Who Makes It In Show Business?

Alec Baldwin: Who makes it in show business?

Jerry Seinfeld: The people who want to make it in show business

It’s the people who stick it out, who live through the hardest parts and keep going, who feel the awful feelings of the low low low parts of the journey and decide that pushing through is going to be worth it.

Yes, we dance and get hyped up on the latest over-night sensation in music, but we revere and respect those who stick around and don’t wash out.  

We all want to be young and successful but find our hearts drawn to the little bit older and the little bit wiser.

Are you going to make it in show business?

Do you want to?

What if it’s really hard and takes a long time?

Do you still want to?

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

My Two Dominant Modes

I have two dominant modes…teaching/delegating and steam-rolling-independence.

Unfortunately for me, I’ve had a hard time bringing the two together at the same time.

It’s great to be a hard charging leader…better to be a hard charging leader who can and will take time to influence, inspire, delegate and teach others to also charge hard in the midst of it all.

If you’re truly a leader, two things are true: your eyes are pointed forward, and you have people following you.

  I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Walk The Moon

I don’t know anything about Walk The Moon and I don’t know anything about their song Shut Up And Dance, other than I’ve heard it a thousand times.

But I imagine that right now, them closing their show with that song (I’m guessing they do) is by far the best closing of a show happening this year.

Think about it…I bet they’re starting to play bigger venues so the guys in the band are pumped, they have this smash hit on the radio and YouTube and everywhere else, it’s an up tempo dance song, the song is freaking called Shut Up And Dance, it’s whimsical and yet completely present and it’s an insanely CATCHY CHORUS.

And on top of that, everyone in the audience is waiting for it, knowing it’s coming and looking forward to losing their minds on that tune.

Seriously, talk about an ace up your sleeve.

I hope they use confetti cannons during the song or have a giant balloon drop or silly string or glow sticks and black lights, or a bubble machine.  Because they could really cause some euphoria with that one if they play their cards right.

But for the rest of us… don’t try and analyze it. Don’t try to figure it out. Just enjoy it, applaud it, shut up and dance.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Last Call, Lovers

“You keep on playin…and watch you money…you’ll land on your feet.”- Del Paxton, That Thing You Do

I saw this movie in 6th grade and have watched it a million times since.

Watch it for the entertainment, watch it again for the truths.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Be Nice First

When you first meet someone, be nice first…if, in return, they’re nice, now you have a happy working relationship.  However if in return they’re jerk to you…well that’s a different discussion.

But so many people in the entertainment business (sound guys, booking agents, lookin at you especially) adopted this construct where even upon the first handshake or phone call, they treat people with disrespect.  They’re annoyed from the word “hello”.

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?? Where I’ve never even met you before, I could be prepared to give you a million dollars and yet you treat me like a total jerk from right at the outset.

Somewhere along the way lots of people in this business decided to treat everyone like their worst possible customer/client.  And in return they have lots of bad relational experiences. Hmm, I wonder why?

Be nice first.

  I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Beyond The Glass Ceiling Of Expectations

Your fans fell in love with you because you met and exceeded their expectations and have continued to do so in some fashion.

Doing a back flip on stage is awesome and will blow them away, once or twice. Then it becomes expected so you have to push.

Climbing the rafters is a fantastic idea…when it isn’t already in your audiences mind that you’re definitely going to climb the rafters.

Recording a song with a reeeeeeeally high note at the end is an amazing gift to your fans, but if you do the next five the same way, it’s boring.

As you keep raising the bar on your band and business, expectations will rise and you’ll feel pressure to exceed expectations because that’s what made people fall in love with you to begin with.  And you should definitely keep creating, pushing and risking.

But

The one element that never gets old or boring or run of the mill is caring, warm human interaction.

That will always be worth talking about, worth cherishing and coming back for.

Humans will never ever get enough of it.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com