We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bermuda Schwartz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Bermuda, appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Starving for your art is highly over-rated. I refused to do it, and never had a conflict with having a day job. But I never let that interfere with my musical pursuits, nor did I compromise my performance on the job. Obviously not every employer can be flexible, but I was lucky to land a job (and subsequent promotions) with an entertainment company that valued my performance enough to allow me to take leaves to go on tour for months at a time. This relationship lasted 14 years while Weird Al’s career was flourishing, and ended in 1996 after I felt comfortable just playing drums for a living.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I began taking drum lessons in 1965, and within several years was playing with musician friends, in school bands, marching bands, and a junior symphony. It was my desire to be a professional drummer almost from the start, and in 1980 I was in the right place at the right time – I met “Weird Al” Yankovic, an accordion-playing parody/satire artist who was popular on the Dr. Demento radio show. We exchanged numbers, and that was the beginning of a fulfilling, enjoyable and lengthy relationship that continues to grow 40+ years later.

In addition to music, my fascination with the Internet since 1993 soon led to another pursuit: designing web sites. I’d already developed a site for Weird Al in 1995, and within a few years, business license in hand, sought additional clients. In 2020 I became a published author with BLACK & WHITE & WEIRD ALL OVER, a coffee-table book featuring more than 200 of my unreleased black-and-white photographs of Weird Al from the early ’80s. In 2022, LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACCORDION! followed with more than 300 color photos of Al and the band.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Most importantly, I get to do what I love: play drums. But I appreciate how fortunate I am to make a living with that, and am grateful for those opportunities.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I’m old-skool and believe in tangible things in terms of investments and purchases. Stock ownership isn’t too different from NFTs in concept, but there’s a physical organization behind those names and numbers as well as some governmental regulation. While I own several stocks, and despite my adoration for the digital age, I was never tempted by NFTs. And in just a few years their value has downturned severely, and I don’t predict a bounce-back. Just another fad I guess.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bermudaschwartz.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bermudaschwartz

Image Credits

(photo credits are in image names)