Artistry and Judgment

I think there's nothing wrong about having favorite and not-so-fave artists in ANY genre including music. I mean, we all do, right?!

This or that musician or band is my cup of tea and this other one is sludge in my view... yep.

I think it important to remember that taste and style are at the same time personal as well as technical, that each of us has a unique brain, emotions and self-and-societal (sometimes peer group) biases. These all build up to "I LOVE This!" all the way to "Uggghhh, what a total waste!" judgments. This is as true about any art form or particular iteration of it regarding pretty much anything you'd care to pin it to. Certainly music, songs, musicianship...

Obviously everyone has to eat, have a place to stay, basic needs met. There are artists who regularly compromise their work to survive at the most basic level. Some in an audience won't notice and of course they primarily attend shows, purchase records, go to streaming services or patron-type outlets because on one or more levels they appreciate the artist. Others don't and so won't. Nothing new or shocking about any of this.

Meanwhile there is aging, change in one's time or cultural comfort zone, an artist has to pay bills and deal with everyday life through it all -yet and still, must they stick like epoxy to a particular style approach to do so, do it with some or a hard concern for sales and popularity -or not??

In my personal case as a musician, band guy and solo artist I couldn't be more in the minority for several reasons I think worth the reader to consider. I say much of this not as a sort of personal defense tome but rather to help music fans consider and offer grace to artists they both love and strongly dislike, that's my motive so please know that as you read here. I write also to encourage musicians to think deeper about their own situation.

Resurrection (REZ) Band which my wife and I fronted for some 28 years and 16 records were loved, hated, somewhat liked and "mehhh" as well. The very same response goes for Glenn Kaiser Band (3 piece blues/rock) that I'm part of and ditto my solo records and shows. Again, no surprise.

Because I'm an eclectic person (all over the map in tastes and styles from music to food to being a theological "mutt") and appreciate elements -sometimes deep parts- of this or that style of things regardless of the issue, well you might expect I write songs in a pretty wide palate of colors. See, even writing I mix metaphors and I do it consciously all the time.

When I write a song it may be in blues (my default) or with bits of soul/r&b or rock or some singer/songwriter style. In guitar playing I fluctuate between using my fingers on my picking hand as well as a guitar pick. I've used a wide range of picks as well, and I do all this regardless of playing electric or acoustic guitar, slide playing, dulcimer and so on. Eclectic indeed- lots of variables depending on what I'm wishing to hear for the song or the stringed instrument part/s.

In recording songs for the public as part of a Christ-following witness, as a statement about most any topic and surely if one considers income every artist has to contend with motive as well as raw commecialization issues. Sometimes none of that comes to mind, it's just writing what one feels at the moment, picking it up later and doing more with it, recording and sending it out to the wide world that way or in performance venues.

In that REZ and myself personally never had to do either a classic 9 to 5 day job (though we all worked/work in various areas that were both work and mission-focused) and because music was only part of our daily service AND we had a local church as well as leadership and mission businesses that supported us and our families (still do in my and my wife's case) and (don't miss this) were thus supported in our ministries we didn't have to fret over music styles, taste and whether our records sold or even if our tours made a load of money because our basic living expenses were covered by living in 24 x 7 intentional Christian community (Jesus People) here in Chicago. Very, VERY FEW musicians are so sponsored by a local entity much less church to the extent we didn't have to write, record or tour songs that kissed any particular commercial form. How freeing do you think that was and is for me now?!!

Incredibly so!

BUT- not everyone writes or performs in such a wide range of styles. Though as I write in 2026 more and more independent artists do so it's still a minority approach to artistry. I mean, people want to sort of know what they're getting and some are more narrow in their likes and purchases.

Now, here's both the artistic and commercial friction for songwriters and live performing artists: you either adapt for either or both or you get pigeonholed- stuck in a musical slot you will find it hard to escape or you begin to consider part time jobs or even play in two different groups so you can both stretch out and enjoy your musical journey or perhaps even quit in frustration because you cannot make a living doing a wider range of art offerings. The audience or lack thereof largely affects all these decisions.

In short, because of our unique sense of calling, simple living conditions and basic needs met REZ and myself never had to deal with what for me would have been an artistic straight-jacket,

As I say, such freedom is not without it's costs. From hard rock, blues (both electric and acoustic), soul/rhythm and blues, singer-songwriter projects and a fairly wide range (via 3 records) of worship music we saw amazing sales but of course some releases sold better than others. All this plus Resurrection Band -though blues-based hard rock) as an entity moved from earliest metal vibes to even bits of synth/new wave, some more pop-sounding songs, more harsh newer metal and (you guessed it) "all over the map". Fans did or did not stick with us due to their own staid or conversely, evolving music tastes. Then as I began doing projects outside of REZ the other wide range of my own writing and live shows mixed in even more variety. Some love it, some hate it. That's just reality!

I understood this from the beginning but I write what I write when I write it and never past or present fret over it.

An early contract meant we were able to build our own pro recording studio and as I write we have 2 of them. We eventually moved away from classic record companies and started and today continue Grrr Records as an indie label who feature our/my older music as well as fresh projects and a number of other artists in a wide range of styles. There are enough older and some younger fans just discovering my long musical journey to make it work -all this to say Alleluia to Jesus but also an explanation of what's possible IF IF IF you have a small group of people who appreciate what you do and are willing to help meet the needs to support you as a human being and artist.

We/I never pretended to be more than flawed humans who seek to minister via music while at the same care, care deeply about our artistic offerings as to style, presentation and excellence within our musical craft. In my view it's a both/and.

I suppose all this is why writing, recording and live shows have never been an either/or matter. Think on that please.

Integrity is certainly questioned by most of us, but above all one must live with God and one's own hard and honest judgment of one's motives and quality in presented works.

I suggest to you a clear conscience in these matters is massive to living in peace with the Lord and yourself- it really is!

My fellow artist- hopefully you can make better informed decisions, actually a series of them, based on some of what I've shared here, perhaps maybe even de-cloud your sense of personal direction as you prayerfully consider the issues.

As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn