That Thing You Do: Wolfman Scott Pell

After The Wonders play the Hollywood Television Showcase and the fallout afterwards, it cuts to a scene in the recording studio.

Again, an amazing scene with great dialogue.

But watching this scene when I was a kid, there was a line I always wondered about.

When Jimmy quits and walks out of the studio and it’s apparent there won’t be any recording, the fill-in bass player, Scott Pell (i.e. Wolfman), says he’s gonna take off for the day too.

As Wolfman is walking out, Mr. White says,

“You’re a good man, Scott Pell. Give me a call later on in the week. We’ll do something.”

I always wondered, hypothetically, did Scott Pell call, and if he did, did Mr. White answer, and if Mr. White answered, did they actually do something?

I bring this up for one very obvious reason.

Of course they didn’t get together.  Why? Because in the music business people say “Give me a call later on in the week, we’ll do something” but what they really mean is “This conversation is ending, and I need to look like I care”.

If you say you’re going to call, call.

If you invite someone to call, answer.

If you answer the call and you set something up, follow through.

This will change the music business.

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

That Thing You Do: Meet Girls And Dance

After The Oneders win the Mercyhurst talent show, of course a guy like THAT would walk on to the actual stage to ask the band to play at his “spaghetti place out by the airport”.

If you’ve ever started a band, something like this has happened.  And of course, you take the gig, as you should.

Cut to The Oneders playing the beautiful ballad, All My Only Dreams, at the restaurant, Villapiano’s.  

When the song is finished, there’s some golf-clapping, and then someone shouts an incredibly defining and important line from the back of the club…

“WE CAME HERE TO MEET GIRLS AND DANCE…AND WE CAN’T MEET GIRLS UNTIL WE DANCE!!!!”

The band fires up the hit, the dancing commences.

Oh if every band could be so lucky.  For a fans to yell (unknowingly) in great phycological detail their specific purpose for coming to your show.

You might not have the good fortune of this being delivered to you like a script from a Hollywood movie.

But if you start asking the questions, the answers have probably already begun revealing themselves.

What are your fans there to do?

How do you satisfy what they are there to do?

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

That Thing You Do: A Really Nice Camper

The scene with manager Phil Horace (wearing shorts and tall black socks) in the camper, where he offers to be The Oneders manager and have them sign the paper work.  Amazing.

Phil Horace: I’ve found that a hit record is like a stew.  All the ingredients have to cook together just right.  Otherwise it’s just soup.

(skip some lines)

Jimmy: I’m not sure about this.

Phil: It’s a standard management contract.  It says if I do my job, you guys make money.

(skip some lines)

Jimmy:  I don’t know.  I’m reluctant to sign anything that has to do with my music.

Lenny: What! Are you crazy?! A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio! Give me a pen, I’m signing, you’re signing, we’re all signing.

I love this entire scene so much, so many subtle music business-isms creep in.  And it’s hilarious.

But just a couple things.

If you find yourself in a “really nice camper” (or the equivalent) being offered a deal, and the crazy aloof guitar player (or the equivalent) is spear heading the charge , slow down.  Wise council is worth every penny and worth the extra time it takes to get it.  

Whether it’s a lawyer, manager, business manager, get trusted, wise direction.  Even if you have to pay for it.

The Wonders lucked out.  But if a guy from Eerie, PA (or the equivalent) shows up at your next gig promising you the moon, you probably won’t be so lucky.

“I’m reluctant to sign anything that has to do with my music.”  This is a fear-based, overly general attitude to adopt.  

Why be reluctant if it’s a good deal?  Why be reluctant if you get what you want?  What’s the point to holding on to 100% ownership if you’re making zero dollars?  Better to own 1% of something making $100.

And when you succeed, you want others to be succeeding with you.  Because in life, you don’t want to be lonely (even in success), that’s one of our deep fears.

You don’t need to be reluctant, you need to be educated.  You need to be interested and intentional.

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

That Thing You Do: First Radio Spin

The first time That Thing You Do is on the radio.

One of the best scenes in the movie.

Faye is dropping off a letter in the public mailbox on the street, listening to the radio on her headphones, when she hears the drum beat and That Thing You Do starts playing.

She freaks, picks up T.B. Player at the Army/Navy store, they run down to Guy’s appliance store, Lenny and Jimmy show up (leaving their car parked in the street), and everyone runs around celebrating, laughing, Lenny smooching the lady cardboard cut out.

Even Guy’s mom does a little sitting-down-mom-dance towards the end of the scene.  

Magical.

A real, honest moment.

This business is draining.  There’s always a new problem, the next thing, another email, another crisis.

The one big celebratory moment used to be signing a record deal, because that meant you were going to become super famous (right?) and make lots of money.

I’m not sure if that particular moment/reasoning exists anymore.

But you have other moments worth celebrating.

Hearing your song on the radio.  Still awesome, especially for the first time.

Releasing a new single or record, even through TuneCore.  You put something out into the world, take a few mins or a dinner for that.

Playing a gig where everyone in the band thought it went really really well.  Call it out, say something about it.  Why? Because life doesn’t owe you another show like that.

When you get a heartfelt email from a fan expressing real love for your band.  Read it out loud with your band and appreciate the reality that you made a difference.

When you get a song on TV.  It’s ok to have everyone over and watch the show!  Goodness sakes, it’s a song you wrote on the edge of your bed in your undies and now it’s being heard.  Make a night of it.

I don’t care what you celebrate along the way, but don’t forget to celebrate.

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

That Thing You Do: K.O. Bailey

“The portly gentleman sniffing his stogie is K.O. Bailey.

He’s Columbus’ second most popular disc jockey…well, he’s the biggest cootie I ever saw.

If he likes what he hears, he’s going to play That Thing You Do tomorrow morning with 50,000 watts behind it.

It’s very important you don’t stink today.”

- Mr. White

(or if you are a hardcore fan, you’d know it’s Andy White…When Sol Silar is stuffing his face with a sandwich he says “ANDY, what in the bloody hell is this?”)

If it’s not K.O. Bailey watching then it’s someone from CAA  or the president of the hip indie label, or an attractive hot babe, or Vince Gill, or your ex lover.

There’s always something or someone there to take you off base.

It’s also important that you don’t stink today.

Every show you play you’re raising the bar for what the baseline quality of you show is (I hope so anyway).

That’s one of the reasons it’s important to play lots of shows.  You want your worst possible show to be as best as possible.

The experience you’ve built is your fail-safe.  Even when your hands are shaking, your throat is dry, a guitar string breaks and then K.O. Bailey shows up, there’s no need to freak.

You won’t stink today because now you’re not the type of person who can stink.

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

A Week Of That Thing You Do

That Thing You Do.

I watched it again this weekend.  

I could probably write every blog post for the next year based on insights gleaned from this movie.

But I’m not. I’m just going to do a week.  This week.

Even if you haven’t seen the movie, or haven’t seen the movie in a while, you’ll still be able to follow along.

But you’ll be able to follow along better if you go ahead and watch it tonight.  

A man in a really nice camper…

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