We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jake Burns a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jake, so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
It took me a long time to realize how important it was to develop a healthy and consistent “self care plan”. Being a traveling musician, you spend a lot of time on the road eating bad food and a lot of time in bars and venues where alcohol is generally free and drugs can be encouraged. This type of lifestyle becomes extremely taxing on both your mind and your body.
I realized around the age of 25 (about 4-5 years in to seriously pursuing my music career) that having a consistent exercise schedule not only kept my body in shape and feeling good but also elevated my mood and ability to focus and complete tasks. Some of the guys and I still keep it up even when on the road doing anything from push ups in Walmart parking lots to finding hiking trails nearby before our gigs.
Another thing I try and remind myself of is to spend time doing things I love that don’t involve music work. I spend hours and hours a week doing things for the band like booking, management tasks, promotion, graphic design, content creation, accounting and press outreach just to name a few. Most of this is done inside on a computer and through social media. I’ve learned that it is very easy to let your work consume you as it is my primary passion however, taking time to do things like outside activities with the dog, date nights with my partner and spending time with friends helps balance my life and keeps my mental state in check.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the singer/guitarist for Cincinnati, OH-born rock/reggae group Rockstead. I am the primary songwriter but play many other rolls for the group that range from show bookings and social media management to running ad campaigns and press releases. Although it can be a lot of work it is something I hold dear to my heart. Not only do I get to watch something grow that I have worked on for many years but also get to share it with tons of different people whom we meet from playing shows all across the Eastern U.S.
Writing and performing original music is by far my favorite thing to do. The connection that is created between the performer and the crowd is something words cannot describe. We hustle day in and day out to create these opportunities for ourselves and others just so we can get that 30 minutes, hour, hour and a half on stage. Those moments make all of this worth it.
We love combining hard hitting rock music with good vibe reggae inspired sounds. Our music is very diverse ranging from heavy punk rock tunes to relaxing beach music. There really is something in our catalogue for everyone. We released a new album earlier this year titled “Fall Down. Get Up. Repeat.” and you can find it on all streaming platforms. Along with plans to release some new music before the end of the year we also have many shows coming up throughout the Midwest and Southeast U.S.. Be sure to check out our website “www.rocksteadband.com” to stay updated!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First and foremost, being a musician, you have to practice. Whether you are an aspiring singer or are trying to shred the guitar, you will get nowhere if you do not practice. I am thankful enough to have learned this at a young age having started piano lessons at 8 years old. I see so many beginner and intermediate musicians who get discouraged about their playing and quit because they aren’t getting any better. This is generally because they don’t practice. Don’t be scared of what you don’t know how to do. Sit down, practice, get better. That’s it.
Another quality that I think has been and continues to be impactful is being an outgoing person. I have come across many up and coming musicians over the years who refuse to talk to fans after a show or can’t hold a conversation with a venue owner who wants to have them back. This can lead to bad reputations and missed opportunities. Being able to look someone in the eye and show them that you know what you are talking about and care what you are doing goes a long way.
One of the most important skills that I had to develop was creating a booking email. I know this sounds boring but it was a game changer for me. I was trying to book shows out of state with new venues that we had never worked with before. It wasn’t until I asked another musician friend of mine who gave me the inside scoop on how to create a good booking email did we finally start getting solid shows. Another lesson to be learned from this is, if you don’t know something don’t be scared to ask someone who has already done it. Successful people want others to be successful.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
One of the most important books for me was “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. This book, which is a very easy read, helped me develop the skills to sit down and get work done. It helped clarify what was holding me back from completing difficult tasks that would eventually lead to me reaching my artistic goals.
Another concept this book laid out was the idea that the creation of art is something that is channeled through us, not created by us. This idea that we are a vessel of these artistic ideas was something that was very interesting to me and I think about it every time I sit down to write a song.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rocksteadband.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rocksteadmusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rocksteadmusic
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/rockstead
- Other: Spotify: https://sptfy.com/egSY
Image Credits
Mike Clare Alexius Lipot Brian Schwartz
