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Sweet Beets - IMD Poster about when the RIGHT people cast shade

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When the "Right People" Throw Shade

Sweet Beets - IMD · Aug 14, 2026 · 3 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Pre-Ramble

I find myself saying it time and again, BEING HUMAN IS HARD! We all want the same things, have the same basic needs and many of us share the same imperfections. The only way to be shielded from it all is to not show up....Humans act like humans and that sucks often.

Last week I spoke about caring what people think. I quickly identified, that for many of us, we later realize that we can only care about what the RIGHT people think....but, what happens when they throw shade?

I suppose we need to first ask "who are the RIGHT people?" but even then, giving anyone that "badge" can easily lead to disappointment or worse. And do we ever take pause and ask, "am I surrounded by the RIGHT people?" I suppose many of us do and answers can only be correctly disseminated in context....the right people for what? Mix in goals or objectives, context is everything....

But there is a certain universal quality that I believe that every RIGHT person must possess. KINDNESS.

What is kindness?

Google yielded:

Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and caring toward others. It involves acting with good intentions to help people, ease distress, or bring joy without expecting a reward. It can also mean showing self-care and compassion toward yourself

The concept is quite simple and seems straight forward enough. The issue isn't kindness, it is that pesky human condition with which we all contend. Let's face it, there are many times when we may not have the strength to be kind.....when we are hurt for whatever reason, our actions are often governed by our emotional state, and often we become selfish - acting on our need to process pain masqueraded in a retaliatory or defensive manner.

It is likely that we have all behaved this way and/or been the recipient of someone else doing the same.

BUT (yay!!! another post with a BIG BUT!), the lack of KINDNESS isn't enough to dismiss someone as being the RIGHT person; not at all....if we were to write people off for being people, then surely we will find ourselves in a lonely world. And, it is equally important to understand the RIGHT people aren't necessarily those who stroke our ego or refrain from offering sincere opinions.

Getting more into KINDNESS...Kindness isn't flattery. Nor is KINDNESS window dressing..... One can't claim kindness publicly and then privately engage in unkindness. KINDNESS is a code of sorts. It is possible to disagree on anything and be kind.....Not just behaving kind in front of that person or in the public arena.....no---kindness is the vessel though which we are able to tactfully navigate diversity in a respectful and manner free from ill intention. KINDNESS is strength! It is having the strength to withhold retribution or engage in ugliness no matter how reasonably it may be deserved. KINDNESS is the ability to forgive people for their humanity.....the fact is that KINDNESS is hard to achieve without self-confidence. And worse, that confidence is often built upon humility that gets misinterpreted as arrogance.

So, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE RIGHT PEOPLE throw shade on our art? (after all, isn't that what this was supposed to be about?)

Join me next week as I stumble my way through my grey matter index of confusion.....

Troves of love,

DC

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Poster, I CARE WHAT YOU THINK, with a finger pointing at YOU!

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The Problem: I Care What You Think!

Sweet Beets - IMD · Aug 8, 2026 · 4 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Pre-Ramble:

In my youth, I found shelter in the statement "I Don't Care What You Think"! Factually, I wore it like a badge. It felt tough and cool! I was ME and if you didn't like it you could F.O.! I was going to do what I wanted to do. I was going to dress like I wanted to dress. I was going to do whatever TF I wanted....and, if you didn't like it...F.O.!

That was the mask I wore, and oddly, it didn't feel like a mask at all. We were PUNK! True suburban miscreants. A gang of street roaming kids brought up with little supervision, where our friends felt more like family than family.

As time rolled on a bit, and as some of us matured, it became obvious that no matter what we said....we DID CARE! We cared a lot more than we ever thought. We cared what people thought, but only the right people. I suppose in my many years of observations, that is where most of us land.....we want to impress the RIGHT people!

Today, many of us have become so divisive that we have discounted people with differing opinions. Sometimes we demonize them. Other times, we may make a point to declare our differences, hoping to assert some contrived superiority. But at the end of the day, why? Because, we care what people think and we all want validation.

Great! So what?!?!?!

Many of us carved our identity from the many offerings of Music. The path of artistry takes all shapes and travels many paths. I presume that many of us have material that we may never share and there are those whom never share. An artist's relationship with their craft can reveal more about the artist than the art itself. But, isn't art's value adjudicated by everyone else? Yes and No.....but on totally different planes.

I suppose this is leading up to the big question.....do I care what people think about my art? (1) Admittedly, I want people to like it (2) I want people to think positively about it (3) I want people to respond kindly to it.....

