Dark times, offering meaning, inspiration.

Death & heartbreak — reliable catalysts.

Using darkness for fuel is a dangerous exchange.

You become hardened — you forget how to live without it.

Comfort can be equally disorienting.

Life becomes easier — purpose much harder to find.

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Somewhere along the way…

The Hotel Cafe has closed its doors on Cahuenga for good.

I started booking shows in LA when I was 25 — I didn’t know what a ticket split was and I had never promoted anything.

I just knew I loved music and the people who made it.

I was enamored with the idea of chasing a dream — whether my own, or supporting those in the process of chasing theirs.

I spent a decade with songwriters — a drink, a smoke, a stage, a song.

That was church.

I’ve watched artists go from fucking up lyrics on stage to touring around the world with #1 singles.

Somewhere along the way, in those two rooms, this was no longer something I just did.

It became part of who I was.

“Making it” only ever meant getting to square one.

Stability.

Comfort.

I’ve learned that a little breathing room is what ten years gets you.

I’m healthy.

I can pay my bills.

I wake up next to someone I love.

That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

Yet some days, I worry that the spark is gone.

Maybe I spent too long turning pain into momentum.

Some days I’m unsure how to move forward without it.

Does my dad need to die again?

Does my heart need to break?

Do I need to lose everything to remember how much I once wanted it?

Some days it’s easy to let peace feel like emptiness.

Somewhere along the way, the life I was chasing became the life I was living.

Maybe the spark has just outgrown the room where I first found it.

Maybe you don’t need pain to write a sad song.

Maybe art comes from bringing yourself to the edge without needing to fall in.

Long live Rock n Roll,

Lucas

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If presented a choice between a busy shortcut and a longer less suffocating path…

I’d take the long way home.

No stop ‘n go, sit ‘n wait bullshit.

Just cruisin.

I’ve become fond of this approach in life.

If I’m able to keep moving, I’m able to convince myself that progress is being made— a dangerous habit if applied to anything other than driving.

But lately it seems I get where I’m going faster if I’m able to sit and wait for a moment.

“But how do you know it’ll ever come?”

I guess I don’t.

What I do know, is you can’t find peace if you can’t sit still.

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While some of us are meant to be stars — some of us aren’t.

Some may get a taste — and some may have it ripped from their fingertips.

In any case, it seems that those who are most successful, have the ability to be still.

Faithful.

Confident.

Convicted.

They don’t fidget when things slow down.

They sit.

They wait.

They keep going.

And at that point, I’m not sure it matters how things turn out…

As long as you’ve found peace in the process.

'Cause you're the joke of the neighborhood
Why should you care, if you're feeling good?
Well, take the long way home
Take the long way home

When lonely days turn to lonely nights
You take a trip to the city lights
And take the long way home
Take the long way home

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

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I hadn’t read a book in 20 years.

It’d gotten to the point where I didn’t think I could actually fucking read anymore.

Jess said, “you need to do more to relax!”

I completely disagreed.

I believe my “non stop” “high strung” “potentially psychotic” approach to life has boded well thus far.

Nevertheless — she handed me Scar Tissue, Anthony Kiedis’ memoir that covers the tales and triumphs of the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their high school days up to early 2002.

“Read this!”

I read the book.

She now claims reading has changed my life.

But as a man of Rock n Roll, this was some seriously low hanging fruit…

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While Kiedis’ sexcapades were wildly entertaining, it’s the band’s timeline that should inspire every artist around the world…

• 1982 — Band forms in Los Angeles as Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem (core: Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Hillel Slovak, Jack Irons)

• 1984 — Debut album The Red Hot Chili Peppers released

• 1988 — Guitarist Hillel Slovak dies of heroin overdose → major turning point

• 1989 — Mother’s Milk released; introduces John Frusciante and Chad Smith (classic lineup forms)

IMPORTANT F*CKING NOTE #1: It’s been almost a decade now — sex, drugs, successes, failures, death, uncertainty…

But most importantly — god given talent and a (soon to be declared) pursuit of greatness.

• 1991 — Breakthrough album Blood Sugar Sex Magik → global fame

  (“Under the Bridge” “Give It Away”)

Kiedis wrote Under The Bridge five years after losing everything he had — his lowest point.

He was kicked out of the band, his girlfriend left him, he had no place to lay his head, and he was completely consumed by heroin.

Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, The City of Angels
Lonely as I am, together we cry

His lowest point, forever tied to one of his greatest achievements.

• 1992 — John Frusciante quits mid-tour at peak success

  • addicted to heroin four years after Kiedis gets clean

• 1994 — Anthony Kiedis relapses after a dentist prescribed him the opioid-based painkiller Tramadol.

  • the medication triggers a return to heroin.

• 1998 — John Frusciante returns → band revival begins

IMPORTANT F*CKING NOTE #2: It has now been 16 years.

Anthony Kiedis is 36 yrs old.

The band enters its most prolific years.

• 1999 — Californication drops → massive comeback

  (“Scar Tissue” “Californication”)

• 2002 — By the Way → melodic shift, continued global dominance

  (“By The Way”) (“Can’t Stop”)

Anthony Kiedis writes & releases Scar Tissue (memoir, 2004)

He assumes this is it — the top of the mountain.

He’s now 43 yrs old.

• 2006 — Stadium Arcadium → first #1 album, multiple Grammys.

It’s been 25 years.

If you find yourself under the bridge, you may be living through one of the more meaningful times in your life.

Keep your spirit alive and your soul strong.

Not everything needs to make sense.

It won’t always add up.

But somewhere along the way, you’ll remember those feelings…

And with them, you may do something great.

Leave the door open.

(to anything but heroin)

Long live Rock n Roll,

Lucas

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I spoke with a 22 yr old kid from Utah last week — he’s going viral on Tik Tok right now, his voice caught my ear.

I asked him if he had any plans to come to LA…

His response was,

“I was doing this for fun and now I’m starting to take things seriously.

I’m new to all this tho and don’t know how anything works.

I don’t have like any connections really and no real knowledge of the industry.”

I prefaced my conversation with him by saying, “take everything you’re about to hear with a grain of salt — I’m just another dude, who’s gonna tell you a bunch of shit…you’ll have to decide what’s for you, and what’s not…

Going viral for singing covers may be misleading — my first bit of advice.

You’ll pass a million views on TikTok and receive comments from a slew of middle aged housewives that just LOVE hearing Tennessee Whiskey for the ten thousandth time…

“OMFG YOU’RE AMAZING”

“WAIT OMG YOU HAVE TO DO LANDSLIDE NOW”

I had the kid laughing.

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Going viral for singing covers is a great start for someone unsure whether or not they’re meant to be an artist.

Perfecting the performance of well written songs is not only a useful way to engage a new audience, it’s a proven method in becoming a better songwriter yourself.

Wanna be great?

Study those who already are.

He went on to tell me that since having these TikToks go viral, he’s had some labels, managers, etc reach out to him, wanting to “work together.”

He said it was overwhelming, not really knowing anything about the business.

My only question for him was, “well how many songs have you written?

He said “I really only have three.”

The conversation quickly shifted gears.

“So what’s the plan then, spend your 30th NYE singing covers in some bar around the corner from your Mom’s house?”

We can each name a few internet artists that are widely known for singing covers — in some cases, this is a persona they’ll never escape.

The kid went on to say “I had a really bad 2025, things weren’t so good for me.”

I asked again “so how many songs did you write?”

A bad year could mean a great song — and at some point, the price of a great song may be more than you’re willing to offer.

You might have to give it all away.

In a world filled with cheap thrills, sometimes it may feel like you’re ostracizing yourself when you sit down to write a song.

If you’ve already written a handful, it may not feel worth it to write some more — “why am I doing this,” when I could just post a cover, snag a million views, then maybe come back to writing later…

A great song can change the world, no matter when it comes, or who it comes from.

You just have to decide whether or not you’re willing to pay the price for it.

Long live Rock n Roll,

Lucas

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For most, December is a time to rejoice.

Giving gifts to loved ones.

Grandma and Grandpa smooching under the mistletoe.

Reflecting on a year well spent.

For me, December has always been a pit of darkness.

A black hole of despair.

On December 1st this year, Jessica asked me…

“So are we doing it again or what?”

I jokingly replied, “unfortunately, I don’t think I have a good enough reason to.”

But I had already felt myself slipping — even if only out of habit.

Sitting in reflection, I’ve realized a few things.

I often find myself running — always running.

When life slows down, I panic.

There’s no where to run to.

I look for ways to speed it up.

To distract myself.

A drink does it.

My phone does it.

Another show does it.

What am I so desperately running from?

Why do I crave chaos?

These are the questions I aim to answer this year.

Anyone with a toe in the music business knows that after the first week of December, it becomes virtually impossible to get anything done.

It slows down — becomes still.

The out of office responses ping back like clockwork.

“Let’s circle back after the holidays” is now an acceptable response, even if it really means “let’s chat in 40 days or so.”

Income for December is usually cut in half, if not absent entirely.

My world shuts down, and any time that’s normally spent hustling, progressing, trying to move forward — is now spent staring at a wall, broke as hell, wondering what I’ve done to deserve this fate.

It’s like looking in a mirror on acid — everything is dramatized, becoming bigger and scarier than it really is.

This year, I’ll try to embrace the stillness.

I don’t want to rehash a decade of mistakes.

I don’t want to stare in the mirror with regret.

I just want to be still.

I want to be grateful.

And maybe for once, happy with myself.

Long live rock n roll,
Lucas

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You are no longer a civilian.

You no longer need to fit in.

You are a mirror.

A social commentator.

A catalyst for change.

You tell stories, challenge norms.

Truth is your north star.

To spend your days biased, is to waste them.

You must be curious.

Your art depends on it.

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“If you won’t do it for free, you shouldn’t do it for money.”

The first show I hosted at Hotel Cafe was in January of 2018.

I sent an email to Marko with the subject line:

ESTABLISHED SHOWCASE SEEKING NEW VENUE!

The year prior, I was hosting a free showcase around the corner at Black Rabbit Rose.

“Established” was quite the stretch, looking back.

But that year I learned the truth in these words…

“If you won’t do it for free, you shouldn’t do it for money.”

And since that cold email years ago, I’ve hosted a showcase every Tuesday night at the Hotel Cafe.

This 2 hour period, once a week, has become the focal point for anything I’ve been able to accomplish here…

Which to be fair, is not much.

But that’s what home is…

No judgement.

No pressure.

Just a comfortable place you can return to, as yourself.

There have been times I’ve wanted to get as far away from home as possible.

Now I find myself with a deep desire to return.

I guess the older you get, the more aware of time you become.

How little we actually have of it.

We become more careful with how we choose to spend it.

So while we may find ourselves looking to the past for significance, meaning, purpose…

Or we may find ourselves looking to tomorrow, hoping to find what we’ve been searching for all along…

Time is irrelevant.

We are only here, now.

As Chris Cornell once said,

“Time is my friend, till it ain’t and runs out
And that is all that I have till it’s gone.”

It all happens when it’s supposed to.

Home truly is where you make it.

Long live Rock n Roll,

and long live the Hotel Cafe.

Lucas

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A tale as old as time.

There’s a reason why so many artists create their best work on the way up.

They have more problems.

More problems — more feelings.

More feelings — better songs.

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In the artist community, we often discuss mental health.

We talk about how hard it is to be seen.

The struggles of writing songs, while creating content, while playing live, while working a 9 to 5.

The inevitable toll this takes on your well-being.

It hurts your soul.

Your flame becomes dim, in time.

I’ve been there myself along the way.

Alone, waiting for something to happen, praying that I can hold on long enough to see it all through.

Yet in these moments, I was the most passionate.

I was writing more, feeling more.

I was the most present I’d ever been, even while wishing to be anywhere else other than where I was.

Don’t be afraid to circle the drain.

Comfort is the death of art.

The closer you get to drowning, the closer you are to catching your break.

Long live Rock n Roll,

Lucas

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Over the past three months, I’ve gotten an inside look at a company I’ve been following closely for years…

A blessing, given that earlier this year I was ready to quit the music biz and become the world’s greatest medical salesman.

I’m now booking & working with more artists than ever — Sofar Sounds, Hotel Cafe, a short 6-week stint with American Idol (a surprisingly satisfying / lucrative side quest) have all kept me busy — I’m a happy man.

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In July, I started working for Sofar as their Los Angeles venue & talent booker.

For those that don’t know, Sofar Sounds is an experiences based music company that organizes secret / intimate live music events, in unique everyday spaces.

The company’s been active in 70 countries and 400 cities around the world, for the past 16 years — an impressive feat, now knowing how much time it takes to book 1 venue and 3 artists, per show, 4x a week, 16x a month.

After countless conversations with other Sofar employees, artists, songwriters, managers, agents, pretty much any one who knows the brand…

I’ve come to realize that a company that’s been around so long is bound to have MANY thoughts & opinions surrounding it.

What works?

What doesn’t?

What do artists want?

