For Those Complaining...

If your main goal is to make your problems go away, you need a better goal.

You need a goal where you are willing to step into each problem as it comes, work at it, solve it, move past it, only to get up for the next one.

We don’t get to choose whether or not we have problems…we get to choose which KIND of problems we spend our days and weeks and years tinkering with, exploring and maybe even solving.

Complaining is for people who believe they eventually deserve easy.

Exhausted at the end of the day is for people who believe it’s an honor to wake up each morning and push further, regardless of the difficulty.

If you’re complaining about the music business, get out of it.  It doesn’t need you…and you don’t need it.  Go find something else…something you’re excited to work on despite it being difficult, unfair, time sucking, exhausting, thankless and risky (because everything worth doing is ALL of those things).

If you’re gonna decide to hang around, then expand your vision longer, wider, deeper.  Let the problems and the growing size of the problems be a indicator your’e heading in exactly the right direction.  

Don’t wish them away.  Smirk and runs towards them.

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

Nightcap 6

Is it ever too early for a nightcap?

We know nice plates don’t make the ingredients better, but they do. 

When someone’s trying to squeeze past you and they say “excuse me” and you reply with a mash-up of ”you’re fine" and “no problem” and it comes out “your problem”…isn’t that actually what you actually mean anyway? 

You feel dumb when you run out of gas because it’s not like you didn’t see it coming.

A sideways baseball cap will never be looked back on as the right move.

Someone who does odd jobs does jobs most people need done, making them not odd.

When guitar players are noodling (during everything), cut them some slack…believe it or not, they just don’t realize they’re annoying everyone within ear shot.

Seacrest out.

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

A Touch Of Sea Salt

“With a touch of sea salt”

That was the last line in a chocolate bar commercial I heard on the radio.

It was a woman with a French accent who said it. She did the whole commercial.  It made me want that chocolate bar…because I love dark chocolate with salt, and she reminded me that I’m a sophisticated person who has a specific taste, not shared by everyone.  

That’s the story she let me tell myself.

You know who didn’t narrate the commercial…Seth Rogan

It wasn’t Seth Rogan saying “oh and we toss some salt in there too”.  That would have been a completely different story.  Same product, different story.

It wouldn’t have changed the actual product (just sitting in a warehouse somewhere) at all, but the French woman with the “touch of salt” spoke to the audience who would want the chocolate.

I know, its basic marketing.

But all your videos, show posters, interviews, tweets, Facebook posts…it’s worth remembering that words matter, tone matters.

What’s your French accent? What’s your “touch of salt”?  Who is the person sitting in their car buying into your commercial?

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

Exceptions

Exceptions follow their gut

Exceptions know everyone wants a thrill

Exceptions have excellent relational intuition

Exceptions know where they shine

Exceptions give before receiving 

Exceptions see the need(s) they can meet

Exceptions command attention, while never begging for it

Exceptions play the hand they want, not just what they’re dealt

Exceptions are magnets

Exceptions stare into the darkness and take a step, instead of waiting for someone to turn the light on.

You can play by the rules or you can be the exception. 

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

Hang Out With Michael Jordan

If you want to be better at basketball just hang out with Michael Jordan. Even just once.

There doesn’t even need to be a basketball within 10 miles.  You’ll still walk away a better player.

In the financial world they say you’re income will be the average of the ten people you hang out with the most.  Think about it for a sec…probably true.

And I’d say in music it’s a combination…your skill level, writing level, performing level will be closest to the ten people you hang out with the most….and also given a turbo charge by the one or two or five people you hang out with INTENTIONALLY (but perhaps not that often).

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

We’re All Just A Bunch Of Middle Schoolers

We’re all just a bunch of insecure middle schoolers hoping for someone to be interested in us.

The music business is the mecca for this middle school yearning.

So continue to make the first move. I know you think you’ve made your fair share of first moves and now it’s everyone else’s turn. But keep doing it.

Say hello first.

Smile first.

Help first. 

We live in a timid industry where people are afraid but long for connection and a friendly face when on the road, in a meeting, at rehearsal, in a session. 

Maybe saying hello first comes naturally to you…awesome…people will naturally feel your warmth and inclusiveness.

Maybe saying hello first doesn’t come naturally to you…awesome…people will feel honored that you chose THEM, because you don’t give the natural vibe that this is something you do all the time.  You make them feel special.

Nice matters. It’s so simple.

Say hello.

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