I want to be recognized......and, that will likely never change. Call me crazy, but when I put out something vulnerable, I want it to resonate with someone.....not because of WHAT IT IS NOT, but only because of what it is......

But what happens when people DON'T appreciate what we do? What happens when people cast darkness on our light? Whether it be unflattering/rude comments on a post or aggressive targeted ugliness, negativity takes its toll. We may become calloused. We may become disengaged. Some of us may find ourselves unrecognizable as we morph into something else. And because we are human, it is likely we have experienced all of that.....But, there is another path....

The ability to feel. One of my favorite people, Myles O'Flaherty, has written extensively about the miracle of being able to feel; and eloquently he has articulated that no matter what IT is; being able to feel is much better than not. Think about it.....is inspiration even possible without feeling? Arguably, some of the best works are those that invoke emotion or thought - and - many of them were inspired by a feeling, an event, something personal.....

I speak often about choice. Choice itself is tricky. Sometimes, we may not have a choice. Who among us chooses grief or sadness? Sometimes, we don't choose to be ugly or hateful, it just happens. BUT (yeah, there is that BIG BUT again), rather than be victimized by it, we have a choice to try to be better.

And? (WTF is all this nonsense!!!) Here it is!!! Triggering a response is always a win!

We won't like everything someone does! Facts! But, when we give someone TIME and effort to share a thought or become responsive, we have now vested part of ourselves in whatever it is, and often, it is nothing other than a reflection of who we are.

Understanding this helps. It helps us:

appreciate that we matter enough to invoke someone else's action
learn more about who we are or who we wish to be

And so, no matter how we slice it, it really is a WIN!

SO, yes, I CARE! I CARE what you think. Sometimes your thoughts or actions may be hurtful, and maybe for good cause...but, at the end of the day, if our art causes any of this energy....we have done well....

after all, we made someone feel!

Keep winning!

Lots of love,

DC

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The Face of Success

Sweet Beets - IMD · Jul 19, 2026 · 3 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Right off, who can be SOOO bold as to try and define SUCCESS?

I suppose that technically, defining success isn't that hard. A google query landed its AI to present:

Success is the accomplishment of a desired goal, a favorable outcome, or the attainment of wealth, status, and fame. Beyond these traditional definitions, it is deeply personal and subjective, often encompassing emotional well-being, healthy relationships, and a strong work-life balance.

I have maintained for years that REAL success is finding joy in what we do. Now, being SUCCESSFUL can most certainly be quantified in any capacity in which we may desire. Hitting a goal, completing a project, landing a job, getting a promotion at work..... These are all great examples of being SUCCESSFUL.

In my word study, it occurred to me that I have been morphing "SUCCESS" it into something else. Stating that SUCCESS is finding joy in what we do, isn't really SUCCESS at all; rather, finding joy in what we do is the epitome of HAPPINESS! Tell me, what better to be successful at than happiness?

We see millions upon millions of people who have attained THAT high paying job, earned THAT promotion, acquired wealth, power or fame. By all rights, they attained SUCCESS.....but what did it get many of them?

Drug addiction, depression, loneliness? How much of these ailments are born from the pursuit of this idea of "success"?

As simple as it may seem, achieving HAPPINESS is elusive for many. And even then, like our journey, we get to define exactly what HAPPINESS is!

In my many revolutions around the sun, I have observed plenty. Some seem to be burdened with HAPPINESS repellent. Some flirt with HAPPINESS, and some seem to own it.

Those who own it seem to be protected by it.

I truly feel for those who struggle to know happiness. True happiness isn't contingent upon achieving a goal, an accolade, or any measurement of fame. True happiness seems rooted in the acceptance of self and others.

The more I ramble, the more I realize that I just morphed another concept.....or did I?

Perhaps the measure of real happiness can only be found in LOVE, and that can only complicate it more. I found that one's relationship with LOVE can be very different from person to person. Since love is largely abstract; defining it has become rather personal for some.

Maybe there is too much fuss on words anyway. We have the power to declare beliefs. We may all use words to describe who we are or who we wish to be. But really, do the words really matter in the long run? Do we really remember what people say, or what they do?

Crawling out of my loop of pyschobabble, I am left with a few thoughts.

When we work to change our relationship with success, love and happiness, life changes.

When we choose to love and forgive ourselves for our imperfections, when we adopt love and strive for improvement....when we do these things, we will find our way to success; and when we find that, we are truly free to love, forgive and be happy!

WTF does this have to do with music? Join me next week!

With more love than can be contained,

DC

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Life Outside the Bubble, why it is important except when it isn't...