What do fans want?

Most importantly: does getting 50-100 people to a random Silver Lake Art Gallery on a Wednesday evening…or a backyard in Venice on a Saturday night…all to see up & coming artists (you’ve most often never heard of)…still matter?

I’d say it does.

in person experiences > the internet

Experiencing life in person is much more fun than experiencing it through a phone.

I find it odd to have to make that point.

Which is why with each year that goes by, I feel myself becoming more and more like Dewey Finn.

A high strung, passionate lover of music, with an appreciation for how things once were, often failing to conform to the status quo, mostly due to stubbornness…and a distaste for THE MAN.

I WOULD ALSO be willing to impersonate a substitute teacher, form a band of 12 year olds, all in an effort to seek revenge on a group of posers that kicked me out of my own band…IF the opportunity ever presented itself…

But at 33, I’ve become the old man in the room.

I believe the internet killed the Rock Star.

I’ve also come to terms with the fact that it’s now an artist’s only way out.

Both are equally depressing.

But hey, maybe there’s a way back to the promised land — where songs can buy houses and tours can make a profit.

Until then — play the game or get played.

Which is why a company like Sofar Sounds, one that just recently went to great lengths to rebuild it’s entire team in a major music city (Los Angeles), is set for success.

As an artist, where else can you show up to a crowd of 100 people in a backyard, play 5 songs, make $100 with your eyes closed, and gain SO many new fans, all without having to spam your IG story for 2 months?

As a fan, where else can you find a global community of music lovers, people from every culture and background, united by a shared curiosity to discover new artists and witness the next big thing?

The answer: no where

So as a new year slowly comes upon us, I ask this of you:

1. Put your phone down.

2. Find a way to stick it to the man.

3. And maybe buy a ticket to a Sofar Sounds show — they’re everywhere.

   (this backyard gig on Saturday is about to ROCK if you’re in LA)

Most of all — I ask you for the chance to prove that this next chapter, will be our best yet.

Long live Rock n Roll — smoke em if you got em.

Lucas

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I’ve always particularly enjoyed those with strong identities.

Sturdy backbones, that bend for nothing.

A person with no identity is a person to fear.

Tom always said,

Lucas — you don’t want to grow up & be boring…

Someone with no interests, or hobbies.

You have to find something you love.

What do you love?

As I’ve found [some of] these things, often becoming attached to them, making them most if not all of my identity — I’ve developed a lust for those that’ve done the same.

Shamelessly convicted in their ways, teaching me that there is no singular lens to experience life through.

Endless perspective and knowledge for those curious enough to seek.

Politics bore me.

Hard lines in the sand, a choice to be one of two people.

Boring.

I’ve found as much enjoyment smoking a cigarette with a Nebraskan as I have drinking a latte with a Californian.

Two different people, two different perspectives — each rooted in their own experiences.

Much to learn, without a need to adopt either as my own.

I choose what pieces I hold on to.

So while I continue searching for the things I love, I’m reminded that my lust is fleeting — destined to one day pass away.

True love is unexplainable.

Maybe god given.

For this, I am grateful.

Long live Rock n Roll,

Lucas

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School was finished, and I had no idea what to do with myself.

I’d just told my Dad I was planning on moving to Los Angeles to pursue a “career in music” — pretty much in whatever capacity would most likely lead to the purchase of a mansion.

The only advice he could offer, was “look up a guy named Tom Windish…we have a mutual friend.”

I sighed and said “who the hell is that?”

My Dad was a high school english teacher, and Windish grew up a town over from us in Upstate NY.

At the time, he was finding his own success at the helm of The Windish Agency — an independent booking agency devoted to the artistic development and vision of its incredibly talented roster of musicians, bands, and DJs

This agency, which he had started 11 years prior in Chicago with just one other person, was being purchased by Paradigm (a larger conglomerate), adding 750+ artists to Paradigms roster, such as Lorde, Alt J, Diplo, and many more.

Windish had made some serious noise since leaving New York, which is exactly the kind of story that might motivate a 23 yr old to move across the country.

Rags to riches baby.

After learning of his conquests, I decided the degree I had just received in Journalism was no good.

Invalid.

WORTHLESS!

So that cold winter night, I emailed every single agent on the Windish Agency’s staff directory.

I still had no idea what a music agent did…I just knew they worked with bands (and assumed they were rich), which satisfied my only two life goals at the time.

An agent, Ben, responded…

“Well, if you want to start booking bands, start booking bands.”

This was an infuriating response.

Get a load of this guy.

Mr. Big Time Agent.

Just thinks anyone can “book bands.”

How the fuck do I do that, I don’t even know any “bands”man, I’m in NEW HAMPSHIRE!

Who’s this guy think I am, David Geffen!?

“I NEED SOMEONE TO PAY ME SO I CAN LEARN.”

“I NEED TO BE A PART OF A COMPANY TO DO THIS.”

“I CAN’T JUST “BOOK” BANDS MAN!”

Looking back, this simple one line email has defined a decade of my life, and will hopefully be one of the great lessons I teach my children.

If you want to do something, start doing something.

Wait for no one.

Only you can save yourself.

My attempt to quit…

For those working independently in the music business, it’s more difficult now than ever to make a buck outside of a corporate company.

Since coming to LA in 2015 with no experience whatsoever, I’ve worked with big artists, small artists, in beautiful venues and studios, all while building lasting relationships with some awesome people.

I’ve been through my fair share of heartache, but have accomplished more on my own than I ever thought I would.

I’ve since learned that some accomplishments don’t come in the form of monetary reward.

A newsflash to my younger self.

In 2021, Wasserman acquired Paradigm Talent Agency's North American live music representation business, launching Wasserman Music.

This deal brought Paradigm's touring business, including clients like Billie Eilish, Coldplay, and Ed Sheeran, under the Wasserman umbrella.

Tom Windish is now Head of A&R and Business Development at Wasserman Music, making him one of the most successful agents in music today.

After booking a few younger Wasserman artists at my shows around town, Tom and I ended up on emails together.

A full circle moment for me.

I sent him a note outside our usual business — I was excited to tell him what I was working on, building towards, and so on…he said “let’s hop on a call.”

We spoke for an hour or so — that call was 2 years ago.

Last month, I received an email from the CEO of a well known live music & events company, called Sofar Sounds…

“Lucas, hey, it's Warren from Sofar Sounds. Tom Windish suggested I reach out to you. We're building our LA team and looking to hire a talent booker…”

After six weeks of calls, interviews, a loss of sleep and a spike in cortisol, yesterday I signed a job offer.

