Permission

It’s ok to want something.

It’s ok to stick to what you want.

It’s ok if someone you like doesn’t get it.

It’s ok to have a vision that alienates some people.

Even people you respect.

It’s ok to ask those people you respect to simply trust you on this one.

It’s ok to not make everyone happy.

Everyone’s happiness is not your responsibility.

It’s ok if things get awkward.

It’s ok if there’s silence.

It’s ok to have a plan.

It’s ok to be unwavering in that plan.

It’s ok to change that plan.

It’s ok to have energy & motion when others are are content as Debby Downers or the Devils Advocates.

It’s ok to not have the entire plan right now.

It’s ok to not back down even though backing down would put the moment at ease.

You have permission to have lasting motivation, passion and belief in something that is not easily understood by others.

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

Likers & Lovers Intro

Here is the intro to my eBook called Likers & Lovers, which you can read and download for free here.

Introduction

I had just started a band (several years ago) in Nashville, and soon through hard work and some lucky breaks we began drawing a decent number of people to our shows in the city of Atlanta, GA.

We were playing at Smith’s Olde Bar or Vinyl every four or five months, pulling about 250 people.  Really exciting for a new, young band.

But there was an interesting thing happening.  The group of 250 wasn’t always the same group of 250 people.  Each time the band played Atlanta, I’d know and/or recognize 75 or-so people.

But on top of the 75 regulars, the other 175 were a revolving door.  A seemingly different group of 175 each time on top of the 75 regulars.  Obviously the 175 weren’t die hard fans of my band, or else they would have been showing up at least often enough to be part of the group of people I recognized.

So who were these 175 people and why were they there? (And a few other questions…where did they come from? How many different groups of 175 existed in Atlanta? What motivated this giant group? How did this group want to be communicated with?)

As it turns out, the people people in the groups of 175 LIKED my band (enough to come out once, or once in a while), as opposed to loved my band.

And after catching my breath with the realization that there were people on the planet who didn’t LOVE my band, I began to understand that the Likers were vital in achieving the goals we were chasing for our live shows in Atlanta at that time.  The Lovers were essential too.  But they’re two very different groups of people.

Read the rest here.

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

Believe And Bother

Have a simple, easy to follow “Contact” part of your website.

Along with your management, booking and PR contacts, have a band/artist contact email.  People want to believe they can reach you.  And if you’re not as big as Aerosmith, they SHOULD be able to reach you.

And don’t use one of those pre-fab forms.  Those are the worst.

Ya know, the forms where you fill in your name and the reason your emailing from a drop down menu.  No one believes they’re going to get read…so they don’t even bother.

And you want them to believe and bother.

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

You’re Welcome

You’re at your 4th of July gathering, but it’s not living up to your expectations so you pulled out your phone and prayed for an email so you can justify having pulled out your phone.

You’re welcome.

But seriously, put it down, eat another hot dog, engage in conversation even if it’s awkward, and if you need some entertainment…

…just ask different people you’re with what it is exactly we’re celebrating today.  I bet you get some wrong answers, and then you can laugh with superiority…like an American.

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

Whatever You Offer...

…that is your product.

What do you offer?

The product is audio music… so what do you offer my ears in my headphones?

The product is a live show…so what do you offer my ears and eyes at your show? (hint: it’s different than what you offer in my headphones)

The product is conversation and connection… so is what you offer on Twitter vs. Facebook the same or different?

The product is a t-shirt…so what do you offer to make my life better and more meaningful via t-shirts?

Music is your cornerstone product and understanding what your music offers is vital.

But in the current state of the industry, you offer so many more products than strictly music.

What products do you offer?

What are you offering in your products?

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

Long And Winding Road

Whenever I’m reading an interview of an artist and the question comes up “so how did you write that hit song…”, there’s a part of me that’s hoping that they’re going to finally unlock the secret for me, and then there’s a part of me that would be really disappointed if they had the secret.

Kind of let down that they had the answer, the ticket, the THING that would finally make it all happen for me or someone else.

For as much as we want the answer, the mystery holds the romanticism, the not-knowing is actually the tension that makes us artists in the first place.

Trust me, I’m still looking for the answer most days.  I can’t help it.

But the answer only reveals itself a few words or a line of melody at a time.  Maybe a song at a time if the spirit is really moving.  But then it’s gone, and it’s hard again.

Instead of being constantly disappointed by not having the answer, realize that embracing and living in the not-knowing is right where you need to be….it’s leading to little moments of the answer.

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