Sweet Beets - IMD · Jul 6, 2026 · 4 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

The Preamble aka the "pre-ramble":

I couldn't go right into this next piece without some context....and, the context is about words themselves. Let's first talk about the words that are spoken. No matter the word (in most cases), we learn more from the manner, tone, volume, meter, emphasis than we do the word itself. Our interpretations, based upon those factors alone, can vary significantly in whatever conclusions we may derive. Now, there are other attributes, and these influence our understanding more than the words themselves; facial expression, eye contact and body language.

I presume most of us understand this, but when we reduce the communication to only words; no tone, no meter, no emphasis, no facial expression, no context for eye contact, no body language....we have lost ALL the things that are important to human communication. Even when talk to people in person, and do our best to impart a feeling, an idea, or anything really, most of us struggle to use the correct words. And even in the most "correct" way, we are completely powerless over the perceived or interpreted message.

If understanding, at any level, is influenced by our culture, experience and bias, how much influence does our understanding have on our interpretation of words? I read somewhere that our thoughts are usually more of a reflection of ourselves than they are of anything else.....and who can argue the point anyway? Not me.

So, why this preamble? Because you are reading imperfect words, from an imperfect person, without the context of my smiling face and calm voice, without any support from the most important tools of communication, these written words are at the mercy of your interpretation......

and now to your regularly scheduled dose of nothing....

When is life outside the Indie Bubble unimportant? EASY - when it fulfills our musical ambitions.

Sharing our journey with like-minded artists is amazing.....

Inside the Bubble, we find such a wide array of talent .... ranging from the songwriter - multi-instrumentalist - sound engineer - producer types to those who create music exclusively from prompts. We have some artists who love playing their music live and some who only prefer to record.....

Inside the Bubble you will surely meet someone who shares your views, outlooks and maybe even beliefs. You will find influencers and experts ranging from any number of specialties....

The takeaway: In the Bubble you can find a home!

As big as the Bubble is, it is still the Bubble! As fabulous as it is, is it wrong to want more?

NO!

We get to decide our journey!

NOBODY gets to define what is "right". Nobody gets to rightfully claim having any significance or authority within the Bubble. The Bubble is just TOO big for that nonsense. Pretending to have any authorship of the rules is ignorance built upon narcissism.

Whether we want to reach thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions of listeners....whether we want to play festivals or tour....whether we want our music played on radio......it shouldn't matter to anyone but you....and trust me, to most people, it really doesn't matter....

Take it one step further.....whatever you seek - whether it be fame, riches, influence, whatever...it IS YOUR journey..... YOU GET TO DECIDE! The KEY is to be true to you. RESOLVE these things because some will judge, some will hate, and some may even try and tear you down..... None of that matters....rather be flattered, because evidently YOU matter to them....

Now, for me, the joy lies in the pursuit. Truth is, that I love trying; I love learning and I love sharing. I love me and I love what I do....

To every last one of you who find loving and kind joy in your journey, who accept others regardless of their ambitions, goals or lack thereof, remember, there's someone who will love what you do, and at the end of the day, that is what really matters.

With buckets of love,

DC

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The Indie Music Bubble - The Constraint

Sweet Beets - IMD · Jun 27, 2026 · 5 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

1...2...3....and - we are back with your weekly dose of meaningless banter....

Those of you who have been patient with this series....thank you for humoring me!

And now, I present:

THE CONSTRAINT

WTF is this "constraint"?!?!

If you have been following, you might suspect that I won't declare it to be anything. The word itself has been defined by Merriam Websters as "the state of being checked, restricted, or compelled to avoid or perform some action"... I suppose the question is...Does such a word really fit when discussing the Indie Bubble, and if so, who is constraining what? Or, WTH am I even rambling about?

Most of us have heard the adage "everything happens for a reason". Does it really? Or is the reason that life happens? Specific to the Constraint, can it be anything but? Can a constraint be the key to happiness and freedom?

I will attempt to avoid getting lost in the randomness of profundity.

On point, let's talk about how such a word could even relate to the Indie Music Bubble.

As artists, many of us took the time to create social media pages with the intention of growing our audience. Marketing 101 says (1) we need a website, and (2) we need a social media presence. So, we follow the path. Some of us take great delight setting up our little corner of the cyberworld. I mean, we are artists - we are hungry to create, right?

We set up our pages, and then we eagerly anticipate how our efforts will help us achieve our goals.

GOALS? Aren't goals bad for an Indie Artist? Isn't it uncool to have goals? Some may say, and some may be right....but, that is not anyone's place to offer such an answer, it is YOURS and yours alone to reconcile.