I’ll now be handling the company’s booking needs across Los Angeles, which is nothing short of a dream for me — an opportunity to continue booking artists in LA, offering new and exciting experiences…all while maybe paying back some of this gyatdamn credit card debt.

What I haven’t told you, is that in April of this year, I said to myself “I can’t fucking do this anymore.”

I was ready to change course.

I was exhausted.

I’m 33 with a fiancé.

I want a kid soon.

I was tired of just getting by, never ahead.

I wasn’t sure what the dream was any more.

So I woke up the next day & called an old boss of mine from a medical staffing company, the one I worked at in New Hampshire for a year after college.

I was in search of a remote 9-5 outside of music that might offer some sort of stability and security.

I was tapping out — which went against anything I’ve ever written in this newsletter.

I had interviewed, and was waiting to hear back.

I felt like a fraud, like I couldn’t even look in the fucking mirror.

Then one night shortly after that interview, I received a random note, about a job I didn’t know existed, from a CEO sent my way by a guy my Dad told me about 10 years ago.

I’ve learned that “keep going” is a lot easier to say, than do.

So maybe you don’t always have to know what it looks like on the other side…

You just have to hold on until you get there.

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

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21 million views in 2 weeks.

Viral.

But for Brendan Abernathy, what would normally be considered a gift from god, has quickly sparked controversy…one the entire world has felt the need to weigh in on.

Myself included.

@brendanabernathyi love this moment where i get to share my most vulnerable songs at each show. just me and the crowd. this one is called “married in a year,” and i think it’s about comparing myself with everyone.

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Two sides of a coin…

In October of last year, I asked Brendan if he wanted to come over on a Saturday morning to chat…about music, life — a catchup of sorts.

We drank sunset cinnamon tea, my first tea experience.

What I assumed would last an hour, lasted three.

Before I could have the interview edited and cut into clips for social media, like the one below with Candlebox’s Kevin Martin, I ran out of money.

Y’all think I’m joking when I say these subscriptions fund the promotion of artists.

The fine line between ego and self confidence…

I booked Brendan his first gig in LA.

We stayed in touch thereafter — he’d call me from the road, and we’d talk about our struggles in the music biz, how things were changing, and so on.

Brendan was one of the few artists that I’ve come across in almost a decade of doing this, that’s really put the pedal to the metal.

For 5 years straight, he booked himself small shows, in every market across the country.

200+ gigs a year, just him & his guitar.

His instagram bio reads…

Brendan’s goal from day one was to connect directly with each fan, in a meaningful way.

Whether it’s a crowd of 3,000 in Atlanta opening for The Script, or two fans in a coffee shop in Minneapolis, you always get the same dude.

Every gig, no matter the size, is meant to feel like an intimate experience between artist and audience…

A house show.

I can hear my Mom’s voice now…

“TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF WHEN YOU’RE IN THE FUCKIN HOUSE LUCAS”

So the viral clip, the one where we judge a young man based on a raw & passionate 10 seconds…a kid who’s been grinding away at his dream for years, dedicating his life to a path filled with uncertainty (and very brief bursts of euphoria if you’re lucky)….

Was nothing more than an attempt to get off the stage, into the crowd, and connect.

THE OTHER SIDE…

I’ve literally never seen an artist (that no one knew of previously) get flamed this hard on social media.

It’s like every troll found their way to Brendan’s comment section, and decided to take out their years of trauma and depression on him.

Videos mocking the original received hundreds of thousands of likes and comments of their own.

In an attempt to answer the simple question of “why?” some creators have since put the viral clip & the hate it’s received under their own microscope.

Why does everyone hate this clip SO much?

Is it the lyrics, the tip toes, the socks, the howling vocals, the hand gestures…

Or quite possibly, did Brendan, in an effort to curate an intimate moment with his audience, appear to the naked eye as ego driven?

Self centered?

Forced?

Suffering from “main character syndrome?”

I’ve spent the past 10 years of my life putting myself in the shoes of young artists — standing side by side with them, understanding how they think & feel, relating to the path that they’re on, always offering empathy, not judgement (unless you’re Greta Van Fleet, I fucking HATE that band).

WHAT I’VE LEARNED:

No one listens to you until you make them.

Every day you’re reminded that someone, somewhere, is doing better than you, and making more money than you.

You begin to question everything.

Is this for me?

Am I even talented?

Do I have what it takes?

It’s lonesome.

Confusing.

You’re pushed to the edge of sanity daily.

And yet, you continue onward.

So what if that 10 second clip is a product of survival.

Self confidence.

Pride.

As for the filmed interview I did with Brendan, I’ve decided there was a reason it was never released.

Maybe it was just meant to be a conversation between two friends, both in the middle of chasing their dreams.

Let this be a lesson for every artist currently posting on social media.

Remember that you’ll never be in control of the outcome.

Your years of hard work will never mean anything to a man sitting on the toilet.

The internet is not real.

You are real.

Your art is real.

And no matter what anyone says…

If you feel it,

Do it.

Post it.

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

My Mom grew up across the street from him.

I always thought it was weird when kids would say “I’m going on vacation to see my grandparents.”

I’m like, “wait, what? they don’t live across the street from each other?”

I was also 6 yrs old when I learned everyone in the world was in fact, not Italian.

Maybe I wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

My mom got her Masters Degree in Microbiology from Penn State, and spent 30 years working for the NYS Health Department, as a “scientist.”

Colleen is currently filled with more “opinions” (and wine) rather than facts, which yes, makes her the worst scientist of all time.

However, without her, I wouldn’t be writing this to you.

In high school, I was captain of the Varsity soccer & baseball teams.

We won championships in both my senior year, which was not life changing.

I graduated with 250 kids, so if you could write your name & run without tripping, you made whatever team you tried out for.

I was crowned “Lucas Flood, lord of the flies.”

The preferred life path, passed down to all of us, was…

Work hard.

Excel in sports.

Go to college.

Play sports there.

Get a degree.

Find the job you’ll do for the rest of your life.

Have kids.

Retire.

Die.

Based on my current net worth, I obviously abandoned this path after “get a degree,” mostly because I realized it was a crock of shit with no logical basis (other than avoiding poverty).

When it came time to decide what college I wanted to go to, the first questions I asked myself were, “well what sport do you enjoy playing more? what are you better at?”

I never asked myself those questions.

Later in life, I realized that in those moments I had asked myself “which version of yourself do you like best?”

The answer was always: baseball player.

I grew up watching Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees win World Series after World Series.

My Dad would take us down to the Bronx on school nights to see the Yankees play the Red Sox, which I believe to date is the greatest rivalry in sports history.

