Adjusting to a new position at work has taken a while (about a month to be exact) -- but I'm back. I have a load of music awaiting mixing and I am backlogged with three or four hook requests. To everyone who has purchased leases in the last few weeks, thanks so very much. I will be back on the daily grind for a while.

It's before 6am right now and last night I was at the bar shooting a video for Suburban District. I didn't get out of there until midnight but it was worth it. It will probably be out in a couple of weeks.

What is the one thing that holds you back from taking your music career to the next level?

The most common thing that holds artists back from success is the fear of what people think. Fear of failure. Stage fright. Nerves: they can be crippling and hard to control. When you are in front of people, your adrenal glands kick in to action, your heart rate elevates, you sweat, and your vocal chords tighten up. Some people lean on drugs, like Xanax, to numb these feelings, but that route is dangerous. Others, including many orchestral performers, rely on beta-blockers to neutralize the physical symptoms. But you need a prescription for beta-blockers and they can be expensive. Then there is the natural way - practice and experience. Breath control, and mental preparation methods are proven to help in public performances. Practicing the material you are going to perform, to the point where you are confident in delivery is important. Consistent physical exercise helps greatly reduce anxiety. And there is always visualization. Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps both swear by visualization. Anyway, I hope this gets you thinking about how you can beat your nerves. Patch

Stop the violence. Seriously. Stop it.