The results can provide excitement, disappointment or lead to friction. Whatever the result, like life itself, it changes.... along the way, many of us find ourselves pulled into something that we may never have seen coming; The Indie Bubble.

The Bubble is warm, comfortable and presents a wealth of opportunities. Relationships forge - communities grow and before long, it takes a life of its own.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I keep repeating myself...so what is this constraint?

It either is or it isn't!

When is it?

Well, that isn't for me to judge, for surely I can't know...and to be real, I don't know that I have experienced it....for when I caught a glimpse, I did my best to not let it be.

I suppose it comes full circle to why we created our pages in the first place versus what many become. Look around. Most artist pages look the same.....I have categorized some of the most popular things I see on an artist page.

The Announcement - announcing the release of a track, album, video, or event
The Shout-Out - posting gratitude, whether it be for being included on a playlist, featured in a segment, a radio show, etc - (we usually use tags hoping to attract targeted attention)
The Opinion Piece - sharing one's views on a particular subject
The Attention Plea - the post with no real message, just setting up a post hoping to achieve widespread responses - almost a cry out "Please someone acknowledge me"!
The "Feed the Machine" - these are intended to trigger action and come in many flavors; i.e. "Tag an artist who......"

And to be clear, how you use your page is yours to decide.....however, this is where the constraint thrives:

How many of our pages are truly targeting an audience base outside the Bubble? I am not talking about intention, I am talking about effect.

Do your fans really want to spend time daily voting for you?
Do your fans really care about whose playlist you landed on?
Do your fans care that you were played on the radio?

Obviously, this all depends on the fan and the audience. And let us not lose sight about potential fans....

For many, it is THE BUBBLE that has become the audience! And for many, that is much more than we could ever have envisioned otherwise! The Bubble provides community. In community, we find acceptance and love....and for many of us, it is all we could ever need or want.

And to be clear, I love this about the Bubble. SO, when exactly is it a constraint?

When, and only when it gets in the way of your goals or aspirations AND it becomes a distraction for pursuing them.....

Remember, and if we are being honest, we put our music out so it could be heard. We all want acceptance, acknowledgment and praise. If we fall short, it can hurt. In hurt, we must reevaluate our journey. Some of us go into denial.

What happens when we are all cheering for one another, but no one is listening? What exactly does that say? Does the comfort of a cyber community become as fulfilling as the art itself? Do the relationships we forge become more important than the music itself?

No matter where you land, you are right! You are right for you!

Next week, I will talk about life beyond the Bubble, why it isn't important unless it is, and how I find comfort in the journey both inside and out of the Bubble.

Lots of love,

DC

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The Indie Music Bubble - Life Within!

Sweet Beets - IMD · Jun 21, 2026 · 2 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

The Indie Music Bubble

I keep referring to it, how I found it and what I noticed, but what exactly is it?

It is nothing, or it is everything. It can be a safe-place, a volatile place, or can even be a constraint.

The SAFE PLACE

We all seek comfort. We seek acknowledgement, companionship, praise and human interaction. And the Indie Bubble can provide all of that. In the Bubble, relationships are born. The Bubble provides opportunities out the wazoo (and really, I don't care who you are, we all appreciate the wazoo). Collaborative opportunities exist in every possible capacity, from organizing playlists, brainstorming promotional efforts to creating art itself. The Bubble brings people together!

The VOLATILE PLACE

Factually, it isn't the Bubble itself that is volatile, but because it is a real entity of itself comprised of fallible humans, it isn't immunized from volatility. Humans are sensitive, often illogical beings, impacted by emotions, biases and egos. How humans handle volatility is very telling of their individual struggles. And who among us is immunized from struggle?

How does this relate to the Bubble? Only in the capacity that the Bubble is it's own world, and like life, navigating it well is factually not any different than navigating anything. Ideas thrive and ideologies permeate. Sometimes this causes friction. And sometimes it has less to do with the idea or ideology as it does with the manner.

I often reflect on just how silly we are as a people...Regardless, we ARE that silly people!

the Bubble is filled with us.....imperfect us....those of us who make the Bubble what it is, whether we let it be volatile, or filled with love, the power rests with you, me - us!

Next week I will touch on THE CONSTRAINT.

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The Indie Music Bubble - Part III

Sweet Beets - IMD · Jun 13, 2026 · 4 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

....and so the dribble continues....

Why "dribble"?

