A Ticket to the Underground

A few months back I found myself thirsty for a goal. That goal, in my mind, had to be out of my comfort zone and in a place where I literally never stepped foot in my twenty-five years. That goal, somehow resulted in a music blog, where I would look to explore the roots of local bands and the underground music scene from a birds eye view.

As a punk rocker at heart, alternative music has always been a passion of mine. The same goes for creative writing and punch-drunk humour, of course. By putting the two together, a quest was crafted and an endgame was brought to life. For the first time in my writing career, I wanted to write about the second love in my life. And that love was music – in its rawest and most glorious form.

The first thing I sought was a domain and a site in which I could use as a base for all future material. So, with a GoDaddy link and a few gruelling hours slumped over a Wix editor, I managed to build The Void; my official music space where I'd soon establish myself as a wannabe music journalist. Together, the team was set and the mission was clearer than day. All I had to figure out was how to connect with the streams of shadow-dweller bands that coursed through the veins of the country. Because, without the link, I really was just a scout trying to grasp the smoke between embers.

Luckily, for me, the link I needed came in the form of an old friend from secondary school. He was my link into the underworld. He was the one that revealed the black market of undiscovered bands and untapped talent still hungry for a spotlight. It was there that I found my source. And it was there that I launched The Void as a ticket out of the underworld for unknown artists.

I wanted to write about anything when I first set up The Void. But, I was simply one man with eyes bigger than a belly. There was physically no way I could tackle the UK and every trend by myself – even if I did tear down my weekly targets to bitesize milestones. I just wanted to make my mark on the music scene, and in my heart I felt I only had one chance to make a good impression. I guess, that's why I never stopped writing for the first few weeks.

I've always had a bond with underground artists ever since I was a kid. I've grown up with aspiring musicians and followed the untold stories of countless bands for twenty plus years. A few of which made it further than anticipated. The majority of these talented folk, on the other hand, fell flat at the first hurdle. And, it's those people that fell flat that I wanted to help up again. In my eyes, it was The Void that would grant them a second lifeline and a reason to keep working.

More often that not, as creatives, we lose motivation when people show a blind eye to our work. Whether it being a painting or a portrait, a write-up or a soundtrack; without the spark of a loyal fan, we often crumble beneath several layers of self-doubt and anxiety. But, with the token of appreciation, we push to work another day and continue shoving towards our hopes and dreams.

I wanted to give bands the credit they deserved when launching The Void. I wanted to give them a pat on the back and congratulate them on their works, whatever the milestone. And, with informative write-ups, I could then promote the work and dish out their stories to the living world above. That really was the objective behind the blog that I wanted to focus on for the foreseeable future. That's all I wanted in return for a few reads and moments of people's time.

Profiting was never on my agenda. Because, like most creators, I write for the sake of writing and for the love of the arts. With music, the love burns strong and the words flow effortlessly. And, once an article goes live, nothing rewards me greater than the approval of artists and readers alike. That, in itself, is profiting enough from a piece of work. Nothing else should really matter so long as you feel the connection between yourself and the pen between your itchy fingers.

For a blog, I couldn't be happier with how The Void turned out. It was both a personal space for me to write with freedom, and a promotional landing page for artists to resort to for potential fans. That's really all I wanted from the site when I planned its early development stages. And, even today, the blog still ploughs on and brings in a small amount of traffic. Sadly, however, I struggle to split my spare time between The Void, Vocal, and several other platforms. Still, it's a project I always plan on upgrading and taking to the next level whenever a few extra minutes are sent my way.

So, for anyone who is searching for their next big project – this might just be it. If you share the love of both writing and music, why not launch a music blog of your own? What's the worst that can happen? Sure, you could get nowhere. But, chances are, you might just send one underdog artist to the apex of alternative music in a blaze of glory. That's something at least worth consideration, I think.

Perhaps it's time to grab yourself a domain and begin constructing your new world. Who knows, it might just be the start of something truly beautiful. You might as well see where it takes you.

#DayTwo #VocalChallenge #Beat