Calling ALL Artists on The Right /The Middle/Questioning The Left
2.0
Do you consider yourself an artist? Are you free to express your ideas, questions, thoughts and emotions without any sort of backlash from the mainstream? Can you take a feeling and articulate it into a song or poem that perfectly aligns with the narratives that are being pushed through popular radio, television and film?
If you have no struggle answering “Yes” to the above questions, then stop reading and continue with whatever it is you do… for the rest of you, please continue reading.

I’ve been surrounded by music and creativity my entire life. Our home was filled with liner notes, music charts and recording gear. My mom sang 5 to 6 nights a week and my dad is an incredible writer, artist and guitar player. My brother has toured the world with pop stars, while writing, producing and creating some of my favorite music today. I myself, have won several awards for songwriting, toured the country and have had music in films, commercial spots and television. But as things grew, I slowly felt like I was losing the very thing that inspired me to write songs in the first place. The genuine struggle. The rawness. The honesty. The reflection. The freedom. The further along I went with management, labels, and touring, the more torn I became.
A world of pure imagination.
I want you to picture a time when “Pop music” was not just Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Pitbull. It wasn’t about shaking your ass and distracting from the actual content. It wasn’t all about the beat and no heart. Think of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. Think of Johnny Cash, The Smiths and Leonard Cohen. They may have had wildly different lifestyles and beliefs, but they still existed within the same space. They may have had different body types and facial features, but they were looked at as equals. These were free thinkers and thought provokers. They were open to new ideas, but committed to expressing what they believed in.

So what’s the problem?
Well, a true artist is not something the record labels, studios and art exhibits can easily box up and sell to the masses. It’s a force beyond their control and that’s not something they are willing to lose. One of the biggest problems within the mainstream music industry, is the music industry itself. It is filled with greed and arrogance that continually destroy the integrity of an artist and push double standards on the audience.
Miley Cyrus onstage with a blow up cock is totally cool, but something the president said in private over a dozen years ago is the most disgusting thing imaginable. Madonna can talk about “blowing up the Whitehouse”, but if anyone questions Obama, then they must be racist or just plain stupid.
This is not art and this is not passion.
Over the years, I have fallen madly ‘out of love’ with almost every aspect of this business. For a long time I was in denial. I kept it to myself and those closest to me. It’s not until I took a step away from the music bubble that I began to notice the shift and strong possibility for change.
This may sound grandiose, but I want to overturn the placeholders and decision makers within the major labels, radio, and licensing. I want to give this back to the people and allow them to decide what they listen to and who they support. I want to bring genuine songs back to pop culture and wake people up through the power of music.
I want to create new platforms for songwriters and artists that move past the traditional routes. Music executives and corporations have monopolized and plagued the market for way too long and I don’t want to follow an orchestra of hate and censorship.
But I can’t do this alone.

So, here’s the deal…
If you or someone you know is a talented singer, musician or songwriter that is questioning the left, hit me up.
If you see imagery when you listen to music and have ideas for videos, pictures or graphic design, then reach out.
If you have a knack for lyrics or poems that don’t necessarily fit within the pop cult narrative, then send me a DM on twitter.
And f you’re unsure of your talent, but think you may have something to offer, please email me a sample of your work.
This has been brewing for a while now and it is reaching a tipping point.
It is time to come out of the closet, out from the woodwork and out from under the rock that’s been holding you down.
Those of us that feel it need to take action.
Thank you for reading.
:: Joshua
Contact via Twitter @yellowredsparks
Contact thru email yellowredsparks@gmail.com