(1) I don't take anything I do too seriously... I have realized that no matter what we think, no matter our ideologies, tenets, creeds, etc....that at the end of the day, none of it is for any of us to judge.

(2) Despite our greatest attempts to communicate ideas, words will always be interpreted differently. This isn't simple observation, this is fact....

(3) And lastly, I seem to thrive in the "being wrong" sphere..... I say this 'tongue-in-cheek', because no matter how accurate, right, correct I may be, there will always be those who insist otherwise....and therefore, I have come to the following conclusion that set me free:

"I don't know" is my favorite answer to damn near anything..... if you own "I don't know", then you shall forever enjoy your journey seeded in learning, discovery and purpose......(not that any of that matters - lol)

Since this is a music blog, I guess I ought to get on track....

Picking up from last week, I exited speaking about THE conflict.....and really, trying to generalize anything is foolish....and so, I am going to dwell specifically on observations from my journey.

I have spoken about a cyberscene so rich with talent and diversity that it felt almost dreamy. There was a time when everything simply seemed "too good to be true". We had artists from all over the world, all seemingly happy, all behaving lovingly, and all seemingly supporting one another....

But just like anything, hang out long enough, and you start noticing things.

The thing that troubled me the worst was seeing artists frustrated.

Here we were in one of the most amazing times ever.....a time where getting our music to an audience was easier than ever! Perhaps this ages me, but it seems many either have forgotten or never experienced the days when getting your music heard required:

Selling demos to the local record store for a buck hoping that someone might buy it for $2.00 or more
Mailing demos to underground magazines hoping that just maybe someone would write a blurb about you
Stapling flyers for shows on telephone/power poles at busy foot trafficked intersections by the colleges, clubs, etc
Passing out flyers at malls, or tucking them under windshield wipers of cars in the parking lots of local venues ( and seasonally in the freezing cold)....

My point is, the struggle has always been the struggle.....but it changes....and despite how easy it may have become, it is still just as hard....

The first thing I noticed was that many people are all OUTPUT and have no room for INPUT.

We all see it....we have umpteen thousand Facebook groups, many with 10's of thousands of members....many of them have the same output.....a bunch of self promotion type posts and no interaction. It is like a graveyard that is filling up daily with posts for no audience.

The mentality: "gotta feed the algorithm".....

the consensus: "I hate doing it, but I have to do what I have to do to get my music heard".....

The conclusion - disappointment, nonfulfillment, self-doubt and burn-out.....

The social media circus has us chasing "likes" that many of us wear as a badge of honor! And admittedly, who doesn't want to be "liked"? It feeds a universal need of being human. And it is easy to get swept up into...... "more likes" is good, right?

And yes, more likes is good! But is it good when that becomes the focus? It might be good for some, but it seemed that for many it was only adding to the trouble.

We have all seen it...."follow for a follow"...and maybe some of us have such "follows" in our repertoire, or "so and so only has XX followers, let's help get them to XXX". This is kindness in motion; someone noticing another artist and trying to get them seen.....I applaud TF out of that.....but, the question is, at the end of the day, what does it even mean? I can't even tell you how many people I followed, not for any other reason than because I was asked to, only to never even get a reply back from them when I tried to engage.....

Where did that leave me? It led me to the actual twists and turns about which I hinted...

Next week, I will dive right in....

Sending a tray of love muffins,

DC

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The Indie Music Bubble - Part II

Sweet Beets - IMD · Jun 5, 2026 · 3 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Last week I spoke about some of my observations landing inside this quite amazing phenomenon.

The cyberscene is alive and thriving in so many capacities. And just like the art itself, the people behind it couldn't be any more diverse. Whether it be processes, inspiration, creativity, goals, thoughts, edicts, politics etc....there is likely an artist that fits any combination of categories.

Having over half a century of trips around the sun in my portfolio, this was of no surprise.....no matter our passions, no matter our professions, no matter our prominence, we are all simply flawed humans navigating time and trying to find our place. But - despite this; our minds have some profound effects on what we make of "reality". And when thinking about "reality", it made me think deeper about the artist.

What is an artist? Long ago, it seemed that most people thought of artists as painters, drawers or sculptors. I remember the first time I heard the term "recording artist" and had to really think about that for a moment. I remember dating this gal who was really into ballet and how she referred to ballet as an art. It wasn't long that I found myself calling anyone who made their work beautiful an artist....Whether it was a paint and body tradesman, a dry-waller, a brick-layer.....really, anyone who took the time to have pride and sank their heart into what they did - they all seem worthy of the title.....they are all artists. Despite this, there is something seemingly unique about those of us who choose art as a passion, not simply as a vocation.

