There’s No Listening In A Music Sale

There’s no listening involved in a sale of an album and that’s what the music is for in the first place.

A stream, however, does equal a listen, consumption of the music, people doing with it what you intended it for.

But digging a bit more…if you are still imploring people to buy your album and you don’t have an $100 deluxe package for them to buy, you’re really missing the mark.

See, with everyday that goes by, the person who is going to lay down $10 for your album (even saying that sounds archaic now) is the exact person who will spend $100 on your deluxe package.  Because who purchases CD’s or mp3 files anymore?  Hardcore fans…So at least go get the $100, or $200 or whatever they’ll pay for a well thought out deluxe package.

If you’re pleading with your fans to buy your stuff because that’s how you need them to support you and all you have is an album for sale, step up.

Even better, step into the here and now.  Invite, entice, make it simple for people to LISTEN to your music and then make ready deluxe, bonus, limited edition, hand made stuff for them to spend bigger money on.

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

Paul McCartney Uses Fireworks

Even Paul McCartney uses fireworks…and he has the best songs ever. 

But you can replace “fireworks” with “something extra that makes the crowd go WOW beyond the actual words and melodies of the songs”, and it applies to you too.

Every artist dreams of letting the songs do the talking at their gig.

But the songs aren’t enough.  Even the guy with the best songs ever knows that’s not enough in the live setting.

Paul McCartney knows his show needs some fireworks.

Do you know?

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

bigger and Bigger and BIGGER

If what you want people, the radio station, the blog, the interviewer, the fans to talk about is that you’re getting bigger, you’ll always need a bigger event.  And then a bigger one. And then an even bigger one.

What is the band up to…is a question often heard by the artist as “in what ways is the band getting in front more people, and then more people, and having cooler and cooler experiences unique to the common person”.

Having lots of fans is great.  Having cool experiences is really fun.

But if you always need a bigger dose of the drug in order to have something to talk about…you’ll always need a bigger dose.  And the dose might not be there.  You can’t solely control the dose, the size and when it comes.

Try answering “what is the band up to” with something other than accolades, the success ramp, and name dropping.

p.s. Your accolades, the success ramp and name dropping are much more intriguing and magnetic when you can answer the question without those things too.

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

Nightcap 10

Once you’re at the party, no one cares about what kind of car brought you.

I used to judge the Home Depot hotdog stand eaters pretty hard, and then I joined them.

The first step is coming to terms that you do, indeed, have voices in your head.

Artists make the managers knowledge look good.

Whenever I see a full 100 restaurant health score I think something weird must be up.

Get kids talking about fast cars and in 45 years they’ll buy one.

Quiet down….shhhhhhh….can you hear it?

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

Two Basic Questions

Two important questions with two important and different answers…

Why do people listen to your music?

Why do people choose to come to your show? If this answer is the exact same as the first answer, it’s going to be nearly impossible to get people to come out to your show.

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

Who Is Successful That You Think Shouldn’t Be?

Who is successful that shouldn’t be?

Let that stew for a minute. Who comes to mind? Who’s getting WAY too much credit and career advancement?

There’s a lot to learn there.  Because the thing is, the only rules they’re violating are the rules you’ve made up for yourself in your own head…and you’re not only applying them to yourself, but everyone else too.

All the reasons you think they shouldn’t be successful (but are anyway) highlight the confines in which you’re playing the game.

But there are no confines.

There are no rules.

The WAY IT IS isn’t the way it is…it’s just the way it is when you think of the way it is.

“Hey, wait a second, that’s not fair” doesn’t apply…because fair implies regulations, defined justice, a universally accepted list of right and wrong.

But in the entertainment business, its the wild west.

There are no rules, only choices.

p.s.  “They suck and they’re doing better than me”…they may suck, but they play by a set of rules that allows them to be more successful than you ANYWAY.  It would do you good to familiarize yourself with their “rules” that allow them this path.



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

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