Grown men, drunk as fuck, beating the living shit out of each other in the stands, purely out of passion for their city.

I was 12 yrs old, living the dream. Glizzy after glizzy, slurping as much Pepsi as humanly possible.

“Holy cow, did you see that Dad!?”

Looking back, it’s easy to love the things your parents do.

You think it’ll make them love you more.

Whether or not those are the things you should center your life around, well that’s the question I later found the answer to.

I chose to go to a school in New Hampshire & get a degree in Journalism.

The school’s parties were better than it’s professors.

When the photo above was taken, I was on the roof of the building behind the SWAT team, watching as a couch burned in flames while tear gas was shot into a crowd of 6’7 frat bros chanting “USA! USA! USA!”

Mind you, this was all in honor of the yearly “Pumpkin Festival.”

The town would light a bunch of jack-o-lanterns on Main Street, count them all, and try to break the record for “most lit jack-o-lanterns in one place…”

They were the only previous record holders.

The school also happened to have a great baseball team.

The only question I really should’ve asked myself leading up to this point, was “which sport can you play better drunk.”

I was cut from the baseball team after a week of tryouts.

Imagine watching a cross eyed, blue mouthed 18 yr old, running around with his tongue out, try to catch 400 ft bombs in left field.

We were mixing vodka with gatorade back then.

Six months went by, and I ended up meeting two guys, each who I’ve spoken to within the past week.

We’ve been friends for 15 years.

They both played soccer.

What You Want vs Who You Are…

While I never would’ve become a professional athlete, one way or the other, I think of Baseball vs. Soccer any time a big life decision comes up.

I take a step back, and ask myself if this is something I truly want, or something I’ve convinced myself I want because I’m still trying to appease this little bubble I’ve decided I must live and die in.

I’m at that crossroads again now.

June 2025 marks 10 yrs in Los Angeles for me.

A lot has happened in those 10 yrs.

I’ve dedicated a decade to music and am now at a point where I’d like to start a family with my fiancé.

For one reason or another, after businesses, brands, recording studios, venues, independent artists, A list artists, and so much hard work, I’ve found that music has never really showed me much love back.

Working hard has never been hard for me.

Deciding what to work hard towards, always has.

I now wonder if music is baseball.

I wonder if I’ve become infatuated with the idea of dedicating a life to rock n roll, to the point where I’d do anything just to stay in the game.

Even if that means sacrificing my future.

Where is the line between manifesting & self destruction?

In any case, I’ve decided that now is the time to let go.

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

Part of the reason I promoted Jessica from girlfriend to fiancé, is her willingness to entertain every idea I’ve ever had…

…even when it’s 3am and she’s been woken up by a “hey sooooo, are you sleeping right now orrrrrrr?…”

Jess knows I’ve been writing these letters, every week, since 2017.

She knows that each letter takes me 6-10 hours to finish, and I unnecessarily obsess over each one of them, even the ones that seem like a “stream of consciousness” or a “ramble from the toilet seat.”

But just like music, achieving simplicity (that’s filled with emotion) is often most challenging.

I asked Jess if she thought it’d be wise for me to focus on improving the quality of this Substack — investing more time into each letter, a consistent schedule, maybe two letters a week instead of one, ultimately resulting in a paid subscriber based Substack.

I said, “well maybe I just leave it unpaid, and keep writing, so everyone keeps reading. I don’t wanna turn anyone off.”

She said, “Lucas. Not gettin paid isn’t really workin for ya right now, is it bud.”

We had a good laugh.

The money will literally go right back to artists who need it…

That is not a bullshit statement.

If you’ve been following my Instagram, you’ve seen dozens of clips like this…

I’ve been paying around $1,000 per artist (those who I really think have a shot at making it) to record & film their performances at our weekly showcase at The Hotel Cafe.

I sell tickets to the shows, and whatever I receive after artist’s are paid out, goes directly to content creation & advertising.

Videographer, Editor, Engineer, Mixer, Renting Cameras & Lenses, and so on.

All directly from the bank account of Lucas The Broke Man Flood, at NO COST to the artists.

I’m lucky to have a fiancé that’s down to watch every dollar that comes in, go out.

From there, once we finish all the video content, and release the clips, if they come out really REALLY great, I run Ads on the clips.

Paid views for artists, seen by potential fans in the local market.

In Matthew Grant’s case, I’ve put around $1500 behind his clip.

In Rachell Rivas’s case, I’ve put around $500 behind her clip.

A literal marketing budget for artists, similar to what a label would do.

Except there is no deal.

I own no rights.

There is no recoup.

All I can hope for is more folks come see these artists at our shows, and more folks sign up for this CURRENTLY FREE FOR 8 GOD DAMN YEARS mailing list.

Empowering artists who wouldn’t have enough money to pay for the filming in the first place.

I’ve also spent a year writing a book…

At the end of 2023, I was approached by someone who’d been following the mailing list for a while.

She was working for a large talent agency, that was managing everyone from actors & directors, to screenwriters & playwrights.

She asked me if I had ever considered writing a book.

I laughingly said “literally, no.”

Shortly after that first conversation, I signed a deal with her.

1 year, to write a book and chase a publishing deal together.

So for the past year, I’ve spent time each week organizing all of these letters into book form, as well as adding background, interludes, additional context, to make it all flow as an entertaining, but inquisitive work OF FUCKING ART.

It’s turned into a 125 page coffee table read for creatives, aimed at answering the question “is my dream actually worth chasing?”

Whether you’re at the beginning, middle, or end of your journey, you’ve asked yourself this question.

And for a generation of kids that was told to “chase your dreams,” we were in fact NOT told of the price tag that often comes with choosing to do so.

So while I’ll never be the “Top 10 ways to make it in the music industry” guy, or the “Follow these 5 steps and GET RICH!” guy…

I’ll just continue being the guy who’s talked to a LOT of people, asked a LOT of questions, all while endlessly pondering my own existence, seeking a greater purpose, and showing those on a parallel path that they are not alone.

SO KEEP THIS TRAIN ROLLING.

At the end of the day, I put my money where my mouth is.

I not only support live music, I invest in it…for really no reason at all, other than I love it.

I invest in and support artists at the lowest level, who need every helping hand they can get.

I don’t really give a fuck if you subscribe to this newsletter, because nothing will change for me.

I’ll keep going.

But if you do, you’d be empowering myself (and everyone with me) to do more.

The work I’ve done thus far speaks for itself.

So buy the ticket.

Take the ride.

AND DON’T FORGET TO FUCKING SUBSCRIBE.

