 If you’ve spent more than an hour with me over the course of my lifetime there is a good chance I talked to you about Peter Gabriel. If you’ve been stuck in a car with me, there’s a great chance that you were forced to listen to more than one of my countless PG playlists. Let’s just say, I’m a fan. Recently, the American Academy of Achievement posted a spectacular interview with Gabriel on their "What It Takes" podcast. He shared not only insights into his career but invaluable thoughts on living a creative life and succeeding at it. My recommendation is to carve out an hour of your life and listen to the interview. But here are few takeaways that I think might be helpful to any magician:
As a young man Peter Gabriel tried his hand in any band that would have him. R&B, rock, soul, jazz - it didn’t matter as long as he could play and learn.
When it comes to talent, he feels we would all be amazed at what we are capable of if we really made an effort AND let enthusiasm be our compass.
It’s hard to imagine early Peter Gabriel without the outrageous costumes. When asked why he did it, he replied, “…to get rich and famous.”
When asked what he feels his core talent is he said, “I’m a hustler. I try to get things to happen, and I work hard.”
His thoughts about being a “Weekend Rock-star” are also pretty helpful for anyone that lives completely insulated within the magic community (both online and in the real world). In short, “It’s a fun place to get your ego stroked but toxic if it’s your permanent abode.” Other lessons you’ll encounter if you take the time to listen? The value of listening to “elders” with no stake in the game, other than a successful outcome for everyone. That fact that sometimes, you’ll need to spend a long-time surround by crap to get to your goal. And perhaps the most important one of all… “There will be plenty of voices that will say you’re crap, you can’t do this, it will never work. Don’t be one of them...” Click here to hear to hear the complete interview.
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 "Every time an old person dies, a library burns to the ground."
African Proverb I’ve always thought that phrase is the saddest and most true notion about death. There’s been a lot of ash in the air lately. Magic has lost some giants recently and the books on those shelves are irreplaceable. One of those libraries includes the legendary magic creator, Steve Dusheck. Steve always seemed to be a bit of a will-o'-the-wisp. You knew he was out there but he clearly decided who would get close. Sadly, for a man who created some of the most innovative close-up magic of the modern age, his name was not often heard in recent years. That is not to say his magic was forgotten. It was out there, but often with little credit. I suspect a large part of why he chose to keep his distance from much of the current magic scene. I only met him a handful of times and we corresponded for a bit regarding some of his ideas. I certainly would not claim to know him. But my first encounter with him was one I will always remember. As a kid in high school, I worked at a local magic shop. The owner loved magic but knew little about it. Often that meant when he placed orders he relied on the magic distributor to make suggestions as to what he should get. On one particularly large order, we received a massive quantity of new magic from Steve Dusheck. This was long before information was so easily and openly shared. At most, you had a few magic magazines to reference current names in the business and even those were far and few between. There were no online outlets to ask for input, seek out reviews, or study videos. In fact, there was no “online”. As I was young, I knew very little about Steve. But I knew enough to be excited when I opened that box. I quickly began cracking open the little plastic bags thrilled to discover what ingenious new discoveries awaited me. The first trick contained a fake flower, a piece of string, and a well-known plastic appendage. It didn’t seem like much - and I had a hard time believing anyone could create a miracle with what I found in the instructions. I moved on to the next trick and sadly I felt a similar pang of disappointment. In fact, it happened again and again as I quickly moved from one trick to the next, consuming secrets and methods in seconds. What was I missing? Clearly no one would want these items, let alone be fooled by them. I put the box aside with a bunch of others and moved on. Fast forward a few weeks into the future. It’s the end of April and time for the prestigious 4F convention. As I said, I was a kid and certainly not an invited member of the event. But I lived not far from the revered Forks Hotel and I often went just t to get a glimpse of the legends of magic that rolled into town every Spring. Occasionally, I would even be lucky enough to find myself upstairs to see a bit of the real work in action. This was one such night. I cautiously moved into one of the small rooms where they occasionally had a dealer or two set up. To my surprise, there was Steve Dusheck! I looked at his table and was a little shocked to see several of the tricks I had “wisely” placed aside. I pointed to the one with the fake flower and asked him if he would show it to me. Without hesitation, he said yes and then – with one hand - vanished the flower in a flash. It looked amazing. I pointed to another one. Again, it looked great. Then another and another. Each time he took a trick I discounted as being nothing of note – and he made it look like a miracle. My ass – as they say - was being handed to me again and again. All the while, Steve was smiling and generously showing his creations to a kid who had no right to even be there. I learned a lot in that instant. About how magic is so much more than the sum of its parts. How it’s easy to overlook something wonderful because it takes a bit more polish and thought. And how it costs nothing to be kind to someone who just wants to see a bit of magic. That box I buried came back out a few days later. Those incredible Dusheck creations placed front and center. Magic is endlessly lucky to be filled with so many clever and kind people. Many have incredible ideas to share. They may not always be the “shiniest” and you may not always know their names. But maybe that’s the time to pay the most attention. Rest in peace Steve and thanks for the lesson. If you’ve had the chance to check out my current schedule, then you already know that we're bringing the Real Magic Roadshow back to Europe in just a few short weeks. This tour has us visiting eight cities in six different countries - with the same amazing team and ridiculously low-cost admission.
