Can't Stop, Won't Stop : a Celebration of Imbolg

Hello again, If you've been reading you know that this is my first entry of 2021. I was very flattered by the reaction I got from those who read my last entry , and for that I'm very grateful. I think it's odd at this stage of the game I have to constantly remind myself to be grateful. Life is much easier when you are Oh, but I'll talk more about that later.

Recently I've learned to dial back my involvement on social media. I mainly just to post some things that I've been promoting or stuff to make others laugh . I've seen what a cesspool it has become and I see it being extremely pointless to engage in an argument with somebody who cannot agree to disagree. It's very bad for the soul . I'm a firm believer That Any time away from your place of business or running errands Should be utilized for relaxation and enjoyment at the very least (cue up the theme from Cheers). Why waste that time arguing with people that you barely know or putting someone "on blast". Do we really want to relive Elementary school?

I thought today would be the perfect day to write this , since it is the holiday wish my band was named after , Imbolg. Or Imbolc,Imbolic( In hindsight I should have Name the band this. Same meaning easier to say). But nevertheless, It seems like The spirit of this holiday has mirrored what I've been through as a musician, Bandleader and the person running most of the business aspects which inspired me to create my own label, Forever Autumn Records. Lots of people see the glamorous side of what goes on with music, in the beginning anyway. Some on the outside may view you as this cool guy , that gets all the chicks and lives by their own rules. That's really not the case, as people are so jaded these days that they're not impressed with the talent and the stigma that goes along with playing rock music. But with that, people are smart enough to know who's in it for the wrong reasons and it shows when they fall short by not working hard enough. Hence the term "poser". There's many struggles, and all of your personal relationships are tested time and time again. To the point that plenty of us ask ourselves is this worth it? Many of the times we say the answer is NO. Even when you are extremely Successful Things change. You're constantly being prodded at, in the press and in public. And one wrong move can destroy all of your hard work (Remember Roseanne?) But NO is the short answer. If you're doing something you love the best way to be able to continue to do it is to find a way to make it worth it. And I don't just mean financially either, I mean Spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. keep learning, read articles,adapt and Share opinions. Especially with Those who You're hoping will support your project. Just reaching out to a few people who Followed you on Twitter Or Facebook will go a long way When they find out that you value their opinion. And more often than not, you'll probably learn something. And if you're lucky, you might just make a new friend.

One of the reasons why I decided to name the band after this particular holiday. It's about rebirth and about hope. And of of course Gratitude(I told you I'd come back to this) Let's face it, most of us are dealing with how cold it is right now. Can you imagine how hard it must have been Centuries, Millennials ago when this holiday was created? It reinforced some of the lessons I learned as a kid, to keep working for what I truly wanted out of life. Do not listen to the naysayers, And to not let anyone sour my experience. And again of course be grateful. I know I keep on coming back to that, but if you're half as thick-headed as I am You'll need to hear it again and again to let it sink in.

Although I have to admit lately, I have been contemplating this mindset . I have been shying away from playing music and not just because of the pandemic. But because of what I surrounded myself with in the past. Over the years it became taxing. A lot of people that just don't get it. Either because they dont have the drive or are working in the industry having never been in a band. Or people won't give you a chance just because you're not on some major label act theybare beingntold to like and in turn they will look cool by supporting.

I admire the resiliency of other artists better playing live shows on the internet. But I can't help but notice that a lot of the venues that relied on artists to go out and work and sell tickets so they can afford to pay national headliners are the first ones that have decided to close their doors. I really believe the things will get better, but when it does it'll be business as usual. All The bands supporting a national headliner will be treated as if they are being granted a favor of allowing to perform (TIP : If a promoter says : "well lots of bands wanted to be on this show" they are most likely trying to pull a fast one in you. If the band is serious invest in an agent so you dont have to deal with this crap).

I may have stated this previously , One of the ways I truly feel wealthy as a musician is the impact I've had on other people. I read the lines in "Eternal Blood" a book written by Melissal Angell, a long-time supporters book stating how great not only the band is but my singing abilities. Another fan came out and said what a blessing we were to their family. And another that I've grown close with has wore some of our merchandise when undergoing serious medical procedures as way of giving them strength and hope. That's the exact message that made me decide To name the band Imbolg. So to just pack up and turn my back on playing music when these things happen and sale start picking up. Just like Michael Corleone says in the GodFather III "Just when I thought I was out, and they pulled me back in". I'm sure Silvio Dante from The Sopranos does a much better impression that I ever could. But you get the point.

My main thing was I didn't want to keep on doing this to prove those who tried to sabotage my Band (and there were many , including people that were actually in the band) wrong. Why should I care? However, when I chose to surround myself with other people that can relate to this and those who have been more successful than me , the results are muchh different. That's something I picked up along the way. Simply put your ego aside and surround yourself with people that are better than you in some ways. Be patient, and not only will you progress but they will see things in you that can help better their lives.

One of those people that I have been blessed to have as a friend , the guy whose song inspired The title of this entry Kore Rozzik. I must say it's great to be personal friends with somebody who's just as driven to keep their project going as I am. We've worked with Some of the same people Over the years and early on I saw the potential and dedication that he has . Not to mention some of the things he was doing that stemmed from promoting his music, Which included creating his own Music festival here in New York city aptly named "Kore Fest". As well as many comedy skit videos. Some of that, does bleed into his music videos . Which I am proud to say I was a part of the very one that named the title of this entry.

So basically what I'm saying is , when it's your calling, what it's what you were meant to do you can't stop and you won't stop . Even if you have to adjust to the times or to circumstances. It's all about what you can live with . I for one can't just get up in the morning and go to a job that has nothing to do with my passion in life simply because I'm getting a paycheck. Sure I'm paying my bills , covering the basics And having a roof over my head. But is that really success? Just simply surviving? I thought we were here for much more than that. To make an impact, to share our gifts and our wisdom with others. A lot of the time, I live in the mindset of what will become of me when I am no longer living? What will people say about me? About what I've done, about how I impacted their life? That's not to say I'm living my life on anticipating The approval of others , but through my work and passion I hope that I will be remembered long after my years. As Mr. Miyagi once said "Man who work for passion much richer than Man who work for Money".

That's one of the reasons why have been writing this. I wanted to expand beyond the music, talk up front and personal About how things are created . Also , about the things that have impacted me In hopes of making the lives of people who read this a bit easier.

I touched on earlier, I wear many hats . I didn't even mention how many hats I wear LOL. I have started my own web series : Talking Straight with Nate so I can reach out to another audience of people On YouTube. If you saw it lately I know it's been dominated by Cobra Kai but more motivational videos are coming. I knew how to edit videos, but I recently had to learn How to use a more professional program , but also learn How to use a green screen. For those of you that don't know, It's simply just a green background that allows you to superimpose anything (with the exception of that shade of green over it). For example, this is how seen Weather reports on the news is possible.

So did some things up. Despite My contemplation of Simply putting all of this behind me, I forgive myself. The world is hard enough on us, we don't need to be hard on ourselves. I just need to remind myself I can't stop and I won't stop. I believe I'll find fulfillment and continuing to create music,videos and this. I hope all of you will continue to listen, watch and read. But also I love to hear your comments And if you feel up to it, you are story. That's all for now.

Take care, Nate xoxo