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

I’ve been having an unnecessary midlife crisis since I landed in Los Angeles, 10 years ago.

The older I get, the more I question the voice in my head that’s told me for years “you’re destined for something great.”

Where’s the line between believing in yourself and narcissism?

While I feel like I’ve put my money where my mouth is, having done some awesome things along the way, in rooms with people I didn’t always belong in…

I look to a future that hopefully involves a house, and kids, maybe a grill so I can stop cooking these fucking Ribeyes on the stove like a degenerate…

I ask myself how far I’m supposed to go before the “big thing” does, or does not happen.

How far am I willing to go?

The answered used to be all the way.

Well all the way gets a lot fucking scarier when the universe calls your bluff.

At this point, the “big thing” is a pretty simple request.

Waking up every day.

Doing what I enjoy.

AND MAYBE GETTING PAID A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO DO IT.

Is that so much to ask?

If that’s a midlife crisis, well I’ll see you on the other side pal.

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But the more I want, the less I receive.

I find comfort in negativity.

“Eh, it probably won’t happen.”

sighs

“I’m fine if it doesn’t.”

keeps one eye half open to see if it’s happened yet.

Cycling in and out of gratitude & faith, always followed by unhappiness in the uncertainty of the present.

I seek relief from uncertainty.

Happiness tends to emerge whenever the uncertainty disappears, even if only for a moment.

My mom refers to this as being “manic.”

I tell her this is showbiz.

You have to lose your mind a little bit.

To hope for something puts you right in the cross hairs of life.

You’re vulnerable.

You’re uncertain.

But you’re willing.

I fail once a day.

I succeed once a day.

I will never surrender.

I am alive.

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

Look, I don’t think I’m the first person in history to say that there is NOTHING SPECIAL about a bunch of fake celebrities flocking to the desert to snort ketamine & smoke plastic cigarettes, posting their outfits on TikTok every 5 seconds so us muggles can drool as we gaze upon their Ozempic & Facetune sponsored beauty.

But, after watching a majority of the performances from this past weekend, I’m reminded that the music and the festival itself are two separate beasts.

While we could simply look at the fact that Scott Shriner, Weezer’s bass player, still performed a set with the band in the desert Saturday, even though his wife was just shot by the LAPD (after shooting at them first) and is now facing attempted murder charges, as a sign that the festival still matters…

We could also watch along as Lola Young dry heaves her way through her first Coachella set due to a “stomach illness,” which I’d say was probably just nerves / she’s from the UK and doesn’t know wtf “heat” is…

In any case, it’s safe to say Coachella is still held in high regard amongst the artist community, even after 26 years of business.

The festival’s grown to become more than just a gathering of the world’s best talent and highest paid influencers…

It now serves as a battleground for production.

Who will do it biggest this year?

Who will pull out all the stops?

Who cares enough to?

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As a fan of 90’s rock, I’ll take Eddie Vedder or Chris Cornell in a flannel & cargo shorts over Charli XCX dry humping the stage like her life depends on it, any day of the week.

But after watching artists like Lady Gaga, Post Malone, those that went above and beyond to deliver a unique performance (which is honestly expected for $650 a fucking ticket), I recognize irony in the hate that Coachella receives for it’s influencer and brand parties…the menial events which often cast a shadow over the astounding music witnessed each weekend.

I quickly begin to realize that without the money and notoriety from these brands, without the incessant marketing from these influencers, all on top of a long standing reputation for excitement and surprise, Coachella would not be what it is today.

The grocery list of your favorite artists, all who have signed up for not only a festival set (which offers a massive payout artists often reinvest in their performances), but an opportunity, a REASON, to put on a show they really wouldn’t elsewhere.

An excuse to go all out, and be appropriately rewarded for doing so.

Where else would you get a chance to see Brian May (Queen guitarist) perform with an up & coming Pop Star?

NOW, I obviously chose this headline because I find it hilarious Benson’s crowd didn’t give a fuck to see possibly one of the greatest guitarists to ever live, playing one of the greatest songs / solos ever written….

It’s like brother, you were on America Idol 3 years ago and do backflips off pianos while everyone tries to figure out how big your dick is through those tight ass jumpsuits, you think they even noticed Brian May?

Your fans are teenagers and housewives, THEY DO NOT LISTEN TO QUEEN!

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Gaga on the other hand, was like watching a Broadway play.

Full outfit and changes, underlying themes that offered a glimpse into her soul, a performance like no other.

Post Malone took all of his biggest “rap songs” and morphed them into twangy bangers, backed by a band of road worn outlaws.

T Pain & Missy Elliot came back from the abyss, as if it were the early 2000’s and we were all a high school dance.

All of these artists, continuing to evolve even at the highest points in their careers…

All because Coachella gave them a reason to.

So whether or not the festival still matters in the grand conversation of music, who knows.

I think today, this morning, it does.

Maybe that’s an obvious statement, maybe it’s one that needs to be reaffirmed.

Long Live Rock n Roll,

Lucas

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As of late, what’s peaked my curiosity more than music, is the content artists choose to create & promote in efforts of growing their audiences to get more ears on their songs.

I often find myself left with some pretty basic questions…because some artists choose to post a LOT of content that’s completely unrelated to their music…

Why was this posted?

What’s to gain?

Does it actually end up promoting your music?

Does someone see this and buy a ticket to your show?

These seem like simple concepts, but when you’re constantly forced to consume comedic or “lifestyle” content from an “artist,” one who would love nothing more than for you to stream their latest single…

Well, things become a little confusing.

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After writing this, I’m not sure how I actually feel about any of it. I needed to work through these thoughts, so please respond back with your perspectives too…I’d love to chat more on it.

For example, below are screen shots of engagement vs follower counts on two different artist’s reels that were posted, and are NOT music related.

I’ve seen this all over the place…super high engagement on “entertaining” posts, but out of all those views, only a sliver of folks actually care enough to go hit the follow button.

If 3.7M people engage with a post, and you still only have 6,000 followers, what the fuck was the point?

DANCE MONKEY DANCE!!

The doom scrollers have watched, and moved on, just like that.

Another great example comes from a friend of mine, Joe Marson.

Joe went a little viral a ways back for playing air guitar on a tennis racket.

When Joe said to me, “yeah, one day it would be sick to get that many views on a post where i’m actually playing the fucking guitar…”

We had a good laugh.

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A sign of the times…

Look, I understand the times we’re in.

I understand as an artist, you’re ready to do anything and everything you can to build yourself a following.

I understand the feeling that people want “more of you” and if you don’t give it to them, well, you might just slip away into the darkness forever.