THE ARTIST, not just the artistic, NEEDS TO CREATE!

It isn't just a desire, it is a need. Whether a painter, a sculptor, a musician, etc..... nearly universally, each will cite that their art is pivotal to their well-being. Many call it therapy! And it only makes sense.....when submerged in our art, we create our own world. The art may reflect something inside of us that we can't otherwise put into words...it may be indicative of observations, our it maybe something abstract.....we get to define the rules or the lack thereof. Literally, we control what it is; for many of us, it is our safe space.

I realize none of this is news to many if any. But to understand the Indie Music Bubble, we must understand the artist......and inside the artist is where we find the conflict....

Next week I will elaborate further on this conflict. I will dive into more meaningless observations that may be true for some and patently false for others. Luckily, I am the adjudicator of nothing...

With a healthy dose of love,
DC

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The Indie Music Bubble

Sweet Beets - IMD · May 27, 2026 · 3 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Last week I shared some observations about The Indie Music Phenomenon. Upon posting and reviewing the related comments, I understood that it is quite a phenomenon after all....

Many of us took to social media with the sole intention of trying to get our music heard. Many of us have taken the time to create profiles on umpteen different platforms. Some of us attempt to keep the information current. Some of us have fun with it, some of us loath it.

It seems that no matter where we land, some things are pretty common to the aspiring Indie Musician. And I use the word "aspiring" in true form. Say what you will, I simply do not accept that anyone who pays money to put their music on a streaming platform or takes the time to create music based profiles has no aspirations. Granted, it matters not what I accept, I already acknowledge that I am incapable of truly adjudicating truth. And furthermore, any of you who believe that any of us can otherwise....well, be you - you fantastic you!

But what does all of this mean? NOTHING! It is meaningless. My observations are born of ignorance and limited perspective. However, I suspect that I am far from alone in my observations and that leads me to:

The Indie Music Bubble

Curiously, I didn't initially seek to enter the bubble. I happened upon a handful of artists who were employing some interesting promotional strategies. Because I was among those who created band profiles with the hope that I could increase the chance of getting my music heard, I started paying attention. Before too long, I found myself in this network of artists from all over the world. We were sharing music, we were engaging with one another, swapping playlists....it was quite a magical time! Online web stations were opening up everywhere, artists were promoting other artists.....it seemed like quite the utopian environment! Thousands upon thousands of artists, one shared vision.....music!

But then something odd happened. Perhaps it was there the whole time....but what I saw was alarming. It seemed that more and more artists were no longer their happy selves or maybe more unhappy artists were emerging.....The amount of times I saw artists posting about wanting to quit music because they felt no one cared. Or the artists who were seemingly begging for someone just to see them and hopefully listen.

Whatever the case, my eyes were open (always my ears) and I couldn't stop thinking about how difficult it must be for someone who isn't in love with the journey itself. In my quite flawed mind, if one loves what they do, quitting is never even a consideration. It seemed to me that many were at am impasse.

And to complicate it, ideologies crept in, opinions flourished, and imperfect people behaved imperfectly. Having written that, doesn't that describe most everything specific to humans? Imperfect people behaving imperfectly. A flawed bunch of us, trying to navigate through this world, all stricken with the same basic wants, needs, limitations and imperfections.

THAT led me to my first twist and turn....

Next week, I will share more observations as I attempt to chronicle The Indie Music Phenomenon - Living Inside the Bubble.

Sending a treasure trove of love,

DC

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Poster for the Indie Phenomenon, showing a scene of indie musicians coming together at a jam session turned party

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The Indie Music Phenomenon

Sweet Beets - IMD · May 23, 2026 · 3 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Last week I attempted to communicate further about my observations of the current state of music.

As I recklessly navigated the complexities with which technology has historically encumbered music, I had one ending thought in mind, and it was THIS very point that drove this recent series of BLOGS; and this is what I refer to as The Indie Phenomenon.

So what is this, and is it really even a "phenomenon"?

What is this? - Just another random time when I attempted to use words to help interpret my observations.

Is this a phenomenon? Not in the slightest.....it just sounds cool....at least to me.....

Well then WTF is it?

Ok, here it goes...are you ready?

You sure?

Ok, I am gonna tell you, but please, let me know, are you absolutely sure that you are ready?

Ok, good, but before I continue, I wanted to share.....(OK, sorry, this as my attempt at humor in light of those videos that have some crazy "secret" and they get you invested in stupid long periods of time only to land you at some paywall or, some other action for you to learn the "secret").

