Yes. This book by the “legendary music producer,” Rick Rubin: “The Creative Act: A Way of Being,” is a good read. Anyone “being creative,” which includes all of us, will get something from it. It is a bit of a philosophical/spiritual tract, a manifesto, a long-form essay, a unargumentative argument for being a Creative Being & Being Creative & living a Creative Life. Rick makes the case that we are here to manifest ourselves in collaboration with the Universe. When we create anything, a conversation, a building, a novel, a song, whatever, we are dipping into, and bringing forward, ideas from the Source, and manifesting that inspiration forward into the world. I like to say,  doing the creative work is “the good work;” a discipline, a process, a mission, that gives our lives meaning & purpose. And by doing the work, we transform our selves, and our lives. Powerful shite. Rubin delves deep into the subject, and shines a light on all its various, angles & contradictions. It’s a pretty definitive discussion of the subject and shows the way that creativity can emerge, be channeled, & ebbs & flows. It’s a bit of a “how-to,” manual, but it’s put forward as a long-form suggestion, “take what you need, and leave the rest.” I took most of it in. Most of the book totally resonates with my own lived experience. For me there were no great surprises, I feel like I have “lived this book,” throughout my very own long-form, creative journey; writing stories, poems, plays, putting on plays, performing, directing, and then, writing songs, organizing bands, rehearsing, performing & recording. It’s a way of Life a way of Being. The best kind. So, yes, for me, this is quite the validating book. Rubin also brings a Zen-like quality to his Life & his writing, he embodies a kind of spiritual practice that shines through every sentence. Yes. And his dedication to meditation, to observing & learning from Nature, hits home too. I too use this two-pronged approach in my creative practice. Anyway, I do recommend the book, I think it will appeal to pretty much anyone. My only little quibble, this kind of all encompassing, grand vision seems a little too neat. I tend to retreat to the shadows. I don’t like to over-think my creative process. My creative process is sort of a mystery to me, and I want to keep it that way. Some how, some way it works for me. Every time a riff, a lyric, comes, it’s a surprise. It’s an organic method, inspiration just emerges. Usually my best work comes from my subconcious pool of being. I am always trying to get out of my head & into another realm, the realm of pure creativity. Rick acknowledges that approach too. The book is quite magnificent in it’s very own unique way. – Jammer

Yoko on the street.

Holy Shite. Yoko Ono’s show at the MCA is absolutely fantastic. No doubt, she is one of the greatest artists of the 20th & 21st Centuries. I have come a long way around. I remember in high school sort of hating on Yoko for breaking up the Beatles. But it was a bad rap. John & Paul just didn’t see eye to eye anymore.

Anyway the show is great. There is a video with a young & gorgeous John & Yoko doing a crazy-ass performance piece. It is so cool and inspiring to see them performing together with total, unbridled, discipline & commitment.

Yoko also has been doing little “dot” drawings since the 90’s. They are absolutely fabulous. A truly thrilling and inspiring show, there is a surprise in every room.

Yoko has had an uncommon, quite brilliant, sad, and wonderful, inspiring, life. As young girl in Japan running & sheltering from the bombs dropped by the USA in World War II, later making avant garde art with John Cage, making short films, doing crazy performances pieces in London & New York, meeting John Lennon and totally blowing his mind, expanding his vision, breaking up the Beatles (ha!), inspiring John to expand his artistic approach, creating some great solo records herself, inspiring John to make music too, then tragically having her husband gunned down in front of her in New York City in 1980.

She has carried on, to this day, doing her thing, never stopping, creating art, and promoting Peace. And that old revolutionary philosophy she & John promoted early on works today too: “Change a Mind/Change a World.”

Peace, yes, but also, in the face of Tyranny, Peaceful, Non-Violent, RESISTANCE! Abolish ICE. Damn the fucking torpedoes. – Jammer