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Music news, interviews, and dispatches from the indie underground — written by our editorial team.

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The Indie Music Phenomenon - PREQUEL
✍️ Editorial
The Indie Music Phenomenon - PREQUEL
Sweet Beets - IMD · May 17, 2026
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!
✍️ Editorial
Thank You Music!
Sweet Beets - IMD · May 17, 2026
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!
✍️ Editorial
It's Not Your Music, Maybe it is YOU!
Sweet Beets - IMD · May 17, 2026
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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