Well, there is no secret here nor is there any pay off for your time.

What is there then?

This:

The Indie Music Phenomenon

(This is a story, rather than a reference guide)

Upon entering the Indie Scene, particularly one small corner of it in the social media spheres, I was blown away at the enormity, diversity and sheer talent that unfolded before me. Coming right in, and because this has always been about the music, first and foremost, I let my ears guide me. If I liked what I heard, I hung around, if not, well I moved on. Made sense to me.

Shortly thereafter, I was habitually intersecting paths with artists. Artists whose music was not necessarily in my orbit, or maybe even some artists where I really found no joy in their art. But these artists revealed something, something beautiful that taught me so much.

Before long, I remember becoming excited about interacting with them, I remember looking forward to their releases and learning what they were working on......to put it plainly, I remember finding joy sharing the path. And to my absolute surprise, found joy listening to their music.

You see, when I listened to their music, I saw beauty in the person, and I was part of their world sharing what I perceived to be a vulnerable part of their journey as it was to mine.

This wasn't unusual really. But what made it surprising was that, although I would always support my buddy's bands which would always grow on me, I never anticipated creating that personal connection with a stranger on the other side of the globe.

What made it even more unbelievable to me, was that when I travel with like-minded artists, it is always enough. I have more music in my life mending me daily than I can consume...but when it is ONLY that music that I need; not just because I love the song, but because I love the person; that to me, is The Indie Music Phenomenon.

Next week, I will talk about living inside this phenomenon and the many twists and turns it yields...

Til next time,

lotsa lotsa lotsa love,

DC

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The Indie Music Phenomenon - PREQUEL

Sweet Beets - IMD · May 17, 2026 · 2 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

A couple of weeks ago, I posted "Maybe it is YOU that is the Problem!"....And really, it probably is, BUT YOU can also be the solution.

Our world is rapidly redefining our interpreted value in a chaos-laden monetary world. Fair or not, it is true.....and, to be real, it is somewhat sad....

Imagine working your life, or dedicating any reasonable part of it, to learning a skill or making a career of it.....Perhaps you were on a team that helped pioneer a technology, or maybe even were the visionary behind it.....only....only to discover that your skill set is no longer needed or valued in the marketplace......HOW FAIR IS THAT? In essence, you helped build the machine that is now disrupting life as you have known it.

Obviously, technology and music are no strangers. Automation has been creeping its way into music for decades...and now, we have PROMPT-derived music.

The opinions are all over the place as to what is acceptable. More than a few decades ago, it was the piano players who were upset with the invention of electronic keyboards. Shortly thereafter, drum machines upset our percussive brothers and sisters. Along the way came MIDI, which pretty well led the path to being able to replace instrumentalists. When autotune and voice pitch correction became a thing, those who had spent thousands of hours training their voices saw people with little to no vocal talent presenting impressive tracks. And here we are, where really...anything goes. Have you heard those tracks from that guy who farts into SUNO and creates amazing songs? ANYTHING GOES!

So, how does this circle back to YOU? Join me next week, and I will share just how.

(Note: I am a master of ignorance, so...before you get your craw tweaked, realize that I am the expert who isn't....)

Lots and lots of love; ALWAYS!

DC

PS - I didn't make mention of the audio engineers, without whom none of this would even be relevant! A heart felt thank you to all of you!

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Thank You Music!

Sweet Beets - IMD · May 17, 2026 · 3 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Music — I have long regarded Music as the universal cure. Music, when accepted in her pure form, transcends everything. I have often humored that Music and pizza could pave the way for world peace.

Why isn't it that simple.....why TF can't we have a big ass pizza party with live entertainment working its magic? Although I still maintain that Music is the answer, the problem is people. We are flawed, challenged, insecure and ignorant beings often governed by emotion.

Some of us are so blinded by our perspective and shielded by our egos that we would rather adopt a narrative of truth rather than seek truth. BUT (and that was intended to be a BIG BUT in the spirit of Sir Mix-a-Lot), seeking truth makes us vulnerable. And sometimes, we find comfort when we shield ourselves from truth.....and damn it, here I am derailed, BUT, I also have learned that humans are simply not capable of acquiring truth....the best we can do is seek it and hope that our perspectives align with truth herself.....those who believe themselves to be the almighty judge of truth are....well, sadly disillusioned and foolish.

But I digress.....from my earliest memories, I remember how music affected me....the excitement and wonder I experienced. Like everything through the innocent eyes of a child, there are no learned biases; there is no "uncool" factor, we simply either connected to the music or we didn't.

