1979…
There was pop culture…only one.
There was radio…only a few stations per city.
There were tv performances…only three channels.
The advent of Disco Sucks was only possible because a lot of people who ended up not liking disco were forced to listen to disco…a lot.
We couldn’t have a new version Disco Sucks today because no one has to listen to anything they don’t like.
It takes a long time to watch all the episodes in a tv series…so afterwards it’s fun to talk about it and tell other people.
But despite it being fun and emotional and tense…it isn’t impressive.
Similarly…
All the AI cover songs getting made right now, an Eminem song done in retro soul vibes, etc…they’re really fun to listen to…but it’s not impressive. The software is impressive, the human is not.
Of CD sales to ticket buyers
Of myspace listens to iTunes sales
Of Facebook followers to email signups
Of Instagram followers to Instagram comments
Of monthly listeners to VIP package buyers
It’s different for everyone.
You teach your audience how things are done around here. The audience tells you if it’s a match. Then you adjust.
What do the real fans do?
Where do you want the action to be?
Which tools fit your marketing?
What is the focus?
First Monday of the month means new Hum Love playlist on Spotify and Apple. Click through and add it to your drive to work this week.
I’ve probably bought three microphone stands in my life. I currently have three in my office. All of which are not the ones I bought.
The three I bought got donated to the music business years ago. Someone has them. And I have someone’s.
Sometimes I have four or five or two mic stands on hand.
But buying three at the beginning seems to be the price of admission to always have enough mic stands laying around.
Take a mic stand leave a mic stand. It all evens out.
That’s what Bob Ross said all the time.
Don’t over do it. Don’t dwell too much. Don’t second guess.
And he always said it toward the end of the episode. Not at the beginning.
At the beginning it’s all fiddlin. Messing around. Making little meaningful decisions that might not all work but won’t derail the picture if they don’t work. Little decisions and then little adjustments.
So by the time you get to the end you’ve done the work. Don’t fiddle it to death.
Music is stronger than you are…but for three minutes you get to be the conductor of the power of the notes and rhythms…you get to dance on the wave…you get to ride on the edge of something with more depth and force than you could ever wrap your mind around.
This is what the artist knows…the wave is infinitely more powerful than the wave rider.
This is why people listen. Despite all your short falls and the vast differences between you and each individual listening…they’re captivated by you riding the wave, playing the music. Harnessing an infinite power, ever so briefly, and opening their minds to something other.