Laura Harley

One of the gifts I got for my b-day is a book called “So You Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star?” by Jacob Slichter (the drummer for the Minneapolis-based band, Semisonic. Incidentally, I used to sneak into clubs when I was still too young to get in with my best friend in high school, Jess, to see them play).

The book details all of the behind-the-scenes workings of the music industry and the taxing life of musicians. Truth be told, these days I don’t really have time to read books for “fun”, but I am so into this one that I find myself staying up WAY too late reading it and being tired the next day, but still wanting to read more. I can identify with most everything in this book SO much. I feel like it should be required reading for all people wanting to get into the music industry and for their friends/ family. I think most people would be shocked to discover just how difficult and challenging this industry is. When people ask me how things are going with music or say things like “so when will I be seeing you on MTV?” or “how come I don’t hear your songs on the radio where I live, you are so good!”, I feel at a loss for words. The answer to these questions is complicated and requires knowledge of a deeply flawed and often corrupt industry. I would like to just hand them a copy of this book!

Reading this book would probably be extremely depressing for most aspiring musicians, and if I’d read it several years ago, I might have felt the same. But from my current perspective, after having gone through so many changes, challenges, disappointments, successes, and re-definitions of myself and my music and my concept of what success means to me, I find the book confirming and refreshing. I feel happy about the choices I’ve made and the way things have gone for me. It also makes me think about the way I’m continually shaping my career and what is possible as an independent artist trying to do things on my terms. The industry is changing so rapidly (as is the world in general!) that many of the things I’m trying are completely new—to me and to most people. So, I feel hope and gratitude that my path hasn’t become too entangled with the fear-based, material-focused, disappointment-producing part of the music industry. And I’m excited to keep doing what I love, on my own terms, and with a focus on doing it out of love, hope, and a desire to connect with myself and others.

One of the things I got for my birthday is something I’ve needed for a long time: an electronic piano that I can use for my live shows. It is infinitely better than what I was using before (a midi keyboard with no feel and basically no sustain). When I put my hands on this keyboard, it sounds so much more like a real piano and I can make the songs a lot more dynamic by pressing harder or softer on the keys. Here is a photo of the keyboard where I have spending lots of time:

I am LOVING it! It makes practicing SO much more enjoyable and brings the songs to life so much more.

In fact, it sounds so good that I am very tempted to write lots of new songs on it! I will do that in time, but for now I need to stay disciplined and prepare these songs for recording and performances. That’s right—-a new album is on the way sooner than I even thought! SO excited!

I will soon be playing both solo shows and shows with a full band where you can hear these new songs. At my solo shows, I’ll be playing piano and it will be more stripped down. At shows with my band, the songs will take on a different life and have more of a rockin’ edge. I’m still trying to decide if I will play the piano parts or the electric guitar parts live when I play with the full band. I’m thinking guitar……

More soon!

It was my birthday this weekend and my family made it so special! On Friday night we had a triple birthday bash for my dad, my sister, and me. There have been some health challenges in my family for the past several months, so we didn’t really have a chance to be together and celebrate these b-days. So it made it all the more special to all be together and healthy! Highlights included playing Catch-Phrase (one of my fave games), laughing myself silly over adorable and funny things my family does, having my dad play me some of his current favorite songs (they were from the Jayhawks) and sharing with me his thoughts about how they relate to my songwriting, and eating an amazingly rich chocolate pie my mom baked. Here is a photo my sis took of me about to dig into the pie prematurely when my mom wasn’t looking:

(By the way, that lovely painting in the background is one of my mom’s originals!)

The next day my husband surprised me with a late night dinner at La Belle Vie. He knows I don’t usually go for expensive things, but every once in a while I truly appreciate a fancy night out at an amazing restaurant. Highlights included a non-alcoholic pineapple and raspberry “martini” with mango foam that was almost too beautiful to drink and a very decadent dessert containing 5 kinds of exotic chocolate. Wow!

The best part was being with those I love, reflecting on a challenging but rewarding year, thinking about the things I want to develop and work on in the next year, and feeling thankful for having more time here on earth to love my loved ones, try to be a better person, and strive to be of service.

I could write today about my latest song and adventures, but there are pressing things on my mind and so I will take a chance and share them. Lately I am feeling so…..how can I say it….my heart just feels so full for all the people suffering all over the world right now. Obviously it is not a new thing that there is suffering all over the world, but in the past couple of weeks, so many things have been in the news and I feel even more affected by it all.

I actually have a ton of hope for the future and believe that everything humanity is experiencing will eventually serve to draw us together and help us embrace our oneness. I believe this completely and fully, and yet, I still have moments when my heart feels heavy.

We all have different ways to deal with this. The way I’ve been dealing with it is to learn as much as I can about the different situations going on around the world (this requires a lot of reading from lots of sources in order to attempt to get an accurate and well-rounded concept of a situation), sending prayers to those suffering (I firmly believe that when we express our concern and send love through any kind of prayer, it has an effect!), writing about it (in song, of course!) and trying to re-double my efforts to build a better world where I live.

I’ve also been trying to take every new story or photo about suffering that I see as an opportunity to expand my love for my fellow human beings. It actually takes a lot of effort and vulnerability. It means taking in pain, not ignoring it, and using those feelings to motivate one’s self to get in there and do something. For me it often manifests in the form of working with youth, building community, and working to help people who are suffering. I’m not sure how well I’m doing with all of it, but I have to try.

I really believe (and this belief comes from my study of the Baha’i writings and my attempts to apply the teachings to my life) that the more connected we realize we truly are to one another, the more healing will come to us. It is almost impossible to ignore suffering when it feels personal to you. And really, it IS personal to all of us, but to FEEL it, we have to pay attention to it.

Happy 2008! Here is a video in which I take you on a tour of my home recording studio. You can see how I do my work, hear a preview of one of the new songs for the new album, and meet some of my favorite instruments, gadgets, and even a hippo.