ASK STEVIC ANSWERS

JONO! IT WORKED! The prophecy foretold this moment.

Self-criticism is a crucial—and often unfairly maligned—filter in the creative process. It’s the refinement tool that sharpens raw ideas into something impactful. However! It only works when used at the right stage. If this voice keeps piping up during idea generation, self-criticism can choke creativity entirely—like metaphorically jumping on eggs because they don’t look like chickens yet.

Think of your inner critic as one of those blokes on the balcony from The Muppets—the ones who heckle way too early. Acknowledge them when they appear, but calmly say: “F!@k off right now, please.” This creates a mental boundary between generating ideas and refining them.

In short: let the ideas pour out like an exploding whale’s guts—and invite the critic back only once everything is covered in intestines.

I do! However, I'm in the USA at the moment and all my gear is in storage back home. It is on the radar though.

Music production is already democratized—the only real barriers to entry are creativity, musicality, and technical know-how. The tools are readily available to anyone willing to learn them. The more pressing question, then, is whether AI will remove the need for talent and expertise in music production. The answer? Probably.

When that happens, we might see a dividing line between pre-AI and post-AI music—a shift that marks a point of no return. It's fascinating to imagine a world where anything anyone wants to see or hear can be conjured by AI. This could level the playing field in unpredictable ways, challenging traditional notions of creativity and human expression.

As a musician, I have a George Carlin-esque attitude toward other industries starting to experience the same rug being pulled out from underneath them as musicians have for years. When technological advancements cannibalize their own sources, it’s hard not to feel a schadenfreudian vindication. Musicians have long been canaries in the coal mine, watching their craft commodified and their value eroded. The bystander effect surrounding the normalized exploitation of musicians has been glaring, and now it’s only a matter of time before we can tell accountants, lawyers, programmers, and other specialized professionals to "get a real job" when they start lamenting AI’s encroachment.

Soon, we'll all be on the same toboggan down Splash Mountain, and I’ll probably have a smile on my face.

Yeah I reckon it'll make a comeback. Just like Corey Feldman.

Assuming this affliction began at birth rather than being some Billy the Puppet “make a choice or else” scenario… Only being able to hear my own music would mean I wouldn’t know what I was missing—much like cannibalism. Could be amazing, but I wouldn’t know, so I wouldn’t wake up craving human flesh.

I’d probably lean toward making my own music since it offers a creative outlet. However, the loss of giving up creating music to listen to others would only be proportional to my creative potential—which, having never heard music in the first place, I’d have no way to understand or measure. Do I even like music in this scenario? Am I me?

If the question is designed to determine whether I prefer listening to myself or others, the answer is others because by the time I can actually “listen” to my own music, I’ve heard it so many friggen times I simultaneously don’t WANT to hear it and can’t experience it the same way others do anyway.

That’s probably my answer: creating music is entirely different from listening to music. I’d choose the option where I get to create music but never listen to it again—and instead enjoy other people’s music.

I suggest writing a heartfelt letter that balances your appreciation for the cult-like admiration with a gentle reminder that even legends aren’t immune to the realities of aging. Once penned, attach the note to your foot and roundhouse kick it into their face.

Everyone must come to terms with the days of the week eventually. Your song was both informative and inspirational.

Charles, big fan of both your award show and your elaborate chocolate factory. Now, I’ll be the first to admit: evolution theory is solid. But as a fellow scientific peer, I respectfully need to flag that you kinda bang on about this, mate. It’s like ABBA and Dancing Queen—give it a bit of a rest, ey?

Stephen, are you in cahoots with those blokes that chat to Michael Jackson via crystals on YouTube? Either way, thank you for your question. Loved your work on OK Computer!

Re: multiversal paradoxes, while it’s not not a concern, I’ve chosen not to think about thinking about that. If it does become an issue, I'll just flick the switch again.