I understand you want to see the numbers go up, by any means necessary, because those in power, the ones that could change your life, will only look at you if you have a million views on every post and a big K next to a random number at the top of a bullshit account you probably wish you didn’t have to have in the first place.

At the same time, I do believe there’s a line that will be crossed, if you’re not careful.

All of a sudden your day to day shifts from scheduling sessions, writing songs, booking shows, and working on your next release, to holding up a camera and creating mind numbing skits, or posting “Get Ready With Me’s” and “Outfit of The Days” because you’ve convinced yourself that these posts will grow your following the fastest…

“IF THIS SHIT DOESN’T POP OFF RIGHT AWAY, I’M A GREAT BIG FAILURE.”

Sure, if you already have a grammy, anything goes, spend your time however you like.

But if it’s supposed to be about the music, why isn’t it ONLY about the music?

Does someone see a cool outfit and want to stream your songs?

If you make them laugh, will they come to a show?

What if they do, and you don’t make them laugh at the show?

Do they unfollow you?

HEY I CAME TO SEE YOU PLAY AND I DIDN’T EVEN FUCKIN LAUGH ONCE.

What if this is all one big distraction, and by participating you’re just wasting time?

I really don’t know.

Art vs Aura…

As an artist, when you remove mystery, you deny curiosity.

You connect the dots when no one asked you to.

It’s like a comedian explaining the joke right after they tell it.

As a fan of music, I’ve never needed all the answers.

Sometimes as fans, we need to answer the questions ourselves.

It becomes as much about us, as it is about you.

This is what creates the unbreakable bond between artist & fan.

You know, the bond that makes you rich.

The biggest stars of our generation didn’t rise to the top by telling everyone everything about themselves.

They didn’t answer all the questions for us.

Because sometimes, the best things are left up to the imagination.

Remember that the aura you desire, the one you’re constantly attempting to manufacture on the internet, will come on it’s own, if you let it. If you put the art first.

So this year, I dare you to say less.

I dare you to sing more.

I dare you to become a mystery.

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

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It was a cinematic ending to a tumultuous relationship.

Until that night, I hadn’t heard the sound of dishes crashing against a wall before.

We had been together since I was 16.

She was the older girl, the one my parents didn’t approve of.

She had tattoos, smoked cigarettes, liked to drink, and walk around in low cut jeans with her thong showing.

I have to believe Dad understood my choices at the time.

We spent seven years together.

Back then, I wasn’t as thoughtful as I am now.

I didn’t care for the deep dives.

Staying on the surface was just fine.

It was safe.

I didn’t always feel like I was racing against the clock, but I guess that comes with age.

I’d joke with my Dad and say “I was 24 when I became a man.”

He died when I was 25.

You realize you’ve veered from the path when you’re sweeping up broken dishes, two months after moving 3,000 miles away from home, reading a letter titled…

“YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT.”

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Almost a decade later…

Over the past decade, I’ve made just about every mistake you could make.

I’ve stayed too long.

I’ve left too early.

I’ve spoken too much.

I’ve said too little.

Whether personal or professional, happiness and success lay in our ability to grow from our mistakes.

Becoming a man was learning a few things:

• I can be hurt.

• I can hurt others.

• The right way isn’t always the easy way.

• You only have yourself to blame.

• Nothing will go according to plan.

Hunter S. Thompson once said…

When you’re just getting started, it’s easy to operate your day to day with a level of delusion that is laughable years later.

You think you’re in control, that you have some say in the master plan.

If I just follow my heart, how could it not work out?

You believe in brute force.

You fear the blind alley, because it seems avoidable.

But at one point or another, we all find ourselves in a place that doesn’t make sense.

One that we didn’t plan for.

In these times, we capitalize on what we have left.

However, this place we’ve found ourselves in holds some of life’s greatest gifts.

We are stripped to nothing.

We find faith.

We find purpose.

The table is reset.

and we continue onward.

Long live rock n roll,

Lucas

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I’m speeding down the highway, windows down, Pearl Jam blasting.

I’m on my 3rd cigarette and chugging a coffee.

It’s Friday, so it’s not coffee, it’s a Bulleit & Diet…a BDC if you will.

While driving, I scream at the guy sitting next to me…

“IDK IF I CAN DO IT ANYMORE MAN”

I ask him to take the wheel.

“No problem brother, that’s what I’m here for.”

At 95 mph, cigarette and “coffee” in hand, I bail out the drivers side door.

Jesus, you now have the wheel.

Good luck.

Please let me know when we get there.

@1089thehawkMan getting arrested sings Pearl Jam. #pearljam #greatrockmoments #90srock #classicrock #comedypodcasts #1089thehawk

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It won’t mean as much today as it did yesterday…

Great expectations, with passing time, tend to make life heavier than it needs to be.

But maybe I’m still just getting started.

“When’s it going to happen” or “what if it never does” are the questions that plague me.

I’m in search of my big bang, the thing that comes out of no where and alters the course of my life.

In an interview with Zane Lowe, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) says…

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I told myself on New Years Day that this is the last year I can go on living this way.

It’s been almost a decade without a consistent income, constantly struggling to make ends meet, working more hours for “free” than paid.

Some days, I’m not really sure what I want to happen anymore.

It’s exhausting, trying to make the world believe you’re special, that you have some talent that warrants attention, let alone a paycheck.

As I’ve become more willing to let the wind blow me where it chooses, I can’t tell whose hands are on the wheel anymore.

As someone who fears mediocrity, I’ve ironically spent the last decade achieving exactly that.

I was 27 when Reverb did this article on our studio.

We were scrambling to get some press, as Covid had Los Angeles shut down completely.

It’s been a year since we closed the doors to this place, and I’ve never felt more lost.

After a lot of hard work, I had everything I’d ever wanted, whether I realized it or not.

A sweet studio, a growing business, a weekly showcase with up & coming artists at a legendary venue, that I had just recently expanded to NYC, Nashville, and Atlanta…

Cool things like this were happening…

But after failing to pick up the pieces and get back on track post Covid, I’ve been forced to begin again.

Today, I’m reminded that talking about your past is like talking to a stranger about a dead relative, or a dream you had last night…

No one gives a fuck.

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Finding faith…in ?

As much as I talk about letting go, I find myself unable to, at least not yet.

It’s hard to let go when you can’t make sense of what’s happened.

As I watch Vikings on Netflix for the second time, I’m reminded how powerful faith is.

It seems that since the beginning of time, every war begins in a conflict of faith.

I ask myself what I have faith in.