One of the benefits of these live events is that attendees get the chance to see some of the best new magic live and in person before making the decision if it’s right for them. Not a video demo - but live and under real world conditions. In the real world, EVERY performance is an audition. You have to continually perform like you haven’t been hired yet - because every audience member has the power to step away and move on. A choice that can’t be hidden from the remainder of the audience - and could even give them the idea to do the same. Holding an audience under these conditions demands that you create a strong a compelling magical experience. You can’t clean up a poor performance in “post production”. All you have is the now. I can’t think of a more effective way to sharpen your skills and build your chops. It remains my favorite way to showcase my material - and I know the rest of the team feels very much the same. This time out the Roadshow is visiting: Amsterdam - Friday March 22, 2019 Antwerp - Saturday March 23, 2019 Paris - Sunday March 24, 2019 Nuremberg - Friday March 29, 2019 Stuttgart - Saturday March 30, 2019 Zurich - Sunday March 31, 2019 Vienna - Saturday April 6, 2019 Munich - Sunday April 7, 2019 We plan on adding more Roadshow dates this coming fall so stay tuned - and I hope I get to audition for you somewhere along the road. By the way, if you've attended any of our Real Magic Roadshow events, we'd love to get your feedback. Just click here to give us a quick review.  This week I’ve been working hard to catch up after returning from the Columbus Magi-Fest. If you’re not familiar with this event, you should be. Running annually for nearly ninety years, Magi-Fest is the oldest magic convention in the United States. After coming close to a final curtain call several years ago - Josh Jay, Andi Gladwin, and Tim Moore stepped in to offer some much needed life support. They, along with an incredibly hard-working staff, have successfully transformed this regional convention into one of the premiere magic gatherings on the planet.
One of the most interesting additions made by the new team, was the inclusion of youth scholarships and numerous youth oriented programs. This focus on young magicians has gradually helped add a renewed energy to every aspect of the event. It’s also ensured that the future of magic is being well directed and nurtured by some of the best and brightest in the business. I am endlessly amazed at how talented and deeply committed to the craft these kids are. In fact, this year, one of my favorite convention moments came from a young man of about ten years old. He was obviously well informed and skilled. But - even more - he was incredibly adept sharing his thoughts about magic. At one point, I asked him what kind of magic he liked. He stopped for a moment and then thoughtfully replied, “What’s most important to me - is that it’s engaging.” I mentioned the kid was about TEN years old, right? Over the years I’ve heard seasoned magicians say they dislike all manner of tricks for all sorts of reasons - I hate card tricks, mentalism is boring, illusions are lame - it goes on and on. But somehow this young man already held a valuable perspective. He knew it’s never about the props or the genre. It’s about YOU as the magician creating a shared and memorable moment with the audience. Albert Einstein once said, “Any fool can know, the point is to understand.” We all agree that the speed of acquiring knowledge and skill in magic is increasing every day. But having watched and listened to many of the young magicians this past weekend, it would appear that the same could be said of gaining understanding. Keep an eye on these kids. Support them. I assure you; they are going to build a dazzling future. As the year comes to a close many people look to the months ahead and their future plans. A worthy pursuit - but one that can be greatly improved with a sold debrief of the past.
I’m a big believer in the power of earnest and regular debriefings. A sincere and thoughtful examination of what worked and what didn’t – and why. I do it for shows, projects, products, meetings – in fact I do it for just about every aspect of my life. You’ll find countless resources extolling the virtues of good planning but far fewer that mention the value of a critical examination of deeds done. Planning often involves educated guesses based on the experience of others. But debriefing gives you something unique: evidence and insight gleaned from your own real world experience. That’s powerful stuff if you’re willing to mine through it with an open and honest mind. There are a few keys to successful debriefings. Here are just a few I find helpful: Record when possible. This won’t apply to everything, but it applies to more than you might think. It can be a huge help in meetings, performances, presentations and brainstorming sessions. It may sound odd but I often audio record myself when I’m working through an idea - I simply speak out loud as if I was trying to convey the info to someone else. Personally, I think audio recording offers more insight than a video. Listening back can often highlight issues that you might miss when you might otherwise be distracted by the visuals. Of course, it goes without saying that this must be done openly and with permission when others are involved. Take notes. Whether you're listening to a recording or just mentally replaying an event, start getting your impressions on paper. We are inundated with information and data every waking moment. Even the most “memorable” moments can get lost in the flow. Think of those notes as your own personal cloud storage. You’ll be glad you have it. Reflect. Now that you have the notes and data, it’s time to reflect. Doug Sundheim of The Harvard Business Review suggests four key questions to a good debrief:
Remember you are doing this for YOU and no one else. The dissection must be honest to be useful. If you can do that, you’ll be rewarded in ways you can’t begin to imagine. Acres of diamonds, indeed. So Happy New Year one and all… Here’s to a future filled with happiness and success. And a past rich with lessons to learn from.  The last few weeks I’ve been hard at work locking down details regarding my new releases for the coming year. It’s always a hectic time – but exciting too. The pressure of looming deadlines helps me focus and guarantees decisions must be made.
