Joe has asked me to make up a more informative title for this thread.

So how about:-

Shot to Nothing Songwriting

A 'shot to nothing' in snooker is when the player goes for a very difficult shot, one he is unlikely to succeed with - but will, if it comes off, give him victory in the whole match.

And this is what we are talking about.

Being totally speculative. No safety net of public approval, or cult status or state subsidy to mitigate the the highly probable failure - you see an opportunity to make a staement and just go for it.

many of us work in this way, I believe.

For example Johnny Depp is currently making a film in which he is cast as John Dillinger. Now I had written the title track of my album about Dillinger - so last week I got the name of Depp's management and the musical director of the film and wrote to them and sent them my song.


You can either do this or go on meekly writing about the limited and frankly dull subjects that are acceptable to the 'folkerati' - the 1st world war, being a wayfaring singer 'on the road', love, and the the hardships of being an 18th century soldier/miner/sailor/rebel.

Anyway that's what I think.