Good Songs And The Other Songs

With streaming as opposed to downloading single songs on iTunes, I listen to a lot more full albums.

Why? Because it’s easy.  I just click the first song on an album and let it play…

I let it play until I don’t like it.  Then I switch to someone else.

Here’s what I’ve found…

If what draws me in are a couple really good songs and then the songs that aren’t really good sound like the ones that are really good, I’ll probably listen to most of your record.

Once I’m hooked in, even a little bit, even with just a song or two, as long as you give me some relative consistency I’ll stick around.

Now this isn’t some universal truth. I love Sgt Peppers, I love curveballs and something different.

But in the new music listening culture I think this idea could be true for more than just me.

When we find a song we like, there’s already this tiny bit of loyalty/laziness that says, “It would be easier and less risky for me to listen to the next song of the cool band I’m currently listening to than it would to go find something new”.

So hook us in with a great song or two and keep us hanging around by being consistent.  

We will line up at your gate.

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

What Do People Value More Than Community?

Why is it hard to get people to come to your shows?

Because the only thing people value more than community is laying low.

That’s why.

That’s your battle as an artist.  

Community and connection is WAY up there on the list, but taking it easy is just a little higher.

The miracle of people coming out to your show is just that, a miracle.  Doesn’t matter if you’re playing a coffee shop or a stadium.  It’s a miracle.

Think of all the things that had to happen in order to get them to your show.  Not even just the things that particular day but the days, weeks, months and maybe years of strung together events, feelings and situations that finally lead them to your gig…or they could just decide to lay low, despite all of that.

The 1 person or the 10,000 people at your show overcame the largest modern day hurdle to be there.

Put on a show.

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

When You Think You’re On The List

When you think you’re on the list, you act like you’re on the list, you walk up to security like you’re on the list, you give your name to the security guard with the confidence of someone who is on the list…and you’re not on the list.  That is a humbling moment.

Because security doesn’t care what you thought, or what was suppose to happen.

You’re not on the list.  Now, not only are you not on the list, but you don’t have an actual ticket because you thought you were on the list.  So you can’t even get inside.

So you get out your cell phone and try to think who you can call or text who can fix this.

Now that you’ve thought of that person, you have to consider if they have their phone with them or not.  What if it’s on silent? What if it’s far far away from them?  How many times should you call? Should you text? Are you being bothersome? If you’re bothersome will they just screen your calls and texts and not help you?

Oh it’s frantic alright.

You had a lot of swagger coming into this situation, but it’s all gone now.

You have your cool outfit on cause you were on the list and going to be backstage all night, but now you are sitting on the ground cause you’ve been standing for so long and your legs got tired.  So your cool outfit now has a dirty butt section.  And you’re probably sweating from the anxiety.

Finally your “in” texts you back, with the over all gist being “I’ll try”.

More sitting. More sweating.  More you hoping the security guard will just let you in.  More the security guard not any closer to letting you in.

Just when you’re about to shamefully walk back to your car, your friend in the band, or your friend who knows someone in the band comes and gets you.  

You’re mad.  Very mad. But you can’t show it.  

Over the course of the night you try and get your backstage-I’m-with-the-band swagger back.  And you do for the most part.  But every time you walk by that security guard, you know that he knows that you know he knows what you both know.

Cheers to the list.

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

If You Answer The Phone

If I call you and you pick up the phone, you’re saying you have time to pick up the phone and hear me.  Even for a few seconds.

But remember, YOU chose to pick it up, so you’re not allowed to be annoyed or perplexed.  Unless I proceed to tell you something annoying or perplexing.

But my existence in your life at that moment is your own fault.  So don’t be rude.

I’m happy with going to voicemail.

Whether or not I’m in your caller ID, whether or not we know each other very well or at all, you picked up the phone, you opened the door when I knocked.

Be nice first.  If I’m a jerk, you can be a jerk back.  But don’t start with being a jerk. It throws it all off.

If you don’t have the time or attitude to talk, don’t answer.  Not answering can be a very friendly thing to do.

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

Offline Mode

Making it into someone’s offline mode is the pinnacle of current music consumption.

If I have your song or record set to offline mode, a few things are true…

-I want you even when I don’t have data…which isn’t often, but just in case.  I want to be able to listen to you no matter what.
-I allow you to take up space on my already taxed iPhone hard drive
-Airplane mode will not stop me from having you
-Because you’re in this exclusive club, I therefore think of you more often

And another thing, once you make it into my offline mode list, it’s very difficult for me to remove you.  I feel a loyalty to your inclusion in my own club.

My offline mode list is either a thing that you are on or you are not.  There’s no gray area.  There’s no kind-of-offline-mode (at least not that I can think of).

Offline mode is a special place.  With limited space.

Apple Music is the giant book of CD’s you’d make the person riding in the passenger seat thumb through.

Offline mode is that CD holder attached to your visor.

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

Hinting And Telling

I was talking with an artist friend a few weeks ago.  Talking about some problems he was having with a particular person on his team.

He said that the problems have really been boiling down to an overall lack of solid communication.

Tension and under-communicated expectations on both sides were mounting.  And about to pop.

Then he delivered this gem…

“I mean, I’ve feel like I’ve been hinting at them for a while that communication hasn’t been great”

We stopped.

Ah ha!

There it is.

For the pile of HINTS, taking one opportunity to TELL makes the hinting, confusion and tension go away.

Stop looking for the least amount you can say that will make you feel like you’re off the hook and it’s the other person’s job to figure it out.

Stop hinting, start telling.

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