“Well at this point, I just have faith in myself” my girlfriend says, after explaining her complicated relationship with religion.

In these moments, I find it more interesting to live and die by whatever philosophy is held by the opposition, rather than simply agreeing with a very harmless statement.

My girlfriend, like most others, does not enjoy this quality of mine.

“Wait, how can you say that?

What about god?

You should probably have faith in God above yourself.

I feel like something bad’s going to happen to you if you keep saying that.”

Over pizza & chicken wings at Rocco’s that night, Lucas Flood the monk was born.

For context, I have read 0 pages of the bible, spent exactly 0 hours in church, and am a complete moron.

Yet, as my Vikings and the Christians of England did for centuries, we went to war.

Now, more than ever, I’ve been looking for somewhere to place my faith.

In the bible, it’s written that faith itself is a gift from god.

The more I think about it, having faith in yourself, the faith to follow your heart, your dreams, your gut, your instincts, is a strength that not everyone has.

It’s important to have faith in yourself.

This is what will lead you to your big bang.

But where does the strength to have that faith come from in the first place?

I’ll ask Jess at dinner tonight.

Long live Rock n Roll,

Lucas

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I’ll be straight with you - I’ve never really enjoyed Bob Dylan. He’s always annoyed the fuck out of me.

The voice, the rat like features, the smug attitude…

He always felt like the most unsexy man in Rock n Roll, and as an Ozzy fan, that’s saying a lot.

However, I’ve always had respect for the great influence his songwriting and music have had on the world.

He’s one of the very few people to have existed in music that you can confidently say, “without him, I’m not sure where we’d be right now.”

(continued below, after I tell you how much $$ we raised last week for a family that lost their home in the fires / I was mentioned in Rolling Stone & am famous now so…)

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A Complete Unknown

Bob Dylan arrived to New York City in 1961.

At this time, no one had a clue who Bob Dylan was.

By 1965, the response to his albums The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan and The Times They Are a-Changin' led the media to label him the “spokesman of a generation.”

…he hated that.

As A Complete Unknown went on to tell it’s fictional yet heavily inspired tale of Dylan’s experiences from 1961-1965, I began to fall in love with Bob Dylan the man, more than Bob Dylan the songwriter.

To be honest, Bob Dylan’s most alluring quality is how much he hates being Bob Dylan.

In a 1966 interview with Playboy, Dylan said that during the summer of the year before, he had decided he was going to quit music.

But, in an effort to persevere, on July 20, 1965 he released his single "Like a Rolling Stone," featuring a more integrated folk rock sound.

Five days after the release, on July 25, 1965, he performed his first concert with electric instruments at the Newport Folk Festival.

The same fans that praised him those years before, despised Dylan’s desire to evolve, and had no interest in his new sound.

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The festival and label both agreed with the enraged fans, saying a 6 minute song was too long, and that no one wanted to hear Bob Dylan play electric instruments.

It seemed that everyone around Dylan at the time liked him just the way he was, wanting him to stay that way forever…which is certain death for an artist.

Bob Dylan went on after Johnny Cash that night in Newport, passing him as he walked out onto the the stage…

“Track some mud on the carpet BD,” said Cash.

Dylan took center stage, turned his back to the crowd, and said to the band “play it loud.”

“Like A Rolling Stone” went on to spend 12 weeks on the US Charts, reaching No. 2 on Billboard.

It is now known as one of the great pieces of American art.

Bob Dylan said, “I was just happy it was something I could dig.”

In 2014, the handwritten lyrics to Like A Rolling Stone sold for $2 million dollars.

Sometimes the short cut is the longest way there…

There’s a difference, between drifting and losing control.

If you’re drifting, you may be searching for what’s next, what you’re to become. You may try new things and explore different possibilities.

It’s okay to drift for a while.

But if you’ve lost control, you may now be looking to others to make your decisions for you.

Be conscious and aware of where you are between the two.

An artist I worked with early on in her career recently posted to her now 200,000+ followers Instagram…

“I’m sorry for posting about my engagement, I’m just so happy!”

(she’s getting married)

“I know you guys don’t want to see this stuff, my numbers always go down when I post about my personal life.”

I have respect for this artist, and what she’s accomplished.

But after a few of her more click bait style songs & videos went viral, where she touched on a sociological or political or just generally “triggering” part of our miserable existence, she chose to make this style of content her entire identity.

Song after song, in the same vein, with the same messages, fighting for some sort of “justice” for whichever group is currently seeking it.

The songs, the content, it all became solely focused on driving as much engagement to her accounts, in the most sensationalistic way possible.

The internet took over, and the artist became an entertainer.

Art vs Entertainment

In the music industry, naturally our artists are entertainers too.

They need to be, in order to succeed.

However, in this world it never goes both ways.

Think David Letterman vs David Bowie.

Bowie could’ve probably become a halfway decent talk show host if he wanted to be.

However, David Letterman will not be releasing a single any time soon.

When who you are is no longer your choice, you become a puppet.

An entertainer.

You live in fear, worrying what someone might say, or how they might react.

Once they own you, your art dies, and you live to please.

But the best art isn’t always pleasant…

and it’s not always accepted…

at first.

In the case of Bob Dylan, he didn’t care what you had to say about him, because he never sought your approval to begin with.

This is the difference between having 200,000 followers, and being remembered forever.

If you want to feel sorry for yourself and say the internet made you this way, then so be it.

But as an artist, you should be ready to die alone…completely unknown if need be.

The goal from the beginning was to offer the world an extension of your soul.

If you’ve done that, know that everything from there is out of your control.

Bob Dylan was out to serve himself, and no one else.

Call it self centered, arrogant, narcissistic all you want.

But if you don’t serve yourself, who will?

Long live rock n roll.

Lucas

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As just about everyone on planet earth (including the aliens) knows, LA was fucking torched this past week.

The Palisades, Altadena, Hollywood, Encino & beyond, all destroyed.

Friends, families, every single walk of life you can think of, were affected in some way by these fires. A large number of folks lost everything.

So, I had the choice to either cancel our weekly Tuesday night show at the Hotel Cafe, or turn it into something special, and as you all know, I hate cancelling.

I emailed and texted some of my favorite artists in the city, and asked them to come play their songs, in efforts of raising as much money as we can for those affected by the fires.

All proceeds from the event will be donated here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/wildfire-relief-fund-2025

I’ll be posting receipts of donations after the show, follow below to catch those.

https://www.instagram.com/lucasfloodpresents/

Even if you can’t attend the show, you’d be doing your part by buying a ticket!

Thank you all, and long live Rock n Roll.

Lucas