the music. It isn’t forceful at all, it just comes up…”
The second rule to live by that Cesareo presented was as filled with common sense as not stealing a slice of your grandma’s fresh baked apple pie. “Don’t read your own headlines,” he sat back, thought for a moment, but just a moment, because Cesareo is a fast-talking articulate drummer with a far-reaching opinion on music and the newly enlightened Karmahitlist in a musical transfigured industry.
I surmised that what he was saying was that some people self-invent themselves based upon the positive and negative views of themselves permeating through the media, the radio, myspace and so on... I agree that people just can’t get caught up on others perceptions of themselves. It defaces the very nature of one’s artwork. Such thought destroys the syngery with artform and creative expression. It creates a contrived template not from within an inner core and artistic layer, but from the vantage of eyes that will never see into the core of those who create.
My own drink was long gone by this point. Preston Nash and Rocky Nash both joined in a very symbiotic conversation on the arts, radio, music and book publishing. “I’m interested in politics, “ Rocky said, describing her radio focus. Don’t get me wrong, we had a hearty talk about her band and how she started her music career by making a wedding song...
I quickly learned about Preston and his own articulate nature. He spoke close to a whisper. Around his head was tied a white bandana; a cigarette hung poised in his hand as he spoke with a smooth rhythm and confidence. An educated man, he’s got some hefty degrees in music theory and composition. He’s also a radio hot talk sensation with ‘The Puck Show’ on KGEO 1230 AM weekdays from 4-6 pm.
The business acumen of the music industry is not as different from corporate America as you think. Cesareo was quick to point out the many layers and tiers of bands in the music scene, and how big bands vie for big shows, all while using the small bands and small fan bases for revenue outlets and fan bases of their own. “Don’t corporations use the middle tier workers to make the money for the CEO and others? Doesn’t the majority of society work for the betterment of those at the top of the profit pile?”
I asked him how do bands change what they’re doing. “Aren’t all bands fixated on that carrot dangling in front of their nose called ‘possible music industry success’?”
“There’s this crystalline idealism,” he said. “All have the dream. But the local scene doesn’t necessarily know any better. There are many ways to get to the carrot. Sometimes you have to know how to sidestep to get to the people holding it. At one time I thought being successful was just about being more committed to Karmahitlist. But that wasn’t it. Let me just say that most see the carrot; but they don’t know who holds it. Bands just won’t make it without resources and the ability to get connected to the right people…”
One of the people Cesareo has connected with is Preston Nash of Society One. Society One is a signed band with some popularity now off and touring Europe. It was Preston’s absence and need to stay at home and work in California that allowed for Cesareo to step in as a drummer for six weeks on the road. “It takes so much luck,” Preston said. “You have to have the perfect balance of talent. Then some luck to get where you’re only one phone call away from the difference between working in a small band with minor success to making big money with multiple music deals… And the money isn’t in selling 100,000 CDs here or there. The real money is in making one hit. Success from that will last you a lifetime. You know, we’re not out there curing cancer. We’re playing music. Music is pure when there are some mistakes, a few warts in it. I like Karmahitlist. Not that they have warts. I’m glad to have borrowed Cesareo… we have the ‘go-to guy’ drummer bond.”
Rule number three? “Always play for the song, not for the self,” Cesareo said. If a musician’s ego gets in the way at any time a song will suffer. There’s a synergy in creating, making and performing a song that could all get lost if musical talents are shown off when creating a song. I’m not a musician, but how can I not agree with such wisdom?
In the end, Cesareo is just a humble musician wanting to use his talents out in the complex rock and roll scene. “I don’t know more music than anyone else,” he said near the end of the interview. “It could be any of them in my position.”
Could it? Preston Nash clearly disagreed, saying earlier that Cesareo was one of the only drummers he could trust in his place in Society One. But I’m sure there’s a lot of drumming talent in Bakersfield. These guys just have the bond…
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Thursday, June 02, 2005.
You can leave your response.
leave a response