But deadlines also mean paths not taken. When I’m working on new material I generally come up with several alternate handlings, presentations, and sometimes even substitute methods. Even after I tune, tune again, and fine tune – I find myself making changes over time. It’s one of the primary reasons I’m reluctant to make magic videos. They only capture a creation at a point in time. And that’s the thing about creation - it’s never done. Leonardo da Vinci said, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” – and if you’ve ever seen his Oil & Water & Canvas Routines you know he’s a pretty savvy guy on such matters. I agree with Leo but, in doing so, I know that means… every painting every sculpture every movie every piece of music every play every drawing every bit of magic …is a snapshot of the art in that moment. I know, equating my little tricks with art is a stretch. But Andy Warhol said "Art is what you can get away with." – so perhaps we can at least agree they are cousins. There is no such thing as a finished product. Only products in development. Soon I’ll need to abandon the new products and set them off into the world. My hope is that others will find them and help take them to places I could not have imagined. The crossroads of art and commerce can be a dangerous place to stand and if my connecting art with products offends - then I’ll close with the wise words of the Scottish "scul?tor", George Wyllie. "Art is like soup. There will be some vegetables you don't like but as long as you get some soup down you it doesn't matter."  I’ve spent about one third of 2018 on the road. All that travel has inspired a utilitarian post - a handful of tips for my fellow road warriors:
There are an overwhelming number of travel apps out there, a little research will reward you well. Here are just a few I use regularly:
Speaking of travelling outside data zones. Another useful tip is to search out apps specific to the area you are traveling. You’ll find many foreign cities have offline subway and train maps, as well as travel guides. These offline tools offer massive assistance when you’re outside your data area – and can save you substantial time and money. Got a travel tip you’re willing to share? Drop me a line or comment below.
I try always to steer clear of the phrase “self-working”. I don’t believe any magic qualifies. No magic routine does itself, so it follows that all magic requires some degree of practice. Most – sometimes even the simplest routines – require a lot. Yes, some roads will be harder to walk than others - but be very careful what you attach to the words “too difficult”. I mean...
The first tricks I ever created and sold had no information listing who made them.
Not my name, no company name, no logo, no address – nothing. This was back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Back then, I believed if I was standing in front of a magician, demonstrating a product with my own name on it, there would be no way for them to give me an honest reaction. Obviously, it’s hard to deliver real criticism to a creator when you’re looking them straight in the eyes. So, I thought the best way to get real feedback was to stay anonymous. I learned a lot from that approach. Sometimes, more than I bargained for. I discovered what people really thought of my ideas. It was a great way to learn what people liked and disliked, while working directly in the trenches. I also learned it made the products easy targets for getting lifted. I’d show up at a convention one year with a new item – only to see it sitting on other dealers tables the next. This was way before I was making products available wholesale. Yet, there they were – same tricks, same plastic bags, with horribly photocopied instructions. But over the years I’ve come to learn the most important lesson from this approach. It was the other reason I didn’t include my name on those early products. Fear. Putting your work out there means that you can be the recipient of praise and accolades. Keeping it anonymous means, you can deflect the disapproval and rejection. As time went on, I changed my approach, but I’ve always been shy about self-promotion. I’ve tried to get better at it but to this day it often feels painfully uncomfortable. Someone once said, “If you’re not branding yourself, you can be sure that others are doing it for you.” That’s a great line. It’s too bad no one seems to remember who said it first. We live in a noisy and crowded world. Often the only voice available to sing your praises will be your own. Don’t be afraid to. In 2013, I produced a series of events called The Real Magic Roadshow. I invited a select group of the magic creators, producers, and dealers to join me for a one-day retail magic event. It was a huge success and – as I’ve stated many times in the past – it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had as a magician.
The original core team included Mark Mason, Dirk Losander, Chris Smith, and myself. We had always toyed with the idea of bringing the event overseas, but the costs and logistics involved always made it seem virtually impossible. But hey, impossible is what we do – right? I’m very excited to announce that the boys are back and gearing up for our first European Roadshow Tour! First up, is Germany with six dates and a number of special guests. Joining us for the complete tour is Christian Schenk from Card Shark, who has been an immense help as our main man in the field. Dates and locations include: Berlin – Friday September 21 Leipzig – Saturday September 22 Frankfurt – Sunday September 23 Cologne – Friday September 28 Essen – Saturday September 29 Hamburg – Sunday September 30 I realize this post has a limited audience but if we’re heading your way, we hope you’ll join us for what promises to be an amazing series of events. The cost is only 10 euros to attend and – if you register now – you’ll get that back in the form of a gift card for use the day of the event! But space is limited, so register now. For full details and event registration, visit our website at www.realmagicroadshow.com |
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