8/2/25
This week, the big event in music was the Grammys…
Did I watch it? No. Do I care? Not really.
Award shows like these are mostly just industry backslapping—labels, execs, and insiders congratulating each other while pretending it all really matters. They don’t represent the real world of music, the one where people are out playing gigs, busking, grinding, and actually connecting with audiences.
But—credit where it’s due—one moment stood out. Chappell Roan (Best New Artist) got on stage and did something rare: she called out the system. She said labels should actually support artists, treating them like employees with fair wages, health insurance, and some level of security. She wasn’t asking for a handout, just a basic level of respect for the people generating billions for the industry.
And what happened? Some industry suit called her "misinformed." Classic.
So she put her money where her mouth is and pledged $25K to struggling artists, daring him to match it. Let’s just say, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
It all ties back to the Delusional Freedom Manifesto. We’ve always known the industry is built on exploitation, favoring gatekeepers over artists. That’s why we take control, build our own systems, and thrive outside of their games.
The Grammys can keep their trophies. I’d rather focus on what actually matters—making music, making money, and making a real impact.
More on that inside….
Are you OPEN for Business?
Most musicians spend too much time waiting for permission. Permission from labels, permission from booking agents, permission from algorithms.
Sod that.
You don’t need permission.
You need an OPEN system.
This is my approach to building a sustainable, independent music career—a system that puts YOU in control. No gatekeepers, no middlemen skimming off your hard work.
Just you, your music, and a direct path to your fans and income.
Here’s how it works:
O – OWN
Own everything. Everything.
Own your music – your masters, your publishing, your copyrights.
Own your platforms – your email list, your website, your direct-to-fan channels.
Own your decisions – no more waiting around for someone to validate you.
Own your mistakes – learn from them, get better, move forward.
Own your style – stop trying to fit into playlists or please algorithms. Be the artist you are, not the one you think will “perform well.”
Every successful independent artist has one thing in common: they own their careers. They don’t rent space in someone else’s business model.
When you own everything, no one can take it from you.
P – PLAY & PRODUCE
You’re not in the music thinking business. You’re in the music playing business.
Play live. As much as possible. Get in front of real humans. The internet is flooded with musicians competing for 15 seconds of attention—real performances are where you win.
Produce content. Not for “growth hacks” or virality. Do it to document your journey and bring your fans along for the ride.
Play around with formats—short clips, long-form storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, live streams. Give people a reason to invest in you.
People can only care about what they see regularly. If you're not playing and producing, you’re invisible.
E – ENGAGE
Fans aren’t numbers. They’re people. Talk to them like it.
Respond to every comment, DM, and email. Every. Single. One.
Get personal. Don’t just post and disappear. Have actual conversations.
Own your engagement. Don’t rely on algorithms to show your posts. Build an email list. It’s the only platform you actually control.
Treat early fans like gold. These are the people who will bring others into your world if you treat them well.
An engaged 1,000 fans beats a passive 100,000 followers any day.
N – NETWORK
You can try to go it alone, but why would you?
The music industry is smaller than you think. If you’re active, people will hear about you.
Network with venues, promoters, artists, producers, session players, and content creators.
Be the person people want to work with—reliable, prepared, and professional.
Don’t chase “big connections” while ignoring the local scene. Your city is your launchpad. Own it before trying to take over the world.
Your name spreads in the music world through who you know and how you treat them. Word travels fast. Make sure the words being said about you are good ones.
So, if you’re tired of feeling lost, overwhelmed, or waiting for your “big break,” stop waiting. Start building.
Own your career.
Play and produce.
Engage with your fans.
Network like your career depends on it—because it does.
This is the system. It works.
Now go use it.
Storytime: The Miracle Computer Repair
This week, the unthinkable happened…
My computer died!
Wouldn’t switch on. No power. No flicker of life. Kaput.
And, of course—because I like to live life on the edge—I hadn’t backed it up.
Now, I didn’t panic (well, not outwardly), but I did what any rational, tech-dependent person would do: I hit Google.
Thanks to Google Business Profiles, I found a local computer repair guy about 20–30 minutes away. No fancy storefront. No high-tech repair lab. Just a guy. An older guy. Working out of his garage.
I liked the sound of him already.
We’d exchanged a few texts beforehand, and I got a good feeling. The kind of feeling that tells you, this guy knows his stuff. So, I grabbed my seemingly lifeless machine and made my way over.
Enter: Ron, the Computer Whisperer
Ron turned out to be exactly the kind of person you want to fix your stuff.
Friendly. No-nonsense. The kind of guy who has seen it all but still takes the time to have a good chat.
We got talking—turns out, he gets people from all over the world. Some don’t even speak English and rely entirely on Google Translate to explain their problems.
I told him I was from England. He nodded, unfazed. Another international visitor to the legendary Garage of Tech Revival.
And then—here’s where it gets ridiculous—I plugged in my computer…
And it switched on.
Perfectly.
No issues. No signs of previous distress. Just… workworking.I
I just stared at it.
Ron nodded knowingly. “Happens all the time.”
Apparently, people bring their completely broken, unresponsive machines to him, and the second they step into his garage—poof!—they come back to life like nothing ever happened.
We laughed about it. He reassured me that if it ever happened again, I could just come back.
I shook his hand and told him, "In one way, I hope I never see you again. But in another way, I kind of do—because you're a great guy."
And you know what? He really is.
So, if you’re ever in the Palo Alto area and your computer decides to ghost you, go see Ron. He’s got loads of five-star reviews, great prices, and—apparently—a magical garage that heals broken technology.
I'll be leaving him a glowing review, and if you ever find yourself needing a computer miracle, click his link, tell him I sent you, and say hi.
(But maybe, just maybe, your computer will start working the moment you step inside.)
Check out my YouTube channel if you're interested in music marketing tips and are over 40!
Song of the week: I love everything about this track. I'd love to work with Taylor Skye the producer, he's manages to blend Pop hooks with Jazz, Soul and Electronica which makes this delicious fusion that's uniquely his.
That's all folks!
See you next week.
-Spence C
PS.
Remember:
Rejection is just correction, Ridicule is fuel and resilience leads to brilliance