A Letter of Gratitude to John Cage

 John Cage where do i begin? my introduction was through old Brian Eno interviews 
around 16 years ago. Eno was a huge influence on me around the year 2001. The post rock music scene in austin was booming. American Analog Set, Experimental Aircraft and A Tiger Named Lovesick(My favorite local bands at the time) were rehearsing in rooms next to me at Music Lab, a dingy rehearsal space facilty.  33Degrees was a Record Store on Guadalupe just before 38th near Hyde Park area. These Places were my hangouts, I was 20 Just quit My blues "Career" (What a Joke I Learned That Word to be in Music) Playing in my 1st real bands not just touring and playing with hire out musicians twice my age. I was watching these bands and hanging out at these record stores with all new kinds of music (well new to me!). I was chasing something more experimental and fascinated with the idea of Minimalism. The Idea that was my saving grace from the guitar solo land I was working in for so much of my life at that point. I had been turned onto to things all the sudden like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Finding they were connected to My early adolescent post grunge loves Sonic Youth and Jesus And Mary Chain.  The Clerks at 33 Degrees saw my interest in shoegaze and minimal wave and Post Rock. Next thing I know Im handed "Music For Airports" and "Apollo" by Brian Eno. I then Found Books on Experimental Music Because couldn't really find this stuff on the internet it was pre youtube and social media. I was Hooked. The Fact that Music Could Be Made with Concept outweighing all performance and the Intent not needing a listeners praise but there for the listener to ignore. This was  a brave new world to me. The World of Experimental Composers one stripped of the ego of guitar solos and band managers and marketing. This felt Pure to me.. Something being a young teenage musician stuck in a land of vultures I felt had been robbed from me, that notion of Music for Music Sake.  John Cage then Showed me True Musical freedom. My 1st exposure being water walk and I understood through the laughs and radio clocks being thrown off tables. Music is Everywhere we just dont always hear it.  "Sound is Always Acting!"  I Realized I loved the Blues not for its notes but for the personality that caused the action. Its Momentary Grace... This was the basis of My Music from then on.  I thank John Cage for being a great daring explorer and I aspire to follow in his footsteps of artistic freedom.