What Creative People Could Learn From Alex Chilton
When Alex Chilton died last week, there was a short flurry of activity about it on social networking sites and a few articles in the mainstream media, but the attention disappeared pretty quickly due to the fact that most people (including those in creative fields) had only a vague notion of who he was.
And that’s a real shame, because I’ve been listening to a lot of Chilton’s music lately and I’ve become convinced that if those of us who are employed in creative businesses started acting more like him, we’d make better work and we’d be a lot happier.
Here are five things I’ve learned from Alex and his music
1. Get an early start and master your craft.
Alex was a rock star when he was 16 years old. He sang for hugely successful teen heartthrob band (the late 60’s equivalent of the Jonas Brothers). But by the time he grew tired of the bubblegum circuit, he was a seasoned veteran. The lesson is you can hone your craft even while you’re working for the man.
2. You know you don’t have to. You can just say no.
That’s a line from my favorite Chilton song. It’s a simple sentiment, but I think it’s something people need to hear over and over. We all have responsibilities. Mortgages, families, car payments. But your job is where you spend the majority of your waking hours and unless you’re absolutely happy with your circumstances, it’s not worth it. Make yourself happy and you’ll find a way to feed your family, believe me.
3. If you do something great, don’t try to do it again.
One thing that drives me crazy are bands who make one good album and all subsequent albums sound like they’re trying to recapture the magic. I think most creative people fall into that trap. A copywriter keeps writing the same spot over and over again. Or a director shoots every thing the same way, because it worked out terrifically one time. This is death. Play to your strengths, sure, but don’t repeat yourself.
4. People will listen to you more if they don’t understand you.
I’m always amazed how clarity is seen as a virtue in our business. That doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s the quiet, mumbled moments that get remembered in any art form. Consumers are exposed to a constant barrage of media and the sooner they can identify what the message is, the sooner they can disregard it. But make something a little difficult to understand and they won’t be able to ignore you.
That last sentence felt a little evil to write. It felt a little like I’m trying to co-opt Chilton’s pure artistic legacy in order to help people sell a product.
I am.
And it brings me to the last Alex lesson.
5. Be honest with yourself.
When That 70’s Show used Chilton’s “In the Street” as it’s opening credits, they changed some of the words to clean it up for TV. In an NPR interview, Terry Gross asked Alex if that bothered him. He said, “No. It’s not a sacred object.”
He wrote pop songs. You make ads. Don’t beat yourself up over it. You’ve been given the opportunity to help shape the culture and, in some cases, help subvert the culture while usually making a pretty good living. What more do you want?