As the years rolled by and I entered those formative years, I remember witnessing just a smidgeon of Music's prowess. Music helps us adopt our identity, find our place in social circles, and gives us something far more than sound. As a student of Music, I have found the journey has provided far more than entertainment; it has gifted me understanding, patience, curiosity and challenge among the most obvious. It has helped me grow to discover some amazing beauty that I may have been incapable of seeing or too blind to otherwise see.

I have Music to thank for my wife, my children, and my mental health. Most of my strongest relationships were rooted in Music. Music has always given; and NEVER — NEVER has it taken away.

And Music has led me to you!

Next week I will share an interesting phenomenon that I never saw coming.

In the meantime, spread the love and always, always share the MUSIC!

Lots of love,

DC

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It's Not Your Music, Maybe it is YOU!

Sweet Beets - IMD · May 17, 2026 · 4 min read

Written by Sweet Beets - IMD

Being human is hard.

Many of us have huge defensive layers shielding us from our own insecurities - that even a hint of criticism is not only received with heightened alarm, but is often taken offensively.

It seems that most of us don't truly seek opinion; we seek validation. And when that validation falls flat; it hurts.

Buckle up! I am not here to tell you want you want, I am here to tell you what I think you need....

(disclaimer, I KNOW NOTHING, so if your receptors find yourself with an aching derriere (that is a SORE ASS) after reading this, try some perspective....this is not about YOU - or maybe it is.......and if it is, why do you care? - but I digress).

Below are some statements molded in objectivity; NOT in mean spirit.

(1) GREAT MUSIC is NEVER enough!

(2) Your music deserves NOTHING!

(3) Struggling? It is NOT your music, it is YOU who are the problem.

WOW! What an asshole DC is! Who TF does he think he is? And what kind of dickhead writes about himself in the third person?

Elaborative disclaimer: I come from a long lineage of assholes.....my Daddy, he's an asshole...my Daddy's Daddy, was an asshole....my Daddy's Daddy's Daddy...asshole extraordinaire.

...you get the picture. - now that we are clear, I am, IN FACT, an asshole.....a people loving, sincere and well intentioned asshole. - but if your SBHS (Severe Butt Hurt Syndrome) is flaring up, we are going to jump right into point 3 so get that SOOTHING CREAM ready!

Let's start with the big fundamental misunderstanding.....

YOUR MUSIC DESERVES TO GET HEARD!

I hear this often from people I have grown to cherish....but each time I hear this, I am like - BULLSHIT! Your music deserves NOTHING! - SEE - I just proved it - asshole through and through.

Right out of the gate, "heard by whom"? Since when are anyone's ears obligated to anyone?

To imply that your music deserves anything more than you give it, is foolish.

"But DC, I give it all to my music....so isn't fair to expect that I should get something back?"

If that is the follow up question....I rest my case, YOU are in fact, THE PROBLEM.

If you are trying to USE Music for FAME, FORTUNE or GLORY.....it isn't MUSIC letting you down, it is you letting MUSIC down.....MUSIC IS the REWARD!

The algorithm not playing your music? Struggling to get a gig? Dissatisfied with your streaming numbers? - I am not going to pretend these don't affect anyone who aspires to share their music.....They are REAL challenges!

But if you don't have the strength to walk the path of failure which IS the road to success, THAT IS ON YOU! Not your friends, not your family, not anyone.....

If you can't find the joy in the path and learn from your challenges, then, again, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.

What are the answers? Those are not for me to decide, they are for you.

(1) Perhaps you should reevaluate what it is that is important to you. This includes an intimate self audit of your relationship with Music.....

(2) Perhaps you ought look at each failure and ask yourself what SUCCESS really looks like.....is it FORTUNE, FAME and GLORY? If it is, then my advice it to STOP! YES, STOP!!!

No - NEVER STOP MUSIC, but STOP long enough to ask yourself, is my happiness contingent on tangible results, or is being on the road rewarding enough.

I am going to wrap this up....if the journey isn't enough, maybe you need to reevaluate your journey. If you are publicly bitter about your perceived failures, you are ADDING to the "YOU PROBLEM" (special note, no one wants to be "brow beat" for not listening to your music, and this "pity baiting" will only get you short term results but long term alienation).

....and for the last thought: it is YOUR journey, so YOU GET to decide....

YOU GET TO BE THAT BITTER person who is always complaining!

YOU GET TO CHOOSE and YOU GET TO BE YOU!

So, BE YOU and never let some fool tell you that YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.....

....rather, figure that out for yourself......

LOTS OF LOVE,

DC

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