The Class Of 3
2012 4
“FAIL BETTER” 2012 Commencement Speaker Judah Dadone ’03 Judah Dadone graduated from Friends School in 2003 and then went to The George Washington University, where he studied English and creative writing. He now leads the critically acclaimed band Freelance Whales, which was founded in 2008. The band spent the better part of 2009 performing on New York subway platforms and street corners, as well as on the city’s more traditional stages, before self-releasing its first album, Weathervanes. Just a few months later, the album was re-released on two record labels. The album and the band have earned plenty of good press, including being named as “a band to watch” by NPR’s “All Songs Considered”; and as one of Spin magazine’s 50 “must hear bands” at the South by Southwest music festival. Freelance Whales’ music also has been introduced to wider audiences as the background for a Twitter video about its service, on TV shows and Chevy and Starbucks commercials, and in a campaign for teenagers about the dangers of skin cancer. The Whales have done several tours through the U.S. and Canada, and toured and released their first international single in the U.K. in 2010. Judah found time this past November to visit with Friends students for a QUEST Lunch & Learn program. Another album is expected to be released this summer. (Excerpts from Judah’s remarks) I can imagine that part of the reason I was asked to be here today, besides my being an alumnus, is that I chose a creative, less traditional path. And while I hope that the bulk of you don’t necessarily do that sort of thing (seriously, day and night, I would worry), I know very well that amongst you there are budding photographers, and cooks, and short fiction writers, and pianists and songwriters. And regardless of whether
Summer 2011 ••Friends magazine 12 12 Spring Summer 2012 Friends magazine 2012 • Friends magazine
or not it’s our trade, all of us, I imagine, have some longing or desire to create within us. With that in mind, I’d like to share an idea with you; it’s one that I’ve suspected was true for a long time, but took an entire decade to properly settle into my bones. The idea is: You don’t have to be a creative person to be a creative person.…At first, it doesn’t make any sense, which usually means there’s something good in there…. Fiona Apple, asked her about her creative process and how she wrote her songs, said something to the effect of, “Cows make milk, and I make music,” as if being creative were passive and—glandular, as if you might need an entirely different organ system in your body to pen a pop song. As you can imagine, I was heartbroken in the moment I heard her say that. I was heartbroken because it was pretty clear that I didn’t have that special organ system. But after a little while, that heartbreak sort of morphed into a different feeling, a sort of disbelief or even disdain, and a strong desire to prove that pretty young lady wrong. I then became entranced by this idea that it was supposed to be difficult. Maybe certain things are supposed to be hard. Are we supposed to struggle? And if so, Why? Why would we do that