Pushing Forward

It used to be at shows when everyone got really excited, usually at the very beginning, there was a big push towards the front, to get closer. 

That was the only way to direct the intensified longing. (Well, either that or tears)

It was a pretty cool moment.

Now everyone just directs the intensified longing to their cell phones to grab a quick souvenir of the moment.


But the best thing about the fishing story is that there was NEVER A PICTURE TAKEN.  That’s what makes the story worth telling over and over again. That’s the charm, the fact that no one can say the fish WASN’T that big. You get to remember it as grand as you want to and no one can say boo.

 
p.s. Now don’t get me wrong, I want people to take pictures of your show…or better yet, and pertaining to what you can control, I want you to do some things that are worth taking a picture of.



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

Two Years Or Eight Years?

Wanting to sell out arenas in two years vs wanting to sell out arenas in eight years require two different paces, two distinctly different plans, different resources, different strengths of personnel, attitudes, opportunity costs…just to name a few a of the many differences.

So you want to be a huge star and sell out these big venues.

The why? and how? questions are perhaps most important…but the when? certainly influences the how?

But if the answer to when? is “as soon as possible” or “whenever it happens it happens”…those are blurry answers at best and will just confuse the how?…and probably lead to never.

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

Your Show In A Month

What do you want your live show to look like a month from now?

It’s an interesting time frame isn’t it…

If I ask you about your coming up this week it feels too immediate, like you can’t make anything better because it’s coming up so soon. 

If I ask about 6 months from now, it’s easy to get pretty dreamy and idealistic since it’s so far away…In 6 months we’ll have a rocket ship on stage! It’ll be so fun!!

But a month from now, how will your show be different? How will it be better? What changes will you make to ensure that you walk off stage knowing you did it? And “it” is something big, meaningful, in line with your (bands’) purpose.

Talk to the people around you.

And feel free to talk with me.

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

Easy Work For Easy Money

We need these things to go over there. 

Great! I can move these things over there.

Easy enough, sounds like easy money to me. 

And it’s true. But then after few times of moving these things over there something else happens: easy isn’t so great, easy is boring.  And doing boring work kinda sucks.

But we keep doing it cause at least boring is still easy money. 

It takes a little more time but then later down the line easy money becomes “not even worth it anymore”.

In the short term we’re willing to convince ourselves easy work for easy money is worth it. And maybe in the short term it is. (In fact, when the light bill needs to be paid, it definitely is!)

But come on…Easy work for easy money is out. Specialized, personal, fulfilling work that serves the world around you is in…and over time people will give you certificates of appreciation (money) for that work.

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

The Waiting Game

We wait for the call back about the show

We wait for the email back about the label

We wait in the greenroom to go on stage

We wait to hear back from the production company about the video

We wait for people to get it

We wait for more people to get it

We wait to put out the record

And we’re always waiting to hear back from…

I’ve found that in this business we are always waiting on something, or lots of things.  

I’m tired of waiting.  Aren’t you tired of waiting?

It’s time to stop playing the waiting game.

It’s time to let the waiting happen, let the waiting do it’s thing, while working on the things that need to be worked on.

Sure, waiting has it’s place, but its appropriate place is much smaller than we usually allow it to be.

Stop waiting for the waiting to end.

It’s time to be fully alive while waiting.

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

When People See You They Think About You

When people see you they think about you.

Now, the opposite…When people don’t see you they don’t think about you…is definitely not true.

However if people haven’t seen you in a while it’s not a bad idea to come out and say hello.

“The right place at the right time” usually comes from (re)connecting with someone and then that connection puts you at the top of their mind when the “time” comes.

People think about a lot of things, with the thing most often thought about being (or is certainly influenced by) what is right in front of them…

So it might be worth getting in front of them.

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