CDs, Stealing And Streaming

I think I stole music because I wanted revenge for all the years of the $15 cd with only one good song on it.  Revenge and rebellion at it’s finest.

But any generation after mine (and I’m not that old, yet), doesn’t have the $15 to rebel against.

No one under 25 has any real recollection of associating “normal” with purchasing music.  People under 25 may indeed have purchased music, but it’s been the exception, not the rule/norm.

Rather, they are FOR simplicity and convenience…they’re not rebelling via Spotify, they’re not trying to screw you via YouTube, they’re not getting revenge against you via Apple Music.

The problem isn’t streaming.  The problem is we need more people streaming.

Collectively, as musicians and artists, along with the musicians and artists around you…we need to encourage fans to LISTEN to the music.  Not download, not purchase, not enter in a promo code.

We stole music partly for revenge and rebellion.

We stream music only for the enjoyment of music. Encourage that.

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

5 Star And 1 Star Shows

Think about your live show.  The way you walk on stage, the opening song, the flow of the show, the dialogue between the songs, the interaction, the aesthetic, the vibes, the dynamic, the last song, the way you end the last song, the way you walk off stage.

Now imagine someone wrote a 5 star review of the show. What would it say? What would they write about? What moments would they highlight, specifically? How would they praise your show? Why would they praise your show?

Now imagine someone wrote a 1 star review of the show.  Exact same show, different review.  What would it say? What holes would they point out? What improvements desperately need to be made? What is the glaring short fall of the thing?

If you’re feeling brave, take a few minutes and actually write these two reviews, yourself, for your live show.  You’ll learn a lot.

If you’re feeling extra sassy, ask everyone in the band to do this.  You might fight a little upon reading the reviews, but you’ll learn even more.

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

Of Short Term Importance

If you’re long term strategy is to make money by playing shows, but you never make enough money to keep playing shows, then it’s an incomplete strategy.  You’ll never reach your long-term.

It’s easy to not strategize and plan at all.

But then, once you get over that hump, the next easiest thing to do is to strategize the distant future…that way it’s far away, and has the least amount of connection to today.  You can strategize the distant future and then just go back to doing what you were doing, since the distant future doesn’t apply right now.

What’s your short term strategy for bringing money into your system? What’s your short term strategy for keeping the lights on and gas in the van?  What’s your short term strategy to make this year better than last year?

The long-term, big dreams and plans are crucial, but in order to get there, the short term strategy needs your attention.

The short term is a gateway to the long term.  The long term is a gateway to the short term.

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

ESPN Classic

When you know what the outcome is, the roller coaster of emotions seems a little silly.

ESPN Classic is one of the most relaxing channels to watch.  You get all of the greatness with none of the stress!

It’s interesting watching players and coaches in those games.  I already know who’s going to win, but they don’t.

They get fired up, tons of yelling and cussing people out, heart rates in the stratosphere, sky high positivity one moment, and the next, near debilitating negativity.

If you and your past situations were on ESPN Classic (or maybe for musicians it’d be called Band Life Classic…horrible name) and you could re-watch them knowing what the outcome was going to be, what over reactions, under reactions, decisions, headaches, sleepless nights seem a little silly?

Breathe. It’s a long game.

p.s. I’ve been in some real doozey situations in this wild music business…and I’ve done the equivalent of Bob Knight throwing the folding chair across the basketball court. (Indiana was going to lose that game, but Bob didn’t know it yet.)

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

What Bands Do

What bands do…

1. Write music

2. Play music for people

Inherently, that’s the deal.  That’s it.  Make these two things great.

In high school or college it was common to stay up all night writing a paper, finishing a project, studying for an exam.  The NEED was understood, so sacrifices were made to meet the need.  Even though we probably hated the entire situation anyway.

But when is the last time you burned all night to make the music great, or to come up with ideas to make the shows great?  The last time you stayed up to do something you actually LIKE!!??

It’s probably been a while, because you don’t feel the need.

But that doesn’t mean the need doesn’t exist.

It does exist.

I’m not saying you should stay up all night every night this year…but I hope you experience the level of “need” for great music and shows that staying up all night is associated with.

Write music. Play music for people. That’s the deal.

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

Where Do You Little White Lie?

So what’s been going on with the band?

A question all artists have been asked a bazillion times, and yet…

What’s the little white lie you tell most often when asked that question?

That certain aspect you pump up…or sweep under the rug.  The real answer to the question.  The confident, insecure, messy, powerful answer.

Now, I know I know. Fake it till you make it.  No one wants to hear a sob story.  It’s not the right time and place to really “get into it”.

But noticing where you place your white lies says more about YOU than whether or not you answer the question in a socially acceptable way.

p.s. If the truth to the question “So what’s going on with the band” is really as shiny as most of the artists I’ve talked to over the last ten years…I should have a lot more famous friends.

p.p.s. The answer artists give to that question while standing in a club or coffee shop is worlds apart from from the one they give when sitting in my living room.  There’s life and truth and potential in the living room answer.

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