Today’s thoughts…I call this: Sex Pistols, Clash, Gen X, Sheila Rock and Why We Sometimes Make Videos for Free!
Sometimes, my friend Ken and I make promotional music videos for young bands for free – no charge.
Why do we sometimes make rock band videos for free? That’s actually an easy question to answer. Both Ken and I have had a good life provided to us by music. Of course there is much more that we need to accomplish in our short time on this earth, but, until now, music has treated us well. I think we should keep doing work to live and eat (of course) but we also need to do things to nourish our heart, soul and mind.
The reason why I say that we should keep doing these sorts of things in our short time on this planet is because three things that happened to me in 2014:
1) I almost died in September. I wrote about that here in Near Death at the Hospital, Last Month! – Back in Humor, This Month! www.modernmarketingjapan.blogspot.jp/2014/11/where-did-i-go-to-hospital.html
2) I met Sheila Rock the world famous photographer. Sheila took many iconic photos of the SexPistols, the Clash and Generation X (plus a bunch of others that I can’t recall this early in the morning) back in the heyday of London Punk. Sheila told me that, in her youth, she never got paid to take those photos of the Clash, Sex Pistols, etc….She said she did it for fun and because she thought the subjects were “interesting.”
Mike, Sheila Rock (famous photographer) and Kato Madoka at Agnes B event
I told Sheila that my friend (Ken Nishikawa) and I often I make videos for young bands and don’t ask for money. Some notable ones were Shonen Knife, the Neatbeats, Glen Matlock (original bassist for the Sex Pistols), Bobby’s Bar, Moja, and so many more I can’t recall those either! (You can see several of them at the top of this page) I showed her some of them in the short time we had.
She seemed impressed. She’s a nice lady and a wonderful person.
She was very enthusiastic about us making those videos to help those people. I also told her the bit about how music has given us a wonderful life and, if we can, we wanna pay back and help some young people. Young people, who, if we don’t help them, they will never get a chance of ever having a video of their performance made; no matter if they are genius and talented musicians; luck plays a big part in everyone’s life.
If, after I die, if someone says, “I was lucky to meet Mike Rogers” (or Ken, or Ayumi, or?) then I will be one more person happier.
Sheila really complimented and supported us with her words. She said, “When I took those photos way back when, I never realized what sort of legacy I was recording and the legacy I was leaving for myself. It took many years later, when we went back and looked and saw all these photos I had taken…. It is my statement and reason for life….. Tell your friend that I said to ‘keep it up.'”
3) I think we all must keep making something everyday if we can; something new, fresh, fun and also for posterity’s sake….
We all do what we do to live but I think we also should try do what we do for ourselves and our legacy; “Posterity’s Sake” is a good thing. Let’s live to make something that people will remember you by. Even if you never become famous for it, but just because it is good and is makes someone happy.
Do it for yourself and do it for your loved ones.
Mike Rogers (Photo by Sheila Rock)
OK! There’s three things that Johnny Rotten and I have in common: 1) We are in a photo together at the top of this page; 2) We both have been in punk bands; 3) Both of us have had their photo taken by Sheila Rock…. Thanks Sheila! You are Tops!
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There’s an old saying about regrets:
“Your regrets in life aren’t what you did, but what you didn’t do when you had the chance.” – Anonymous
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MORE! Like our Robot55 Mission Statement:
“We make wonderful productions; for a profit if we can, at a loss if we must. But no matter what, we make wonderful productions.”
As for me, every time I go do a shoot or edit with our team and some of the world-class professionals we work with, I learn something. I learn something on how to become a better artist and craftsman and I learn something about myself.
If we all can remember this everyday of our lives, then I think it helps us to become better. I really do.
I also believe in the Law of Attraction and know that if we keep our eye on it, then we will find those who will support us financially and spiritually.
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We’d like to let folks know who we are and what we do at Robot55. (That’s actually pronounced, “Robot Go Go” as “55” in Japanese can be pronounced as “Go Go.”)
Our Mission Statement says:
“We make wonderful video productions, at a profit if we can; at a loss if we must. But, no matter what, we make wonderful video productions.”
If we are not going to make something with all of our selves and our hearts aren’t it in, we don’t want to do it. Let’s live life to the fullest.
If you are an independent band about to come to Tokyo, won’t you contact us? Depending on our schedule and the type of music you do, maybe we can make some art together!