The Final Word?

I've been writing "The Power To Release" column for over three years now. I started writing the series because I felt I had a lot to say to all the musicians out there getting started with their new records or who were thinking of starting a label. Virtually every column I've written has flowed very naturally from my thoughts to the written (or typed!) page, and I knew that when the day came where that wasn't happening anymore, it would be time to take a pause and put a period at the end of the series. It suddenly struck me over the past two months that the time has arrived.

Is this the final word?

I don't think so. But just as all good television series' eventually come to an end, and the actors move on to new projects, I think the time has come to end "The Power To Release". I have a lot more columns in me--that's for sure--but in order that they may come out in a natural way, and not be constrained to the goals and the focus of "The Power To Release" series, I've decided to step back and refocus my energies on music for a while.

A good number of columns in this series are general enough in their approach to offer solid advice or inspiration for many years to come, and most are good for repeated or even regular reading. I find myself re-reading a number of them myself--I feel subjects such as motivation, confidence and the like must be regularly renewed in order to approach the future with as much anticipation as the day you first realized you could play an instrument or write a song.

With that, I'll close (for now!) and I'd like to give special thanks to all those who've taken the time to write a note to me after reading a column or two. That kind of regular feedback and encouragement made each column in "The Power To Release" series a joy to write. I mean that with all possible sincerity. Thank you for all your support.